Legislative Activity

This bill establishes uniform standards for flag displays in House of Representatives facilities, limiting the types of flags that can be displayed to include the U.S. flag, official House of Representatives flags, state flags of represented districts, military service flags, the POWMIA flag, flags eligible for display in the Hall of Tribal Nations, and flags of visiting foreign dignitaries. The House Administration Committee and the Sergeant at Arms are responsible for overseeing the resolution, creating a system for temporary exceptions, and setting a timeline for implementation within 30 days of enactment. It does not apply to a Member's personal office space.

The Securing Our Lands and Resources Act (SOLAR Act) restricts USDA funding for ground-mounted solar energy systems that convert covered farmland, with exceptions for small projects, on-farm energy use, or projects approved by local governments. These approved projects must adhere to a farmland conservation plan that protects soil health, ensures restoration after the project ends, and provides sufficient decommissioning funds. Failure to comply with the conservation plan results in repayment of USDA financial assistance.

The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act aims to strengthen U.S. trade laws by addressing unfair subsidies, currency undervaluation, duty evasion, and circumvention of trade remedies. It refines the process for handling successive trade investigations, ensuring that the International Trade Commission considers prior findings and assesses cumulative effects on domestic industries. The act also empowers authorities to counteract cost distortions in foreign countries and prevent importers from avoiding duties. Additionally, it includes provisions related to trade with Canada and Mexico and sets effective dates for new regulations.

The North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act recognizes and honors the volunteers and donors of the North Platte Canteen in Nebraska during World War II with a Congressional Gold Medal. This medal will be presented by the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate, and then displayed at the Lincoln County Historical Museum. The Act also authorizes the creation and sale of bronze duplicates of the gold medal to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the Mint's Public Enterprise Fund.

The ENABLE Act permanently extends provisions that allow for increased contributions to ABLE accounts, which are savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. It also allows penalty-free rollovers from 529 education savings accounts to ABLE accounts, providing greater flexibility in financial planning for families and individuals with disabilities. Additionally, the act includes contributions made to an ABLE account when calculating retirement savings contributions.

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 Susan Muffley Act of 2025 ensures that eligible participants and beneficiaries under specific pension plans, like the Delphi and PHI retirement programs, receive their full vested benefits. It directs the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to recalculate benefits, provide lump-sum payments for past-due amounts with interest, and establishes a trust fund within the Treasury to cover these increased payments. The act also includes provisions for the tax treatment of lump-sum payments, allowing recipients to spread the income over three years unless they elect otherwise.

The Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act prevents Congress from imposing new performance fees on local radio stations for playing music. It emphasizes the mutually beneficial relationship between broadcasters and the recording industry, where radio provides free publicity that boosts music sales and supports artists. The act recognizes local radio's crucial role in communities by providing news, weather updates, and public service announcements. Ultimately, this bill aims to protect local radio stations and businesses from economic harm, ensuring they can continue serving their communities without additional financial burdens.

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 Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 expands milk options available to students in the National School Lunch Program by allowing schools to offer organic or non-organic whole milk. This legislation provides greater flexibility for schools in providing fluid milk choices while maintaining accommodations for students with special dietary needs. Importantly, the saturated fat content of these offered milk options will not count toward the meal's overall saturated fat limits.

The PANELS Act denies federal clean energy tax credits for solar energy facilities built on prime or unique farmland, as defined by federal regulations. This change aims to protect valuable agricultural land by removing incentives for solar development on these specific areas.

The "Fair SHARE Act of 2025" introduces a tax on the sale of electric vehicles and heavy battery modules to support the Highway Trust Fund. It taxes $1,000 on each electric vehicle and $550 on heavy battery modules (over 1,000 pounds). This act defines electric vehicles and light-duty vehicles, ensuring hybrid vehicles are excluded. The tax revenue will be dedicated to the Highway Trust Fund, with changes effective for sales after December 31, 2025.

The SAFE for America Act of 2025 eliminates the Diversity Visa Program, which makes visas available to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. This is achieved through repealing subsection (c) of Section 203 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Act also makes corresponding technical amendments to other sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act to reflect this change. These changes would take effect beginning October 1, 2025.

The "Protect Medicaid Act" prohibits federal Medicaid funding for state administrative costs associated with providing healthcare benefits to unauthorized immigrants. It requires a report from the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services on how states that offer health benefits to non-lawfully admitted noncitizens handle Medicaid program administration costs separately. The report will also cover how these states fund programs for non-lawfully admitted noncitizens and analyze the impact of these non-lawfully admitted noncitizens receiving outpatient drugs purchased under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program or the 340B drug discount program.

The "Freight RAILCAR Act of 2025" introduces a tax credit for modernizing freight railcars, encouraging investments in newer, more efficient railcars. Taxpayers can claim a credit equal to 10% of their freight railcar fleet modernization expenses, with a limit of 1,000 qualified freight railcars per year. The credit applies to railcars that increase capacity, improve fuel efficiency, or meet updated performance standards, and is available for three years after the Act's enactment. The Secretary of the Treasury is required to submit a report to Congress detailing the credit's usage and impact on railcar modernization and scrapping.

The LOCAL Act mandates the Bureau of Land Management headquarters be located in Grand Junction, Colorado. It requires a study on the feasibility of relocating additional BLM employee positions to Grand Junction or another western state. The study will assess the potential benefits of relocation on federal land management, community coordination, and various land uses. A report on the study's findings must be submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Natural Resources and Energy and Natural Resources within 365 days.

The Payment Choice Act of 2025 ensures that retail businesses accepting in-person payments cannot refuse cash for transactions under $500, preventing them from charging cash-paying customers more. It outlines specific exceptions, such as temporary system failures or providing fee-free cash-to-prepaid card converters, and allows for inactivity fees on prepaid cards under certain conditions. The bill also includes enforcement mechanisms, allowing customers to take legal action against businesses in violation and establishing penalties for non-compliance. For the first 5 years, businesses are only required to accept bills up to $20.

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 "Safe Passage on Interstates Act of 2025" aims to prevent the obstruction of interstate highways. It establishes penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for individuals who knowingly disrupt traffic flow or endanger vehicles on these highways. Increased penalties are applied if emergency vehicles are obstructed or if a death occurs as a result of the obstruction.

The "Agriculture Export Promotion Act of 2025" aims to bolster U.S. agricultural exports by increasing funding for the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program. It amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to extend and significantly increase financial support for these programs through 2029. These changes seek to address the competitive disadvantage faced by U.S. producers due to increased foreign competition and the impact of inflation on static funding levels. By increasing funding, the Act strives to enhance access to foreign markets, stimulate economic growth, and create jobs within the agricultural sector.