Legislative Activity

The "Expel Illegal Chinese Police Act of 2025" requires the President to sanction foreign individuals and entities tied to human rights abuses or establishing a Chinese police presence in the U.S. Sanctions include blocking U.S. property transactions, visa restrictions, and potential penalties for violations. The President can waive sanctions for national security reasons, and federal agencies face restrictions on investigating sanctioned entities. The bill also defines key terms related to immigration and foreign entities.

The "Social Security Overpayment Relief Act" amends the Social Security Act to limit the recovery of overpayments under Title II (Social Security) and Title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) to a ten-year period. The government is restricted from recovering funds from individuals who received overpayments more than 10 years before the error was discovered.

The Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act aims to bolster the cybersecurity defenses of small rural water systems by integrating cybersecurity technical assistance into the national rural water and wastewater circuit rider program. It enables the program to evaluate the cybersecurity readiness of water systems serving fewer than 10,000 people and assist in deploying cybersecurity measures. The act allocates $7,500,000 annually from 2026 to 2030 specifically for cybersecurity enhancements, as part of a broader $32,500,000 extension of the program.

The Major Richard Star Act allows eligible combat-disabled veterans to receive both their retirement pay and disability compensation. This eliminates the previous offset that reduced retirement pay for those receiving disability compensation. The changes apply to payments beginning the month after enactment.

The "Credit for Caring Act of 2025" introduces a tax credit for eligible working family caregivers to help offset expenses related to caring for a qualified spouse or relative with long-term care needs. This credit covers 30% of qualified expenses over $2,000, with a maximum credit of $5,000, and includes costs for assistance, technology, home modifications, transportation, and respite care. The credit is reduced for higher-income taxpayers and adjusted for inflation after 2025 and goes into effect after 2024.

The "Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act" eliminates the waiting periods for Social Security disability benefits and Medicare coverage for individuals with metastatic breast cancer. This bill amends the Social Security Act to expedite access to disability insurance benefits and Medicare coverage for those with metastatic breast cancer, ensuring quicker access to essential care and support.

Tyler's Law mandates a study by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on fentanyl testing practices in hospital emergency departments, including frequency, costs, benefits, risks, and patient experience. Following the study, the Secretary will issue guidance on routine fentanyl testing for overdose patients, ensuring clinicians are aware of substances included in drug tests, and the potential impact on future overdose risk and general health.

The "Renewable Fuel for Ocean-Going Vessels Act" amends the Clean Air Act to include fuel for ocean-going vessels in the definition of fossil fuels. It requires the EPA to issue regulations within 365 days of enactment to implement this change. The EPA Administrator must then report to Congress on the implementation of the amendment and regulations.

The DELIVER Act of 2025 increases the standard mileage rate for delivering meals to elderly, disabled, frail, and at-risk individuals. This adjustment aligns the rate with the standard mileage rate used for business and medical expenses, providing volunteers with increased reimbursement for their services. This change aims to encourage volunteer engagement and support programs that deliver meals to vulnerable populations.

The "Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act of 2025" aims to combat trade-related crimes by establishing a specialized task force within the Department of Justice, enhancing the investigation and prosecution of illegal activities related to imports and exports. It mandates the Attorney General to develop partnerships, provide training, and submit annual reports to Congress on the progress and financial needs in addressing these crimes. The act allocates \$20 million for fiscal year 2026 to support these efforts, with a focus on bolstering the Criminal Division's capacity to prosecute trade-related offenses.

The Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025 amends the Defense Production Act of 1950 to include the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for transactions involving agricultural land, biotechnology, or the agriculture industry. It also requires CFIUS to consider certain agricultural land transactions, particularly those involving foreign entities from China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran, based on notifications from the Secretary of Agriculture. This consideration is triggered when the Secretary of Agriculture believes a transaction involving these countries is a covered transaction based on intelligence information, involves agricultural land, and requires reporting under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978. These requirements will end for a specific country once that country is removed from the list of foreign adversaries.

The "Stop Fentanyl Money Laundering Act of 2025" aims to combat fentanyl and narcotics trafficking by enhancing financial institutions' ability to detect and report money laundering activities. It authorizes the Treasury Secretary to impose special measures against financial institutions involved in illicit fentanyl financing, mandates updated advisories on identifying Chinese professional money laundering networks, and requires guidance for reporting suspicious transactions linked to transnational criminal organizations involved in narcotics trafficking. The Act also calls for a comprehensive report on lessons learned from past drug crises to inform strategies for addressing the opioid crisis.

The OFAC Licensure for Investigators Act directs the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to establish a pilot program, in coordination with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, that would allow private firms to obtain licenses for small financial transactions related to investigations. Licensed firms will be required to submit monthly reports, and the OFAC Director will report to Congress annually on the program's progress, utility, and any recommendations. The pilot program is set to terminate five years after its establishment.

The "Cutting Red Tape on Child Care Providers Act of 2025" aims to improve children's nutrition by removing obstacles that child care providers face when serving fresh fruits and vegetables. It defines "simple food preparation" as basic preparation of produce. The Act prohibits states from creating barriers to this simple preparation in child care facilities through amendments to the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. This will allow providers to easily offer healthier food options.

The "Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act" modifies the income exclusion for conservation subsidies, applying to amounts received after December 31, 2021. It includes subsidies from public utilities, state or local governments for water conservation, storm water management, or wastewater management measures for a taxpayer's primary residence. The act defines key terms such as "water conservation or efficiency measure," "storm water management measure," "wastewater management measure," and "public utility".

The "Flooding Prevention, Assessment, and Restoration Act" enhances watershed protection measures, mandates a national study on agricultural flood vulnerability, and increases federal cost share to 90% for rehabilitation projects, improving long-term watershed health and reducing flood risks to agriculture.

The "Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act of 2025" aims to combat the flow of illicit fentanyl by imposing sanctions on Chinese entities and officials involved in the production and trafficking of synthetic opioids and their precursors. It broadens the definition of "foreign opioid trafficker" to include those who enable opioid trafficking through inaction and extends the period for reporting identified traffickers to Congress. The Act also requires the President to annually evaluate and report on the effectiveness of using presidential authority to address international drug trafficking, including considerations of costs, benefits, and stakeholder input. Additionally, it amends the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Trading with the Enemy Act to enhance oversight and accountability in addressing national emergencies related to international drug trafficking.

The LIONs Act of 2025 increases the maximum loan amounts for both 7(a) loans and development company loans, aiming to provide greater financial support to small businesses. Specifically, it raises the 7(a) loan limit to $7,500,000 and the development company loan limit to $10,000,000.

The Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2025 aims to improve foster care and adoption outcomes by requiring states to develop "family partnership plans" that focus on identifying and supporting relatives as placement options, creating child-specific recruitment plans, and using data to improve family recruitment and retention efforts. It also mandates states to collect and report data on foster family capacity, congregate care utilization, and feedback from foster and adoptive parents and youth. Additionally, the Act requires the annual child welfare outcomes report to Congress to include detailed state-by-state data on foster and adoptive families, challenges and barriers to foster parenting, and efforts to recruit diverse families.

The "Access to Credit for our Rural Economy Act of 2025" (ACRE Act) aims to bolster rural economies by excluding interest earned on qualified real estate loans by qualified lenders from gross income. These loans must be secured by rural or agricultural real estate, forestland, or related leaseholds, and cannot be made to foreign adversary entities. For single-family residences, the loan must be used for purchase or improvement, with a principal not exceeding $750,000. The Treasury Secretary is required to report to Congress on the impact of this act.