Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-8]

SIFIA Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2025

To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a military and civilian partnership for trauma readiness grant program.

United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2025

First Responders Retirement Parity Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2025

Air America Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2025

National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Extension Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2025

National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Extension Act This bill reauthorizes the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish in Washington, DC, a monument to commemorate the commitment and service represented by emergency medical services. This authorization expires seven years after enactment of the bill.

Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2025

Down East Remembrance Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 March 2025

To provide that members of the Armed Forces performing services in Kenya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad shall be entitled to tax benefits in the same manner as if such services were performed in a combat zone.

United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2025

This bill treats Kenya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad as combat zones for purposes of determining eligibility for certain federal tax benefits available to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. (Conditions apply.) Specifically, under the bill, a qualified hazardous duty area is treated as a combat zone for purposes of determining the filing status of an individual whose spouse is missing in action; excluding compensation received by a member of the Armed Forces serving in a combat zone from gross income and wages subject to withholding; forgiving the income tax liability of a member of the Armed Forces who dies in a combat zone; certain estate tax rules applicable to a member of the Armed Forces who dies in a combat zone or as a result of an injury, wound, or disease suffered while in a combat zone; the exemption from the federal excise tax imposed on certain telephone services for telephone calls originating from a combat zone by a member of the Armed Forces; and postponing certain federal tax deadlines (e.g., filing a tax return, paying taxes, and claiming a tax refund) for a member of the Armed Forces serving in a combat zone. The bill defines a qualified hazardous duty area as Kenya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad if any member of the U.S. Armed Forces is entitled to special pay (e.g., hostile fire pay and imminent danger pay) for services performed in such locations. 

Major Richard Star Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2025

FOCA Act of 2025

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.

Open RAN Outreach Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025

Open RAN Outreach Act This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to small communications network providers regarding the benefits, uses, and challenges of Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) standards and other open network architectures. (Open RAN is a nonproprietary, standardized network deployment approach that promotes open networks with interoperable equipment and virtualized network operations.) The NTIA must also conduct outreach and provide assistance to small providers regarding participation in the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, a competitive grant program that funds efforts to accelerate the development, deployment, and adoption of Open RAN.

Unmasking Hamas Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025

Military Spouse Hiring Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025

Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025

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.

Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act

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.

SPEED for BEAD Act

United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025

Streamlining Program Efficiency and Expanding Deployment for BEAD Act or the SPEED for BEAD Act This bill makes certain changes to the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, including by expanding the broadband technologies that may qualify for funding and prohibiting states from regulating broadband rates in connection with the program.   (The BEAD Program is administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and provides funding to eligible entities for broadband deployment, connectivity, mapping, and adoption projects. Eligible entities include U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia.)  Specifically, the bill establishes that projects using any broadband technology (e.g., satellite, fixed wireless, or fiber) may qualify for funding, provided the technology meets specified performance criteria. (Original BEAD rules established a preference for fiber projects.) The bill also explicitly prohibits eligible entities from regulating, setting, or otherwise mandating pursuant to the BEAD Program (1) rates charged for broadband service, or (2) methodologies used to calculate such rates. The prohibition includes rate regulation carried out in conjunction with the existing requirement that subgrantees offer at least one low-cost broadband service option to certain subscribers.    Further, the bill prohibits the NTIA and eligible entities from establishing or enforcing conditions, preferences, or other requirements related to collective bargaining and labor agreements; climate change; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and other topics. The bill also modifies the purposes for which the funds may be used and the treatment of unused funds.  Finally, the bill replaces the term Equity in the program’s name with Expansion .

Financial Reporting Threshold Modernization Act

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.

Maintaining Investments in New Innovation Act

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.)

PLUS for Veterans Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025

Early Action and Responsiveness Lifts Youth Minds Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025

PAST Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025

Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2025 or the PAST Act of 2025 This bill increases protections for horses at shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions (horse events) to prevent the practice of soring horses. Generally, the soring of horses includes certain actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. Specifically, the bill expands existing soring prohibitions under the Horse Protection Act, including by banning the use of certain action devices (e.g., nonprotective boots) on specified horse breeds. The bill also requires soring inspectors at horse events to be assigned by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the Department of Agriculture rather than appointed by the management of horse events. APHIS must also license, train, and oversee inspectors to detect and diagnose soring at such events. Additionally, the bill increases penalties for violations of the act. It also directs APHIS to disqualify horses found to be sore from being shown or exhibited for specified periods. Further, APHIS may permanently disqualify violators from participating in horse events after the third or any subsequent violation. By way of background, APHIS issued a rule in 2024 to increase efforts to protect horses from soring practices. However, in 2025, a court vacated parts of the rule as exceeding APHIS' statutory authority (e.g., prohibiting the use of certain action devices) while deeming other parts acceptable (e.g., establishing APHIS-designated inspectors).  APHIS subsequently delayed the effective date of the rule to December 31, 2026.

