Legislative Activity

The Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 authorizes livestock producers and their employees to take action against black vultures that are harming or threatening livestock or related property. This provision allows for the capture, killing, or dispersal of the birds, provided that poisoning is strictly prohibited. Those who take action must report the activity to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service once the required reporting form is made available.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to modernize and increase transparency in the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and requires plans to publicly report detailed data on their approval, denial, and appeal rates. Furthermore, it establishes new standards to protect enrollees and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timelines for care requests.

The EDUCATE Act conditions federal funding for graduate medical schools on certifying they do not mandate agreement with specific divisive tenets regarding race or sex. This legislation prohibits medical schools from requiring diversity statements or establishing DEI offices as a condition for admission or employment. Furthermore, it requires accrediting agencies to ensure they do not mandate policies contrary to these provisions for medical education programs. The Act includes provisions to protect existing First Amendment rights and academic freedom.

The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 establishes a presumption that certain cancers leading to death or disability in public safety officers were caused by on-duty exposure to recognized carcinogens. This law defines specific exposure-related cancers and sets conditions, such as five years of service, for the presumption to apply. It also updates review processes for adding new cancers to the list and grants retroactive application and filing extensions for eligible past and present claims.

The LOCOMOTIVES Act clarifies federal authority under the Clean Air Act regarding emissions standards for certain existing locomotives and engines used in construction or farm equipment. This legislation ensures that federal standards, rather than varying state standards, apply to these specific engines, particularly those under 175 horsepower and locomotives engaged in commerce. Essentially, it centralizes regulatory power over these emissions sources at the federal level.

The COUNTER Act grants the Department of Defense (DoD) expanded authority to neutralize threats from unmanned aircraft systems (drones) operating outside of the United States. This legislation delegates response authority, clarifies mitigation methods like remote identification, and exempts security details regarding these operations from public disclosure. Furthermore, it limits the application of certain criminal and security laws to authorized DoD and Coast Guard activities aimed at countering these aerial threats overseas.

The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act prohibits covered entities from denying an organ transplant or related services solely because an individual has a disability. The bill mandates reasonable modifications to policies and requires consideration of an individual's support network when assessing their ability to comply with post-transplant requirements. This ensures that qualified individuals receive equal access to the entire organ transplant process, from evaluation through aftercare.

The Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act of 2025 establishes new competitive procurement rules for the Department of Defense's acquisition of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data infrastructure services. It mandates competitive bidding, prioritizes multi-cloud technology, and strictly protects government data used by vendors to train commercial AI models. Furthermore, the bill requires annual reporting to Congress on market competition, innovation barriers, and the use of any granted exemptions.

This resolution officially designates the week of May 11 through May 17, 2025, as "National Police Week." It serves to honor the valor and integrity of law enforcement officers across the nation. The resolution specifically remembers the officers killed in the line of duty during 2024 and encourages the public to observe this week to show appreciation for law enforcement personnel.

This bill primarily repeals and modifies numerous existing requirements across federal science and technology acts, specifically targeting and eliminating mandates related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in STEM programs and research funding. It also restricts federal agencies from imposing policy requirements on funding recipients that are not explicitly established in law. The legislation streamlines various programs while maintaining specific encouragement for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs).

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) recent rule aimed at closing the "Homework Gap" using the E-Rate Program. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, Congress is formally rejecting the FCC's specific plan to extend E-Rate funding for student home internet access. Consequently, the FCC's rule, published on November 29, 2024, will not take effect.

The American Ownership and Resilience Act establishes an Ownership Investment Facility to provide government leverage to licensed investment companies making "covered investments," primarily focused on supporting Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and worker cooperatives in acquiring business ownership. The Act sets strict operational rules for these investment companies, including capital requirements, portfolio diversification limits, and mandates for independent review of ESOP transactions. Furthermore, it details the licensing process, oversight mechanisms, and reporting requirements to ensure accountability and protect employee interests.

The MOMS Act aims to support mothers and unborn children through three main areas: establishing a federal resource website, Pregnancy.gov, to connect expecting and new mothers with local services. It also creates grant programs to fund organizations that support carrying pregnancies to term and expand access to prenatal/postnatal telehealth care. Finally, the Act mandates that states establish and enforce child support obligations on behalf of unborn children upon the mother's request.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating the week of May 4 through May 10, 2025, as National Small Business Week. It aims to celebrate the vital contributions of the over 34.5 million small businesses that support tens of millions of jobs nationwide. The bill honors the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners in every community.

The Zero Based Regulations Act mandates a systematic, ongoing review of all existing federal regulations to ensure they remain effective and cost-efficient. This process requires agencies to repeal rules before review and subject any reinstated rule to strict cost limitations and public hearings. Furthermore, the Act temporarily restricts the creation of new rules unless they reduce the overall regulatory burden or address critical public safety needs.

The America the Beautiful Act reauthorizes and extends the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through fiscal year 2033, increasing its total authorized funding. This legislation adjusts funding priorities to favor projects receiving private contributions and streamlines the process for accepting and allocating public donations. Additionally, it mandates reporting on efforts to reduce the existing deferred maintenance backlog and improve future preventative maintenance across public lands.

The Liberating Incandescent Technology Act of 2025 (LIT Act) primarily makes technical updates to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act concerning general service lamps. This involves renumbering definitions and updating cross-references throughout the relevant sections of the law. The bill also officially cancels several previous Department of Energy rules related to energy conservation standards for these lamps.

The William S. Knudsen Defense Remobilization Act establishes a commission to assess and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base. This body will analyze current production capacity, identify bottlenecks, and review federal regulations hindering defense manufacturing. The Commission must deliver recommendations within one year to boost domestic production capabilities necessary for national security contingencies.

The FIGHT Act of 2025 significantly strengthens federal prohibitions against animal fighting ventures, particularly those involving roosters, by expanding illegal activities to include attendance by minors and gambling. This bill enhances enforcement by tightening restrictions on interstate transport and advertising, while also empowering private citizens to file lawsuits to enjoin violations. Furthermore, the Act allows for the seizure of real property used to facilitate these illegal fighting activities.

The LIABLE Act creates a new exception to the general immunity shielding international organizations from lawsuits in U.S. courts when terrorism is involved. This allows individuals to sue an international organization if an employee caused death or injury through specific terrorist acts while working for the organization. Lawsuits are permitted only if the organization materially supported a designated foreign terrorist organization and the claimant or victim had a connection to the U.S. or if the organization has a significant U.S. presence. Claims must be filed within 20 years of the injury or death.