Legislative Activity

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 targets the increasing threat posed by organized theft groups impacting retail and the national supply chain. This bill strengthens federal law by expanding money laundering statutes and lowering thresholds for property crimes related to theft. Crucially, it establishes a new federal coordination center within Homeland Security Investigations to align efforts across all levels of law enforcement and the private sector to combat these cross-jurisdictional crimes.

This bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to temporarily exclude certain False Claims Act recoveries from being deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. It also mandates a comprehensive audit by the Department of Justice Inspector General on the Fund's sustainability and the impact of recent legislative changes. The resulting report will provide recommendations for improving the Fund's effectiveness and oversight.

The Reliable Power Act mandates annual long-term reliability assessments by the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to proactively identify risks of power shortages. If a "generation inadequacy" is found, it triggers a review process for certain federal agency regulations that affect power generation resources. This ensures federal agencies must address and respond to FERC's recommendations on how their proposed rules might impact the reliability of the bulk-power system before finalizing those actions.

The Championing Local Efforts to Advance Resilience Act of 2025 (CLEAR Act of 2025) establishes a grant program to help state, territory, and tribal governments create and maintain offices focused on community resilience. These offices will develop frameworks to identify risks from extreme weather and other challenges, and implement programs to address them. The bill authorizes $100 million annually through 2030, prioritizing assistance for communities with the greatest need.

The Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025 grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) new authority to order utilities to maintain adequate interstate electric service, including requiring the continued operation of specific generating units if service is deemed insufficient. This legislation also mandates that owners must provide FERC and relevant state bodies with at least five years' advance notice before retiring any qualifying electric generating unit. Compliance with a FERC order to maintain service is protected from potential violations of environmental laws.

The CFIUSMCA Act establishes a policy for the U.S. to align its foreign investment review standards with Canada and Mexico under the USMCA. It directs the U.S. Trade Representative to advocate for the three nations to adopt similar national security screening frameworks for foreign investment. Furthermore, the bill seeks to create a coordination mechanism to address shared threats from investments in critical infrastructure and strategically important sectors across North America.

This bill, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, officially authorizes Congress to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. The medals will be struck by the Treasury and permanently displayed at specific national sports museums. The Act also permits the sale of duplicate bronze medals to cover production costs.

This bill exempts specific, carefully defined less-than-lethal projectile devices and their ammunition from the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition. It also removes these qualifying devices from regulation under the National Firearms Act. The legislation establishes clear criteria, including velocity limits and design restrictions, to ensure the exemption applies only to tools intended for de-escalation rather than lethal force. Manufacturers can request official classification for their products to confirm eligibility for these tax and regulatory benefits.

This bill amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to lower the threshold for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to share information regarding suspected intellectual property rights violations. It expands the types of information CBP can share with rights holders, including nonpublic data obtained from online marketplaces or shippers. Furthermore, the legislation broadens the list of entities eligible to receive this sensitive information.

This bill modifies the procedures for investigating claims that antidumping and countervailing duty orders are being evaded. It grants the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection the authority to self-initiate evasion investigations based on reasonable suspicion. Furthermore, it requires parties found to have evaded duties to pay all associated duties before seeking judicial review of that determination.

The Energy Choice Act prevents state and local governments from enacting bans or restrictions on the type or source of energy services consumers can access. This legislation protects consumer choice across various energy sources, including natural gas, hydrogen, propane, and electricity, provided the energy is sold across state lines. Essentially, it limits local interference with energy delivery options.

The Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act focuses primarily on improving pediatric drug development and ensuring patient access to necessary treatments. This legislation mandates new research requirements for molecularly targeted pediatric cancer drugs, strengthens FDA enforcement of pediatric study completion, and extends incentives for developing drugs for rare pediatric diseases. Additionally, the bill updates organ transplant network functions and establishes an Abraham Accords Office within the FDA to enhance international regulatory cooperation.

This act grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) exclusive authority to approve or deny applications for natural gas and LNG export/import facilities, mandating that such actions be considered consistent with the public interest. The legislation clarifies that it does not limit the President's existing authority to impose sanctions through trade restrictions.

This act, the Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act, amends federal law to exempt specific less-than-lethal projectile devices from existing firearm restrictions. It clarifies that these devices, designed to avoid serious injury and firing projectiles below a certain velocity, are not classified as firearms under federal statute. This change aims to facilitate the adoption of non-lethal tools by law enforcement.

This bill, the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2025, aims to significantly expand Medicare coverage for medical nutrition therapy services. It broadens the list of covered chronic conditions beyond diabetes and kidney disease to include obesity, hypertension, cancer, and more. Furthermore, the legislation allows a wider range of healthcare providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, to order these medically necessary nutrition services.

This resolution officially recognizes and supports the goals of National Rural Health Day to honor the vital role of rural communities and their healthcare providers. It acknowledges the unique challenges faced by rural residents, such as limited access to care and hospital closures. The bill expresses a commitment to advancing policies that improve the accessibility and affordability of healthcare in rural America.

This bill facilitates an exchange of federal land in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, between the Department of the Interior (DOI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Approximately 25 acres will transfer from DOI to CBP for use by its Advanced Training Center, while about 71.51 acres will transfer from CBP back to DOI for inclusion in the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. The transfers require no monetary compensation, and any land no longer needed by CBP must revert to the National Park Service.

The Ohio River Restoration Program Act establishes a new program within the EPA dedicated to the large-scale protection and restoration of the Ohio River Basin. This program will be managed by a dedicated office and guided by an advisory council to develop and implement a comprehensive action plan. Funds will be authorized through 2030 to support eligible activities such as improving water quality, restoring habitats, and increasing community resilience.

The Mexican Energy Trade Enforcement Act mandates the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to take specific actions to compel Mexico to comply with its energy trade obligations under the USMCA. The USTR must either request a dispute resolution panel or require non-discriminatory market access for U.S. energy companies. This legislation aims to protect U.S. commerce from Mexican policies that favor state-owned energy companies.

This resolution officially supports designating the week beginning October 19, 2025, as "Coal Week." It recognizes the vital contributions of the coal industry and its workers to the nation's economy and national security. The measure also commends the progress made in reducing coal-related emissions through advanced technologies.