Legislative Activity

This bill prohibits graduate medical schools from receiving federal funding or participating in federal student loan programs unless they certify they do not mandate adherence to specific diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) tenets. This certification bans forcing faculty, staff, or students to pledge beliefs regarding inherent group status or collective guilt, and prevents the establishment of offices that compel such adherence. Furthermore, accrediting agencies cannot require medical programs to adopt policies conflicting with these restrictions to maintain accreditation.

The Words Matter Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive update across all federal laws, replacing the outdated terms "mentally retarded" and "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" or "individuals with intellectual disabilities." This change is strictly a linguistic update intended to align federal statutes with current, respectful terminology. The Act explicitly states that this language revision does not alter eligibility for benefits, rights, or responsibilities under any existing federal program. Agencies are required to update their regulations to reflect this new terminology while maintaining a record of the previous language used.

The LEOSA Reform Act updates federal laws to better align concealed carry rights for qualified active and retired law enforcement officers with existing school zone restrictions. This legislation modernizes the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (LEOSA) by expanding qualification standards for retired officers and clarifying where they may carry firearms, including in certain lower-security federal facilities. The bill ensures that LEOSA-authorized carriers are not inadvertently violating federal school zone prohibitions.

The STOP Screwworms Act mandates the establishment of facilities to rear and release sterile New World screwworm flies in high-risk areas to combat infestations. The Secretary of Agriculture must build these modular facilities within 180 days of enactment and provide annual public reports on the threat and control efforts. The bill authorizes up to $300 million to fund these necessary actions.

The BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act grants the Director of the Bureau of Prisons the authority to directly hire qualified individuals into competitive service jobs, bypassing standard federal hiring procedures. This expedited hiring power is intended to speed up staffing efforts across all BOP facilities. This special authority will automatically expire once 96% of all competitive service positions within the Bureau of Prisons are filled.

This bill, the Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act of 2025, establishes coverage and payment pathways for FDA-cleared Prescription Digital Therapeutics (PDTs) under Medicare Part B starting in 2026. It mandates the Secretary to develop payment methodologies based on private payer rates and requires manufacturers to report utilization and pricing data to ensure fair reimbursement. Furthermore, the Act expands Medicaid's authority to cover these software-based medical treatments when prescribed to beneficiaries.

This bill establishes new procedures for the IRS when errors occur in payroll tax filings made by third-party payors, such as Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs). It clarifies the responsibility for resulting tax liabilities or penalties based on whether the payor relied on erroneous information provided by the employer. The legislation aims to fairly allocate responsibility between the employer and the third-party payor when mistakes happen during tax certification and filing.

The ACES Act mandates a comprehensive study by the National Academies to investigate the prevalence and mortality rates of various cancers among active duty fixed-wing aircraft crew members due to potential service-related exposures. This legislation also extends the expiration date for certain limitations on veteran pension payments by one month. The study will analyze specific cancer types and utilize data from the VA, DoD, and other federal sources.

The Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting January 1, 2026. This coverage is specifically for testing or treatment related to COVID-19, the flu, RSV, strep throat, or during a declared public health emergency. The bill outlines payment structures, generally covering 80% of the cost, and prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

The Emergency Care Improvement Act officially brings qualifying Freestanding Emergency Centers (FECs) into the standard Medicare and Medicaid coverage systems. This legislation ensures that these state-licensed facilities, which operate as full emergency departments, are reimbursed for providing specified emergency services. Furthermore, the Act explicitly includes FECs under the requirements of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).

The "Prove It Act of 2025" aims to reduce regulatory burdens on small businesses by requiring agencies to consider indirect costs when creating new rules, allowing small businesses to petition for reviews of agency certifications, and mandating agencies to publish guidance documents and allow comments on rules with a significant economic impact on small businesses. Additionally, the Act amends the periodic review process for rules, requiring agencies to consider indirect costs and providing a mechanism for the Small Business Administration to address rules not reviewed within a 10-year period. The Act specifies that no additional funds will be allocated for its implementation.

The Business over Ballots Act reaffirms that the Small Business Administration's (SBA) primary mission is solely to support small businesses. This legislation explicitly prohibits the SBA from engaging in or facilitating voter registration activities. Furthermore, it mandates that all new contracts and existing assistance agreements must restrict recipients from using SBA funds for voter registration efforts.

The Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Act of 2025 ensures that group health plans and insurers must cover diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations with no out-of-pocket costs for patients. This means no deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance will apply to these necessary exams. These provisions take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The Protecting the Mailing of Firearms Act repeals the federal ban on mailing certain concealable firearms. This legislation also prohibits the U.S. Postal Service from enacting rules that would block or unduly restrict the mailing of firearms, ammunition, or their components. Furthermore, the USPS cannot require sellers to disclose customer records or firearm serial numbers as a condition for mailing these items.

The Duty Drawback Clarification Act updates the U.S. tariff schedule to standardize the classification of whiskies under Chapter 22. This legislation removes an outdated whiskey classification code and requires the U.S. International Trade Commission to add new statistical tracking codes for imports. These changes will take effect 15 days after the Act is officially enacted.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) significantly amends federal law to require individuals registering to vote in federal elections to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. This legislation mandates that states actively clean their voter rolls and cooperate with federal agencies to verify citizenship status. It establishes new criminal penalties for officials who fail to enforce these documentation requirements.

The Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act of 2025 strengthens federal law to explicitly prohibit the destruction of broadband internet access service facilities. This update broadens protection beyond defense-related infrastructure to cover any privately or publicly operated broadband service. The Act provides a clear definition of what constitutes broadband internet access service under federal protection.

The Manifest Modernization Act of 2025 updates federal requirements for public disclosure of cargo manifest information for all incoming ships, vehicles, and aircraft. This bill mandates that manifests include more specific details, such as the Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading and precise country of origin data for all cargo. These new disclosure standards will take effect thirty days after the Act is signed into law.

The 1071 Repeal to Protect Small Business Lending Act aims to eliminate the mandatory data collection and reporting requirements for small business loans previously established under Section 704B of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Proponents argue that these regulations impose unnecessary compliance costs on lenders, potentially hindering small business access to credit. This bill repeals those specific reporting mandates to reduce regulatory burdens on financial institutions.

The Reduce Duplication and Improve Access to Work Act grants states the flexibility to transfer certain federal Social Security Act funds directly into workforce development programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). This allows states to repurpose funds for job training and employment services, provided they adhere to specific planning and reporting requirements. These provisions are set to take effect starting October 1, 2026.