United States · United States Congress · 9 April 2025
Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act of 2025 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of certain audiology services. Specifically, the bill expands coverage to include diagnostic and treatment services that are furnished by audiologists and that would otherwise be covered if provided by a physician, including incidental services, regardless of whether such services are provided pursuant to a referral from, or under the supervision of, a physician or other health care practitioner.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2025
Nuclear Family Priority Act This bill imposes limits on various types of family-sponsored immigration visas. The non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) parents of U.S. citizens shall not qualify for visas for immediate relatives, which are not subject to any direct numerical limits. Currently, the spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of citizens are considered immediate relatives. The bill also creates a nonimmigrant visa for such parents of citizens. Such non-U.S. nationals shall not be eligible for employment or any public benefits. The bill also reduces the baseline annual cap for family-sponsored visas from 480,000 to 88,000, and revises the methods for calculating the cap. Currently, the 480,000 cap may be adjusted depending on various factors but shall not be less than 226,000. The bill eliminates preference allocations (visa categories subject to various annual caps) for various family-sponsored visas, including those for the siblings and married children of citizens. The bill provides for a preference allocation for the unmarried children under 21 and spouses of permanent residents, subject to the 88,000 annual cap.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 2025
Financial Integrity and Regulation Management Act or the FIRM Act This bill prohibits the consideration of reputational risk by federal banking agencies when regulating, examining, or supervising a depository institution or credit union. The bill defines reputational risk as the potential for negative publicity or public attention to decrease confidence in the institution, lead to litigation, reduce revenues, or result in other adverse impacts to the institution. Agencies must report on the implementation of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2025
Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act of 2025 This bill makes staging a collision with a commercial motor vehicle a federal crime. Specifically, a person who is operating a motor vehicle and intentionally causes a collision with a commercial motor vehicle (or arranges for another person to cause such a collision) is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to 20 years, or both. If the collision results in serious bodily injury or death, the prison term may not be less than 20 years.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2025
This joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency notice titled California State Motor Vehicle and Engine Pollution Control Standards; Advanced Clean Cars II; Waiver of Preemption; Notice of Decision (90 Fed. Reg. 642) and published on January 6, 2025. Among other elements, the notice grants the California Air Resources Board request for a waiver for its Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations. (Under the Clean Air Act, California may seek waivers of the preemption prohibiting states from enacting certain emission standards.)
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 2025
This joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency notice titled California State Motor Vehicle and Engine and Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; The ‘Omnibus’ Low NOX Regulation; Waiver of Preemption; Notice of Decision (90 Fed. Reg. 643) and published on January 6, 2025. Among other elements, the notice grants the California Air Resources Board request for a waiver for its Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Engine Omnibus Low NOX regulations. (Under the Clean Air Act, California may seek waivers of the preemption prohibiting states from enacting certain emission standards.)
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2025
Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2025 This bill establishes freedom of association protections for college students in single-sex social organizations. Specifically, the bill gives students (or groups of students) enrolled at institutions of higher education (IHEs) the right to form or join social organizations, including single-sex social organizations. Additionally, the bill prohibits IHEs that participate in federal student aid programs from taking adverse actions against single-sex social organizations or students who are members or prospective members of such organizations based solely on the practice of limiting membership to only individuals of one sex; taking actions that require or coerce members or prospective members of such organizations to waive protections provided under the bill, including as a condition of enrolling in the IHE; or imposing a recruitment restriction on a single-sex social organization that is not imposed upon other student organizations, unless the organization and IHE have entered into a written agreement allowing the restriction.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2025
Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act of 2025 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a dairy nutrition incentive program to develop and test methods to increase the purchase and consumption of dairy under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Specifically, the program must provide an incentive to SNAP benefit recipients for the purchase of naturally nutrient-rich dairy, which the bill defines to include fluid milk, yogurt, and cheese made from cow's milk. To carry out the program, USDA must enter into cooperative agreements with, or provide competitive grants to, state or local governments and nonprofit organizations for projects. The bill provides funding for the program for each fiscal year. USDA must provide for an independent evaluation of each project that measures, to the maximum extent practicable, the effect of incentives on purchases of naturally nutrient-rich dairy by SNAP recipients. Projects currently carried out by the USDA Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives (HFMI) program must be transitioned to the new dairy nutrition incentive program; the bill repeals the HFMI program one year after USDA certifies that the transition is complete.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2025
SNAP Reform and Upward Mobility Act of 2025 This bill amends how U.S. poverty levels are determined and modifies Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility and enforcement provisions. The Bureau of the Census must (1) collect specified data regarding the receipt of federal benefits and individual income, and (2) use the data to provide an alternative poverty measure. The bill also establishes a commission to recommend the valuation of specific federal benefits for the purpose of estimating the Federal Poverty Level. The bill also expands the applicability of the general work requirements for SNAP recipients to include those who are ages 16-64 (currently 16-59) with exemptions. This bill also expands the applicability of the work requirements for SNAP recipients who are able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) to include those who are ages 18-64 (currently 18-55). In general, ABAWDs have work requirements in addition to the general SNAP work-related requirements and are limited to receiving 3 months of SNAP benefits in a 36-month period, unless the additional work-related requirements are met. Further, the bill allows married individuals with a dependent over the age of six to jointly fulfill hour-based work requirements. Additional changes to SNAP include requiring states participating in SNAP to contribute specified matching funds, beginning at 10% for FY2025 and increasing annually until the matching requirement reaches 50% for FY2033 and each subsequent fiscal year; requiring SNAP beneficiaries to participate in fraud investigations; and establishing penalties (e.g., benefit suspensions) for unauthorized uses of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2025