To nullify the final rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "New Source Performance Standards for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From New, Modified, and Reconstructed Fossil Fuel-Fired Electric Generating Units; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Fossil Fuel-Fired Electric Generating Units; and Repeal of the Affordable Clean Energy Rule".

United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025

Guarding Readiness Resources Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025

Guarding Readiness Resources Act This bill modifies the treatment of funds received by the National Guard Bureau as a reimbursement from a state or other U.S. territory (e.g., Guam) for the use of military property. Specifically, the funds must be credited to (1) the appropriation, fund, or account used in incurring the obligation; or (2) an appropriation, fund, or account currently available for the purposes of which the expenditures were made. Further, the funds may only be used by the Department of Defense for the repair, maintenance, replacement, or other similar functions related directly to assets used by National Guard units while operating under state active duty status.

761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025

Protect and Serve Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2025

No American Land for Communist China Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2025

PAR Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2025

VETS Opportunity Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2025

Veterans Education and Technical Skills Opportunity Act of 2025 or the VETS Opportunity Act of 2025 This bill modifies which independent study programs are covered under veterans’ educational assistance benefits. The bill requires independent study programs that lead to a certificate that reflects graduation from a course of study to include regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors. The bill allows such independent study programs to be offered by any institutions of higher education, including for-profit institutions, that are approved to participate in the Department of Education’s financial assistance programs.

DHS Special Events Program and Support Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2025

DHS Special Events Program and Support Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct security assessments and provide security and situational awareness support for pre-planned special events that are not designated as National Special Security Events. (National Special Security Events are major federal government or public events so designated by the President or DHS, such as presidential inaugurations, major international summits, and major sporting events.) Under the bill, DHS must establish a standard process for federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial officials to voluntarily submit requests to DHS for event assessment and possible security and situational awareness support. DHS must assess such requests using a risk-based methodology and include a process for expedited consideration and, where appropriate, for reassessment. DHS must also carry out research and development of technologies and techniques for enhancing DHS's security and situational awareness support to such officials relating to mass gatherings in a manner consistent with constitutional, privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties protections.

Rare Earth Magnet Security Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2025

To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to equalize the negotiation period between small-molecule and biologic candidates under the Drug Price Negotiation Program.

United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2025

This bill lengthens the amount of time for which drug products must have market approval in order for the products to qualify for negotiation under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation 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.  The bill modifies these provisions so as to require drug products to also have had at least 11 years of market approval in order to qualify for negotiation. The bill's changes apply retroactively.

PLASMA Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2025

Preserving Life-saving Access to Specialty Medicines in America Act or the PLASMA Act This bill phases-in certain price adjustments for plasma-derived products under the Medicare prescription drug benefit's Manufacturer Discount Program. Current law requires manufacturers of covered drugs under the Medicare prescription drug benefit to provide a 10% discount for covered drugs during the initial coverage phase (i.e., before a beneficiary reaches the out-of-pocket spending threshold) and a 20% discount during the catastrophic coverage phase (i.e., after a beneficiary reaches the out-of-pocket spending threshold).  The bill phases-in discounts for plasma-derived products over several years, starting with a 1% discount in 2026 for both the initial and catastrophic coverage phases, and ending with a 10% discount beginning in 2030 for the initial coverage phase and a 20% discount beginning in 2032 for the catastrophic coverage phase.

Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025

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.

Death Tax Repeal Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025

Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act.

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.

