Legislative Activity

The Hiring Preference for Veterans and Americans With Disabilities Act grants state and local election offices the option to prioritize hiring veterans and individuals with disabilities as election workers. Furthermore, it allows these offices to give preference to the spouses or dependents of service members stationed away from home. This legislation also waives residency requirements for these non-resident military family applicants.

The Plant Safety Authorities Coordination Act of 2025 revises the federal definition of "transporting gas" to clarify regulatory scope. This legislation specifically excludes certain gas gathering activities in rural areas and the movement of gas solely for on-site plant operations. These exclusions ensure that localized, plant-supportive gas movement is not subject to federal transportation regulations.

The Long-Distance Corridor Relief Act modifies the criteria the Secretary uses when selecting long-distance intercity passenger rail corridors for support. This bill mandates that the Secretary must disregard any existing or anticipated non-Federal funding when evaluating these specific long-distance routes for selection. Essentially, it removes the consideration of outside funding for these corridors during the selection process.

The Safety Funding Parity Adjustment Act of 2025 establishes new rules for how the Secretary of Transportation adjusts annual highway safety funding between Section 402 and Section 405 programs, effective October 1, 2026. The primary goal is to ensure that the rate of increase for Section 402 funding is generally four times the rate of increase for Section 405 funding when both programs receive an increase. This act mandates specific proportional transfers between the two funds to achieve this targeted parity ratio under various funding scenarios.

The CHOICE Act establishes a new framework for employer-funded health reimbursement arrangements that integrate with individual health insurance coverage. This allows employers to offer tax-advantaged contributions to employees who purchase their own health plans. Furthermore, the bill introduces a new two-year, monthly tax credit for eligible small employers who offer these arrangements. Finally, it permits employees participating in these arrangements to use pre-tax dollars from a cafeteria plan to pay for their individual market coverage.

The Rail Service Continuity and Stability Act of 2025 ensures the ongoing operation of existing Amtrak long-distance routes. This legislation authorizes Congress to appropriate any necessary additional funding required to maintain these specific services. In essence, it provides an open-ended financial commitment to keep current long-distance trains running.

This Act aims to secure U.S. dominance in offshore critical minerals by accelerating the responsible exploration and development of seabed resources. It mandates rapid government action to streamline licensing, map key areas, and identify essential minerals found on the ocean floor. The goal is to build secure domestic supply chains and counter foreign influence by prioritizing U.S. commercial activity both on the Outer Continental Shelf and through international partnerships.

The Streamlining State Highway Safety Submissions Act aims to reduce paperwork for states by simplifying the triennial highway safety plan submission process. It allows the Secretary of Transportation to accept findings from recent management reviews by NHTSA in place of some required plan documentation. This change is intended to make the submission process quicker for states already undergoing federal review.

The Work Zone Safety Enhancement Act expands how states can use federal highway safety funds to improve safety in active work zones. This allows states to invest in law enforcement support, driver training, technology upgrades, and worker certification programs. The bill also mandates that states prioritize assistance for Tribal governments and rural areas when allocating these funds. Finally, it requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the effectiveness of these new safety programs.

The Safer Emergency and Evacuation Routes Response Act of 2025 establishes a voluntary pilot program to improve driver safety during wildfires. This program will automatically connect real-time wildfire hazard alerts from the National Weather Service with state and local traffic management systems. The goal is to ensure drivers receive immediate, accurate information regarding road closures and evacuation routes.

The Surface Transportation Weather Safety Gap Analysis Act of 2025 mandates a joint study by the Comptroller General and the Secretary of Transportation to assess weather-related hazards impacting surface transportation. This review will identify gaps in current federal, state, and local safety measures designed to mitigate risks during severe weather events. The resulting report must include recommendations for legislative or administrative actions needed to improve traveler safety and system resilience.

The Work Zone Weather Integration Act of 2025 establishes a pilot program to safely combine real-time weather warnings with active road construction zone data. This initiative, run by the Secretary of Transportation and NOAA, will test the technical feasibility and safety benefits of integrating hazard alerts directly into work zone information. The program requires participation from at least five states, and a final report will recommend whether the system should be expanded nationwide.

The Safety Grant Consistency Act aims to streamline federal highway safety grant programs by imposing strict limits on the Secretary of Transportation. This legislation prohibits the creation of any new performance goals or requirements for existing grant programs (under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 405). Furthermore, the Secretary must eliminate or ease existing requirements unless they were explicitly mandated by Congress.

The Rural Safety Administration Flexibility Act updates federal highway safety funding rules by establishing a new definition for "rural State." This change specifically impacts how certain states, defined by having a lower-than-average population density, are treated under existing funding caps. The bill aims to provide greater flexibility in how highway safety funds are administered in these less densely populated areas.

The SAFE Cities Act establishes a process for identifying state and local governments deemed "anarchist jurisdictions" for failing to reasonably stop violence and property destruction. The Attorney General, in coordination with other agencies, will publish and regularly update a list of these jurisdictions based on criteria like restricting police action or defunding law enforcement. Federal agencies will then be instructed to restrict or unfavorably treat these identified jurisdictions when distributing federal grants where legally permissible.

The Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act of 2025 establishes a voluntary Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program, allowing employers to self-audit and quickly resolve unintentional Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) violations regarding minimum wage and overtime. This program aims to efficiently recover back wages for employees while providing employers with a structured path to compliance and protection from future litigation over settled claims. Approval is contingent upon accurate self-audits, good faith compliance, and the employer correcting all identified wage violations before settlement. The Act also explicitly prohibits employers from retaliating against workers for participating in the settlement process.

The Buy-to-Budget Flexibility Act streamlines the Department of Defense's procurement process by eliminating outdated and specific requirements for purchasing "end items." This legislation strikes out old statutory language related to end-item purchases and removes several detailed subsections from existing law. The goal is to provide greater flexibility in how the DoD manages its budget for these acquisitions.

The Prototype to Production Act modifies Department of Defense (DOD) procedures for managing large-scale technology projects involving prototypes and subsequent production contracts. It establishes specific high-level approval requirements for major prototype projects exceeding \$100 million, ensuring these decisions cannot be delegated. Furthermore, the Act creates a new authority allowing the DOD to rapidly field proven technologies under exceptional circumstances without competitive procedures to meet urgent warfighter needs.

The Smart Pricing Practices Permanence Act modifies an existing pilot program aimed at accelerating defense contracting and pricing processes. This legislation streamlines participation by eliminating requirements for unique reporting by program participants. It also removes an entire subsection from the original authorizing law, further adjusting the structure of the pilot program.

The Expedited Delivery Act revises federal procurement rules to allow the government to bypass competitive bidding for certain purchases. This is achieved by adding a new exception based on market research indicating special features or faster delivery. Furthermore, the bill significantly raises the dollar thresholds that permit these non-competitive contract awards.