Legislative Activity

The Supporting Trade and Rebuilding Opportunity for National Growth Act, or STRONG Act, significantly increases the maximum loan amounts available through key Small Business Administration (SBA) programs. Specifically, it doubles the maximum size for standard 7(a) loans from $\$3.75$ million to $\$7.5$ million. Additionally, the bill raises the maximum loan amount for development company loans from $\$5$ million to $\$10$ million. These changes aim to provide greater capital access for small business growth and development.

The Veterans Border Patrol Training Act establishes a pilot program to leverage the Department of Defense's SkillBridge program to train and hire transitioning servicemembers directly as U.S. Border Patrol agents. This initiative aims to facilitate a smooth transition for military personnel into federal law enforcement roles. The Secretary of Homeland Security must report annually to Congress on the program's participation and outcomes. This pilot program is set to automatically expire five years after its commencement date.

The Association Health Plans Act amends federal law to allow certain groups or associations of employers to sponsor a single group health plan, treating them as a single employer for coverage purposes. This aims to expand access to health coverage by enabling broader risk pooling across different industries. The bill establishes specific criteria these associations must meet to qualify, including minimum size and operational standards. Finally, it outlines rules for setting premium rates and prohibits discrimination based on health status for plans established under this Act.

The Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act modifies federal Charter School Program grants to strengthen state oversight and support for high-quality charter schools. It prioritizes funding for educator-led groups planning to open new schools by offering pre-charter planning subgrants. The bill also refines how states allocate grant funds, ensuring the majority supports the opening and expansion of charter schools.

The Revitalizing Investment, Savings, and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Act aims to encourage investment by capping the federal tax rate on a specific portion of adjusted net capital gains at 15 percent. This change modifies existing tax code provisions to provide a lower, predictable rate for certain investment profits.

The Access to Small Business Investor Capital Act amends SEC reporting requirements for certain investment companies. This change allows these companies to exclude the indirect fees and expenses incurred from investing in an Acquired Fund, provided that Acquired Fund is a business development company. This simplifies the calculation of total "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" disclosed on registration statements.

The Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act of 2025 aims to improve women's health after childbirth by clarifying Medicaid/CHIP coverage for essential pelvic health services. It mandates federal guidance for states on covering services like pelvic floor exams and physical therapy, alongside establishing a national education campaign for both providers and new mothers. The bill also directs the GAO to study existing coverage gaps for postpartum women under Medicaid.

The Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2025 ensures that time spent receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital counts toward the required 3-day inpatient stay needed to qualify for Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. This change effectively removes a significant barrier to accessing post-hospital care for many Medicare beneficiaries. The Secretary of HHS is authorized to implement this rule immediately.

The FIGHT Act of 2025 significantly strengthens federal prohibitions against animal fighting ventures, specifically targeting the sponsorship, exhibition, and gambling associated with these events. This legislation clarifies the definition of a rooster for legal purposes and bans the interstate transport of roosters for fighting. Furthermore, it empowers private citizens to file lawsuits against violators, allowing for civil penalties and the potential seizure of property used to facilitate illegal animal fighting.

The Community TEAMS Act of 2025 establishes new federal grants to fund partnerships between medical schools and local health facilities in rural and medically underserved communities. These grants aim to expand clinical training opportunities for medical students in high-need areas. The ultimate goal is to encourage these students to establish long-term medical practices within those communities after graduation.

The SAFE Cities Act establishes a process for the Attorney General to officially designate certain state or local governments as "anarchist jurisdictions" based on their failure to take reasonable steps to stop violence and property destruction. Once designated, these jurisdictions will face restrictions or unfavorable treatment regarding the distribution of federal grants. The criteria focus on local policies that hinder law enforcement's ability to restore order or that involve significant cuts to police funding.

This resolution strongly condemns the recent rise in ideologically motivated attacks targeting Jewish individuals and institutions across the United States, including the violent assault in Boulder, Colorado. The House of Representatives reaffirms its commitment to combating antisemitism and politically motivated violence in all its forms. It calls for thorough investigation and prosecution of such incidents and urges all sectors of society to speak out against hate.

The Bank Failure Prevention Act of 2025 establishes strict, accelerated timelines for federal agencies reviewing applications for bank mergers and holding company changes. This legislation mandates that agencies must either approve or deny applications within 90 days of submission, or the application is automatically approved. The goal is to streamline the regulatory process by imposing clear deadlines for completeness checks and final decisions.

The Financial Institution Regulatory Tailoring Enhancement Act significantly raises key asset thresholds across several major financial regulations from $\$10$ billion to $\$50$ billion. This change reduces the scope of supervision by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for many large financial institutions. Furthermore, it adjusts the applicability of the Volker Rule, qualified mortgage definitions, and certain capital requirements.

The Fair Audits and Inspections for Regulators’ Exams (FAIR Exams) Act establishes strict deadlines for federal regulators to complete financial examinations and issue reports. It also creates a new, independent Board to review complaints about examination practices and allows financial institutions to appeal "material supervisory determinations" *de novo*. Furthermore, the bill mandates faster regulatory responses to requests for permission or guidance and strengthens anti-retaliation protections for institutions using appeal rights.

The Retirement Fairness for Charities and Educational Institutions Act of 2025 modifies federal securities laws to update exemptions for 403(b) retirement plans. This legislation clarifies requirements under the Investment Company Act, the Securities Act, and the Securities Exchange Act. The changes generally condition these exemptions on the employer taking on specific fiduciary responsibilities regarding the selection and approval of investment options offered to participants.

The Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act mandates an independent review of all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) forms sent to claimants to ensure they are clear and easy to understand. The VA Secretary must hire an outside entity to assess these forms and implement recommendations for improvement within a set timeline. Additionally, this bill slightly extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments.

This bill, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Commission Act, restructures the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) by replacing its single Director leadership with an independent, five-member commission appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The legislation updates numerous federal laws to replace references to the "Director" with the "Commission" or "Bureau" to reflect this new governance structure. The commission will oversee the agency's core rulemaking and enforcement authority, with a Chair selected from among its members to manage day-to-day operations.

The Insurance Data Protection Act aims to adjust federal regulatory authority over insurance data by limiting the subpoena power of the Office of Financial Research against insurance companies. It also strengthens confidentiality protections for data shared with and held by the Federal Insurance Office and other financial regulators. Furthermore, the bill mandates that financial regulators must seek existing data from other sources before directly collecting information from insurance companies, ensuring data privacy is maintained.

The Retreaded Tire Jobs, Supply Chain Security and Sustainability Act of 2025 establishes a new federal tax credit for businesses purchasing qualified, domestically retreaded tires through 2028. The bill also mandates that federal executive agencies prioritize purchasing retreaded tires when available through the GSA schedule, rather than buying new ones. These provisions aim to boost domestic jobs, enhance supply chain security, and promote sustainability in the tire industry.