United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2025
ESA Amendments Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 the Endangered Species Act and generally narrows protections provided under the act. The bill directs the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to submit a National Listing Work Plan that establishes a five-year schedule and plan for addressing listing of endangered or threatened species and designation of critical habitats for such species. Under the plan, the bill gives the Services flexibility on the timing of acting on listing petitions and eliminates the requirement for the Services to act within 12 months on listing petitions. The bill limits what land may be designated as critical habitat for an endangered or threatened species. It also limits protections provided to threatened species and allows a state to regulate the recovery of such species if the Services determine the state's proposed recovery strategy would conserve the species. The bill provides statutory authority for Conservation Benefit Agreements, which allow private landowners to voluntarily enter agreements to reduce threats to candidate species in exchange for being allowed to continue their operations if the species is later listed. The bill also modifies the permitting process for certain other voluntary conservation agreements, including by exempting incidental take permits (e.g., permits to harm or kill a species) from environmental review requirements. The bill also makes a variety of other changes to the act, including limiting consultation requirements, judicial review, and awards for attorneys’ fees in certain cases.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2025
Pay Our Border Patrol and Customs Agents Act of 2025 This bill provides FY2025 appropriations for the salaries and expenses of certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employees who are required to work during a lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown) in FY2025. Specifically, the bill provides appropriations to CBP for the salaries and expenses of agents of the U.S. Border Patrol and officers of the Office of Field Operations who are excepted from furlough (i.e., required to work) during a lapse in discretionary appropriations in FY2025.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2025
Financial Reporting Threshold Modernization Act This bill increases the threshold amounts for certain reporting by financial institutions, adjusts these amounts periodically for inflation, and requires a review of specified financial forms and reporting requirements. The bill increases the threshold dollar amounts above which financial institutions are required to file currency-transaction and suspicious-activity reports with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The bill also increases the transaction threshold above which an entity must register with FinCEN as a money services business. Further, these amounts must be updated every five years to reflect the change in the consumer price index. Treasury must review and report on the effectiveness and efficiency of the forms and requirements regarding domestic coin and currency transactions, foreign currency transactions, and anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism measures, among other matters. Treasury must also make appropriate updates to such forms. The bill also extends through 2031 the requirement that the director of FinCEN must be made annually available for testimony before congressional committees regarding certain FinCEN issues, including resources needed to implement beneficial ownership reporting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Committing Leases for Energy Access Now Act or the CLEAN Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to increase the frequency of lease sales for developing and utilizing geothermal energy on federal land. Specifically, Interior must hold lease sales at least once a year (rather than two years) in states with pending nominations of federal land to be leased for geothermal energy development. In conducting such lease sales, Interior must offer all of the pending nominated parcels eligible for geothermal development and utilization under the resource management plan in effect for the state. If a lease sale is canceled or delayed, Interior must conduct a replacement sale during the same year. Finally, the bill establishes deadlines for Interior to respond to applications for geothermal drilling permits.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025
Uranium for Energy Independence Act of 2025 This bill includes uranium on the critical minerals list. In 2018, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) published a list of critical minerals, including uranium, in response to an executive order that called for a federal strategy to ensure secure and reliable supplies of critical minerals. The USGS updates the list every three years and includes certain minerals that are essential to economic or national security and have a supply chain vulnerable to disruption. In 2022, USGS removed uranium from the list. The bill reinstates uranium as a critical mineral and requires uranium to be treated as if it were included on that list at the time of publication.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2025
Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act This bill expressly prohibits health care providers and other entities involved in matching donated organs with recipients from denying or restricting an individual's access to organ transplants solely on the basis of the individual's disability, except in limited circumstances. Specifically, these entities may consider an individual's disability when making decisions about transplants only if a physician finds, based on an individualized evaluation, that the individual's physical or mental disability is medically significant to the provision of the transplant. A disability shall not be considered medically significant if the individual has an adequate support system in place to comply with transplant-related medical requirements. These entities must also make reasonable changes to their policies to make transplants and related care more available to individuals with disabilities. Aggrieved individuals may bring claims of discrimination to the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill provides for expedited resolutions of these claims. In addition, the board of directors of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network may not issue policies that prohibit or hinder access to an organ transplant based solely on the individual's disability. This network is a public-private partnership linking professionals involved in the U.S. organ donation and transplantation system.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2025
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the National Park Service titled Glen Canyon National Recreation Area; Motor Vehicles and published on January 13, 2025. The rule modified regulations concerning the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which is located in northern Arizona and southeastern Utah. For example, the rule limited the use of off-road vehicles, such as off-highway vehicles and all-terrain vehicles, in certain areas.
