Legislative Activity

The Reverse Transfer Efficiency Act of 2025 amends FERPA to streamline the process for students to receive credit for prior coursework. This allows colleges and universities to share educational records with previous institutions without extra consent specifically for awarding a recognized postsecondary credential. This transfer of records is contingent upon the student's written consent before the credential is issued.

This bill establishes a pilot program for testing emerging technologies to control moisture and prevent mold in military family housing. It also mandates the standardization of mold remediation guidelines across all military departments. The goal is to improve living conditions by proactively addressing moisture-related issues in covered housing.

This bill establishes a Biotechnology Management Office within the Department of Defense to oversee and coordinate the development and acquisition of biotechnology capabilities. It also explicitly authorizes the use of Department of Defense research and development funds for bioindustrial manufacturing processes. The goal is to foster strategic advancements in biotechnology for national defense purposes.

This act aims to strengthen the nation's cyber defense by expanding and modifying the Cyber Excepted Service personnel system within the Department of Defense. It allows for the addition of up to 500 critical, hard-to-fill cyber positions and revises pay rate authority to better compete for top talent. The legislation also enhances transparency by requiring detailed annual reporting to Congress on the structure and cost of these specialized cyber roles.

This bill extends the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, continuing crucial funding mechanisms for counties reliant on federal forest revenues through 2026 and beyond. It also streamlines payment elections for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 and extends related project and spending authorities. Finally, the legislation includes minor technical corrections to the existing Act.

This bill grants specific relief to Ingrid Encalada Latorre by establishing a pathway for her to obtain permanent resident status in the United States. It waives certain existing grounds for removal or inadmissibility against her. To utilize these provisions, she must file the required application and fees within two years of the bill's enactment.

The Sustainable Agriculture Research Act aims to enhance the role of agriculture in developing innovative sustainability solutions. It amends the AGARDA program to focus on agricultural technologies addressing extreme weather, water conservation, carbon storage, and sustainable energy. The bill also specifically defines and promotes the adoption of precision agriculture to improve efficiency and environmental quality.

The Measuring the Cost of Disasters Act of 2025 mandates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish and maintain a public database and webpage detailing all billion-dollar disasters in the U.S. This resource must be updated every six months with key information like cost, location, and type of event. The webpage must also feature visual mapping tools similar to those previously provided by NCEI.

The Watershed Protection and Forest Recovery Act of 2025 establishes an **Emergency Forest Watershed Program** to allow for rapid federal response to natural disasters damaging National Forest System lands. This program enables the Forest Service to quickly fund and partner with local entities to implement necessary measures to stop runoff, erosion, and flooding. The Act prioritizes speed, waives matching funds for sponsors, and provides liability protection for those carrying out the emergency recovery work.

The Making Access To Cleanup Happen (MATCH) Act of 2025 streamlines the Emergency Watershed Protection Program by allowing local sponsors to begin critical cleanup work before final federal agreements are signed. This allows state-level processes to authorize early spending on emergency measures following a natural disaster. Any eligible costs incurred early will count toward the sponsor's required contribution, provided a final agreement is eventually reached. However, sponsors assume the financial risk if the Secretary ultimately declines to enter into an agreement.

The Western Wildfire Support Act of 2025 aims to modernize wildfire management through comprehensive reforms across preparation, response, and recovery. It focuses on increasing federal spending transparency, accelerating the deployment of advanced detection technology, and establishing permanent teams for rapid post-fire stabilization. Ultimately, the bill seeks to improve coordination between federal, state, and tribal partners while ensuring better accountability for recovery funding.

The Wildfire Recovery Act ensures the federal government covers at least 75% of eligible fire management assistance costs for newly appropriated funds. It also mandates new rulemaking to establish clear standards for increasing federal disaster cost-sharing based on measurable financial impact. Finally, the bill updates FEMA policy to allow state, local, and Tribal governments to seek reimbursement for pre-staging their own equipment before a disaster is officially declared.

The Affordability and Fairness for Mountain Communities Act of 2025 establishes a new waiver program allowing local governments to calculate Area Median Income (AMI) using smaller geographic areas, such as specific ZIP codes, for federal housing programs. This flexibility aims to better reflect local housing costs in mountain communities. Furthermore, the bill mandates a comprehensive study by HUD to assess and recommend improvements to how AMI calculations support affordable housing for low-income and seasonal workers in these specific areas.

The Wildfire Smoke Relief Act establishes a program to provide assistance to individuals at high risk of illness due to prolonged exposure to unhealthy wildfire smoke. This assistance includes distributing protective gear like air filters and masks, as well as offering transitional shelter when preventative measures are insufficient. Eligibility is based on air quality conditions and specific vulnerability factors such as age, income, or chronic health conditions.

This constitutional amendment seeks to grant Congress and the states the authority to regulate contributions and expenditures in political campaigns. It specifically allows for the establishment of public financing systems to offset the influence of private money in elections. The amendment ensures that any regulations enacted must not infringe upon the freedom of the press.

The Aircraft Noise Reduction Act grants general aviation airports increased authority to work with the FAA to implement local aircraft noise limitations. This process requires consultation with airport owners and consideration of community input when adjusting flight and training routes. Crucially, airports taking these noise-reduction actions will not face the loss of federal funding as a result.

The Protect Americans from Climate Disasters Act addresses the increasing danger from severe weather events driven by climate change. This bill mandates that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) be fully staffed, including reinstating recently departed employees, to ensure accurate forecasting and public alerts. Furthermore, it secures specific funding for NOAA in Fiscal Year 2026 and requires the immediate reinstatement of critical data tools, such as the Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters tracker.

This Act establishes the National Manufacturing Advisory Council within the Department of Commerce to serve as a direct link between the government and the U.S. manufacturing sector. The Council's primary mission is to advise the Secretary of Commerce on federal policy, address workforce and supply chain issues, and develop an annual national strategic plan for global manufacturing competitiveness. It will draw diverse input from industry, labor, and academia, with a focus on supporting workers and promoting investment in economically distressed areas. The Council is set to expire five years after its first meeting.

The Research and Development Tax Credit Expansion Act of 2025 aims to significantly boost innovation among new and small businesses. This bill expands the refundable research credit, making it easier to claim against unemployment taxes and increasing the gross receipts threshold for eligibility. Furthermore, it enhances the calculation rates for the alternative simplified research credit specifically for qualified small businesses starting in 2026.

The Ally's Act mandates that certain private health insurance plans must cover auditory implant devices, related supplies, and necessary services for qualifying individuals. This coverage must be comparable to other medical and surgical benefits regarding cost-sharing and treatment limitations. Furthermore, plans cannot deny coverage if a physician or qualified audiologist determines the required hearing items or services are medically necessary. These new requirements take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.