Legislative Activity

The Defining Male and Female Act of 2025 establishes fixed, biological definitions for "male" and "female" based on reproductive function at conception for all federal law interpretations. This Act mandates that the federal government must use these biological definitions when defining sex, man, woman, and parental roles. Furthermore, it explicitly states that "gender identity" shall not be recognized as a substitute for biological sex in federal statutes or regulations.

The Dietary Guidelines Reform Act of 2025 overhauls the process for creating official U.S. dietary recommendations, mandating updates only once every ten years through formal rulemaking procedures based on rigorous scientific evidence. This bill establishes strict standards for evidence review, requires transparency regarding conflicts of interest for advisory members, and explicitly excludes non-dietary policy issues from the guidelines. The 2020 guidelines will remain in effect until the first report issued under these new, formalized rules is published.

The Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act formally defines Career and Technical Education (CTE) within the Small Business Act. This legislation directs Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and Women's Business Centers (WBCs) to actively assist small businesses in hiring recent CTE graduates. Furthermore, these centers are now required to support CTE graduates who wish to start their own small businesses.

The End Taxpayer Funding of Gender Experimentation Act of 2025 prohibits the use of any federal money for gender transition procedures, including for federal employees and at federal facilities. This ban also extends to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, preventing individuals from using federal premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions to cover plans that include these procedures. The law strictly defines "gender transition procedures" while excluding treatments for certain disorders of sex development or procedures necessary to prevent imminent death.

The HELP Copays Act mandates that financial assistance provided by third parties, such as non-profits or drug manufacturers, must count toward a patient's deductible, copayment, and out-of-pocket maximums. This change ensures that patient cost-sharing requirements are met even when external aid is used to cover prescription drug costs. The new rules generally apply to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The "Dangerous Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act" prohibits federal research grants to higher education institutions or research institutes that conduct gain-of-function research on certain organisms. Gain-of-function research is defined as research that genetically alters an organism to change or enhance its biological functions, potentially increasing infectivity, transmissibility, or pathogenicity. This prohibition extends to research that could pose a threat to national security, public safety, or the health of humans, animals, or livestock. The specified organisms include influenza viruses, coronaviruses, agents or toxins on the Select Agents and Toxins List, or any synthetic construct of such.

The "Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2025" adds the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to address transactions involving agricultural land, biotechnology, and industry. It mandates the Committee to review agricultural land transactions involving foreign entities from countries of concern like China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran, as identified by the Secretary of Agriculture. This ensures scrutiny of foreign investments in U.S. agriculture that could pose national security risks. The requirements terminate for a covered country once it is removed from the list of foreign adversaries.

The "One Flag for All Act" generally prohibits the display of flags other than the United States flag on the exterior and publicly accessible areas of federal buildings, military installations, and U.S. embassies. It includes exceptions for flags such as the POW/MIA flag, flags of visiting diplomats, state flags displayed by Members of Congress, flags representing branches of the Armed Forces, flags of historical significance, and flags representing religious organizations or churches during religious events at military installations. Additional exceptions are made for flags representing public safety, special national observances, a Federal agency, an Indian Tribe, and the State, territory, county, city, or local jurisdiction where the covered public building is located.

This joint resolution seeks to nullify the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule regarding the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). If passed, the resolution would render the rule unenforceable and strip it of all legal force.

The Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act prohibits the Small Business Administration from imposing any new regulatory costs on small businesses starting in fiscal year 2026. Additionally, the bill mandates that the SBA provide Congress with annual reports detailing the impact of federal agency regulations on the small business community.

This bill mandates the removal of the lesser prairie-chicken from the federal lists of threatened and endangered species. Furthermore, it amends the Endangered Species Act to permanently prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from granting the species protected status in the future.

The Increased TSP Access Act of 2025 aims to expand the availability of conservation technical assistance by streamlining the certification process for third-party providers. The bill authorizes non-Federal entities and State agencies to certify providers, establishes a faster track for qualified professionals, and mandates transparent reporting on program utilization. Additionally, it ensures fair compensation for providers to improve the overall delivery and effectiveness of conservation practices for agricultural producers.