Legislative Activity

The Ranching Without Red Tape Act of 2025 aims to streamline the process for federal grazing permittees to make minor range improvements on US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. This allows permittees to proceed with necessary repairs, such as fixing fences or water sources, if federal officials do not respond to a 30-day advance notice. The Act also sets deadlines for agencies if they choose to complete the improvements themselves.

The Farm Workforce Support Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive report by the Comptroller General on the H2A temporary visa program for agricultural workers. This study will analyze the program's impact on domestic hiring, guest worker conditions, housing adequacy, and employer compliance. The resulting analysis will be delivered to key Congressional committees within two years of the Act's passage.

The Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act of 2025 updates federal conservation programs to prioritize wildlife movement and migration corridors, especially for big game species. It expands partnership programs and allows for cost-sharing on existing CRP lands to improve connectivity. The bill also boosts research into non-physical livestock management tools like virtual fencing to reduce barriers to animal movement.

The New Mexico Rural Veteran Health Care Access Act mandates the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to redraw regional boundaries, specifically moving Otero and Eddy Counties in New Mexico into Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 17. This adjustment aims to improve health care access for veterans in these rural areas. The boundary change must be completed within 180 days of the Act's enactment.

The "Las Cruces Bataan Memorial Clinic Act" designates the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Las Cruces, New Mexico, as the Las Cruces Bataan Memorial Clinic. Any reference to this clinic in any document will now refer to it as the Las Cruces Bataan Memorial Clinic.

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 Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 resolves water rights claims within the Zuni River Stream System for the Zuni Tribe by ratifying an agreement, establishing a trust fund, and allocating funding for water infrastructure. It also protects the Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary by withdrawing federal land from development, restricting land use, and transferring land into trust for the Zuni Tribe, preserving its cultural significance and water resources. The Act requires the Zuni Tribe and the U.S. government to waive certain water rights claims, with specific protections for individual allottees' water rights. This comprehensive settlement aims to improve water management, resolve disputes, and support economic development for the Zuni Tribe.

The "Combating Rural Inflation Act" directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics to create a monthly Consumer Price Index for Rural Consumers, starting in January 2026. This index will track changes in typical spending for people living in rural communities in the United States.