United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2025
Disrupt Explicit Forged Images And Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2025 or the DEFIANCE Act of 2025 This bill expands civil remedies for the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images (i.e., nonconsensual pornography). The bill also establishes a new federal civil action for nonconsensual conduct involving intimate digital forgeries (i.e., deepfakes). The term intimate digital forgery means any intimate visual depiction of an identifiable individual created using software, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or other computer-generated or technological means that looks authentic. With respect to the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images, current law allows an identifiable individual to recover civil remedies, including litigation costs, damages, and injunctive relief. This bill increases the available damages by allowing the individual to recover punitive damages and by including, as part of actual damages, profits of the defendant that are attributable to the conduct at issue. The bill also allows an identifiable individual who is the subject of an intimate digital forgery to file a federal civil action against anyone who knowingly discloses, produces or possesses with intent to disclose, or solicits and receives the intimate digital forgery without the individual's consent. Under the bill, the identifiable individual may recover the same expanded civil remedies that are available for the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images. Finally, the bill establishes a 10-year statute of limitations for filing civil actions involving nonconsensual intimate digital forgeries or nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images. The statute begins to run when the individual discovers the violation or turns 18, whichever is later.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 2025
Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 This bill establishes several requirements and standards relating to prior authorization processes under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Specifically, MA plans must (1) establish an electronic prior authorization program that meets specified standards; (2) annually submit to the CMS for publication specified prior authorization information, including the percentage of requests approved and the average response time; and (3) meet other standards, as set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), relating to the quality and timeliness of prior authorization determinations. The CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology must publish on the CMS' website a report that analyzes the information received from MA plans, the feasibility of implementing real-time decision making with respect to prior authorization requests, and the impact of decisions that are made using artificial intelligence on patient access.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2025
Medal of Sacrifice Act of 2025 This bill directs the President to issue a medal of sacrifice for eligible law enforcement officers and first responders who are killed in the line of duty. The bill also directs the President to establish a commission on the medal of sacrifice and appoint its members. The bill sets forth responsibilities of the commission, including to advise on the design of the medal and determine how the medal will be presented. Under the bill, eligible law enforcement officers and first responders include federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial law enforcement officers or first responders who are not subject to an official act of wrongdoing (e.g., a determination that the officer or first responder acted outside the scope of their duties or in a manner that was not in accordance with official policies or procedures). A law enforcement officer or first responder who is subject to an official act of wrongdoing is generally not eligible for the medal of sacrifice. However, in the case of such an officer or first responder, the bill requires the commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the officer or first responder's cause of death and issue a final determination on their eligibility.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2025
Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act This bill makes changes to the Charter Schools Program (CSP), which authorizes competitive grants to state entities (e.g., state educational agencies and state charter school boards) to support high-quality charter schools. Specifically, the bill allows state entities to use up to 5% of their CSP grant funds to make pre-charter planning subgrants to certain prospective charter applicants. The bill specifies that state entities may also (1) fund a revolving loan fund or similar mechanisms for the expenses of eligible applicants prior to receiving CSP subgrants, and (2) provide assistance to eligible applicants in locating and accessing a charter school facility. Under the current CSP, state entities must use at least 7% of their CSP grant funds to provide technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies. The bill instead allows state entities to use not more than 10% of these funds for technical assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2025
Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act This bill increases federal criminal penalties for providing or attempting to provide a cell phone to an individual who is incarcerated at a prison.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2025
Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act This bill provides for permanent coverage under Medicare of certain pharmacist services. Specifically, the bill provides for permanent coverage of testing and treatment services provided by pharmacists relating to (1) COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat); and (2) other public health needs in relation to a declared public health emergency. (Similar authorities were temporarily granted during the COVID-19 public health emergency.) Such services must be provided in accordance with the applicable state laws governing pharmacists' scope of practice.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 2025
