Legislative Activity

The Advancing Research on Agricultural Soil Health Act of 2025 aims to standardize how soil carbon is measured for research and conservation purposes. The bill establishes a national Soil Carbon Inventory and Analysis Network to track carbon stocks across U.S. lands every five years using the new standard methodology. Furthermore, it mandates the development of a predictive modeling tool to estimate the environmental impacts of various land management practices. This legislation supports producers by offering technical assistance for voluntary soil carbon reporting.

The Written Informed Consent Act mandates that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) expand its informed consent directives to specifically cover several classes of medications, including antipsychotics, stimulants, antidepressants, anxiolytics, and narcotics. This ensures veterans receive a thorough understanding of these prescribed drugs. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must update VHA Directive 1005 to reflect these expanded requirements.

This resolution commends the heroic efforts and courageous response of the Coast Guard, specifically Air Station Corpus Christi and the crew of CG-6553, following catastrophic flooding in central Texas. It specifically honors the crew for successfully executing dangerous rescues amid severe weather and recognizes the broader Coast Guard deployment. Furthermore, the resolution extends gratitude to all federal, state, local responders, and volunteers who aided in the disaster relief efforts.

The INSPECT Act of 2025 mandates that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) place a full-time, resident inspector at every permanently shut-down commercial nuclear power plant. This inspector will oversee the decommissioning process and the transfer of spent nuclear fuel into dry storage. The resident inspector remains on site until all spent fuel has been moved into secure dry canisters.

The Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act establishes a new program to support local food producers and strengthen regional food security. This initiative requires the Secretary of Agriculture to fund agreements that ensure nutritious, locally sourced food is purchased and distributed widely, prioritizing small and beginning farmers. Funds must be used to buy minimally processed local products and provide technical assistance to producers. The program is backed by mandatory funding starting in Fiscal Year 2026.

The LEO K9 Protection Act enhances penalties for intentionally harming law enforcement animals, especially when a weapon is used. It also mandates the development of federal guidance for emergency medical services (EMS) personnel on treating injured police dogs. Finally, the bill establishes regulations allowing EMS to transport and provide emergency care to injured police dogs when human patients are not in immediate need.

The Biochar Research Network Act of 2025 establishes a National Biochar Research Network, managed by the USDA, to study the real-world effectiveness of biochar across various soils and climates. This network will focus on quantifying carbon sequestration, improving crop production, and developing science-backed guidance for sustainable biochar use. The goal is to provide farmers and land managers with the data needed to boost profits while enhancing soil health and climate resilience.

The Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2025 significantly improves the TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program for military dependents. This legislation eliminates the age restriction for TYA eligibility and removes the separate premium requirement for coverage. These changes aim to provide broader and simpler healthcare access for adult children of service members.

The China Financial Threat Mitigation Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive study by the Treasury Department and other key agencies to assess U.S. exposure to risks within China's financial sector. This report must analyze potential global financial instability stemming from China and detail current U.S. mitigation efforts. Furthermore, the study will evaluate the trustworthiness of Chinese economic data and recommend further actions to protect American interests. The findings will be delivered to Congress and made publicly available within one year of enactment.

The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2025 aims to strengthen and improve national newborn screening programs across the country. This legislation enhances parent education, mandates better follow-up care for identified disorders, and updates the advisory committee responsible for recommending screening guidelines. Furthermore, it increases funding authorizations and clarifies research protocols related to anonymous newborn blood spot samples.

The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 establishes a structured process for distributing up to 2,000 additional, federally funded residency positions annually between fiscal years 2026 and 2032. This distribution prioritizes hospitals serving in underserved areas, those already training above their limit, and those committed to primary care and general surgery training. The bill also mandates a study and report by the Comptroller General on effective strategies to increase diversity within the health professional workforce.

The Saving Vet Halls Act of 2025 establishes a new grant program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This program provides funding to Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) specifically for repairing facilities and upgrading technology. Grants are capped at $\$75,000$ or the total project cost (whichever is higher), and organizations receiving funds are ineligible to reapply for five years. The legislation authorizes $\$10$ million to support these essential improvements for VSOs.

The No Surprises Act Enforcement Act significantly increases financial penalties for group health plans and insurance issuers that violate balance billing protections. It establishes steep fines, including up to $\$10,000$ per affected individual for serious non-compliance. Furthermore, the bill imposes severe penalties, including triple the disputed amount plus interest, for failing to make required payments promptly after an Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) determination. Finally, it mandates more frequent and detailed transparency reporting on enforcement actions and violations.

The Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act prioritizes federal funding for research and extension programs specifically aimed at controlling the invasive Spotted Lanternfly. This legislation ensures that developing effective tools and treatments against this pest becomes a high-priority initiative. Additionally, the Act extends the authorization for several existing high-priority agricultural research programs until 2030.

The Identifying Regulatory Barriers to Housing Supply Act aims to address the national housing shortage by encouraging local governments to reform restrictive land use and zoning rules. Recipients of certain federal housing grants must now submit a report every five years detailing their policies on increasing housing types, reducing development restrictions, and streamlining permitting. This measure seeks to clear regulatory roadblocks that currently make building affordable housing too difficult or expensive.

The Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act establishes the Healthy H2O Program to provide grants for improving drinking water quality in rural areas. These grants help eligible households and small facilities address contamination from issues like lead or PFAS by covering the costs of certified water treatment systems, installation, and testing. The program prioritizes private well owners and requires annual reporting on contamination trends and program effectiveness.

This bill establishes the United States-Israel PTSD Collaborative Research Act to foster scientific partnerships between the two nations. It creates a grant program, managed by the Secretary of Defense, to fund joint research projects between U.S. academic or non-profit entities and Israeli institutions specializing in PTSD treatment. The goal is to advance new and improved methods for diagnosing and treating post-traumatic stress disorder.

The SAVES Act establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide service dogs to eligible veterans. These grants, up to $\$2,000,000$ each, will fund the training and provision of service dogs for veterans with qualifying conditions like PTSD or TBI. The bill also extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments until February 2033.

This bill establishes the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program to provide grants to states and tribes. These funds will help public water systems cover the water and sewer bills for eligible low-income households. The program aims to supplement existing aid by assisting families whose income is at or below 150% of the poverty level or 60% of the state median income. Funding is authorized at $500 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

The Partner with Korea Act establishes a new reciprocal temporary work visa category specifically for South Korean nationals seeking employment in specialty occupations within the United States. This program is subject to an annual cap of 15,000 principal applicants. The legislation updates immigration procedures to incorporate this dedicated visa stream, contingent upon employer attestations approved by the Secretary of Labor.