Legislative Activity

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 expands milk options available to students in the National School Lunch Program by allowing schools to offer organic or non-organic whole milk. This legislation provides greater flexibility for schools in providing fluid milk choices while maintaining accommodations for students with special dietary needs. Importantly, the saturated fat content of these offered milk options will not count toward the meal's overall saturated fat limits.

The "National Right-to-Work Act" amends both the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to protect an employee's right to choose whether or not to join or support a labor union. It eliminates the possibility of mandatory union membership or dues payments as a condition of employment, ensuring that employees cannot be forced to join or support a union against their will.

The LOCAL Act mandates the Bureau of Land Management headquarters be located in Grand Junction, Colorado. It requires a study on the feasibility of relocating additional BLM employee positions to Grand Junction or another western state. The study will assess the potential benefits of relocation on federal land management, community coordination, and various land uses. A report on the study's findings must be submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Natural Resources and Energy and Natural Resources within 365 days.

The "Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act" amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to exclude the net value of a family farm (on which the family resides) or a small business (with no more than 100 employees and owned/controlled by the family) from consideration as an asset when determining financial need for federal student aid. This change aims to make higher education more accessible for students from family farm and small business backgrounds.

The STEAM Act amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970, expanding NEPA review to cover exploration and development of geothermal resources. This ensures geothermal projects are subject to the same environmental review processes as oil and gas projects.

The "Superior National Forest Restoration Act of 2025" aims to facilitate mineral development within Minnesota's Superior National Forest by rescinding a land withdrawal order and expediting the review and approval process for mining plans. It mandates the reissuance of canceled mineral leases and prospecting permits, establishes fixed terms for renewed leases, and limits judicial review of these reissued leases or permits. The Act also enables the issuance of permits for surface land use necessary for mining operations.

The Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025 requires the Department of Education to consider the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism when evaluating discrimination complaints under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, concerning race, color, and national origin. This aims to address rising antisemitism in educational settings. The Act clarifies that it does not expand the Department of Education's authority, change existing discrimination standards, reduce existing rights, or infringe upon First Amendment rights.

The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025 ensures that monetary penalties from False Claims Act cases are deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. This excludes payments to whistleblowers and reimbursements to the government. This will increase the amount of money available to help victims of crimes.

The "Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025" amends the Energy Act of 2020 to include critical materials in the definition of critical minerals. This bill requires the Secretary to update the list of critical minerals within 45 days of determining a non-fuel mineral, element, substance, or material to be a critical material.

The Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2025 authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Fred Korematsu, recognizing his advocacy for civil rights and justice. This act directs the Secretary of the Treasury to create the medal, which will be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution and other locations. The legislation also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates of the gold medal to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. This act commemorates Korematsu's legacy and dedication to equality.

The "Abundant American Resources Act of 2025" mandates studies to assess the dollar value of onshore and offshore mineral resources on federal lands. These studies will be conducted by the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and will help determine the economic potential of resources like oil, gas, and other minerals in specific areas, excluding national parks and certain older national monuments. The goal is to evaluate mineral values in national monuments, critical environmental concern areas, and areas withdrawn from mineral development.

The "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act" ensures that infants born alive after an abortion receive the same medical care as any other newborn, mandating immediate hospitalization and requiring healthcare practitioners to report any failures to comply. Violators face fines, imprisonment, and potential prosecution for homicide or attempted homicide, while the mother of the child cannot be prosecuted. The bill also allows the woman who had the abortion to file a civil action against anyone who violated the act. It defines abortion and attempts at abortion, and renames "Partial-Birth Abortions" to "Abortions" in relevant sections of the U.S. Code.

The "Fix Our Forests Act" aims to improve forest management and wildfire resilience through landscape-scale restoration, community protection in wildland-urban interfaces, and enhanced transparency and technology. It establishes programs for wildfire risk reduction, reforestation, and biochar development, while also focusing on restoring white oak populations and supporting the families of firefighters. The act streamlines project approvals, encourages collaboration, and implements litigation reforms to expedite forest management activities. Additionally, it creates a casualty assistance program for firefighters and support personnel who are seriously injured, become ill, or die while on duty.

The "Main Street Tax Certainty Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the deduction for qualified business income. This removes the previous expiration date, providing long-term tax certainty for eligible businesses. The change applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The FARM Act aims to protect U.S. agriculture by including it in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, adding the Secretary of Agriculture to the committee, and mandating reviews of foreign investments in U.S. agricultural businesses. It designates agricultural systems and supply chains as critical infrastructure and technologies. The Act also requires annual reports to Congress on foreign influence and potential threats in the U.S. agriculture industry, including espionage and intellectual property theft.

The "Declaration of Energy Independence Act" amends the Mineral Leasing Act to lower royalty and rental rates for onshore oil and gas leases, aiming to encourage domestic energy production. It sets new minimum bid amounts, adjusts rental fees, and revises noncompetitive leasing terms to stimulate oil and gas development on federal lands. The act also includes provisions for extending leases on low-production mineral estates and reducing royalty payments under certain conditions.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the railroad track maintenance credit from $3,500 to $6,100, adjusting for inflation after 2025. It applies to qualified expenditures starting January 1, 2024, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The Hearing Protection Act aims to remove silencers from the purview of the National Firearms Act (NFA) by treating them similarly to standard firearms under federal tax law. This legislation preempts certain state and local taxes and registration requirements related to silencers involved in interstate commerce. Furthermore, the bill mandates the destruction of existing federal silencer registration records and updates federal marking requirements for manufacturers.

The "Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act" repeals the Corporate Transparency Act, eliminating the requirement for companies to report beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). It also makes necessary technical adjustments to Title 31 of the United States Code, specifically sections related to financial recordkeeping and reporting of currency and foreign transactions, to reflect the repeal.

The Historic Roadways Protection Act restricts the Secretary of the Interior from using federal funds to finalize or implement new travel management plans in specific areas of Utah until certain lawsuits are resolved. These lawsuits involve Utah counties versus the United States regarding R. S. 2477. The affected travel management areas include: Henry Mountains and Fremont Gorge, Dinosaur (North), Book Cliffs, Nine Mile Canyon, San Rafael Swell, Dolores River, Trail Canyon, and Paunsaugunt. It also restricts the implementation of specific travel management plans within Utah during the same period.