Legislative Activity

The Improving Child Care for Working Families Act of 2025 significantly increases the tax exclusion limit for dependent care assistance programs. This change raises the maximum exclusion from $\$7,500$ to $\$10,500$ for most taxpayers. The bill also adjusts the limit for married individuals filing separately to $\$5,250$. These provisions apply to dependent care expenses incurred in calendar years beginning after the Act's enactment.

The ENABLE Conservation Act of 2025 streamlines federal conservation efforts by updating the Food Security Act of 1985. This legislation allows land enrolled in new state-level wildlife enhancement initiatives to count toward existing federal conservation program requirements. It also includes technical amendments to ensure accurate cross-referencing of acreage limitations within the law.

The Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the status of long-delayed hydropower license applications. This report specifically tracks new, renewed, or original license applications that have been pending for three years or more after the applicant provided notice of intent. The goal is to increase accountability and provide Congress with specific details on the bottlenecks slowing down the licensing process for these energy projects.

The State Public Option Act establishes a new Medicaid buy-in option for uninsured residents starting in 2026, while also ensuring federal administrative cost-sharing for states offering the program. The bill mandates that Medicaid payments for primary care services must meet or exceed Medicare rates for certain providers, and it expands required Medicaid coverage to include comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services beginning in 2026. Furthermore, it adjusts federal matching fund timelines for states newly expanding Medicaid coverage and requires updates to Medicaid quality measures.

The National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025 aims to significantly increase the use of controlled burns on federal lands to manage hazardous fuels and restore landscapes. It mandates escalating annual acreage targets for prescribed fire treatments and provides new funding flexibility and long-term agreements for local and Tribal partners. Furthermore, the bill enhances support for the federal fire workforce and extends liability protections to non-federal entities assisting with these critical management activities.

The Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve Medicare coverage for diabetes self-management training by eliminating patient out-of-pocket costs and expanding the pool of qualified providers. The bill establishes a new structure for training hours, granting patients an initial block of 10 hours plus two additional hours annually. Furthermore, it mandates that the Secretary of HHS test models for covering virtual diabetes self-management training services to evaluate their impact on health outcomes and costs.

This bill grants the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to waive the required matching funds for recipients of grants under the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. This change allows the Secretary discretion in awarding funds without requiring the recipient to contribute their own matching capital. The waiver applies to grants awarded on or after the date the law is enacted.

The AG RESEARCH Act establishes a new competitive grant program to address the significant deferred maintenance backlog in U.S. agricultural research facilities. This program provides substantial mandatory and authorized funding to modernize, renovate, and equip these critical sites. The goal is to ensure that American agricultural research remains globally competitive and cutting-edge.

This bill reauthorizes the program that provides payments to children's hospitals operating graduate medical education programs. Specifically, it extends the program's authorization deadline from 2023 to 2030. This ensures continued federal support for these teaching hospitals training future pediatric specialists.

The "Kids Access to Primary Care Act of 2025" aims to improve children's healthcare access by increasing Medicaid payments for primary care services to match Medicare rates, expanding the types of providers eligible for these payments, and mandating compliance from Medicaid managed care plans. It also requires a study on the impact of these changes on enrollment and provider payment rates. Additionally, the Act encourages healthcare providers to utilize the Bright Futures guidelines for pediatric care.

The Forest Data Modernization Act of 2025 aims to significantly update how the Forest Service tracks the health and resources of U.S. forests. This legislation mandates the inclusion of forest carbon data in inventory and analysis programs and requires the strategic integration of modern technologies like remote sensing. The goal is to produce more precise, accessible, and current forest statistics for both national and sub-state levels.