United States · United States Congress · 18 February 2025
Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 This bill imposes sanctions on certain foreign persons (individuals and entities) that are involved in Iran's petroleum sector as well as certain associated persons. The bill also requires or authorizes actions to facilitate the enforcement of sanctions on Iran. Specifically, the bill requires the President to impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person that, after the bill's enactment, knowingly engages in any transaction related to the processing, export, or sale of oil, condensates, gas, liquefied natural gas, or other petrochemical products in whole or in part from Iran. The President must also impose sanctions on certain foreign persons associated with a sanctioned individual or entity. For example, the President must sanction the subsidiaries and corporate officers of a sanctioned business. The bill provides certain exceptions to these sanctions, including specifying that sanctions do not apply to the importation of goods or to conducting or facilitating transactions for humanitarian assistance. The Department of State must establish an interagency working group that shall seek to establish a multilateral contact group to coordinate international efforts to enforce sanctions on Iran. The bill expands the State Department rewards program to authorize a reward payment to any individual who furnishes information leading to the identification of a person (1) subject to sanctions under this bill, or (2) that has attempted or is attempting to evade sanctions under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2025
Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 This bill extends and modifies the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, including by extending payments made to states and counties containing federal land through FY2026, providing for payments for FY2024 and FY2025, extending the authority of counties to initiate projects using such funds through FY2028, and extending the authority to initiate projects proposed by resource advisory committees through FY2028.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025
Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act This bill authorizes the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum to be located on a particular site within the Reserve of the National Mall in Washington, DC. Specifically, the bill designates the South Monument site as the location for the museum; however, the President may designate an alternative site within 180 days of the bill's enactment. (The site is the undeveloped land across the National Mall from the National Museum of African American History and Culture.) Administrative jurisdiction of the site must be transferred to the Smithsonian Institution. The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution must have the approval of specified federal entities (e.g., the Commission of Fine Arts) to plan, design, and construct a museum building. The bill (1) outlines the criteria for considering site and design proposals, and (2) requires the Smithsonian Institution to reimburse for costs resulting from the building approval process. The bill directs the museum to be dedicated to preserving, researching, and presenting the history, achievements, and lived experiences of biological women in the United States. Under this bill, the museum may not identify, present, describe, or depict any biological male as a female. In carrying out its duties, the museum's advisory council must (1) seek and utilize guidance from a broad array of knowledgeable and respected sources reflecting the diversity of the political viewpoints and authentic experiences held by women in the United States, and (2) seek guidance for the creation and substantial revision of exhibits and programs.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025
Replacing Essential Passports and Licenses After Certain Emergencies Act or the REPLACE Act This bill automatically waives the fees to replace certain federal documents (e.g., passports, visas, or immigration documents) destroyed by a major disaster. Under current law, the Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may waive replacement fees for these critical documents for individuals or households adversely affected by a major disaster. The bill requires the State Department and USCIS to waive these replacement fees when the documents are destroyed by a major disaster for which assistance is provided under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individuals and Households Program. The agencies must notify the public of the availability of these waivers on their respective websites. The bill also requires the State Department and USCIS to annually report to Congress the number of such fee waivers granted and the resulting cost to the respective agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025
This concurrent resolution declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025
This resolution supports the designation of National FFA (Future Farmers of America) Week. It also celebrates the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America (NFA), which served Black vocational agriculture students in segregated public schools until NFA and FFA became one organization in 1965. The resolution also commemorates the 75th anniversary of the federal charter for the Future Farmers of America.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2025
Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection Act This bill exempts specified water management entities from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) for releases of certain perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. Specifically, the entities covered under the bill are public water systems, publicly or privately owned or operated treatment works, municipalities with a stormwater discharge permit, political subdivisions or special districts of a state that act as a wholesale water agency, and contractors performing the management or disposal activities for such entities. Under the bill, the exemption only applies if a specified entity transports, treats, disposes of, or arranges for the transport, treatment or disposal of PFAS consistent with applicable laws and during and following the conveyance or treatment of water under federal or state law, such as through the management or disposal of biosolids consistent with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Liability for damages or costs associated with the release of certain PFAS must not be precluded if an entity acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2025
Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act This bill restores an exemption for certain family farms and small businesses on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. The bill applies to the net worth of (1) a family farm on which the family resides, or (2) a small business with not more than 100 full-time or full-time equivalent employees that is owned and controlled by the family. Prior to recent changes made to the FAFSA, the net worth of these family farms and small businesses were excluded as assets when calculating a student's financial need to determine federal student aid eligibility. Beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, the net worth of these farms and businesses are treated as an asset and therefore included in the calculation. This bill restores the exemption to exclude such net worth from the calculation.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2025
Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2025 This bill requires or authorizes certain actions related to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The bill requires the Department of Justice to appoint an assistant U.S. attorney in each judicial district to coordinate and supervise the investigation and prosecution of various crimes related to postal services (for example, assault on a postal service employee, breaking into a post office, or obstruction of mails). The bill also requires the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend sentencing guidelines to provide that the assault or robbery of a postal employee shall be treated the same as the assault of a law enforcement officer. Additionally, the bill authorizes appropriations for the USPS to install high security collection boxes and replace older versions of the universal mailbox key with electronic versions.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2025
Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act of 2025 This bill requires the establishment of a Southwest Ecological Restoration Institute in Utah. Such institutes currently exist in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado and promote the use of adaptive ecosystem management to reduce the risk of wildfires and restore the health of forest and woodland ecosystems.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2025
Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms Act or the STEAM Act This bill expedites the environmental review of certain geothermal energy activities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Specifically, the bill expands the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to include certain geothermal exploration or development activities in an existing categorical exclusion from NEPA for certain oil or gas activities. A categorical exclusion applies to a class of actions that do not require an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement under NEPA. The categorical exclusion established by the bill applies to drilling a geothermal well (1) in an area where drilling has occurred previously within the five years prior to the date when drilling begins; or (2) within a developed field for which an approved land use plan or environmental document prepared under NEPA determined drilling to be a reasonably foreseeable activity, so long as the plan or document was approved within the five years prior to the date when drilling begins.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2025
This bill directs the Bureau of Reclamation and the Western Area Power Administration, in consultation with the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group, to enter into a memorandum of understanding to explore and address the impact that the 2024 record of decision entitled Supplement to the 2016 Glen Canyon Dam Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan Record of Decision has on the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund. The memorandum of understanding must include a plan to (1) address the effects that the decision may have on the fund's obligations, (2) address the impact that the decision has on hydropower production at Glen Canyon Dam, and (3) identify impacts that the decision has had on species listed as threatened or endangered species. By way of background, Reclamation published a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for the Glen Canyon Dam Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan (LTEMP) in 2024. The SEIS revises the 2016 LTEMP Record of Decision to address two issues: (1) responding to the threat of the invasive smallmouth bass below Glen Canyon Dam, and (2) incorporating the latest sediment science to assess when high-flow experiments should be conducted in order to protect the endangered humpback chub.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2025
Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025 This bill provides statutory authority for the requirement that the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights take into consideration the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA's) working definition of antisemitism when reviewing or investigating complaints of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. According to the IHRA's working definition, antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2025
Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025 This bill adds a new source of revenue for the Crime Victims Fund (CVF). Specifically, the bill requires certain civil monetary penalties collected from settlements and judgments in cases involving fraud and false claims against the federal government to be deposited into the CVF through FY2029. The CVF supports federal, state, and local programs and activities to compensate and assist victims of crimes. Currently, the CVF is funded by deposits from a variety of sources, including federal criminal fines, penalties, and assessments; forfeited bail bonds; and certain other gifts, donations, and bequests.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2025
Silencers Help Us Save Hearing Act or the SHUSH Act This bill removes silencers from regulation under certain federal statutes governing the sale, transfer, and possession of firearms. Specifically, it removes silencers from the list of firearms subject to regulation (i.e., registration and licensing requirements) under the National Firearms Act (NFA). Additionally, it excludes a muffler or silencer from the list of firearms subject to regulation (e.g., background check requirements) under the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). Finally, the bill does the following: preempts state or local laws that tax or regulate firearm silencers, specifies that a person who lawfully acquires or possesses a silencer under provisions of the GCA meets the registration and licensing requirements of the NFA, eliminates mandatory minimum prison terms for a crime of violence or drug trafficking offense in which a defendant uses or carries a firearm equipped with a silencer or muffler, and permits active and retired law enforcement officers to carry a concealed silencer.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2025
Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2025 This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to Fred Korematsu in recognition of his contributions to civil rights, his loyalty and patriotism to the nation, and his dedication to justice and equality.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 2025
Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025 This bill modifies the Energy Act of 2020 to expand the definition of critical minerals to include critical materials designated by the Department of Energy (DOE). Under current law, DOE's critical materials list contains certain materials that are essential for energy, including those on the critical minerals list of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS's list, which contains certain minerals that are essential to the nation's economic or national security, is not required to include the materials on DOE's list. Currently, both lists include minerals with a high risk of supply chain disruptions, and both DOE and USGS must conduct a variety of efforts to ensure a secure and reliable supply chain of the minerals. By expanding the definition of critical minerals , this bill requires the USGS to include on its list the materials on DOE's list. Within 45 days of DOE adding a mineral, element, substance, or material to its critical materials list, the USGS must update its list to include such mineral, element, substance, or material.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2025
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 This bill revises requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Currently, schools participating in the program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored. The bill modifies these restrictions and instead permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk. The milk that is offered may be organic or nonorganic. Further, USDA may not prohibit a participating school from offering students any of these milk choices. Further, schools currently must provide a substitute for fluid milk, on receipt of a written statement from a licensed physician, for students whose disability restricts their diet. Under the bill, a parent or legal guardian may also provide the written statement. In addition, schools currently participating in the program must provide meals that meet certain nutrition requirements; USDA regulations require that the average saturated fat content of the meals offered must be less than 10% of the total calories. Under the bill, fluid milk is excluded from the saturated fat content calculation; milk fat included in any fluid milk provided by the program must not be considered saturated fat for the purposes of measuring compliance with USDA regulations. Finally, the bill prohibits schools participating in the program from purchasing or offering milk produced by Chinese state-owned enterprises.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2025
Main Street Tax Certainty Act This bill makes permanent the qualified business income (QBI) tax deduction. Under current law, individuals, estates, and trusts may deduct the lower of (1) 20% of QBI from a qualified business, qualified real estate investment trust dividends, and qualified publicly traded partnership income; or (2) 20% of taxable income less net capital gain. (Some limitations apply.) However, under current law, the QBI tax deduction expires after December 31, 2025.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2025
Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act or the FARM Act This bill places the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). It also requires CFIUS to review any investment that could result in foreign control of any U.S. agricultural business. Further, the bill includes agricultural systems and supply chains in the definitions of critical infrastructure and critical technologies for the purposes of reviewing such investments. The Department of Agriculture and the Government Accountability Office must each annually analyze and report on foreign influence in the U.S. agricultural industry.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2025
