Legislative Activity

The "Build the Wall Act of 2025" establishes a fund dedicated to constructing and maintaining physical barriers along the U.S. southern border. It redirects unobligated funds from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds into this new "Southern Border Wall Construction Fund." The Department of Homeland Security will then use this fund for border wall projects.

This bill recognizes the significant historical and ongoing contributions of tax-exempt fraternal benefit societies to communities across the United States through charitable activities, volunteer work, and financial support for members. It expresses the sense of Congress that these societies are a valuable support system that addresses unmet needs and generates substantial returns to the U.S. through their tax-exempt status. The bill also advocates for the continued promotion of fraternal benefit societies.

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.

The "Semiconductor Technology Advancement and Research Act of 2025" or "STAR Act of 2025" incentivizes domestic semiconductor design by adding qualified semiconductor design expenditures to the advanced manufacturing investment credit. This includes a 25% tax credit for these expenditures, covering in-house and contract design expenses for semiconductor design conducted in the United States. This credit aims to boost innovation and development in semiconductor technology. The credit will terminate for construction beginning or expenditures made after December 31, 2036.

The "Parental Notification and Intervention Act of 2025" requires parental notification before an abortion can be performed on an unemancipated minor, with exceptions for medical emergencies or court waivers. It allows parents to sue in federal court to stop an abortion from occurring. States can enact stricter parental notification or intervention laws. The act would take effect immediately upon becoming law.

The "Green Tape Elimination Act of 2025" exempts hazardous fuel reduction activities on federal lands from certain environmental regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act, for a 10-year period. This exemption aims to expedite efforts to reduce hazardous fuels and mitigate wildfire risks by streamlining environmental reviews and compliance processes. The bill also excludes air quality data from these activities when determining violations of air quality standards. "Hazardous fuel reduction activity" includes prescribed fires, wildland fire use, and mechanical methods.

The "CBO Show Your Work Act" mandates the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to publicly release the fiscal, policy, and data models used for cost estimates of legislation, along with any updates. This allows for transparency and replication of CBO's analyses by external parties. The CBO must also disclose data, programs, assumptions, and computational details used in preparing cost estimates, while protecting confidential data by providing detailed variable lists, statistics, and contact information for data access.

The "Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2025" modifies tax deductions for performing artists by adjusting the income threshold for deduction phaseouts, clarifying deductible expenses to include commissions, and increasing the threshold for nominal employers. The adjusted gross income (AGI) threshold is $100,000, and the nominal employer threshold is $500. Both amounts will be adjusted for inflation after 2025. This ensures fair tax treatment and helps offset professional expenses.

The "Life at Conception Act" declares that the right to life, as guaranteed by the Constitution, is vested in each human being, both born and preborn, from fertilization onward. This act defines "human being" as every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life. Notably, the act specifies that no woman shall be prosecuted for the death of her unborn child.

The "Protect American Election Administration Act of 2025" prohibits states from accepting or using private donations to administer federal elections, including voter outreach and registration, with an exception for donated space for polling places. This act amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to reflect these changes.

The "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act" ensures that infants born alive after an abortion receive the same medical care as any other newborn, mandating immediate hospitalization and requiring healthcare practitioners to report any failures to comply. Violators face fines, imprisonment, and potential prosecution for homicide or attempted homicide, while the mother of the child cannot be prosecuted. The bill also allows the woman who had the abortion to file a civil action against anyone who violated the act. It defines abortion and attempts at abortion, and renames "Partial-Birth Abortions" to "Abortions" in relevant sections of the U.S. Code.

The "Small Business Investor Tax Parity Act of 2025" extends the qualified business income deduction to include certain interest dividends from qualified business development companies (BDCs), treating them similarly to real estate investment trust (REIT) dividends. This change allows investors in these BDCs to deduct a portion of their dividend income, provided the BDC elects to be treated as a regulated investment company. This provision is applicable for taxable years starting after December 31, 2026.

The "National Constitutional Carry Act" aims to protect the Second Amendment rights of individuals to carry firearms in public for self-defense, as affirmed by Supreme Court decisions. It prevents state and local governments from restricting the carrying of firearms by legal U.S. citizens, whether residents or non-residents, in any public place, with exceptions for private property where firearms are prohibited and places with firearm screening. This act asserts that any state or local laws conflicting with this provision will be rendered ineffective.

The "Promoting Domestic Energy Production Act" revises the tax treatment of intangible drilling and development costs for oil and gas operations. It modifies how these costs are handled when calculating adjusted financial statement income, aligning depreciation and expense deductions more closely with taxable income standards. These adjustments impact depreciation deductions under section 167 and deductions for expenses under section 263(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. The changes will be effective for taxable years starting after December 31, 2025.

The "Main Street Tax Certainty Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the deduction for qualified business income. This removes the previous expiration date, providing long-term tax certainty for eligible businesses. The change applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "Strengthening our Servicemembers with Milk Act" mandates that the Department of Defense provide diverse milk options, including flavored, organic, and lactose-free varieties, in military dining facilities. It also prohibits the purchase of milk from entities owned or controlled by foreign adversaries.

The FAIR Act of 2025 prohibits the federal government and recipients of federal aid from discriminating or granting preferential treatment based on race, color, or national origin in federal contracts, employment, and programs. It requires federal agencies to review and update their policies to comply with the Act and allows individuals harmed by violations to sue for relief. The Act does not retroactively affect pending legal cases or existing contracts and subcontracts. It also clarifies that the Act does not alter existing immigration or nationality laws.

The "Heartbeat Protection Act of 2025" prohibits abortions if a fetal heartbeat is detectable, with exceptions only to save the mother's life or in reported cases of rape or incest. Physicians must check for a fetal heartbeat before performing an abortion and document the findings. Violators may face fines and/or imprisonment, but the mother cannot be prosecuted. The act does not override stricter state laws or create a right to abortion.

The "Reining In Federal Licensing Enforcement Act of 2025" or the "RIFLE Act of 2025" aims to reform the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) by modifying penalties for Federal firearms licensees who commit civil violations, changing the process for license applications, and defining "willfully" in the context of firearms license violations. The bill also requires the Attorney General to reconsider denied firearm license applications based on the new rules, establish formal inspection standards, and limit the use of firearms purchaser information. Additionally, it provides opportunities to cure violations after the acquisition of a firearms business and sets standards for criminal violations of recordkeeping requirements.

The "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2025" seeks to prohibit the use of federal funds for abortions and for health plans that cover abortions, while allowing individuals and entities to purchase separate abortion coverage with non-federal funds. It clarifies that premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) cannot be used for health plans that include abortion coverage. The Act also revises notice requirements for health plans, mandating clear disclosure of abortion coverage and any associated premium surcharges to enrollees. Exceptions to the funding restrictions are included for cases of rape, incest, or when the mother's life is in danger.