Legislative Activity

This Act establishes a fast-track process to ensure Medicare coverage for medical devices officially designated as "breakthrough devices" by the FDA. Once designated, these devices receive a four-year transitional coverage period under Medicare Parts A and B. The legislation also mandates timely final coverage decisions and provides funding for the administrative oversight required by this new system.

The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act establishes a new federal tax credit designed to close the financing gap for building and rehabilitating homes in distressed, low-income communities. This credit incentivizes developers to construct or substantially rehabilitate qualified residences in "qualified census tracts" and sell them affordably to low-to-moderate-income homeowners. State agencies will oversee allocations, ensure affordability standards are met, and enforce repayment rules if the home is sold too quickly.

The Fair Accounting for Condominium Construction Act updates tax code definitions related to construction accounting methods. Specifically, it replaces the term "home construction contract" with "residential construction contract" for certain exceptions to the percentage-of-completion method. These changes only apply to construction contracts signed after the date the Act is enacted.

This bill establishes the Artificial Intelligence Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act to launch a national effort aimed at increasing public understanding of how AI is used daily. The campaign, led by the Secretary of Commerce, will focus on boosting consumer literacy regarding AI's capabilities, limitations, and associated risks like deepfakes and fraud. It mandates the development of accessible, multi-lingual educational materials and requires annual reporting on the campaign's success metrics for five years.

The American Innovation and Jobs Act aims to boost U.S. competitiveness by restoring immediate expensing for most business research and development (R&D) investments. It also significantly expands the refundable R&D tax credit for new and small businesses, increasing the maximum refund amount and raising eligibility thresholds. Furthermore, the bill makes technical adjustments to the R&D credit calculation to make it more accessible for startups. These provisions are designed to incentivize domestic innovation and job creation starting in tax years after 2021 and 2024, respectively.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 comprehensively reforms the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program by updating state allocation formulas based on population and inflation, and by modifying tenant eligibility rules to protect vulnerable residents. The bill also introduces significant changes for property owners regarding casualty loss, acquisition costs, and incentives for serving extremely low-income households. Finally, it directs efforts toward increasing program transparency and encouraging local governments to reform restrictive housing policies.

This resolution officially recognizes April 14, 2025, as World Quantum Day to celebrate the importance of quantum science and technology. It highlights the critical role quantum information science plays in national competitiveness and future innovation. Furthermore, the resolution encourages educational activities to promote STEM learning and prepare students for emerging quantum careers.

The National Biotechnology Initiative Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive, whole-of-government effort to advance U.S. biotechnology for national security and economic competitiveness. This law mandates the creation of a National Biotechnology Coordination Office and an Interagency Committee to oversee a national strategy focused on research, data management, workforce development, and regulatory streamlining. Participating agencies must align their efforts to accelerate commercialization, manage biosecurity risks, and enhance public understanding of biotechnology.

This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging Month by encouraging all Americans to call 811 before breaking ground. It highlights the ongoing danger of striking underground utility lines when excavation occurs without prior notification. The bill urges homeowners and professionals alike to utilize the 811 service to ensure utility lines are marked, preventing service outages, injuries, and fatalities.

The Assisting Small Businesses Not Fraudsters Act prohibits the Small Business Administration (SBA) from providing financial assistance to individuals or businesses associated with someone finally convicted of fraud related to specific federal loans or grants. This measure aims to prevent those who have committed financial misconduct from receiving further government aid. The restrictions apply to the convicted individual and any small business concern where that person is an owner, officer, or key employee.

The Fair and Open Competition Act (FOCA Act) ensures fair competition on federally funded construction projects by prohibiting the government from mandating or barring contractors from entering into agreements with labor unions. This promotes open bidding, reduces taxpayer costs, and prevents discrimination based on union membership. The law requires federal agencies to remain neutral regarding project labor agreements for both direct contracts and federal grants.

The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act enhances U.S. trade laws to counteract unfair trade practices by foreign countries. It strengthens the ability of the International Trade Commission to address successive instances of unfair trade, expands countervailing duty authority, and prevents duty evasion. The Act also counters currency undervaluation and sets clear guidelines for implementation and applicability.

This resolution supports designating February 15-22, 2025, as National FFA Week, celebrating the National FFA Organization's role in developing future leaders through agricultural education. It also recognizes the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America and the 75th anniversary of the Future Farmers of America federal charter.

This resolution commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima, recognizing the valor and sacrifice of the U.S. service members involved. It acknowledges the battle's significance in securing victory in the Pacific during World War II and honors the reconciliation between the United States and Japan. The resolution also encourages Americans to remember and honor the veterans of Iwo Jima.

The BARCODE Efficiency Act requires the IRS to use barcode scanning and optical character recognition technology to convert paper tax returns and correspondence into electronic formats, with exceptions reported to Congress. This aims to improve the efficiency of processing tax returns and correspondence. The changes will be implemented at different times depending on the type of return or correspondence, starting with individual income tax returns.

The STRATEGIC Minerals Act aims to secure the U.S. supply chain of critical minerals and rare earth elements by authorizing the President to negotiate and enter into free trade agreements with countries that meet specific requirements. It sets negotiating objectives to reduce trade barriers, improve international trade rules, and foster economic growth while promoting sustainable practices and protecting worker rights. The Act also expands the definition of "domestic source" under the Defense Production Act to include businesses in free trade agreement countries, subject to restrictions on foreign ownership and ties to entities of concern, and requires the Secretary of Defense to determine mineral supply deficiencies. The Act seeks to ensure a stable and secure supply of minerals essential for advanced technology, economic growth, and national security.

The "Small Business Technological Act of 2025" amends the Small Business Act, enabling the Small Business Administration to provide loans for modern business software and cloud computing services. These loans will help small businesses improve operations, manage resources, and utilize AI-powered tools. The act clarifies that it does not authorize loans for research and development.