Legislative Activity

The DRILL Now Act prevents river basin commissions from regulating hydraulic fracturing within the Susquehanna, Delaware, and Potomac River basins unless authorized by the respective State. This ensures that state legislatures have the authority to decide on hydraulic fracturing regulations within their jurisdiction.

This bill expresses support for designating February 15-22, 2025, as "National FFA Week," celebrating the National FFA Organization's role in developing future leaders through agricultural education. It also recognizes the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America and the 75th anniversary of the Future Farmers of America federal charter.

The Protecting America’s Seniors’ Access to Care Act prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from implementing the minimum staffing level rules for nursing homes that were published by CMS on May 10, 2024. This legislation effectively blocks the enforcement of those specific staffing mandates.

The "Death Tax Repeal Act" eliminates both estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, effective from the date of enactment. It adjusts gift tax calculations by setting the lifetime gift exemption at $10,000,000, with inflation adjustments after 2011. The Act also includes transitional rules for applying certain sections of the Internal Revenue Code during the enactment year.

The "I CAN Act" is comprehensive legislation designed to remove existing practice and billing barriers for various Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)—including Nurse Practitioners, CRNAs, and CNMs—within Medicare and Medicaid. It aims to expand patient access to care by allowing these qualified professionals to supervise, order, and bill for services to the full extent of their state-defined scope of practice. Furthermore, the bill enhances transparency and accountability for Medicare's local coverage decisions affecting APRN services. Overall, this act seeks to integrate APRNs more fully into federal healthcare programs, improving efficiency and service delivery.

The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 expands public safety officer benefits to include deaths and disabilities caused by exposure-related cancers, presuming that certain cancers diagnosed within 15 years of service are line-of-duty injuries if the officer served for at least 5 years. It defines "exposure-related cancer" and allows for updates to the list based on medical evidence, while also permitting individuals to petition for additions. The Act also clarifies "line of duty action" and applies retroactively to claims dating back to January 1, 2020, with a three-year window for filing claims based on these amendments.

The "Alternatives to PAIN Act" amends Medicare Part D to improve access to non-opioid pain management drugs by waiving deductibles and ensuring they are placed on the lowest cost-sharing tier starting in 2026. The Act also prohibits the use of step therapy and prior authorization requirements for these drugs, further easing access for patients. These changes aim to provide more accessible alternatives for pain management, reducing reliance on opioids.

The Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act aims to improve maternal health outcomes in rural areas by establishing programs to train healthcare providers in obstetric emergency care, provide funding for necessary equipment and workforce development, implement teleconsultation programs, and study the challenges facing rural obstetric units. The Act authorizes grants for training, equipment, and telehealth programs, and requires a study on rural maternity ward closures and patient transport patterns.

The "National Right-to-Work Act" amends both the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to protect an employee's right to choose whether or not to join or support a labor union. It eliminates the possibility of mandatory union membership or dues payments as a condition of employment, ensuring that employees cannot be forced to join or support a union against their will.

The "Future in Logging Careers Act" amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, defining "timber harvesting employer" and "mechanized timber harvesting employer". It modifies child labor provisions for 16 and 17-year-olds in hazardous logging occupations, except when employed by their parent or guardian. These provisions are applicable based on the type of timber harvesting activities performed by the employer.

This bill transfers the functions, assets, and responsibilities for implementing the Food for Peace Act from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Secretary of Agriculture will now administer the program, though the Famine Early Warning Systems Network will remain under USDA control. This change allows the USDA to quickly update necessary rules to ensure a smooth transition of the program.

The China Exchange Rate Transparency Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of the Treasury to advocate for increased transparency from China regarding its exchange rate practices within the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It calls for stronger IMF oversight of China's exchange rate policies, inclusion of any differences between China's policies and those of other major currencies in IMF consultations, and closer consideration of China's role in the international monetary system during IMF governance reviews. The Act will terminate once China adheres to IMF exchange rate rules and has similar policies to other major currencies, or seven years after enactment.

The Blind Americans Return to Work Act of 2025 initiates a 20-year demonstration project aimed at helping blind Americans receiving Social Security disability benefits return to work. For the first 10 years, eligibility for benefits will be determined without considering substantial gainful activity, and benefits will be reduced based on earnings above a set amount, incentivizing employment without immediate loss of support. The project waives certain benefit requirements to facilitate successful employment, with participants having the option to opt out after the initial 10-year period. This act aims to support blind individuals in their transition back to the workforce while maintaining a safety net.

The Clock Hour Program Student Protection Act amends the Higher Education Act of 1965, Section 481(b) to allow training programs to exceed the state minimum for clock hours, up to 150% of the state or federal agency's minimum clock hour requirements, while still remaining eligible. This change applies to the 2024-2025 award year and beyond.

The "Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow's Workforce Act" amends Section 529 savings accounts to include expenses related to postsecondary credentialing programs. This allows 529 funds to cover costs like tuition, fees, books, supplies, and testing fees for recognized programs and credentials, as defined by the bill. These changes would apply to distributions made after the bill is enacted.

The "Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act" amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to exclude the net value of a family farm (on which the family resides) or a small business (with no more than 100 employees and owned/controlled by the family) from consideration as an asset when determining financial need for federal student aid. This change aims to make higher education more accessible for students from family farm and small business backgrounds.

The "Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2025" aims to protect postal workers by allocating funds for high-security collection boxes and electronic mailbox keys. It also mandates the appointment of dedicated attorneys to prosecute crimes against postal employees and directs the Sentencing Commission to increase penalties for assaulting or robbing them.

The "Banning Strategic Petroleum Reserve Oil Exports to Foreign Adversaries Act" prohibits the Secretary of Energy from selling or exporting petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China, North Korea, Russia, Iran, or any entities controlled by them, including the Chinese Communist Party. The Secretary of Energy can waive this prohibition if it is deemed to be in the national security interest of the United States. A rule to carry out this section must be issued within 60 days of the enactment of this Act.

The "Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025" extends increased Medicare payment support for physicians and practitioners through 2025. It increases payment rates by 6.62% for services provided from April 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026. The bill also updates a section of the Social Security Act to include the years 2021 through 2025 for conforming changes.

The "Charitable Act" modifies the tax deduction for charitable contributions for individuals who do not itemize deductions. For the 2026 and 2027 tax years, the deduction will be capped at one-third of the standard deduction amount for the individual. The Act also eliminates and redesignates certain penalty clauses in the Internal Revenue Code related to these deductions, updating references accordingly.