Legislative Activity

The USA Act aims to strengthen the United States' influence in global standards development by ensuring international processes are fair, transparent, and consensus-driven. It explicitly promotes voluntary, private sector-led standards as the foundation of the U.S. system. The bill mandates increased coordination between government agencies to support American private sector partners in setting standards, especially for emerging technologies.

The Frank Wolf Space Security Act severely restricts the use of U.S. Federal funds for collaboration between American space agencies (like NASA) and the People's Republic of China or Chinese-owned entities. This ban covers bilateral agreements, contracts, and hosting official Chinese visitors. Exceptions are permitted only if the FBI approves and agencies certify that the activity poses no risk to U.S. national security and avoids individuals involved in human rights abuses.

The Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025 expands the federal prohibition on feeding sharks to include the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone off the coast of Florida. This amendment aligns Florida's offshore waters with existing regulations in places like Hawaii. The bill makes it illegal to feed sharks in this designated area near the Florida coast.

The Research Integrity and Foreign Influence Prevention Act updates existing restrictions on talent recruitment from countries of concern. Effective January 1, 2026, this bill broadens the definition of a "foreign country" to explicitly include special administrative regions and controlled territories of those nations. This measure aims to enhance research integrity by strengthening limitations against malign foreign influence.

The "America First Energy Act" amends a section of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act. It stipulates that the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation of the Department of Energy cannot have any Department of Energy employees as voting members of the board. It also requires that all voting members of the Board, the Executive Director, and each officer or employee of the Foundation must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, an alien admitted as a refugee, or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.

The "Collision Avoidance Systems Act of 2025" permits and sets performance standards for pulsating light systems on vehicles to help prevent rear-end collisions. It mandates the Secretary of Transportation to update Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 108 within 180 days to include these systems. The bill defines a pulsating light system as a high-mounted stop lamp that pulses rapidly up to 4 times within 1.2 seconds upon braking before converting to a continuous light.

The Federal Infrastructure Bank Act of 2025 establishes a Federal Infrastructure Bank to provide financial support for infrastructure projects across the U.S. by offering loans, equity investments, and loan guarantees to eligible entities. A Federal Infrastructure Bank Holding Company will be established to oversee the Bank, and the Federal Reserve will regulate both entities. The Holding Company and the Bank are exempt from most taxes, and investors in the Holding Company can receive a tax credit. The act prioritizes revenue-generating projects and rural infrastructure development, while prohibiting funding for projects connected to specific foreign entities.