Legislative Activity

The Fair and Open Competition Act of 2025 ensures fair competition on federally funded construction projects by prohibiting the government from requiring or penalizing bidders based on union agreements. This legislation aims to keep federal agencies neutral in labor relations while promoting cost savings and opening opportunities for all businesses. Exceptions to this neutrality rule are strictly limited to specific public health, safety, or national security emergencies.

The TRACE Act mandates updates to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NMUPS) to specifically track cases involving federal land. This includes adding data fields to record when a missing person's last known location or the discovery of unidentified remains occurred on federal property. Furthermore, the Attorney General must submit an annual report detailing these cases, categorized by the managing federal agency.

The Military Spouse Hiring Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand eligibility for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). This change allows employers to claim the tax credit for hiring qualified military spouses. A qualified military spouse is defined as someone certified as being married to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The Crucial Communism Teaching Act mandates the development of a high school civic education curriculum focused on the history and dangers of communism. This curriculum must detail the death toll caused by communist regimes and highlight ongoing human rights abuses. The Act also requires the creation of "Portraits in Patriotism" oral history resources featuring victims of oppressive political systems.

The Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act amends federal student loan regulations to provide a specific deferment for medical and dental residents. This allows borrowers currently serving in an internship or residency program to pause principal payments and prevent interest accrual on their student loans during that training period.

The Nationally Enhancing the Well-being of Babies through Outreach and Research Now (NEWBORN) Act establishes new pilot programs to combat high infant mortality rates across the country. These programs will provide grants, prioritizing the 50 counties with the highest rates, to develop community-specific outreach and support services for at-risk mothers. Funds can be used for everything from prenatal care coordination and smoking cessation programs to public education campaigns. The Secretary will use annual reports from grant recipients to evaluate the effectiveness of these localized efforts.

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act aims to improve support for individuals diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. This bill eliminates the standard waiting period for receiving Social Security disability insurance benefits and waives the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage. These changes ensure immediate access to crucial financial and healthcare support upon diagnosis.

This bill, the Generating Retirement Ownership through Long-Term Holding Act, allows individual investors to defer paying taxes on capital gain dividends from mutual funds if those dividends are automatically reinvested into more fund shares. Taxes on these deferred gains are only due when the investor sells the shares or upon death. This provision aims to encourage long-term investment in mutual funds by providing immediate tax relief on reinvested earnings.

The Credit for Caring Act of 2025 establishes a new, non-refundable federal income tax credit for working family caregivers who incur significant expenses caring for a relative with long-term care needs. Eligible caregivers can claim a credit equal to 30% of qualified expenses exceeding \$2,000, up to a maximum annual credit of \$5,000. The bill specifies detailed requirements for the care recipient's needs, the types of allowable expenses, and includes income phase-out limits for claiming the benefit.

The Maintaining Cooperative Permitting Act of 2025 secures the existing state-run dredge and fill material permitting programs for Michigan, New Jersey, and Florida, preventing the EPA from unilaterally withdrawing approval for these specific programs. It establishes a 90-day transition period for Florida permitting authority and clarifies the process for approving future state programs similar to these established ones. Essentially, the bill locks in the current cooperative federalism structure for wetland permitting in these three states.

The Deportation Compliance Act prohibits U.S. foreign assistance to countries that have been penalized by the Secretary of State for delaying or refusing to accept their own citizens, subjects, nationals, or residents for longer than 180 days. This prohibition remains in effect as long as the country continues to delay or refuse acceptance.

The JUDGES Act of 2025 aims to address the increasing caseloads in district courts by creating new judgeships in multiple states over the next decade, as well as a temporary judgeship in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. It also authorizes appropriations to support these new positions and adjusts the organization of district courts in Texas and California. Additionally, the Act mandates Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports to evaluate workload measures, judicial activities, and the effectiveness of policies regarding senior judges, as well as the needs and efforts to acquire federal detention space. Finally, the Act ensures public accessibility to the Judicial Conference's recommendations for Article III judgeships by requiring the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to publish these reports on its website.

This resolution expresses the House of Representatives' deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the 67 individuals who lost their lives in the January 29, 2025, collision of American Eagle Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army flight. It honors the victims, many of whom had strong ties to Wichita, Kansas, and commends the heroic efforts of the first responders and emergency personnel who managed the recovery.

The Law Enforcement Protection and Privacy Act of 2025 amends FOIA to protect sensitive firearms data, penalizes unauthorized disclosures of protected information by non-federal entities, and grants licensees the right to sue for damages resulting from such disclosures. It establishes financial penalties for improper disclosures and allows harmed parties to seek compensation in court. The act defines key terms and ensures that other legal remedies remain available.

The "Donald J. Trump $250 Bill Act" would require the Department of Treasury to print $250 Federal Reserve notes featuring a portrait of Donald J. Trump, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. This bill also amends existing law to allow the portrait of living Presidents to appear on United States currency and securities.

The SAFE Act of 2025 amends existing legislation to explicitly prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption, reinforcing protections for these animals. This bill seeks to prevent the inhumane treatment of American equines by closing loopholes that allow their slaughter and export for human consumption.

The "Project Safe Neighborhoods Reauthorization Act of 2025" reauthorizes and modifies the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program, allowing funds to be used for hiring crime analysts, covering overtime costs, and acquiring technology to reduce violent crime. It extends the program's authorization through fiscal year 2030 and supports multi-jurisdictional task forces. Additionally, it mandates the Attorney General to submit annual reports to the Judiciary Committees detailing fund expenditures, community outreach, and violent crime statistics in areas using program funds.

The Guarding Readiness Resources Act allows the National Guard Bureau to accept funds from states and territories as reimbursement for the use of military property. These funds will be used by the Department of Defense for the repair, maintenance, and replacement of assets used by National Guard units on state active duty.

This bill authorizes the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 761st Tank Battalion, also known as the "Black Panthers," in recognition of their courageous service and crucial contributions during World War II. The medal will be given to the National Museum of African American History and Culture for display, honoring the 761st as the first Black soldiers to serve in an American armored unit and their significant role in the Allied victory in Europe. The bill also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates of the medal to support the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

The Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act of 2025 extends preferential trade treatment to Haiti under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act until September 30, 2035. It clarifies eligibility for apparel articles containing U.S. fabric and restores preferential treatment for certain articles that were previously eligible. The Act aims to promote economic development in Haiti through trade benefits.