Legislative Activity

This bill officially renames the outdoor amphitheater at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia, to the "Rick Boucher Amphitheater." The legislation ensures that all official U.S. records and documents reflect this new designation.

The Chesapeake WATERS Act reauthorizes and strengthens the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office to serve as the lead representative for the agency within the watershed. This legislation enhances scientific research, environmental monitoring, and habitat restoration efforts while expanding educational programs for students and teachers. By fostering collaboration across federal, state, and local partners, the Act aims to improve the management and long-term health of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

The PBM Reporting Transparency Act mandates the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to analyze and report to Congress on agreements between Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and Medicare Part D and MAPD plans. These reports will detail trends, patterns, and the impact of these agreements on enrollee costs and pharmacy reimbursement. The legislation requires both an initial and a subsequent final report to track changes over time.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 46164 Westlake Drive in Sterling, Virginia. The building will now be known as the "Firefighter Trevor Brown Post Office Building." This designation will be used in all official records and references to the facility going forward.

The Investing in American Workers Act establishes a new tax credit for employers who invest in job training for their non-highly paid employees that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential. This credit is calculated based on the increase in qualified training expenses over the average of the prior three years. Qualified small businesses may elect to apply a portion of this credit against their payroll taxes instead of income tax.

The Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2025 amends the Black Lung Benefits Act to strengthen survivor benefit presumptions for miners who died from black lung disease. It establishes a new program to cover certain attorney fees and medical expenses for claimants with long-pending cases. Finally, the bill mandates the GAO to conduct several studies on benefit payment sufficiency and the impact of interim payment recoupment.

The Securing Assurance for Federal Employees Act (SAFE Act) prohibits Executive agencies from initiating or carrying out any reduction in force (RIF) during a government shutdown caused by a lapse in funding. Any RIF action taken during such a period will be considered legally void. This provision is designed to protect federal employees from job loss during funding crises.

This joint resolution seeks to disapprove and nullify a specific rule published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services concerning the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Market Integrity and Affordability." If enacted, this measure would prevent the CMS rule from having any legal force or effect.

The Improving Access to Advance Care Planning Act expands Medicare coverage for crucial discussions about future healthcare wishes, making these planning services easier to access and receive via telehealth. The bill clarifies which providers can offer these services and ensures Medicare payment begins immediately upon enactment. Furthermore, it eliminates patient cost-sharing for these services starting in 2027 and mandates federal outreach to educate providers about the new coverage.

The Protect America’s Workforce Act nullifies two specific Executive Orders related to federal labor-management programs and prohibits the use of federal funds to enforce them. Furthermore, the Act ensures that all existing collective bargaining agreements between the federal government and labor organizations remain fully in effect until their original expiration dates. This legislation solidifies current federal union contracts while removing the authority of the voided orders.

This bill amends the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act to enhance liquidity for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). It authorizes the Fund to provide capitalization assistance, such as purchasing loans or offering guarantees, to organizations that support CDFIs. The legislation significantly raises the funding cap for this assistance and mandates annual reporting to Congress on its impact.

The Yes in God's Backyard Act aims to increase the supply of affordable rental housing by providing technical assistance and competitive challenge grants. These resources are specifically directed toward faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and local governments to help them overcome barriers to developing or preserving housing on their land. The bill defines affordable housing based on income limits and prioritizes assistance for projects serving extremely low-income or vulnerable populations.

The LIFT Homebuyers Act of 2025 establishes the LIFT HOME wealth-building home loan program through the FHA and USDA to assist low-income, first-generation first-time homebuyers. The program creates a dedicated fund and structures new mortgage loans with specific fee caps, which the Treasury Department will purchase as securities. This legislation aims to expand homeownership opportunities by relying on borrower attestations for eligibility verification.

The IEIS Act mandates that federal immigration enforcement officers visibly display their name, unique ID, and agency during public-facing enforcement duties, with exceptions for undercover or high-risk operations. The bill also allows agencies to fully reimburse covered employees for privacy-enhancing services to protect them and their families. Furthermore, the Act includes provisions ensuring it does not impede legitimate journalistic investigation or the public disclosure of matters of public concern regarding these employees.

The Fiscal Contingency Preparedness Act mandates that the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the OMB, must now include an analysis of potential financial risks to the federal government from major national or international emergencies in their annual fiscal report. This new requirement forces an examination of the short-term and long-term financial impacts of various crises, such as recessions, pandemics, or cyber attacks. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will review the initial analysis to ensure the methodology is sound.

The Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act aims to increase protections for Medicare beneficiaries receiving custom braces and artificial limbs. It prohibits "drop shipments" of certain custom devices unless the patient receives necessary hands-on training from a qualified professional. Furthermore, the bill expands the list of healthcare providers who can certify the need for this equipment and clarifies coverage for replacement custom orthotic devices.

The Methane Reduction and Economic Growth Act creates a new tax incentive for capturing methane emissions directly from mines. This incentive allows mine operators to claim the existing carbon capture tax credit (Section 45Q) for qualified methane that would otherwise leak into the atmosphere. To qualify, the captured methane must be safely injected into a pipeline or used for energy production, and facilities must meet specific construction and capture thresholds.

This bill establishes new, exclusive, and transparent procedures for granting access to classified information, ensuring fairness and prohibiting discrimination in the clearance process. It grants individuals a formal right to appeal security clearance denials or revocations through a multi-tiered process, including agency-level review and an optional appeal to the Security Executive Agent. Agencies must publish redacted final decisions and may be required to provide financial remedies for improperly denied access.

The Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act of 2025 aims to address the rapidly increasing and deadly rates of esophageal cancer. This bill mandates a report from the Comptroller General analyzing healthcare spending and screening rates for high-risk individuals within the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. The ultimate goal is to improve early detection, as catching this cancer early significantly increases survival rates.

The Federal Contractor Cybersecurity Vulnerability Reduction Act of 2025 mandates that federal contractors establish clear processes for reporting security weaknesses found in their systems used for government work. This law requires updating the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to ensure contractors actively seek out and disclose vulnerabilities, aligning with existing government security guidelines. These new disclosure requirements will apply to contractors whose contracts meet or exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The Act authorizes no new funding for its implementation.