Legislative Activity

The FEMA Act of 2025 establishes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an independent, cabinet-level agency to lead a unified, all-hazards approach to national emergency management. The bill enacts sweeping reforms across Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, and Mitigation programs to accelerate recovery, streamline funding, and reduce bureaucratic hurdles for disaster survivors and communities. Furthermore, it mandates significant new transparency measures, including public data reporting and GAO oversight, to ensure accountability for federal disaster spending.

This bill officially designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 1444 Main Street in Ramona, California, as the "Archie Moore Post Office Building." The legislation ensures that all official records and documents will use this new name for the post office.

The High Occupancy Vehicle Lane Exemption Reauthorization Act extends the federal regulations governing High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) facilities. Specifically, this bill pushes back the expiration date for these existing HOV facility rules from September 30, 2025, to September 30, 2031. This ensures the current federal guidelines remain in effect for an additional six years.

The Gun Safety Board and Research Act establishes a new federal Gun Safety Board within the Department of Health and Human Services. This Board is mandated to fund original research aimed at reducing gun violence and to educate the public on effective prevention methods. It will also publish annual policy recommendations based on scientific findings regarding various forms of gun violence.

This bill authorizes Congress to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the nurses who served in the Army and Navy Nurse Corps during World War II to recognize their extraordinary service and sacrifice. The legislation highlights the dangerous conditions these nurses faced, often without full military status or benefits. The Secretary of the Treasury will strike the medal, which will ultimately be housed at the Smithsonian Institution. The Act also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs.

The Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must now provide abortion care, counseling, and related medication as part of the medical services offered to eligible veterans and certain other beneficiaries. This legislation formally amends existing VA health care provisions to include these reproductive health services.

The Local Gun Violence Reduction Act establishes a national database, managed by the CDC, for tracking local gun violence prevention laws and their effectiveness. State and local governments must submit details on their enacted laws alongside data comparing gun violence rates before and after implementation. This system aims to share successful strategies by providing regular reports to Congress on participation and law effectiveness.

The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act of 2025 repeals specific prior reconciliation health provisions. This bill significantly expands eligibility for the Premium Tax Credit by eliminating the 400% Federal Poverty Level income cap. It also updates the subsidy calculation formula to ensure a smoother, linear adjustment of assistance across various income levels.

The Click to Cancel Act of 2025 officially codifies the Federal Trade Commission's "click-to-cancel" rule into federal law. This mandates that businesses provide consumers with a simple, online method to cancel subscriptions. Violations of this new law will be enforced by the FTC using its existing authority under the Federal Trade Commission Act.

The Restoring Essential Healthcare Act repeals an outdated ban that prevented Medicaid from making payments to certain healthcare providers. This legislation ensures that these previously prohibited entities will now be reimbursed for medical services rendered between the enactment of the original ban and the passage of this Act. In short, it restores payment eligibility and retroactively covers past services.

The Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act establishes a new program to support local food producers and strengthen regional food security. This initiative requires the Secretary of Agriculture to fund agreements that ensure nutritious, locally sourced food is purchased and distributed widely, prioritizing small and beginning farmers. Funds must be used to buy minimally processed local products and provide technical assistance to producers. The program is backed by mandatory funding starting in Fiscal Year 2026.

The EATS Act of 2025 significantly updates eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by removing previous restrictions that often disqualified students. This legislation explicitly includes bona fide students enrolled at least half-time in recognized educational programs as eligible participants for food assistance. These changes take effect on January 2, 2026.

The Review Every Veterans Claim Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve the efficiency and fairness of the VA claims and appeals process. This bill prohibits the VA from denying a veteran's claim solely because they missed a medical examination and mandates comprehensive tracking and reporting on claim adjudication times. Furthermore, it introduces quality assurance programs, enhanced training for Board of Veterans' Appeals members, and new authority for the Board to aggregate related appeals.

The BIKE Act of 2025 aims to enhance bicycle safety education for students across the country. It allows states to use federal highway safety funds to provide on-bicycle safety training in elementary and secondary schools. Furthermore, the bill mandates the Secretary to update federal safety guidelines to emphasize comprehensive on-bicycle training, traffic rules, and helmet use for young riders. The Secretary must also consult with educators and report back to Congress on the implementation of these new safety standards.

The SAVES Act establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide service dogs to eligible veterans. These grants, up to $\$2,000,000$ each, will fund the training and provision of service dogs for veterans with qualifying conditions like PTSD or TBI. The bill also extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments until February 2033.

The Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act prioritizes federal funding for research and extension programs specifically aimed at controlling the invasive Spotted Lanternfly. This legislation ensures that developing effective tools and treatments against this pest becomes a high-priority initiative. Additionally, the Act extends the authorization for several existing high-priority agricultural research programs until 2030.

The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act of 2025 establishes a new, refundable tax credit for eligible first-time homebuyers, equal to 10% of the purchase price, up to a maximum of $15,000. This credit is subject to income and home price phase-outs based on local median figures. Homebuyers may elect to transfer this credit directly to their mortgage lender at closing in exchange for immediate cash. The bill also includes recapture provisions requiring repayment if the home is sold within four years.

This bill, the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, updates the eligibility requirements for creating records of lawful admission for long-term residents. It replaces a fixed entry date with a new standard requiring applicants to have resided in the U.S. for at least seven years prior to applying. These revised provisions will take effect 60 days after the Act is enacted.

The Investing in Children Before Missiles (ICBM) Act pauses the troubled Sentinel missile replacement program due to significant cost overruns and delays. The bill mandates redirecting unspent research and development funds from the Sentinel and W87-1 warhead programs directly to the Department of Education for elementary and secondary school funding. Furthermore, it requires an independent study to analyze extending the life of the existing Minuteman III missiles until at least 2050 as an alternative to the new ICBM system.

The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 establishes a structured process for distributing up to 2,000 additional, federally funded residency positions annually between fiscal years 2026 and 2032. This distribution prioritizes hospitals serving in underserved areas, those already training above their limit, and those committed to primary care and general surgery training. The bill also mandates a study and report by the Comptroller General on effective strategies to increase diversity within the health professional workforce.