Legislative Activity

The Air America Act of 2025 authorizes the Director of the CIA to award payments to former employees of Air America and affiliated companies who supported the U.S. government between 1950 and 1976, or to their survivors. Eligible individuals or their survivors could receive up to $40,000 for five years of qualifying service, with additional amounts for longer service, with a cap on total awards at $60 million. The Act establishes application procedures, limitations on attorney fees, and prohibits judicial review of the Director's decisions, while also requiring regular reports to Congress on the status of the award payments. This act does not qualify anyone for federal benefits like retirement, disability, or death benefits.

This resolution urges Congress and the administration to work together to address the decline in U.S. food and agricultural exports by expanding market access, reducing trade barriers, and supporting domestic trade promotion programs. It emphasizes the importance of trade agreements and the enforcement of existing commitments to ensure global competitiveness for U.S. farmers and ranchers. The resolution seeks a global trading system grounded in scientific principles to bolster the U.S. agricultural sector.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 130 South Patterson Avenue in Santa Barbara, California, as the "Brigadier General Frederick R. Lopez Post Office Building." It also mandates that any reference to this facility in U.S. records will reflect this new designation.

The "SPEAK Act of 2025" directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to form a task force to improve access to healthcare information technology for those who do not speak English. It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance within one year, in consultation with various entities, on best practices for telehealth services for people with limited English proficiency. The guidance will cover a variety of topics, including using interpreters during telemedicine appointments and providing accessible instructions on accessing telecommunications systems. The goal is to ensure that non-English speakers have equal access to telehealth services and healthcare information.

The Honey Integrity Act aims to protect the integrity of honey sold in the United States by establishing a clear standard of identity for honey and creating a Honey Integrity Program. This program mandates testing for adulteration by commercial honey packers, requires reporting of test results and any identified adulteration, and authorizes investigation and destruction of adulterated honey. The Act also directs the Secretary to submit a report to Congress detailing enforcement actions regarding misbranded honey.

The Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to enhance support for beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers. It expands the definition of these farmers to include those with up to 10 years of experience and increases crop insurance assistance by providing percentage point adjustments to coverage rates, offering greater financial security during their initial years of operation. This bill aims to encourage and support the next generation of agricultural producers by making crop insurance more accessible and beneficial.

The Radiation Oncology Case Rate Value Based Program Act of 2025 establishes a new Medicare payment system for radiation therapy, moving from fee-for-service to per-episode payments to encourage efficient and patient-centered care. This program aims to stabilize payments, reduce disparities, enhance quality, and promote the use of advanced technology while protecting Medicare resources. The act mandates participation for radiation therapy providers and includes adjustments for geographic location, health equity, and practice accreditation, as well as incentives for meeting quality standards. It also revises civil monetary penalties to allow transportation assistance for patients and exempts the program from budget neutrality adjustments to ensure its financial stability.

This bill would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exempt premium cigars from certain tobacco regulations, defining a premium cigar based on its wrapper, binder, filler, production method, components, and weight. The bill argues that premium cigars are distinct from other tobacco products due to their limited use, adult consumer base, and lower health risks, and that state regulation is sufficient.

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.

This resolution requests the President and Secretary of the Treasury to submit documents to the House of Representatives regarding the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) access to Treasury payment systems and taxpayer information. The request includes communications and documents related to DOGE, Elon Musk, or his team's access to these systems, as well as any screenshots of Treasury payment systems data. The information must be provided within 14 days of the resolution's adoption.

This resolution requests the President to provide the House of Representatives with information regarding the Social Security Administration's operations after January 20, 2025. The request includes details on the Department of Government Efficiency's access to the Social Security Administration, compliance with specific Executive Orders, call and visitor statistics, office closures, and staff reductions. The President is required to furnish the requested documents and information within 14 days of the resolution's adoption.

The Military Spouse Hiring Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to include qualified military spouses as eligible for the Work Opportunity Credit, incentivizing employers to hire them. A qualified military spouse is defined as someone certified by a local agency as married to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. This change applies to amounts paid and individuals starting work after the Act's enactment.

The Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 aims to increase transparency in federal spending by requiring the reporting of "other transaction agreements" and ensuring data is accessible on USAspending.gov. It mandates annual reports on federal spending data that has not been posted, along with reasons for non-disclosure. The Act also directs Inspectors General to submit reports to Congress, mandates specific federal agencies to post information about federal funding, and requires the Comptroller General to recommend updates to the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

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 "Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act" directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program members, also known as the Donut Dollies, for their service during the Vietnam War. It instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to create the gold medal, which will be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution and made available for research. The Act also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates of the medal to cover production costs, with proceeds going back to the Mint's Public Enterprise Fund.

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.

The MATCH IT Act of 2025 aims to improve patient matching in healthcare by establishing a standard definition for patient match rates, developing a minimum data set for accurate patient identification, and incorporating these standards into health IT certification requirements and Medicare programs. The Act also creates incentives for healthcare providers to achieve high patient match rates through a voluntary bonus program and anonymous data submission, with the goal of reducing medical errors, protecting patient privacy, and lowering healthcare costs associated with patient misidentification.

The DMEPOS Relief Act of 2025 adjusts Medicare payment rates for durable medical equipment in areas without competitive bidding by extending a transition rule for setting payment rates in non-rural areas through 2025 and delaying the implementation of another regulation until 2026. This ensures continued use of existing payment rate calculations for durable medical equipment in non-competitive bidding areas. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized to implement these changes.

The American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2025 modifies the tax treatment of research and experimental expenditures, allowing taxpayers to deduct these expenses in the year they are incurred rather than capitalizing them. This change applies to expenses related to the taxpayer's business and is effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2021. The act also includes provisions for electing to treat these expenditures as deferred expenses and updates related sections of the tax code.

This bill expresses the House of Representatives' support for maintaining the stepped-up basis under section 1014 of the Internal Revenue Code, which allows inherited assets to be adjusted to their current market value, protecting family-owned farms and small businesses from increased taxes. It opposes any changes to the tax code that would negatively impact the ability of these businesses to pass their operations on to the next generation. The bill recognizes the importance of generational transfers for the continuation of family farms, ranches, agribusinesses, and small businesses.