Legislative Activity

The FEMA Act of 2025 establishes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an independent, cabinet-level agency to lead a unified, all-hazards approach to national emergency management. The bill enacts sweeping reforms across Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, and Mitigation programs to accelerate recovery, streamline funding, and reduce bureaucratic hurdles for disaster survivors and communities. Furthermore, it mandates significant new transparency measures, including public data reporting and GAO oversight, to ensure accountability for federal disaster spending.

The Restore Trust in Congress Act establishes strict new rules prohibiting Members of Congress and their immediate families from owning or trading specific financial assets, referred to as "covered investments," while in office. Covered individuals must divest existing prohibited holdings within a set timeframe or face significant financial penalties, including fines and forfeiture of profits. The legislation aims to eliminate conflicts of interest arising from personal financial trading while serving in federal office.

This resolution expresses the strong support of Congress for designating September 22nd as "National Military and Veterans Suicide Awareness Day." The goal is to formally recognize the sacrifices of service members and veterans while raising crucial awareness about the mental health challenges and suicide risks they face. By establishing this day, the resolution aims to reduce stigma and encourage greater focus on providing necessary support and resources to this population.

The Department of War Restoration Act of 2025 officially renames the Department of Defense to the Department of War. This change also renames the Secretary of Defense to the Secretary of War. The Act ensures all existing laws and documents are updated to reflect this new nomenclature.

This Act establishes a mandatory supply fee for Medicare drug plans to pay long-term care pharmacies for specific prescriptions dispensed in 2026 and 2027. The bill mandates a $30 fee per prescription in 2026, increasing in 2027, with penalties for non-payment. Additionally, the GAO is required to study the financial sustainability of the current payment structure for these essential pharmacies. This legislation aims to ensure continued access to medications for patients in long-term care settings.

The Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act establishes a new program to support local food producers and strengthen regional food security. This initiative requires the Secretary of Agriculture to fund agreements that ensure nutritious, locally sourced food is purchased and distributed widely, prioritizing small and beginning farmers. Funds must be used to buy minimally processed local products and provide technical assistance to producers. The program is backed by mandatory funding starting in Fiscal Year 2026.

The Veterans ACCESS Act of 2025 seeks to improve veterans' healthcare by revising the Veterans Community Care Program, enhancing mental health treatment programs, and implementing other healthcare improvements. Title I revises eligibility standards for community care, ensures veterans are informed about their options, and addresses care preferences and telehealth options. Title II standardizes eligibility for mental health programs, improves care quality, and ensures timely access to treatment. Title III focuses on improving healthcare services through online tools, modifying innovation programs, and increasing reporting on healthcare processes.

The SAVES Act establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide service dogs to eligible veterans. These grants, up to $\$2,000,000$ each, will fund the training and provision of service dogs for veterans with qualifying conditions like PTSD or TBI. The bill also extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments until February 2033.

The Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act establishes the Healthy H2O Program to provide grants for improving drinking water quality in rural areas. These grants help eligible households and small facilities address contamination from issues like lead or PFAS by covering the costs of certified water treatment systems, installation, and testing. The program prioritizes private well owners and requires annual reporting on contamination trends and program effectiveness.

The Veterans’ Transition to Trucking Act of 2025 streamlines the process for veterans to use their education benefits for commercial truck driving training. This bill authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to directly approve multi-State apprenticeship programs offered by truck driving schools. This change allows for quicker approval of essential training programs for transitioning service members.

The Bubble Tax Modernization Act of 2025 simplifies federal excise tax treatment for certain low alcohol by volume (ABV) wines. This legislation reclassifies qualifying low ABV wines (under 8.5% ABV and low carbonation) as standard still wines for tax calculation purposes under Section 5041(h). These changes will take effect for wine removed from bond after December 31, 2025.

The Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 prohibits life, disability, and long-term care insurance companies from denying coverage or increasing premiums solely because an individual is a living organ donor. This legislation ensures that living donors are not financially penalized for their altruistic act. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of HHS to update educational materials to accurately reflect the insurance protections afforded to living donors.

This bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to explicitly clarify that time taken off for an employee's own organ donation surgery qualifies as a serious health condition. This ensures both private and federal sector workers receive FMLA protection for recovery from organ donation. The legislation also specifies how federal employees must substitute existing paid leave when taking FMLA time for this purpose.

This bill amends federal law to explicitly include violations related to rioting within the definition of "racketeering activity." By adding this specific crime to the list under Title 18, Section 1961(1), the legislation makes participation in such activities subject to serious federal racketeering charges. This change treats rioting violations similarly to other established offenses like bribery or extortion for the purposes of federal prosecution.

The Agricultural and Rural Road Improvement Program Act establishes a new federal program dedicated to repairing and improving critical local and rural roads essential for agriculture. This program aims to enhance access to farms and agricultural facilities, reduce weight-restricted bridges, and increase the safety and resilience of rural transportation networks. Federal funding for these projects will cover up to 90 percent of the total cost.

The No DOT Funds for Sanctuary Cities Act prohibits the Secretary of Transportation from awarding federal transportation funds to any city designated as a "sanctuary city." This designation applies to localities with policies that restrict sharing immigration status information or complying with certain federal immigration detainers. Waivers for funding may only be granted if the Secretary certifies the activity is in the national interest and notifies relevant Congressional committees.

Dillon's Law amends federal guidelines to grant preference points to states that allow trained, non-school personnel to administer epinephrine in schools. This change broadens the definition of who can provide life-saving medication beyond just school employees. The law also updates terminology to cover a wider range of epinephrine delivery systems.

The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act strictly prohibits the Federal Reserve from directly or indirectly issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) to individuals. This legislation prevents the Fed from developing, testing, or implementing any digital currency that functions as a direct liability of the Federal Reserve. Furthermore, Congress asserts that any authority to create such a digital asset must explicitly come from Congress itself.

The NOPAIN for Veterans Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must promptly add specific, FDA-approved non-opioid pain medications to its National Formulary. This ensures veterans have access to alternative pain management options that do not rely on opioids. The VA is required to implement these changes within 90 days of the Act becoming law.

The Ban on Inkless Directives and Executive Notarizations Act of 2025 mandates that the President must personally sign engrossed bills, Executive Orders, and pardons, explicitly banning the use of automatic signing devices for these actions. Furthermore, this Act invalidates any prior official document signed by an unauthorized individual, even if the signing occurred before the law's enactment. This legislation ensures that the highest level of presidential authority is conveyed through the President's own physical signature.