Legislative Activity

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 aims to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and countering its support for terrorism by imposing sanctions on those involved in Iran's energy sector and those who provide financial support for its destabilizing activities. It mandates sanctions on foreign entities involved in processing, exporting, or selling Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemicals, while also establishing an interagency working group to coordinate and enforce these sanctions. The Act also amends existing legislation to require the identification of individuals involved in sanctionable activities or sanctions evasion related to Iranian oil and gas sales.

The "Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act" establishes an interagency strike force to prioritize and expedite the review of requests for communications use authorizations on federal lands. This strike force will set goals, monitor agency performance, and ensure accountability in processing these requests. The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information must report to Congress on the strike force's effectiveness. The aim is to speed up broadband deployment by streamlining the authorization process on public lands and National Forest System lands.

The Remote Access Security Act amends existing export control laws to explicitly include "remote access" of controlled U.S. technology by foreign persons located abroad. This means accessing sensitive items via the internet or cloud services is now regulated similarly to physical exports or in-country transfers. The bill grants the Secretary authority to establish specific rules for this digital access. Ultimately, this ensures that unauthorized remote access faces the same enforcement and penalties as unauthorized physical transfers of controlled items.

The Middle Class Mortgage Insurance Premium Act of 2025 permanently extends the deduction for mortgage insurance premiums and significantly raises the income limits for eligibility. This change allows more middle-class taxpayers to deduct these costs on their federal income taxes. These provisions will apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act of 2025 expands Medicare coverage for audiology services, beginning in 2027. This legislation allows qualified audiologists to provide diagnostic and treatment services without physician referral or supervision, as permitted by state law. The bill also specifies payment rates and includes audiologists in coverage for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers.

The National Biotechnology Initiative Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive, whole-of-government effort to advance U.S. leadership in biotechnology for national security and economic competitiveness. This Act creates the National Biotechnology Initiative, overseen by a new National Biotechnology Coordination Office within the Executive Office of the President. Participating federal agencies are mandated to coordinate strategies across research, data management, biomanufacturing, regulatory streamlining, and workforce development. The law also establishes mechanisms for interagency coordination, public reporting, and the development of a national biotechnology strategy.

The Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act ensures that specialized local government entities, known as special districts, are explicitly recognized as eligible recipients for federal financial assistance. This legislation mandates the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue clear guidance on recognizing these districts for grants and loans. The goal is to standardize how federal agencies distribute financial aid to these essential local service providers.

The American Family Act fundamentally overhauls the Child Tax Credit by replacing the annual lump sum with a system of advance, refundable monthly payments delivered directly to families. These monthly allowances vary based on the child's age, with higher amounts provided for younger children. The bill also establishes a separate, smaller credit for other dependents and outlines procedures for annual renewal and reconciliation of advance payments when filing taxes.

The PLAN for Broadband Act mandates the creation of a comprehensive National Strategy to effectively coordinate federal broadband programs and streamline deployment efforts across the country. This strategy must detail roles, goals, and methods for cutting red tape for state, local, and Tribal governments seeking to expand internet access. Following the strategy, a detailed Implementation Plan will establish concrete timelines, accountability measures, and public check-ins to ensure progress in closing the digital divide. The Government Accountability Office will also study the effectiveness of these plans to ensure taxpayer funds are used efficiently.

The Bolstering Research And Innovation Now (BRAIN) Act aims to significantly advance the fight against brain tumors by increasing research funding and improving patient access to care. This legislation establishes new networks for glioblastoma research, creates a public database for tracking biospecimens, and launches a national awareness campaign about clinical trials. Furthermore, the Act funds pilot programs to improve long-term care for survivors and directs the FDA to ensure brain tumor patients are not unfairly excluded from relevant clinical trials.

The Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act updates federal laws concerning kidnapping and sexual abuse of minors. It clarifies kidnapping definitions, bars consent as a defense for offenses against victims under 16 unless reasonable belief of age is proven, and creates a new federal offense for non-consensual touching of minors for sexual gratification. The bill also makes technical amendments to sentencing guidelines and cross-references related to abusive sexual contact.

The Great Lakes Mapping Act of 2025 mandates a high-resolution survey and mapping of the Great Lakes lakebeds, to be completed by December 31, 2030. Led by NOAA, this effort requires collaboration with state and regional partners to collect and catalog detailed bathymetric data. The resulting high-resolution map and associated data must be made publicly available as it is completed and fully released within 180 days of project completion.

The Ellie Helton, Lisa Colagrossi, Kristen Shafer Englert, Teresa Anne Lawrence, and Jennifer Sedney Focused Research Act, or "Ellies Law," addresses the high incidence and devastating impact of brain aneurysms in the U.S. The bill authorizes $20 million annually from Fiscal Year 2026 through 2030 for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). This dedicated funding is specifically intended to supplement existing research efforts focused on unruptured intracranial aneurysms across diverse populations.

The End Kidney Deaths Act establishes a new federal tax credit for individuals who make non-directed living kidney donations. Eligible donors will receive an annual \$10,000 tax credit for five consecutive years, totaling a potential \$50,000 benefit. This provision is designed to incentivize altruistic donation while ensuring the credit is not considered payment for the organ.

The Keep STEM Talent Act of 2025 aims to strengthen security vetting for international graduate students in STEM fields while creating a new pathway to permanent residency for those who earn advanced STEM degrees in the U.S. The bill mandates pre-admission applications and enhanced background checks for incoming STEM graduate students. Furthermore, it establishes a streamlined green card category for advanced STEM degree holders with qualifying job offers, allowing them to pursue permanent residency without jeopardizing their current student status.

The Improving Veterans Access to Congressional Services Act of 2025 allows Members of Congress to use designated Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities to meet with their constituents. The VA Secretary must establish regulations within 90 days outlining fair access, reasonable costs, and strict ethical limitations on political activity within these spaces. These rules specifically prohibit campaigning and recording patients while ensuring the Member's use does not interfere with VA operations.

The Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act addresses the danger of poppy seeds contaminated with high levels of opiates like morphine, which have led to accidental overdoses and deaths. This legislation directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish mandatory safety limits for these contaminants in poppy seeds sold commercially. Seeds exceeding these limits will be deemed adulterated and banned from interstate commerce. Furthermore, the Act clarifies that contaminated poppy seeds are not exempt from regulation under the Controlled Substances Act.

This bill establishes the Water Risk and Resilience Organization (WRRO) under the EPA to develop and enforce mandatory cybersecurity and resilience requirements for large public water systems. The WRRO will be a single, certified entity responsible for proposing security rules, which the EPA Administrator must approve. The organization will also monitor compliance through annual self-attestations and periodic assessments, with the authority to levy fines for violations.

The CARE Act of 2025 mandates that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) test a new payment model for emergency services. This model will allow Medicare to pay ground ambulance providers for emergency responses, even when a patient does not ultimately require transport under Medicare Part B. The five-year demonstration aims to evaluate the impact of covering these non-transport emergency responses on patient access and resource utilization.

This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that the Trump administration's planned tariffs on Canada and Mexico violate the spirit and terms of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Congress is urging the President to cease imposing these tariffs, which threaten to undermine the vital trade relationship established by the USMCA. The measure affirms strong support for the existing trade agreement and its framework for fair commerce.