Canadian Snowbird Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to admit into the United States qualifying Canadian citizens as long-term nonimmigrant visitors. A qualifying Canadian citizen is an individual who (1) is at least 50 years old, (2) maintains a Canadian residence, (3) owns a U.S. residence or has rented a U.S. accommodation for the duration of the individual's stay, (4) is not inadmissible or deportable, (5) will not engage in employment or labor for hire in the United States other than for a non-U.S.-based person or entity by whom the Canadian citizen was employed in Canada or for whom the Canadian citizen performed services in Canada, and (6) will not seek certain forms of assistance or benefits. A qualified individual may be admitted for up to 240 days during any single 365-day period. The spouse of such an individual may be admitted under the same terms, except that the spouse is not required to separately satisfy the requirement for owning or renting a residence in the United States. An individual admitted into the United States under this bill shall have nonresident alien tax status.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2025
Drone Espionage Act This bill makes it a federal crime under the Espionage Act to engage in certain activities related to obtaining, receiving, or transmitting video of national defense information. The term national defense information means information or other material that is related to national defense. The Espionage Act prohibits certain activities related to obtaining, receiving, or transmitting national defense information that could harm the United States or aid a foreign nation. Under current law, the prohibitions only apply if national defense information is obtained, received, or transmitted by certain means, such as a sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, document, writing, or note. Under current law, a violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both. This bill makes the criminal prohibitions under the Espionage Act applicable if national defense information is obtained, received, or transmitted by means of video. Under this bill, a violator is subject to the same penalties as under existing law—a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2025
FDA Modernization Act 3.0 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to publish an interim final rule implementing a provision of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 that authorized the use of certain alternatives to animal testing to support investigational use of a new drug. The rule must replace references to animal tests, data, studies, models, and research with references to nonclinical tests, data, studies, models, and research throughout the FDA’s regulations governing investigational new drug applications. The rule must be published within one year of the bill’s enactment, and must take immediate effect as an interim final rule.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2025
Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 This bill expands federal enforcement of criminal offenses related to organized retail and supply chain crime. The term organized retail and supply chain crime includes criminal offenses involving the interstate transportation of stolen property, the sale or receipt of stolen goods, or theft from an interstate or foreign shipment that is committed by, in coordination with, or at the instruction of an organization. First, with respect to criminal offenses involving the interstate transportation of stolen property or the sale or receipt of stolen goods, the bill broadens the scope of conduct that qualifies as offenses by allowing prosecutions to be based on the aggregate value of stolen items over a 12-month period. Additionally, the bill makes the offenses predicate offenses (i.e., underlying offenses) for prosecutions under the federal money laundering statute and authorizes the criminal forfeiture of any property obtained from the proceeds of an offense. Second, with respect to criminal offenses involving theft from an interstate or foreign shipment, the bill also makes an offense an underlying offense for prosecution under the federal money laundering statute and authorizes the criminal forfeiture of any associated property. Third, the bill expands the federal money laundering statute to include offenses involving general-use prepaid cards, gift certificates, or store gift cards. Finally, the bill temporarily establishes a center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal law enforcement activities related to organized retail and supply chain crime.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2025
FEMA Loan Interest Payment Relief Act This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reimburse a local government or electric cooperative for interest paid on a loan used for emergency or disaster-related activities later paid for by FEMA assistance. The bill provides for similar reimbursement of interest to states for projects that are pending obligation. The bill retroactively applies to interest incurred by a local government or electric cooperative in the nine years preceding enactment of the bill. FEMA must reimburse states for loan interest for emergency or disaster-related projects that are pending obligation on the date of the bill’s enactment. FEMA must publish procedures for such reimbursement within 30 days after the bill’s enactment and states must apply within 60 days after publication of the procedures. The interest that qualifies for reimbursement may not exceed the amount of interest that would have been paid if the loan's interest rate were equal to the most recent prime rate.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2025
