Legislative Activity

The MAPWaters Act of 2025 aims to modernize public access to federal waterways by requiring federal agencies to standardize, digitize, and publish comprehensive geospatial data on water restrictions and access points. This legislation mandates the creation of a unified, publicly accessible online database detailing fishing restrictions, waterway closures, and access facility locations. The Act explicitly clarifies that it does not alter existing legal definitions of navigable waters or the authority of agencies to regulate fisheries and water use.

This act officially confirms that the University of Utah's use of approximately 593.54 acres of land in Salt Lake City for its research park constitutes a valid public purpose under federal law. It validates the existing use established by the 1970 Department of the Interior approval and any consistent future uses related to the university research park.

This bill amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to expand the sharing of information regarding suspected intellectual property rights violations in trade. It lowers the threshold for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to share nonpublic merchandise data with rights holders from "suspects" to having a "reasonable suspicion" of a violation. This allows CBP to share details about merchandise, packaging, and shipping obtained from online marketplaces and other entities involved in importing goods.

The Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act mandates the Secretary of Health and Human Services to regularly publish evidence-based physical activity recommendations for the public. These reports must include specific guidance for various population subgroups and be updated at least every ten years. The legislation ensures federal health programs consider these national guidelines while protecting existing research authority and preventing the establishment of binding federal fitness standards.

The Health ACCESS Act amends federal law to create an exception to prohibitions against offering remuneration to influence healthcare decisions. This change specifically allows providers to pay information service platforms for participation, provided the platform adheres to strict guidelines ensuring unbiased consumer choice. These guidelines prohibit steering patients, targeted marketing, and sharing consumer contact information outside of a confirmed selection. Ultimately, this bill aims to facilitate easier consumer access to healthcare providers through regulated self-scheduling platforms.

The BECCS Advancement Commission Act of 2025 establishes a new commission within the Department of Agriculture to study and recommend improvements to federal policy regarding Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). This group, composed of government, industry, and community representatives, will assess how BECCS development impacts local economies, forest health, and wildfire management. The Commission must deliver a comprehensive report to Congress within one year outlining policy suggestions to expand BECCS use, including its role in powering data centers.

The MAP Roads Act establishes a pilot program to help states digitally map their unmapped county roads, aiming to improve rural business, safety, and navigation. The Secretary of Transportation will award grants to states that commit to creating a centralized, public repository for this standardized road data. Participating states must ensure the collected data is publicly accessible and updated annually. This grant authority is set to expire in 2031.

The Fruit Heights Land Conveyance Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer approximately 295.89 acres of National Forest System land to the City of Fruit Heights, Utah. This conveyance is made without monetary cost to the City, subject to existing rights and the reservation of public access for the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. The City must use the transferred land exclusively for public purposes, or the ownership interest will revert back to the U.S. government.

This Act, the Ensuring Patient Access to Critical Breakthrough Products Act, aims to speed up Medicare coverage for innovative, FDA-approved "breakthrough devices." It establishes a process for manufacturers to gain a four-year transitional coverage period for these devices, ensuring patients have timely access while long-term coverage decisions are finalized. The bill also allocates funding to CMS to manage these expedited reviews and allows for oversight of provider billing practices related to these new technologies.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Air Force to integrate specific depot-level maintenance coordination planning into at least one annual multinational exercise within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of operations. The goal is to enhance cooperation with key allies on deep repair work to improve logistical resilience and reduce shipping needs during contingencies. Furthermore, the Secretary must report to Congress on maintenance partnership progress specifically with Australia and the Republic of Korea.

This bill officially renames the Bureau of Land Management Foundation to the Foundation for America’s Public Lands and modifies its governing structure. It increases the size of the Board of Directors over four years while mandating specific expertise from various public land users and resource managers. Furthermore, the Act places strict prohibitions on the Foundation using funds for lobbying or litigation and authorizes $10 million annually for five fiscal years.

The Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act establishes a 25% tax credit for purchasing U.S.-made printed circuit boards and integrated circuit substrates starting in 2026. It also creates a federal incentive program, managed by the Commerce Department, to provide up to $3 billion in funding to boost domestic manufacturing and research and development in these critical electronic components. The program prioritizes national security needs, workforce development, and supports for small and diverse-owned businesses.

The Money Accounts for Growth and Advancement (MAGA) Act establishes a new tax-advantaged savings vehicle, the MAGA account, designed for individuals under age 8 with strict contribution and withdrawal rules. These accounts feature tax-exempt growth, with distributions taxed favorably if used for qualified expenses like education or a first home purchase. Furthermore, the Act creates a pilot program offering a one-time, non-refundable $1,000 tax credit for eligible children, which the Treasury must deposit directly into a newly established MAGA account.

The American Ownership and Resilience Act establishes an Ownership Investment Facility within the Department of Commerce to provide government-backed leverage to investment companies. This facility is designed to encourage capital investments that support the sale of businesses to Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) or worker-owned cooperatives. The bill sets strict oversight, fairness, and control requirements for these employee-centric transactions while establishing licensing and capital standards for the participating investment companies.

The Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act of 2025 permits qualifying charities to provide grants to college social or athletic organizations specifically for collegiate housing and infrastructure projects without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status. This legislation clarifies that such grants remain eligible for donor deductions, provided the housing primarily serves full-time students. The Act specifically excludes funding for physical fitness facilities from these provisions.

The Restoring Temporary to TANF Act mandates that states dedicate a minimum of 25% of their federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds specifically toward core work support activities. These required expenditures cover job training, education, work supports, and short-term benefits designed to help recipients find and maintain employment. This new spending requirement is set to take effect starting October 1, 2026.

The "Health Out-of-Pocket Expense Act of 2025" or the "HOPE Act of 2025" establishes tax-exempt "Hope Accounts" for eligible individuals to pay for qualified medical expenses. Contributions to these accounts are capped at \$4,000 annually for self-only or married individuals with family coverage, and \$8,000 for heads of household with family coverage, with employer and Medicaid contributions limited to 50% of the individual's limit. Distributions used for qualified medical expenses are tax-free, while non-qualified distributions are subject to income tax and a 30% penalty, with exceptions for distributions after death or due to disability. These provisions will take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "Semiconductor Technology Advancement and Research Act of 2025" or "STAR Act of 2025" incentivizes domestic semiconductor design by adding qualified semiconductor design expenditures to the advanced manufacturing investment credit. This includes a 25% tax credit for these expenditures, covering in-house and contract design expenses for semiconductor design conducted in the United States. This credit aims to boost innovation and development in semiconductor technology. The credit will terminate for construction beginning or expenditures made after December 31, 2036.

The "Charitable Act" modifies the tax deduction for charitable contributions for individuals who do not itemize deductions. For the 2026 and 2027 tax years, the deduction will be capped at one-third of the standard deduction amount for the individual. The Act also eliminates and redesignates certain penalty clauses in the Internal Revenue Code related to these deductions, updating references accordingly.

The "Hershel Woody Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act" allows the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to build a monument on federal land in Washington, D.C., to honor Medal of Honor recipients. It places the National Medal of Honor Monument near the Lincoln Memorial, and overrides location restrictions to allow it to be within the Reserve, as defined in section 8902. All other provisions regarding commemorative works still apply.