Legislative Activity

The REDI Act amends the Higher Education Act of 1965, allowing student loan deferment for borrowers in medical or dental internships or residency programs. During this deferment, principal payments are not required, and interest will not accrue on the loan.

The Military Spouse Hiring Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to include qualified military spouses as eligible for the Work Opportunity Credit, incentivizing employers to hire them. A qualified military spouse is defined as someone certified by a local agency as married to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. This change applies to amounts paid and individuals starting work after the Act's enactment.

The "Crucial Communism Teaching Act" aims to educate high school students about the history and dangers of communism and similar ideologies, highlighting their contrast with American principles of freedom and democracy. It directs the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to develop a civic education curriculum and oral history resources, featuring stories from victims of communism. The curriculum will cover past and present communist regimes, focusing on human rights abuses and aggression against democratic entities. The Foundation will collaborate with education officials to implement the curriculum in high schools.

The "Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act" eliminates the waiting periods for Social Security disability benefits and Medicare coverage for individuals with metastatic breast cancer. This bill amends the Social Security Act to expedite access to disability insurance benefits and Medicare coverage for those with metastatic breast cancer, ensuring quicker access to essential care and support.

The "Securing American Agriculture Act" mandates an annual report from the Secretary of Agriculture to Congress, assessing U.S. dependency on critical agricultural products and inputs that could be weaponized by China. This report will analyze domestic production capacity, identify supply chain vulnerabilities, and recommend ways to reduce reliance on China, encouraging domestic or near-shore production. The assessment covers key areas such as agricultural equipment, fuel, fertilizers, feed, veterinary products, crop protection chemicals, and seeds. The Secretary is required to protect the confidentiality of information provided for the assessment.

Tyler's Law mandates a study by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on fentanyl testing practices in hospital emergency departments, including frequency, costs, benefits, risks, and patient experience. Following the study, the Secretary will issue guidance on routine fentanyl testing for overdose patients, ensuring clinicians are aware of substances included in drug tests, and the potential impact on future overdose risk and general health.

The 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act directs the Treasury Secretary to produce gold and silver coins to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. The coins' designs will represent the courage and resilience of those affected, with at least one coin bearing the inscription "Never Forget." Surcharges from the sale of these coins will be donated to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance. The Act ensures that the coin production does not create any net cost to the Federal Government.

The "Strengthening Rural Cooperatives and Communities Act" reauthorizes and amends the Rural Cooperative Development Grant program. It prioritizes assistance to underserved communities and requires more thorough reporting and analysis of the program's impact. The act extends the program's authorization through 2029.

The Veteran Education Assistance Adjustment Act increases the annual stipend for books, supplies, and equipment for veterans under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program from $1,000 to $1,400. Beginning in 2026, this stipend will be subject to annual increases based on the Consumer Price Index.

The Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025 aims to improve compensation and working conditions for federal wildland firefighters by establishing special base rates of pay, providing incident response premium pay, and granting paid rest and recuperation leave following deployments to qualifying incidents. These changes will take effect after the expiration of previously authorized temporary salary increases for federal wildland firefighters. The Act also allows for the transfer of funds to ensure the continuation of base salary increases.

The TREAT PTSD Act mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to provide stellate ganglion block (SGB) to veterans and members of the Armed Forces diagnosed with PTSD who elect to receive it after being fully informed of its risks and benefits. It allows the treatment to be furnished through VA or military medical facilities, or qualified healthcare providers. The bill also requires updating the VADOD Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD management to include SGB as a therapy option.

The Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025 allows individuals to exclude from their gross income any payments or benefits they receive from state-based catastrophe loss mitigation programs designed to help homeowners protect their properties from disasters such as windstorms, earthquakes, or wildfires. These payments will not affect the property's basis, and the exclusion is applicable retroactively for taxable years starting after December 31, 2020, allowing individuals to claim the exclusion retroactively.

The "Access to Credit for our Rural Economy Act of 2025" (ACRE Act) aims to bolster rural economies by excluding interest earned on qualified real estate loans by qualified lenders from gross income. These loans must be secured by rural or agricultural real estate, forestland, or related leaseholds, and cannot be made to foreign adversary entities. For single-family residences, the loan must be used for purchase or improvement, with a principal not exceeding $750,000. The Treasury Secretary is required to report to Congress on the impact of this act.

The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act aims to improve access to affordable child care by expanding employer-provided child care credits, increasing tax-free dependent care assistance, and creating a refundable household and dependent care tax credit. The employer provided child care credit is increased from 25% to 50% of qualified expenses, and the maximum credit amount is raised from $150,000 to $500,000. The amount of tax-free employer-provided dependent care assistance is increased from $5,000 to $7,500. A new tax credit is created for employment-related expenses paid for household and dependent care, with the applicable percentage starting at 50% and decreasing based on income, and the maximum creditable expenses are $5,000 for one qualifying individual and $8,000 for two or more.

The Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act directs the Department of Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar coins in 2027 to commemorate the life and legacy of Roberto Clemente. The coins' designs will represent Clemente's life, including his baseball achievements and humanitarian work. Surcharges from the coin sales will benefit the Roberto Clemente Foundation, supporting their educational programs, youth sports initiatives, disaster relief efforts, and historic preservation projects. The Act ensures that the coin program will not incur any net cost to the United States government.

The Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act of 2025 introduces a tax credit for investments in innovative agricultural technology, aiming to boost the production, storage, and processing of specialty crops through precision and controlled environment agriculture. This credit covers 30% of qualified investments in projects using technologies like precision agriculture and controlled environment agriculture, effective for construction starting after January 1, 2025, and includes options for direct payment or transfer of the credit.

The Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Act of 2025 aims to protect veterans by establishing a dedicated officer within the VA to combat fraud and scams targeting them. This officer will manage prevention programs, disseminate information, and coordinate with other agencies to safeguard veterans' benefits and identities. Additionally, the bill includes a minor technical correction to the Department of Veterans Affairs home loan fees.

This bill expresses support for the Iranian people's desire for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear republic, while condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, support for terrorism, and attempts to develop nuclear weapons. It affirms the right of the Iranian people to self-determination and supports continued sanctions against the current regime. The bill also calls for the protection of Iranian political refugees in Albania.

The "No American Land for Communist China Act" prohibits the President from allowing individuals or entities associated with the Chinese government from purchasing real estate near covered federal lands. Covered lands include those managed by the Departments of Interior, Defense, Agriculture (Forest Service), and Energy, as well as Indian country. This restriction applies to entities with at least 25% equity interest held by Chinese government-affiliated individuals or businesses. The Act defines "United States" broadly to include states, territories, and other U.S. possessions.

The "Protect and Serve Act of 2025" creates federal offenses for intentionally causing serious injury or death to law enforcement officers because of their status as officers. It sets penalties including imprisonment and fines, with increased penalties if death results or if kidnapping or attempted killing is involved. Federal prosecution requires certification from the Attorney General, based on a request from the state or if it is in the public interest to ensure substantial justice. The act defines "law enforcement officer" and "State" for the purposes of the new offenses.