Legislative Activity

The Rural Housing Regulatory Relief Act streamlines the process for providing federal housing assistance in rural areas by exempting certain residential construction or modification projects on existing infill sites from full environmental review under NEPA. This aims to reduce administrative delays and costs associated with building affordable homes where infrastructure already exists. The Secretary of Agriculture must report to Congress in five years on the impact of this exemption.

The Main Street Home Builders Act of 2025 establishes a pilot program within the Small Business Administration (SBA) to support small businesses involved in building or managing build-to-rent multifamily housing. This program will provide loans through State development companies to help these small businesses construct or improve rental housing projects. The initiative includes specific requirements for lenders and ensures that funded projects result in the creation of new dwelling units.

The REAP Modernization Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) by prioritizing climate benefits and expanding eligibility to producer and rural electric cooperatives. This bill increases maximum grant and loan amounts while requiring a streamlined application process and technical assistance for applicants. It also mandates a study on dual-use energy systems that combine renewable energy and agricultural production on the same land.

The Caring for Grieving Families Act of 2025 aims to ease the financial burden on families experiencing pregnancy loss. This legislation limits out-of-pocket costs for prenatal care when a pregnancy ends in miscarriage or stillbirth under certain health insurance plans. Specifically, it prevents insurers from charging excessive cost-sharing for prenatal services already received if the bundled payment for childbirth is not made.

The Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025 establishes a temporary pathway allowing certain financially vulnerable rural hospitals to qualify as Critical Access Hospitals, even if they do not meet the standard 35-mile rule, provided they meet specific criteria and state certification. The bill also mandates studies by MedPAC and the GAO to examine rural hospital payment systems and the effectiveness of these new designations. Finally, it adjusts bed limit requirements for Critical Access Hospitals located in U.S. territories.

The Total Force Family Education Act expands eligibility for Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools to dependents of certain reserve component members. This provision applies when the service member is on active duty orders for an accompanied permanent change of station. Eligible dependents will be automatically enrolled if space is available at the school located at the member's permanent installation.

The SCAM Act establishes a joint task force, led by the Department of Defense, to investigate and disrupt transnational cybercrime and scam networks, with a priority focus on those linked to the Chinese Communist Party in the Indo-Pacific. This task force will coordinate across numerous federal agencies to protect Americans from significant financial losses due to these scams. Within one year, the task force must report findings and recommend policy options, including sanctions and cyber actions, to combat these threats. The legislation aims to address the national security and economic risks posed by these criminal operations.

The Dads Matter Act of 2025 aims to improve maternal and child health outcomes by increasing awareness and support for father engagement during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. The bill mandates a national public awareness campaign highlighting the benefits of involved fathers, such as better prenatal attendance and reduced maternal depression. Furthermore, it requires the Department of Health and Human Services to issue guidance encouraging healthcare providers to educate and include fathers in maternal and infant care.

The LASSO Act establishes a pilot program to test the use of unmanned aerial systems (drones) for the humane gathering and management of wild free-roaming horses and burros. It allocates specific funding for grants to organizations with expertise in drone technology and equine welfare research. The resulting data will be reported to Congress and the public to evaluate the effectiveness of this technology.

The Targeting Online Sales of Fentanyl Act mandates a comprehensive study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) into the online sale and trafficking of fentanyl, synthetic opioids, and methamphetamine. This study will examine supply chains, financial transactions, current federal enforcement strategies, and the role of technology platforms in combating these illegal sales. The GAO is required to submit a full report detailing its findings and recommendations to Congress within one year of the Act's enactment.

The Organic Science and Research Investment Act of 2025 aims to significantly boost federal support for organic agriculture. It establishes a new Initiative to coordinate and expand USDA organic research efforts while increasing funding for the existing Organic Research and Extension Initiative through 2030. The bill also creates dedicated funding for research focused on the transition to organic farming and mandates a comprehensive economic impact study of the organic sector.

The "If You See It, Squish It Act of 2025" mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to launch a national awareness campaign about the invasive spotted lanternfly. This campaign must include public service announcements encouraging the public to kill any lanternflies they encounter. The goal is to educate citizens on the threat this pest poses to local agriculture.

The Child Rescue Act establishes the United States Working Group on Children in Imminent Danger of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation to study and recommend strategies for law enforcement to better find and rescue children at risk. This new group, overseen by the Attorney General, must assess the scale of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) distribution and its link to physical abuse. The Working Group is tasked with providing Congress with comprehensive recommendations on necessary resources, investigative priorities, and policy changes within one year.

The Nitazene Control Act of 2025 permanently classifies the entire class of highly potent synthetic opioids known as nitazenes (2-Benzylbenzimidazole opioids) as Schedule I controlled substances. This action is taken due to their extreme danger, high potential for abuse, and role in fatal overdoses across the country. By scheduling the entire chemical class at once, the bill aims to proactively stop the emergence of new, dangerous analogs. This permanent scheduling subjects nitazenes to the strictest federal controls, mirroring those applied to fentanyl.

The LOCAL Foods Act of 2025 expands exemptions from federal meat inspection for small-scale, personal processing operations. This allows owners of livestock, even partial owners, to have their animals slaughtered and processed without federal inspection, provided the resulting meat is strictly for the owner, their household, guests, or employees. The bill emphasizes that the owner must maintain control and proper identification of the meat, even when using an agent for processing.

This bill, the China Advanced Technology Monitoring Act, mandates the Secretary of Defense to produce an annual, detailed report to Congress for five years assessing China's capabilities in semiconductor manufacturing. The report must track China's progress across the entire chip supply chain, analyze the effectiveness of current U.S. export controls, and recommend strategies to counter China's technological ambitions. This comprehensive monitoring aims to inform U.S. policy regarding national security and economic competitiveness.

The Semiconductor Sovereignty Act mandates a comprehensive report from the Secretary of Commerce detailing the current state and historical trends of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and research. This report must identify critical supply chain vulnerabilities, assess national security risks from offshoring, and project future trends. Based on these findings, the Act requires the Secretary to recommend concrete strategies to boost domestic production, discourage overseas manufacturing, and maintain U.S. technological competitiveness. Annual updates are required to ensure these strategies remain relevant.

The AI Sovereignty Act mandates the Secretary of Commerce to report on the extent of critical artificial intelligence development and research being moved overseas. This report must identify offshoring locations, foreign partnerships, and the acquisition of U.S. AI assets by foreign entities. Based on these findings, the Act requires the Secretary to recommend strategies to strengthen domestic AI capabilities and discourage further offshoring.

The Nitazene Control Act permanently classifies the entire class of highly potent synthetic opioids known as nitazenes as Schedule I controlled substances. This action aims to proactively combat the rising threat of these dangerous analogues, which are often more potent than fentanyl. By scheduling the entire chemical class, the law seeks to simplify enforcement and enhance public health protection against fatal overdoses. The Act also includes provisions to ensure ongoing, approved medical research can continue temporarily under specific conditions.

The Violent Antisemitism Threat Assessment Act mandates the Secretary of Defense to produce a comprehensive report by March 20, 2026. This report must detail the threat posed by violent antisemitism when integrated within transnational extremist movements. It will specifically analyze antisemitic ideology, related violence, propaganda, and the resulting danger to U.S. persons and interests globally.