Legislative Activity

The Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act of 2025 prohibits the Department of Transportation (DOT) from procuring or contracting for the use of certain foreign-made LiDAR technology identified in related defense legislation. This ban applies to purchases, contracts, and the use of federal loan or grant funds for this restricted technology, generally beginning in mid-2026. The Secretary of Transportation may only waive this prohibition if it is certified to be in the national interest of the United States. Certain safety testing and regulatory exemption activities remain exempt from these restrictions.

The College Transparency Act establishes a secure, new national system for tracking student data from postsecondary institutions to improve transparency regarding enrollment, completion, costs, and post-college outcomes. This system will collect detailed, student-level data, securely matched with other federal records, to create public, aggregate reports for comparison. The law mandates strict privacy and security standards while aiming to reduce overall reporting burdens for colleges.

The Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act establishes a new program to support local food producers and strengthen regional food security. This initiative requires the Secretary of Agriculture to fund agreements that ensure nutritious, locally sourced food is purchased and distributed widely, prioritizing small and beginning farmers. Funds must be used to buy minimally processed local products and provide technical assistance to producers. The program is backed by mandatory funding starting in Fiscal Year 2026.

The Foster Youth Mentoring Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to fund community-based organizations that provide structured, long-term mentoring for children and young adults who are currently or formerly in foster care. These grants aim to expand high-quality mentoring relationships, requiring rigorous mentor training, thorough background screening, and significant input from youth with lived experience. The goal is to improve outcomes for foster youth in areas like education, mental health, and successful transition to adulthood.

The Biochar Research Network Act of 2025 establishes a National Biochar Research Network, managed by the USDA, to study the real-world effectiveness of biochar across various soils and climates. This network will focus on quantifying carbon sequestration, improving crop production, and developing science-backed guidance for sustainable biochar use. The goal is to provide farmers and land managers with the data needed to boost profits while enhancing soil health and climate resilience.

The Business of Insurance Regulatory Reform Act of 2025 clarifies the authority of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) concerning entities already regulated by state insurance departments. This bill limits the CFPB's ability to enforce federal consumer protection laws against state-regulated entities acting within the business of insurance. The legislation prioritizes and supports the enforcement power of state insurance regulators over the CFPB in these specific areas.

The Veterans ACCESS Act of 2025 seeks to improve veterans' healthcare by revising the Veterans Community Care Program, enhancing mental health treatment programs, and implementing other healthcare improvements. Title I revises eligibility standards for community care, ensures veterans are informed about their options, and addresses care preferences and telehealth options. Title II standardizes eligibility for mental health programs, improves care quality, and ensures timely access to treatment. Title III focuses on improving healthcare services through online tools, modifying innovation programs, and increasing reporting on healthcare processes.

The SAVES Act establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide service dogs to eligible veterans. These grants, up to $\$2,000,000$ each, will fund the training and provision of service dogs for veterans with qualifying conditions like PTSD or TBI. The bill also extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments until February 2033.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 1019 Avenue H in Fort Madison, Iowa. The facility will now be known as the "Martin L. Graber Post Office." This designation requires all official records and documents to use the new name.

The Save Our Bacon Act establishes a federal right for producers to move and sell products derived from covered livestock across state lines, ensuring a single national market. This legislation prevents individual states from imposing unique production standards on livestock or products raised outside their borders. Essentially, it standardizes regulations to ensure free interstate commerce for meat and dairy products, excluding those primarily derived from egg-laying animals.

This Act aims to prevent the proliferation of Iranian-made drones, which are being supplied to U.S. adversaries, by targeting the flow of Western technology used in their production. It mandates the Departments of Commerce and State to develop comprehensive strategies to stop the export of critical dual-use components, such as microelectronics, to Iran. Furthermore, the Department of Defense must identify military options to block Iran's access to these drone-related technologies and software.

The Abraham Accords Defense Against Terror Act expedites security assistance and defense sales to Middle Eastern and North African countries that have normalized relations with Israel and cooperate against Iranian threats. This process requires a shortened 15-day congressional notification period from the President for approved transfers. Furthermore, the State Department must submit regular, public reports detailing the security strategy, threat assessments, and progress in countering Iranian proxies. Crucially, the Act ensures that these provisions do not undermine Israel's qualitative military edge.

This Act codifies and strengthens the trilateral partnership between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, building upon the commitments made at the Camp David summit. It emphasizes shared goals in the Indo-Pacific, including maritime security and countering disinformation. Crucially, the bill establishes a formal, regular US-Japan-ROK Inter-Parliamentary Dialogue to ensure ongoing high-level communication between the legislative branches of the three nations.

The OFAC Licensure for Investigators Act establishes a temporary pilot program allowing private companies to obtain licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to conduct small, specific financial transactions for investigative purposes. This program requires close coordination with FinCEN and mandates detailed monthly reporting from participating firms. The OFAC Director must also provide annual public and classified reports to Congress regarding the program's operation and effectiveness until its scheduled five-year expiration.

This bill establishes a Senior Investor Taskforce within the SEC to identify and address financial challenges facing investors over 65, including scams and cognitive decline issues. It also mandates a comprehensive Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on the economic costs and response mechanisms related to financial exploitation of older adults. The Taskforce will report its findings and recommendations to Congress every two years before automatically terminating after ten years.

This bill mandates the U.S. Postal Service to establish and assign a new, unique ZIP Code for eight specific communities across the country. These communities include locations in California, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, and Wyoming. The Postal Service has 270 days from the bill's enactment to complete the assignment of these new mailing addresses.

The Supporting Upgraded Property Projects and Lending for Yards (SUPPLY) Act establishes a new federal insurance program, managed by HUD, to specifically back second mortgages used for financing the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). This legislation also directs the FHFA to allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase and securitize these newly insured ADU construction loans, subject to risk oversight. The goal is to increase the availability of financing for property owners looking to add secondary housing units.

The Build More Housing Near Transit Act of 2025 incentivizes the construction of new housing near public transit by awarding extra points on federal capital investment grants. These extra points are given to applicants whose jurisdictions have adopted "pro-housing policies," such as reducing parking minimums or streamlining approval processes for multi-family housing. The Secretary must consult with HUD to ensure these local policies are expected to result in measurable increases in housing, particularly for low-income residents.

The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act strictly prohibits the Federal Reserve from directly or indirectly issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) to individuals. This legislation prevents the Fed from developing, testing, or implementing any digital currency that functions as a direct liability of the Federal Reserve. Furthermore, Congress asserts that any authority to create such a digital asset must explicitly come from Congress itself.

The **Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act** is a comprehensive bill designed to establish clear regulatory frameworks for digital assets under the SEC and CFTC while strictly prohibiting the Federal Reserve from issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). It creates specific rules for the offering, trading, and custody of digital commodities, aiming to foster innovation through regulatory clarity. Ultimately, the legislation seeks to protect individual self-custody rights and prevent the creation of a government-controlled digital currency that could enable mass surveillance.