Legislative Activity

The LIFT Act of 2025 aims to accelerate the integration of advanced drone technology into U.S. airspace. It mandates rapid rulemaking for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations and requires the use of Artificial Intelligence to streamline waiver determinations. Furthermore, the Act establishes a pilot program to support local governments in launching electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) operations and prioritizes the integration of domestically manufactured drones.

The Proven Forest Management Act of 2025 updates how the National Forest System is managed, prioritizing environmental benefits like fire fuel reduction and biodiversity improvement. While managers must generally coordinate with affected groups, they can waive certain environmental goals if the cost is deemed too high. The Act also establishes an expedited approval process for smaller projects focused on reducing forest fuels.

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 Uncheck the Box Act prohibits political committees from automatically enrolling donors into recurring contribution plans based on pre-checked boxes or inaction. Donors must provide explicit, affirmative consent to establish any recurring donation. Furthermore, committees accepting these funds must provide clear receipts detailing future payments and easily accessible cancellation instructions.

This bill, the "Direct Hire To Fight Fires Act," grants the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior new authority to directly hire qualified individuals for federal wildland firefighting and support positions, bypassing lengthy competitive hiring processes. It mandates the agencies to streamline hiring policies within one year to reduce the time it takes to fill essential roles. Furthermore, the Secretaries must annually report to Congress and the public on staffing needs, vacancies, and the use of these new hiring flexibilities.

The National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2025 establishes a new two-year pilot program to fund and evaluate state-based nursing workforce centers through competitive grants. These centers will focus on critical statewide activities like data analysis, studying nursing education capacity, and developing strategies to recruit and retain nurses. The bill also expands existing health workforce analysis grants to ensure dedicated funding and technical assistance for nursing-focused research and evaluation.

The Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act addresses significant delays in obtaining death certificates for veterans who die from natural causes, often due to VA medical staff delays. This bill mandates that VA medical providers must certify a veteran's death within 48 hours or allow the local medical examiner to step in. Furthermore, the VA must annually report on its compliance with this new timely certification requirement.

This bill officially designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 1157 West Mission Avenue in Escondido, California, as the "Captain E. Royce Williams Post Office Building." The legislation ensures that all federal records and documents will henceforth use this new official name for the location.

This bill officially renames the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in San Jose, California, to honor Corporal Patrick D. Tillman. The renaming recognizes Tillman's heroic service and ultimate sacrifice after leaving his NFL career to join the U.S. Army following the September 11th attacks. This legislation ensures the San Jose VA Clinic will forever bear the name of the San Jose native and national hero.

This resolution formally condemns the violent riots that occurred in Los Angeles in June 2025 following immigration enforcement actions. It strongly disapproves of the criminal activity, violence against law enforcement, and disruption of essential services during the unrest. The bill also criticizes state and local leadership for their alleged failure to contain the disorder. Ultimately, Congress calls for peace, cooperation between federal and state agencies, and expresses gratitude to law enforcement personnel.

This Act ensures that when the EPA sets new air quality standards, they must immediately provide the necessary guidance for states to process preconstruction permits. If this guidance is delayed, the new standard cannot be applied to permit reviews until the instructions are published. Furthermore, the bill specifies that the new 2024 PM2.5 standard will not apply to certain permit applications already underway before the EPA officially designates the affected areas. These changes do not eliminate requirements for installing the best available pollution control technology.

The **Clean Air and Economic Advancement Reform Act (CLEAR Act)** adjusts EPA timelines for reviewing air quality standards, shifting them to a 10-year cycle and allowing states more flexibility in developing compliance plans. The bill updates the definition of "exceptional events" to better account for wildfire mitigation activities and limits penalties when pollution spikes are demonstrably beyond a state's control. Finally, it modifies the makeup of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee to increase state representation and requires new impact assessments before setting air quality standards.

The Wildfire Infrastructure and Landowner Tax Relief Act of 2025 (WILTR Act) aims to incentivize wildfire prevention efforts by landowners. This bill excludes certain federal grants received for hazardous fuel reduction activities from gross income, making them tax-free. Additionally, it creates a new above-the-line tax deduction for qualified expenditures landowners make on certified fire mitigation work on their property.

This bill grants limited legal immunity to manufacturers of essential critical infrastructure equipment against lawsuits stemming from wildfire-related losses. This protection applies unless a plaintiff can prove the manufacturer engaged in willful misconduct during the design or production of the equipment. The legislation aims to bolster the security and resilience of vital national systems by supporting their manufacturers.

The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 significantly expands and permanently secures access to Medicare telehealth services by eliminating outdated geographic restrictions and allowing more practitioners to offer remote care. The bill also strengthens program integrity by dedicating funds for telehealth oversight while clarifying rules around providing necessary technology to patients. Finally, it mandates the creation of tailored educational resources and public reporting to improve quality measurement and transparency in remote care delivery.

The Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025 grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) new authority to address inadequate electric service by ordering utilities to keep existing power units operational for up to five years. This Act also mandates that power plant owners must provide at least five years' advance notice before permanently retiring a generating unit, with exceptions for catastrophic events. Crucially, compliance with a FERC service order supersedes conflicting federal, state, or local environmental laws, shielding utilities from related penalties.

The Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act mandates the Department of Energy (DOE) to define and prioritize "critical energy resources" essential for U.S. energy security. It requires the DOE to regularly assess domestic and foreign supply chains for vulnerabilities, including reliance on adversarial nations. Finally, the bill directs the DOE to develop strategies to strengthen these supply chains through domestic production, diversification, and recycling efforts.

The Prescription Information Modernization Act of 2025 allows drug manufacturers to provide required prescribing information to healthcare providers digitally. This shift is contingent upon manufacturers offering providers the option to receive paper copies upon request, free of charge. The Secretary of HHS must establish final rules for this digital transition within one year of enactment.

The National Airport Supersonic Readiness Act of 2025 mandates the FAA to conduct a comprehensive study assessing whether major U.S. airports are prepared for the arrival of next-generation supersonic and hypersonic aircraft. This assessment will evaluate runway capacity, ground support infrastructure, air traffic control, and environmental regulations. The resulting report will provide Congress with necessary recommendations and cost estimates for future infrastructure upgrades to support high-speed air travel.

This resolution expresses the disapproval of Congress regarding a recent rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning California's motor vehicle and engine pollution control standards. Specifically, it rejects the EPA's proposed regulations covering heavy-duty vehicle emissions, warranties, maintenance, and zero-emission vehicle provisions. By disapproving the rule under the Congressional Review Act, Congress effectively nullifies the EPA's action.