Legislative Activity

The One Stop Shop for Small Business Licensing Act of 2025 ensures the continued public availability of the Small Business Administration's (SBA) website dedicated to business licensing and permitting requirements. This legislation mandates that the SBA Administrator must keep the designated online resource accessible to everyone without charge. The Act secures this vital resource for small businesses looking to navigate federal licensing processes.

The Tax Relief for New Businesses Act simplifies tax treatment for new businesses by combining start-up and organizational expenditures under a single set of rules. This legislation significantly increases the immediate deduction limit for these initial costs from $\$5,000$ to $\$50,000$, with the phase-out threshold raised to $\$150,000$. It also introduces special rules for how these new deductions affect Net Operating Loss (NOL) calculations for partnerships and S corporations. These changes are effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act of 2025 aims to ease the financial burden on individuals caring for family members. This bill expands eligibility for contributions to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) by allowing parents to contribute on behalf of an individual or their spouse. Furthermore, it permits the use of Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs) and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) to cover medical expenses for parents and in-laws. Finally, the Act updates Archer MSA rules to include parents in the definition of covered individuals.

The Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care (SPARC) Act establishes a new federal loan repayment program to incentivize specialty physicians and certain non-physician specialty providers to serve in rural health shortage areas. Participants must commit to six years of full-time service in exchange for having a portion of their educational debt repaid annually. This initiative aims to significantly bolster the availability of specialized medical care across underserved rural communities.

The Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act addresses three main areas: resolving complex federal/private land checkerboard patterns in Pershing County to potentially increase local tax revenue, designating over 130,000 acres of BLM land as protected wilderness areas, and transferring 10 acres of federal land into trust status for the Lovelock Paiute Tribe while prohibiting gaming on that parcel. Overall, the bill seeks to streamline land management, expand conservation, and support tribal interests in the region.

This resolution officially designates March 24, 2025, as "National Women of Color in Tech Day" to recognize the vital contributions of women of color in technology. It highlights their historical achievements while addressing the systemic barriers they face in STEM education and employment. The bill commits the Senate to boosting diversity, supporting inclusive STEM education pathways, and improving data transparency to strengthen the nation's tech workforce.

The Physicians for Underserved Areas Act updates the process for redistributing Medicare residency slots when a teaching hospital closes. This bill simplifies the criteria for assigning these slots to remaining teaching hospitals. Crucially, it establishes strict deadlines, requiring receiving hospitals to begin using the slots within two years and fill them completely within five years.

The Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act allows medical and dental interns and residents to defer payments on their student loans during their training programs. This deferment specifically prevents principal payments and stops interest from accruing on the loan balance while the borrower is in residency or an internship. This ensures that medical professionals can focus on their training without accruing additional debt.

The "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act" bans the use of the DeepSeek application and related services from High Flyer on government devices. It directs the Office of Management and Budget to establish standards for removing DeepSeek from executive agencies' IT systems within 60 days, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, national security, and security research purposes, each requiring documented risk mitigation.

The "Born in the USA Act" prohibits the use of government funds to implement Executive Order 14160, which sought to deny citizenship to certain children born in the United States. The bill affirms that birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution and cannot be rescinded by executive order.

The "Train More Nurses Act" mandates a review of existing federal programs supporting the nursing workforce. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor must identify ways to improve these programs, with a focus on increasing nurse faculty, creating career pathways for nurses, and expanding the nursing pipeline. A report of recommended changes will be submitted to Congress.

The Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act facilitates land conveyances and sales in Nevada for public purposes like affordable housing and conservation. It transfers federal land to tribes and local entities, designating new wilderness areas and national conservation areas while also releasing some areas for potential development. The act also allows for voluntary donation of grazing permits to the Bureau of Land Management. This legislation aims to balance conservation, recreation, and economic development in the region.

The Small Business Child Care Investment Act amends the Small Business Act to include nonprofit child care providers in certain loan programs, defining eligibility criteria and ensuring access to financial support through guaranteed loans in cooperation with financial institutions. It also requires an annual report to Congress on the number and amount of loans made to these providers.

The "Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons Act" directs the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to study Holocaust education efforts in schools across the country. The study will determine the status of Holocaust education implementation, teaching methods, instructional materials used, and assessment methods used to evaluate students' knowledge, and the director will submit a report to Congress on the study's findings. This act aims to improve understanding of the Holocaust, educate on preventing genocide and hate, and study the history of antisemitism.

The "Smarter Weather Forecasting for Water Management, Farming, and Ranching Act of 2025" directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to establish pilot projects aimed at improving subseasonal to seasonal precipitation forecasts for agriculture and water management. These projects will address scientific challenges like improving model resolution in mountainous terrain and predicting atmospheric circulation. The Act allocates \$45 million annually from 2025-2029 for these initiatives, which will involve higher education institutions and NOAA entities. The pilot project authority will end five years after the enactment of the law.

This resolution commemorates the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and International Holocaust Remembrance Day, urging Americans to remember the victims of the Holocaust and fight against antisemitism. It recognizes the historical significance of Auschwitz, where 1.1 million innocent civilians were murdered, and emphasizes the importance of Holocaust education to combat intolerance. The resolution also acknowledges the recent rise in antisemitic incidents and encourages the pursuit of tolerance, peace, and justice.

The CONSTRUCTS Act of 2025 aims to expand training and education for residential construction careers by establishing a grant program through the Department of Labor. These grants will be awarded to junior and community colleges, area career and technical education schools, and training service providers, with a priority for those serving rural areas and underserved populations. The funds will support the creation and expansion of training programs, partnerships with local businesses, and outreach to students about careers in residential construction. The act authorizes \$20 million to be appropriated annually from 2025 through 2029 to fund this initiative.