Portable Ultrasound Reimbursement Equity Act of 2025 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of ultrasound tests performed at a beneficiary's home. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must provide for separate payments for portable ultrasound services in the same manner and to the same extent as for portable X-ray services.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2025
This bill directs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to permanently allow states to exempt school bus drivers from the “under-the-hood” testing requirement for a commercial driver's license (CDL). As background, on December 2, 2024, the FMCSA renewed an exemption through November 28, 2026, that allows states to exempt all school bus driver applicants for a CDL from the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills testing requirement, commonly referred to as the under-the-hood testing requirement. States must meet certain terms and conditions for the exemption. Under the bill, the FMCSA must make permanent the December 2, 2024, exemption, thus permanently allowing states to exempt school bus drivers from the under-the-hood testing requirement. States must meet the additional terms and conditions for an exemption, which include (1) restricting school bus drivers who are issued a CDL based on the exemption to the intrastate operation of school buses, and (2) requiring states to conduct the remaining pre-trip vehicle inspection components of the skills test. Further, the FMCSA must require any state participating in the exemption to submit an annual report describing the number of drivers that obtain a CDL under the exemption.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2025
Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act of 2025 This bill eliminates the Optional Practical Training Program or any successor program, unless Congress expressly authorizes such a program. (The program provides an F-1 student visa holder temporary employment authorization before or after completion of the student's studies, or both.)
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2025
Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act of 2025 This bill provides statutory authority for the Payroll Audit Independent Determination program, which is administered by the Department of Labor and allows employers to self-report federal minimum wage and overtime compensation violations as an alternative to litigation. Employers may apply to the program by submitting certain information from a self-audit that includes calculations of any unpaid minimum or overtime wages. Labor must verify the calculations and, if the application is approved, supervise a settlement with affected employees that provides payment of any unpaid wages. Employees who accept a settlement under the program waive their private right of action to recover the unpaid wages provided under the settlement.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2025
Tipped Employee Protection Act This bill modifies the definition of a tipped employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to exclude consideration of an employee's duties when determining if the employee is a tipped employee. Under current law, tipped employees may be paid less than the federal minimum wage (currently $7.25 an hour), but the total of their cash wage and tips must be at least equal to the federal minimum wage. Under the FLSA, a tipped employee is currently a worker who customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. The bill broadens the definition of tipped employee to include any worker who receives tips and other cash wages for a work period at a rate that is at least the federal minimum wage, without regard to the duties of the employee. Under the bill, the work period is a work period that is determined by the employer.
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 · 18 March 2025
Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2025 This bill extends the specialized rate increase for Medicare payment of ground ambulance services in rural areas for an additional three years (until January 1, 2028).
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2025
Firearm Due Process Protection Act of 2025 This bill expands the grounds for pursuing judicial remedies related to the denial of certain firearm transfers. Additionally, the bill establishes procedural rules applicable to actions for judicial remedies. Current law authorizes judicial remedies for an individual who is erroneously denied a firearm (e.g., an individual is denied a firearm but the individual is eligible to receive or possess a firearm). This bill authorizes remedies for an individual who experiences an extended delay (i.e., a delay of more than 60 days) on a firearm transfer. Additionally, the bill requires an expedited hearing on an action for judicial remedies and places the burden of proof on the respondent (i.e., the government) to show that the individual was ineligible to receive or possess a firearm.
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
Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2025 This bill limits the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with regard to regulating emissions standards for new motor vehicles. Specifically, the EPA is prohibited from prescribing a regulation related to new motor vehicle emissions standards that (1) mandates the use of any specific technology, or (2) results in limited availability of new motor vehicles based on the type of new motor vehicle engine.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2025
Safe Routes Act of 2025 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to waive vehicle weight limits for covered logging vehicles, thus allowing logging vehicles to travel on interstate highways in certain circumstances. The term covered logging vehicle means a vehicle that (1) is transporting raw or unfinished forest products, including logs, pulpwood, biomass, or wood chips; (2) is traveling a distance not greater than 150 air miles on interstate highways from origin to a storage or processing facility; and (3) meets state legal weight tolerances and vehicle configurations for transporting raw or unfinished forest products within the state boundaries in which the vehicle is operating.
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
Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act This bill prohibits a Federal Reserve bank from offering products or services directly to an individual, maintaining an account on behalf of an individual, or issuing a central bank digital currency (i.e., a digital dollar). Further, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is prohibited from using a central bank digital currency to implement monetary policy or from testing, studying, creating, or implementing a central bank digital currency, with exceptions as provided by the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Rules for Supervisory Approval of Penalties , which was issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on December 23, 2024. The rule addresses the timing of supervisory approvals required for certain federal tax penalties assessed by the IRS.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act This bill imposes fines on individuals for soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine.
![Official portrait of Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/116_rp_wi_6_grothman_glenn_200.jpg)