High-Quality Charter Schools Act This bill establishes a federal tax credit for 75% of the qualified contributions of cash or market securities made by an individual to an eligible charter school organization to create or expand the charter schools operated or managed by the organization. (Limitations apply.) The bill limits the tax credit to the greater of $5,000 or 10% of the individual’s adjusted gross income. The tax credit is not refundable, but any amount of the tax credit that exceeds an individual’s tax liability for the tax year may be carried forward for up to five tax years. Further, the bill establishes an annual $5 billion volume cap (which must be increased under certain circumstances) from which $10 million must be distributed to each state for allocation of the tax credit to individuals residing in the state. The remaining amount of the volume cap must be allocated to individuals on a first-come, first-serve basis. The bill requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to develop a system for tracking qualified contributions in real time. Under the bill, an eligible charter school organization generally is required to spend all of the qualified contributions (less reasonable administrative expenses) within a certain amount of time. If the IRS determines that an organization has failed to meet such spending requirements, the tax credit is not allowed for contributions to the organization for one year after the date of the determination.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2025
Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act of 2025 or the NO FAKES Act of 2025 This bill creates a federal intellectual property right to protect individuals from unauthorized digital replicas (e.g., digital content made using generative artificial intelligence) of their voice and visual likeness. Specifically, the bill gives each individual or right holder the right to authorize the use of the individual's voice or visual likeness (1) in a digital replica, or (2) for a product or service requiring authorization to avoid liability under the bill. This property right is not assignable during the individual’s lifetime but is licensable and does not expire upon the death of the individual. Generally, any individual or entity that engages in specified prohibited activities (e.g., distributing a digital replica without authorization) shall be liable in a civil action and subject to related penalties. The bill exempts specified uses from liability, such as categories of conduct likely to involve protected speech under the First Amendment (e.g., news reporting, sports broadcasts, and satire). The bill establishes a notice-and-takedown process for unauthorized digital replicas. The bill establishes penalties related to false or deceptive notice. The bill expressly preempts state laws related to digital replicas except for causes of action under state statutes or common law in existence as of January 2, 2025.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2025
Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act The bill creates a joint interagency task force to facilitate agency collaboration on efforts to respond to Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors, including Volt Typhoon. The task force must be established and led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), an agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The task force must facilitate collaboration and coordination among the Sector Risk Management Agencies (SRMAs) specified in the President's National Security Memorandum- 22 (e.g., the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Agriculture) to detect, analyze, and respond to Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors by ensuring that such agencies’ actions are aligned and mutually reinforcing. The bill directs DHS, CISA, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and specified SRMAs to provide the task force with analysis, inspections, audits, and other relevant information necessary for the task force to carry out its responsibilities. The production and use of information must comply with all applicable statutes, regulations, and executive orders, and task force members must have appropriate security clearances to access classified information. The task force must provide annual reports and briefings to Congress detailing its assessment of cyber threats and recommendations to improve the detection and mitigation of the cybersecurity threat posed by Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors. The first report must be provided no later than 540 days after the establishment of the task force, and additional reports must be provided annually thereafter for six years.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2025
Consolidating Aerospace Programs Efficiently at Canaveral Act or the CAPE Canaveral Act This bill requires the headquarters of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to be relocated to Brevard County, Florida within one year of the bill’s enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2025
Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act This bill removes less-than-lethal projectile devices (e.g., certain TASERs) from regulation under the Gun Control Act. The term less-than-lethal projectile device means a device that (1) is not designed or intended to expel (and may not be readily converted to discharge) commonly used ammunition or projectiles exceeding a velocity of 500 feet per second; (2) is designed and intended to be used in a manner not likely to cause death or serious bodily injury; and (3) does not accept (and cannot be readily modified to accept) an ammunition feeding device. The bill also requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine whether a device satisfies the definition of a less-than-lethal projectile device within 90 days of a request.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2025
Fair and Open Competition Act of 2025 or the FOCA Act of 2025 This bill requires that federal contracts for construction projects neither require nor prohibit a bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor from entering into agreements with one or more labor organizations with respect to such projects or related projects. Under the bill, the controlling documents for federal construction contracts (such as bid specifications and project agreements) may not require or prohibit a bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor from entering into or adhering to such labor agreements. Additionally, the controlling documents may not discriminate against or give preference to a bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor who signs or refuses to sign such a labor agreement. These requirements also apply to any (1) construction manager acting on behalf of the federal government with respect to such contract, (2) recipient of a federal grant or financial assistance for construction projects or construction manager acting on the recipient's behalf, and (3) party to a federal cooperative agreement for construction projects or construction managers acting on the party's behalf. An agency may exempt a project from this prohibition to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve the national security.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2025
Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator, and Responder Act of 2025 or the HELPER Act of 2025 This bill establishes a program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide mortgage assistance to law enforcement officers, elementary and secondary school teachers, firefighters, or other first responders. Specifically, these individuals may be eligible for a first-time mortgage on a primary family residence with no down payment. Instead, the mortgage is subject to a one-time, up-front mortgage insurance premium.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025
Homeland Heroes Pay Act This bill provides continuing appropriations for the salaries and expenses of certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and agents during any lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown). If a lapse in appropriations occurs, the bill provides continuing appropriations for the salaries and expenses of (1) CBP officers and agents who are performing mission critical functions at U.S. southwest, northern, and maritime border ports of entry, and between such ports of entry; and (2) ICE officers and agents who conduct immigration enforcement and investigations of criminal operations and organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2025
Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025 This bill repeals certain restrictions on the import and export of natural gas under the Natural Gas Act, including requirements for Department of Energy (DOE) approval and related provisions that address free trade agreements. In addition, the bill grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the exclusive authority to approve or deny applications to authorize the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of facilities (e.g., liquefied natural gas terminals) to export natural gas to foreign countries or import natural gas from foreign countries. (Currently, DOE authorizes the export or import of natural gas, and FERC authorizes related facilities.) In determining whether to approve or deny an application, FERC must deem the exportation or importation of natural gas to be consistent with the public interest.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Maintaining Investments in New Innovation Act This bill requires drug products with genetically targeted technology to have had market approval for at least 11 years in order to qualify for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. (The program requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to negotiate the prices of certain prescription drugs under Medicare beginning in 2026. Among other requirements, drugs must have had market approval for at least 7 years (for drug products) or 11 years (for biologics) to qualify for negotiation.)
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act of 2025 or the JUDGES Act of 2025 This bill creates 64 U.S. district court judgeships—63 permanent and 1 temporary—and expands the jurisdictional coverage of two district courts. Specifically, the bill creates 63 new permanent judgeships across 14 states over a 10-year period beginning in 2025. The state and total number of judgeships added over the 10-year period are as follows: Arizona (1), California (20), Colorado (2), Delaware (2), Florida (9), Georgia (2), Idaho (1), Indiana (1), Iowa (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (3), New York (5), Oklahoma (2), and Texas (13). Additionally, the bill creates one temporary judgeship in the Eastern District of Oklahoma in 2025. Finally, the bill adds locations where court must be held in two district courts—one in California and one in Texas. Specifically, the bill adds College Station to the list of places where court must be held in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas. Also, the bill adds El Centro to the list of places where court must be held in the Southern District of California. The bill directs the Government Accountability Office to submit reports to Congress on judicial caseloads and detention space. The bill also directs the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to make available on its website the biennial report by the Judicial Conference of the United States on judgeship recommendations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2025
This joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency rule titled National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire Manufacturing (89 Fed. Reg. 94886) and published on November 29, 2024. The rule addresses the decision in Louisiana Environmental Action Network v. EPA (D.C. Cir. 2020) by implementing emissions standards for the rubber processing subcategory of the rubber tire manufacturing industry to ensure all emissions of hazardous air pollutants from sources in the source category are regulated.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2025
Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act of 2025 This bill requires states to establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may temporarily treat children under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) without undergoing additional screening requirements. Specifically, states must establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may enroll for five years as participating providers to treat individuals under the age of 21 without undergoing additional screening requirements. A qualifying out-of-state provider (1) must not have been excluded or terminated from participating in a federal health care program or state Medicaid program; and (2) must have been successfully enrolled in Medicare or a state Medicaid program based on a determination that the provider posed a limited risk of fraud, waste, or abuse. The bill’s changes take effect three years after enactment.
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 · 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
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.
![Official portrait of Rep. Lee, Laurel M. [R-FL-15]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000597_200.jpg)