Fighting Trade Cheats Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025

Fighting Trade Cheats Act of 2025 This bill increases penalties for, and establishes additional enforcement mechanisms related to, fraudulent and grossly negligent violations of U.S. customs laws. Specifically, the bill increases the maximum civil penalty for a fraudulent violation to three times the domestic value of the merchandise. (Currently, the maximum penalty is the domestic value of the merchandise.) It prohibits a person who commits a fraudulent violation from importing merchandise into the United States for a five-year period. Additionally, the bill increases the maximum civil penalty for a grossly negligent violation to the lesser of (1) 3 times the domestic value of the merchandise; or (2) 10 times the lawful duties, taxes, and fees. (Currently, the maximum penalty is the lesser of the domestic value of the merchandise or four times the lawful duties, taxes, and fees.) It prohibits a person who commits a grossly negligent violation from importing merchandise into the United States for a two-year period. Further, the bill applies these importation bans to an affiliated person (e.g., a family member or employee) of the person who committed the fraudulent or grossly negligent violation. The bill establishes a private right of action for an interested party (e.g., a manufacturer) affected by customs fraud or grossly negligent violations. The bill prohibits any person (or an affiliated person) who commits a fraudulent or grossly negligent violation from participating in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Importer of Record program, and further requires revocation of their importer of record numbers.

United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2025

United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025 This bill requires or authorizes certain actions to increase defense-related cooperation between the United States and Israel. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a cooperative program, with the concurrence of Israel's Ministry of Defense (MOD), to develop and deploy advanced technologies for countering unmanned systems that threaten the United States and Israel; establish in Israel an office of the Defense Innovation Unit (an organization that focuses on rapidly fielding and scaling commercial technology across the U.S. military); and seek to engage Israel's MOD on the ascension of Israel into the national technology and industrial base (currently defined in law as the persons and organizations engaged in research, development, production, integration, services, or information technology activities conducted within the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada). The bill authorizes DOD, upon request of Israel's MOD, to jointly conduct research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics to meet defense challenges. Additionally, the bill extends the authority for DOD to (1) carry out RDT&E on a joint basis with Israel to establish anti-tunnel and counter unmanned aerial systems capabilities through 2028, and (2) transfer defense articles intended for use as reserve stocks for Israel through January 1, 2029.

Alternatives to PAIN Act

United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2025

Alternatives to Prevent Addiction In the Nation Act or the Alternatives to PAIN Act This bill reduces cost-sharing and prohibits the imposition of certain utilization requirements under the Medicare prescription drug benefit for certain non-opioid pain management drugs. Specifically, the bill requires such drugs to be covered without a deductible and to be placed on the lowest cost-sharing tier (if any). The bill also prohibits the imposition of prior authorization requirements (i.e., requiring prior approval from a plan) or step therapy requirements (i.e., requiring the use of alternative drugs before a drug is covered under a plan) with respect to such drugs.

National Right-to-Work Act

United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2025

Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2025

Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act This bill prohibits payment card networks from using merchant codes that distinguish firearms retailers from general-merchandise retailers or sporting-goods retailers. The Department of Justice must enforce this bill and report annually on the resulting investigations and cases. 

Freight RAILCAR Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2025

Protect Medicaid Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2025

Protect Medicaid Act This bill prohibits federal payment under Medicaid for the administrative costs of providing health benefits to noncitizens who are ineligible for Medicaid based on their immigration status. The Department of Health and Human Services must report on specified information regarding states that provide health benefits to such individuals.

Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act

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.

Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act

United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2025

Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act This bill expands the expenses eligible for tax-free withdrawals from a qualified tuition program (known as a 529 plan) to include tuition, fees (including test fees), books, supplies, equipment, and other expenses related to the enrollment or attendance in a recognized postsecondary credentialing program. Under the bill, a recognized postsecondary credentialing program includes certain programs identified by a state as providing training services, a program listed in the Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS) maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs, certain examinations required to obtain or maintain a credential, and other reputable credentialing programs. Further, under the bill, such programs must be designed for an individual to obtain an industry-recognized postsecondary employment credential (e.g., project management professional certificate, advanced emergency medical technician certificate, and welding supervisor certificate), a certificate of completion of a registered and certified apprenticeship, an occupational or professional license issued or recognized by a state or the federal government (and any certification required for obtaining such license), or an associate or baccalaureate degree. 

Respect State Housing Laws Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2025

Respect State Housing Laws Act This bill eliminates a provision that requires a 30-day notice period before a landlord may begin eviction proceedings against a tenant in federally assisted or federally backed housing.

