Legislative Activity

The Repair Expenditures Support Infrastructure, Labor Investment, Energy Needs, and Creates Equity Act of 2025, or the RESILIENCE Act of 2025, modifies tax rules for public utility companies. This legislation allows utility companies to reduce their adjusted financial statement income by deductions taken for repairing and maintaining their property. The goal is to align these specific repair deductions with existing depreciation rules for tax purposes, effective for tax years beginning after 2024.

The DRIVE Act prohibits the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from mandating speed limiting devices on heavy commercial vehicles engaged in interstate commerce. This legislation removes any federal requirement for trucks over 26,000 pounds to have their top speed electronically capped. In essence, the bill deregulates restrictions concerning speed control technology for large, cross-state eighteen-wheelers.

The End Driving While Intoxicated Act of 2025 aims to combat rising drunk driving fatalities by establishing a national standard for ignition interlock devices (IIDs). This bill mandates that states require DWI offenders to use IIDs for a minimum of 180 days or face penalties involving the withholding of federal highway funds. The legislation seeks to leverage the proven effectiveness of IIDs in reducing repeat offenses across the country.

The NO FAKES Act of 2025 establishes a new federal property right protecting an individual's voice and visual likeness from unauthorized creation and distribution as a "Digital Replica" via AI or other means. This right belongs to the individual while alive and transfers to their heirs for a limited time after death, allowing them to control and license their digital identity. The Act outlines specific liability rules for unauthorized use, provides safe harbors for online services that comply with takedown notices, and sets penalties for false claims.

The Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act of 2025 expands Medicare coverage for audiology services, beginning in 2027. This legislation allows qualified audiologists to provide diagnostic and treatment services without physician referral or supervision, as permitted by state law. The bill also specifies payment rates and includes audiologists in coverage for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers.

The Secure Family Futures Act of 2025 modifies tax treatment for certain debt holdings of applicable insurance companies, excluding specific debt instruments from being treated as capital assets for tax purposes. Additionally, this Act extends the capital loss carryover period to 10 years for specified losses incurred by these insurance companies. These changes apply only to transactions occurring after December 31, 2025.

The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 imposes sweeping economic penalties on the Russian Federation in response to its aggression against Ukraine. This legislation mandates severe, immediate sanctions against key Russian officials, financial institutions, and energy sector entities, including asset freezes and trade prohibitions. Furthermore, the Act dramatically increases import duties on Russian goods and requires the President to review and reimpose these measures until Russia negotiates a lasting peace with Ukraine.

The Maximum Pressure Act dramatically tightens and expands U.S. sanctions against Iran across its military, missile, and economic sectors, codifying existing restrictions and severely limiting the President's authority to grant sanctions relief. It mandates immediate sanctions on top Iranian officials and increases penalties for international parties aiding Iran's weapons programs. Furthermore, the bill enhances oversight by requiring numerous detailed reports to Congress regarding Iran's terrorism financing, nuclear timeline, and economic influence, while also redirecting certain frozen Iranian funds to victims of state-sponsored terrorism.

The Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act establishes a new 20% federal tax credit for converting eligible, older commercial buildings into affordable housing. This incentive aims to increase housing supply by requiring that at least 20% of the converted units remain rent-restricted for low-income residents for 30 years. State agencies will allocate these credits, which are subject to a national cap of $12 billion, based on approved plans prioritizing financially necessary projects.

The Targeting TANF to Families in Need Act requires states to restrict the use of specific federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. These funds can only be used to assist families whose income is less than twice the federal poverty guidelines. This new targeting requirement will take effect starting October 1, 2026.

The Unfair Tax Prevention Act amends the Base Erosion and Anti-Abuse Tax (BEAT) rules to specifically target certain U.S. companies connected to foreign tax systems operating outside their direct jurisdiction. These "foreign-owned extraterritorial tax regime entities" will now be automatically subject to BEAT, with specific exceptions removed and a portion of their cost of goods sold automatically treated as a base erosion benefit. This legislation aims to close loopholes related to complex, indirect foreign ownership structures.

The DETERRENCE Act significantly increases federal penalties for serious crimes like kidnapping, murder-for-hire, stalking, and assaults against federal officials. These enhanced sentences are specifically triggered when the criminal activity is knowingly directed by or coordinated with a foreign government or its agents. The bill aims to deter foreign interference in domestic criminal acts by imposing much harsher punishments on those involved.

This Act officially authorizes the adjustment of the boundaries for Big Bend National Park. The Secretary of the Interior is permitted to acquire approximately 6,100 acres of land or rights through donation or exchange to expand the park. Crucially, this expansion explicitly prohibits the use of eminent domain to secure the additional property.

The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025 establishes a national standard for carrying concealed handguns across state lines. This act allows individuals legally permitted to carry in their home state to carry concealed in any other state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms. The law does not override private property restrictions or prohibitions on government property, but it provides protections and legal recourse for those traveling in compliance with the new federal standard.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to restore and modify the asset test for Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) taxable REIT subsidiaries (TRSs). Specifically, it increases the allowable percentage for certain assets held by a TRS from 20 percent to 25 percent. This change will take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act revises physician self-referral rules to improve healthcare access in underserved areas. Specifically, it creates a new exception allowing physician self-referrals to hospitals located in designated rural areas that meet specific distance requirements. Furthermore, the bill removes existing restrictions that previously limited the expansion of services at physician-owned hospitals.

The Ending Drug Trafficking in Our Communities Act extends critical funding for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program through fiscal year 2031. This legislation also mandates that the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy actively identify and implement promising, evidence-based practices to improve drug trafficking investigations and inter-agency information sharing. The goal is to ensure the HIDTA program utilizes the most effective strategies nationwide to combat drug trafficking.

The Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act aims to prevent private health insurance plans from discriminating against patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). This legislation clarifies that plans cannot offer worse benefits or unfairly limit coverage for dialysis treatments compared to other medical services. Furthermore, it stops these plans from shifting the primary financial responsibility for ESRD care onto Medicare. The bill maintains existing rules ensuring fair treatment while preserving a health plan's ability to select its network of dialysis providers.

The Major Richard Star Act ensures that military retirees with combat-related disabilities can receive both their military retirement pay and VA disability compensation concurrently without reduction. This law removes previous restrictions that caused military retirement pay to be offset by VA disability payments for these specific cases. The changes take effect on the first day of the month following the Act's enactment.

The AI PLAN Act mandates the creation of a unified federal strategy to defend against financial crimes and threats posed by artificial intelligence. Key agencies must annually report to Congress on current defenses, available tools, and necessary resources to combat AI-driven risks like deepfakes and fraud. Following this report, the agencies must provide specific legislative recommendations and best practices for businesses and government entities.