No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2025 This bill modifies provisions relating to federal funding for, and health insurance coverage of, abortions. Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions or for health coverage that includes abortions. Such restrictions extend to the use of funds in the budget of the District of Columbia. Additionally, abortions may not be provided in a federal health care facility or by a federal employee. Historically, language has been included in annual appropriations bills for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions—such language is commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment. Similar language is also frequently included in appropriations bills for other federal agencies and the District of Columbia. The bill makes these restrictions permanent and extends the restrictions to all federal funds (rather than specific agencies). The bill's restrictions regarding the use of federal funds do not apply in cases of rape, incest, or where a physical disorder, injury, or illness endangers a woman's life unless an abortion is performed. The Hyde Amendment provides the same exceptions. The bill also prohibits qualified health plans from including coverage for abortions. Currently, qualified health plans may cover abortion, but the portion of the premium attributable to abortion coverage is not eligible for subsidies.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025
This bill increases the annual limit on the tax credit for qualified railroad track maintenance expenses (also referred to as the short line railroad tax credit) and expands eligibility for claiming the credit. Under current law, the tax credit is limited each tax year to $3,500 multiplied by the sum of the number of miles of railroad track owned or leased by the taxpayer (miles owned or leased) and the number of railroad track miles assigned to the taxpayer by a Class II or III railroad (miles assigned). This bill increases the annual limit to $6,100 multiplied by the sum of miles owned or leased and miles assigned. The $6,100 amount used in the calculation of the tax credit limit is adjusted for inflation for tax years beginning after 2025. The bill also expands eligibility for the tax credit to include gross expenses for maintaining railroad tracks owned or leased as of January 1, 2024. Under current law, the tax credit is limited to gross expenses for maintaining railroad tracks owned or leased as of January 1, 2015.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025
Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act This bill removes the president's authority to designate or expand national monuments and gives that authority to Congress instead.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025
Fix Our Forests Act This bill establishes requirements for managing forests on federal land, including requirements concerning reducing wildfire threats, expediting the review of certain forest management projects, and implementing forest management projects and other activities. Specifically, the bill (1) designates certain firesheds at high risk for wildfires as fireshed management areas; (2) directs the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Geological Survey to jointly establish an interagency Fireshed Center that is responsible for duties related to assessing and predicting fire, including maintaining a fireshed registry on a publicly accessible website that provides interactive geospatial data on individual firesheds; and (3) makes other requirements related to reducing wildfire. Next, the bill expedites the review of certain forest management projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and exempts certain activities from NEPA review. It also establishes intra-agency strike teams to accelerate the review and any interagency consultation processes under NEPA, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the National Historic Preservation Act. It also limits consultation requirements concerning threatened and endangered species under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Management and Policy Act of 1976. Finally, it limits litigation involving fireshed management projects and limits remedies that courts may provide. Additionally, the bill supports reducing community wildfire risks, carrying out forest restoration and stewardship activities (including watershed protection and restoration), conducting biochar demonstration projects, advancing technologies to address forest wildfires, and assisting wildland firefighters and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025
Declaration of Energy Independence Act This bill reduces certain royalty rates, minimum bids, rental rates, and fees for onshore oil and gas leases on federal lands and modifies related leasing procedures. Specifically, the bill (1) decreases the royalty rate from 16 2/3% to 12 1/2% for developing oil and gas on federal lands, (2) lowers the minimum bid amount from $10.00 to $2.00 per acre for oil and gas leases on federal lands, and (3) decreases the rental rates from a maximum of $15.00 per acre to $1.50 per acre for the first five years and $2.00 per acre thereafter. The bill also eliminates the fee for expressing interest in a lease. It also modifies leasing procedures to provide for noncompetitive leasing under certain circumstances. In addition, the bill modifies the conditions for the reinstatement of leases that have been cancelled or terminated, including by reducing the applicable royalty and rental rates.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2025
Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act This bill repeals the Corporate Transparency Act. The act requires existing companies and newly created companies to report beneficial ownership information to the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for purposes of addressing the financing of terrorism and money laundering.