GRID Power Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2025

Guaranteeing Reliability through the Interconnection of Dispatchable Power Act or the GRID Power Act   This bill requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue and periodically review a rule that revises the approval process for interconnection requests of generating units that produce electricity to prioritize dispatchable power projects (e.g., certain fossil fuel projects).  Under the bill, dispatchable power generally refers to an electric energy generation resource, such as a generating unit that produces electricity from fossil fuels, capable of providing known and forecastable electric supply in time intervals necessary to ensure grid reliability. Currently, FERC receives interconnection requests from those projects and other generating units, such as units that produce electricity from renewable energy. Interconnection requests are requests from generating units to connect to the high voltage transmission lines of the electric grid. First, the rule must address the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing procedures for processing interconnection requests to ensure that new dispatchable power projects that improve grid reliability and resource adequacy can interconnect to the electric grid quickly, cost-effectively, and reliably.  Second, the rule must revise the pro forma Large Generator Interconnection Procedures, and the pro forma Large Generator Interconnection Agreement as appropriate, to authorize transmission providers to submit proposals to FERC to prioritize new dispatchable power projects that will improve grid reliability and resource adequacy by assigning those projects higher positions in the interconnection queue of the provider. FERC must review and approve or deny such proposals within 60 days after the proposal is submitted.

Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2025

Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from transmitting certain information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) utilized by licensed importers or dealers of firearms. Specifically, the bill prohibits the VA from transmitting personally identifying information of a veteran or a beneficiary to the NICS solely on the basis that such veteran or beneficiary has an appointed fiduciary to manage their benefits, unless there is an order or finding of a judicial authority that such veteran or beneficiary is a danger to themselves or others.

Incentivizing Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Sales Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2025

Incentivizing Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Sales Act of 2025  This bill excludes the gain from the sale of a qualified real property interest under the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program from gross income for federal tax purposes. (Some limitations apply.) As background, the REPI Program supports cost-sharing agreements between the Armed Forces, other federal agencies, state and local governments, and certain private organizations to address land use near military installations, address environmental restrictions that limit military activities, and increase military installation resilience. Under the bill, the exclusion from gross income applies to gain from the sale of a real property interest (pursuant to an agreement under the REPI Program) to a state or U.S. possession (or a political subdivision of a state or U.S. possession) or the District of Columbia; the United States; certain corporations, trusts, community chest, funds, or foundations; or certain charitable organizations. Further, under the bill, the real property interest that is sold may be (1) the entire interest in the real property, (2) a remainder interest in the real property, or (3) a restriction on the use of the real property (e.g., easement) that is granted in perpetuity and created under state law. However, the bill limits such exclusion from gross income for a partnership or other pass-through entity (other than a family partnership or family pass-through entity) to gain from the sale of a real property interest that is held for at least three years.

Love Lives On Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2025

Love Lives On Act of 2025 This bill extends entitlement for various benefit programs and services for surviving spouses of deceased members of the Armed Forces or veterans. The bill provides that the remarriage of a surviving spouse must not bar the furnishing of dependency and indemnity compensation or special pension benefits to such spouse. Additionally, the Department of Defense may not terminate the payment of an annuity for a surviving spouse under the Survivor Benefit Plan solely because the surviving spouse remarries. The bill also expands the definition of a dependent under TRICARE to include a remarried widow or widower whose subsequent marriage has ended due to death, divorce, or annulment.

AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2025

AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a rule requiring AM radio capabilities to be standard in all new passenger vehicles. (AM radio is often used to deliver emergency alerts and news and entertainment programming; some newer vehicles do not include AM equipment.) Specifically, this bill applies to passenger vehicles (1) manufactured in the United States for sale in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce; and (2) manufactured after the rule's effective date. The rule must require all such vehicles to have devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM stations or digital audio AM stations installed as standard equipment and made easily accessible to drivers. Prior to the rule's effective date, manufacturers that do not include devices that can access AM radio as standard equipment (1) must inform purchasers of this fact through clear and conspicuous labeling, and (2) may not charge an additional or separate fee for AM radio access. DOT may assess civil penalties for any violation of the rule. The Department of Justice may also bring a civil action to enjoin a violation. The rule, including DOT’s authority to enforce it, must expire 10 years after the bill’s enactment.  Further, the Government Accountability Office must study and report on the dissemination of emergency alerts to the public, including by conducting an assessment of AM radio relative to other Integrated Public Alert and Warning System communication technologies.