Legislative Activity

The Valid Benefits Act mandates that federal agencies must verify the eligibility of benefit recipients aged 105 and older twice annually. This new requirement aims to ensure continued qualification for federal benefits among supercentenarians. The verification process will begin with benefit payments made on or after December 31, 2025.

The Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act reinstates and removes limitations on the federal income tax deduction for personal casualty losses resulting from unexpected events like fires or floods. This legislation also extends the deadline for taxpayers to file claims for refunds related to these casualty loss deductions for past tax years. These changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2017.

The ELECT Act of 2025 aims to eliminate taxpayer financing for presidential election campaigns. This bill ends the ability for taxpayers to designate income tax payments to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund starting after the 2024 tax year. Furthermore, it terminates the Presidential Election Campaign Fund and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account, transferring any remaining balances to the Treasury to reduce the national deficit.

The DEFENSE Act authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to deputize state and local police to use drone countermeasures for protecting specific large public events and restricted areas. This authority is contingent upon officers completing mandatory, specialized training developed in coordination with the FAA. The bill also mandates federal oversight and limits the use of equipment to an officially approved list maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.

The Family Business Legacy Act of 2025 introduces a new federal estate tax deduction for bequests made to specific tax-exempt organizations listed under section 501(c)(4), (5), or (6). This allows the value of gifts transferred to these qualifying groups upon death to be subtracted from the gross estate when calculating taxable estate value. The deduction applies to direct bequests and property passing via powers of appointment to these organizations. These provisions take effect for estates of individuals dying after December 31, 2025.

The Safeguarding Charity Act clarifies that the federal income tax exemption granted to many tax-exempt organizations, such as charities and social welfare groups, will no longer be counted as "Federal financial assistance." This change specifically redefines federal aid for the purpose of applying various federal laws and regulations moving forward. The Act ensures that the value of existing tax breaks is excluded from future calculations of government assistance received by these entities.

The Catch Up Act allows married couples, both covered under a high-deductible health plan, to jointly contribute to a single Health Savings Account (HSA). This legislation clarifies how the total annual contribution limit, including age-based catch-up amounts for spouses aged 55 and older, is calculated and equally split between them. These changes are effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

This resolution establishes special, expedited procedures for the House of Representatives to consider and vote on four specific legislative items. It waives standard procedural objections and strictly limits debate time for each measure. The items include disapproving a CFPB rule, considering a bill related to digital payment applications, a bill limiting federal court injunctions, and a bill requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration.

The Iranian Terror Prevention Act mandates the swift designation of specific Iranian-linked groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) by the Secretary of State. It requires the President to impose existing sanctions on these designated groups and any affiliated entities within 60 days of enactment. Furthermore, the bill establishes ongoing reporting requirements to Congress regarding designations and the application of sanctions.

This joint resolution authorizes the President to use the U.S. Armed Forces against specific, named international criminal organizations designated as "covered cartels." It declares these groups are acting as terrorist organizations due to their actions against the U.S., including drug trafficking and human exploitation. The measure explicitly complies with the requirements of the War Powers Resolution.

The Independent Programmers Tax Incentive Act establishes a new tax credit for distributors who carry programming from qualifying independent content creators. This legislation aims to encourage broader carriage of smaller programmers by offering financial incentives to distributors like cable and streaming services. Additionally, the bill mandates the FCC to submit biennial reports to Congress regarding the distribution landscape for these independent programmers.

The Honey Integrity Act establishes a clear standard of identity for honey based on existing quality benchmarks. It mandates that commercial honey packers implement rigorous, scientifically advanced testing protocols to detect fraud and adulteration. Furthermore, the bill requires the Secretary to report on enforcement actions against mislabeled honey and establishes a new program funded by packer fees to ensure honey sold in the U.S. is authentic.

The GIFT Act of 2025 prohibits hospitals and other medical facilities from considering an individual's vaccination status when determining eligibility for organ transplants. This legislation amends the Social Security Act to ensure that vaccination history does not factor into organ allocation decisions. The goal is to guarantee fairness in the transplant process for all patients.

The Reduction of Excess Business Holding Accrual Act modifies how private foundations calculate their "excess business holdings" for tax purposes following specific employee stock buybacks. This bill allows a foundation's ownership percentage to disregard certain voting stock repurchased by a business from an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) if the foundation's total ownership remains below 49%. This provision aims to provide relief for foundations involved in these specific employee stock distribution transactions, provided certain conditions regarding the stock's disposition and the ESOP's age are met.

The PAGER Act aims to restrict U.S. support to the Lebanese Armed Forces unless the Secretary of State certifies that the Lebanese government has taken significant steps to counter Hezbollah's influence, prevent coordination with terrorist organizations, and ensure accountability. It also prohibits U.S. funds from supporting UN programs that aid the Lebanese armed forces or internal security forces. Additionally, the act designates Suhil Bahij Gharab as a global terrorist and requires regular reports on Hezbollah and Iranian influence within the Lebanese government.

This bill, the Moving H–2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2025, proposes transferring the administration of the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program from the Department of Labor to the Department of Agriculture. The transfer of responsibilities, staff, and resources will officially take effect 60 days after the bill is signed into law. This legislation aims to place the oversight of agricultural worker visas under the purview of the USDA.

The FEMA for America First Act of 2025 amends the Stafford Act to restrict FEMA individual assistance to only qualified aliens, excluding asylees, refugees, and certain parolees who have not pursued permanent residency. This bill narrows the eligibility criteria for disaster relief, focusing aid on a specific subset of legal immigrants as defined by existing federal laws.

The "Safe Storage Lockers for House Office Buildings Act" allows House employees to bring legal self-defense weapons into House office buildings, provided they store them in Capitol Police-operated lockers at external pedestrian entrances. The Capitol Police Board is required to install and manage these storage lockers within 180 days, enabling employees to comply with D.C. laws outside the buildings while adhering to Federal law inside. This act defines which weapons are covered and clarifies which buildings are included, excluding garages.

The Break the Chain Act significantly overhauls family-sponsored immigration by redefining "immediate relatives" to exclude parents of U.S. citizens from the top tier. It establishes new annual caps for family visas and creates a new, non-work, non-benefit nonimmigrant status (W) for parents of adult U.S. citizens. These sweeping changes are set to take effect on October 1, 2025, invalidating new petitions for parents filed after enactment.

The U.S. Citrus Protection Act prohibits the importation of commercially produced fresh citrus fruit from China into the United States. This ban will take effect 90 days after the enactment of the Act.