United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2025
This bill designates the area in front of the Cuban embassy in the District of Columbia as Oswaldo Payá Way. (Oswaldo Payá was a pro-democracy activist in Cuba.)
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2025
CBP SPACE Act This bill expands the authorities for adjusting the rate for merchandise processing fees and the requirements for using certain customs user fees. It also prohibits U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from requiring sea ports of entry to provide or maintain certain facilities for CBP inspection services. Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of the Treasury to adjust the ad valorem rate for merchandise processing and the related limits on the amount of the fees to offset CBP's capital costs for processing entries and releases of merchandise. (Currently, Treasury may only adjust the rate and limits to offset CBP's related salaries and expenses.) The bill also requires Treasury to use certain customs user fees to reimburse CBP for paying capital costs associated with passenger inspection services. Additionally, the bill (1) prohibits CBP from requesting or requiring a sea port of entry to provide or maintain administrative, training, or recreational facilities at the port for purposes of facilitating CBP's inspection services; and (2) requires CBP to submit an annual report to appropriate congressional committees on the amount and use of proceeds from merchandise processing fees.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2025
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. (A journeyman lineworker is a person who builds and maintains electrical power systems.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2025
CBP Canine Home Kenneling Pilot Act This bill requires the Office of Field Operations within U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish a canine home kenneling pilot program. In home kenneling programs, canines used for law enforcement purposes are housed and cared for at the residences of their assigned handlers.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2025
This bill grants a federal charter to the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals, which is a nonprofit organization that provides housing counseling to veterans and active members of the Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2025
Providing Emotional Assistance with Relief and Love Act or the PEARL Act This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to establish a pilot program to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to be trained as support dogs for CBP’s Support Canine Program. Support dogs are used for grief assistance, trauma mitigation, and morale.
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 · 13 May 2025
Healthy Dog Importation Act This bill expands Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements for the importation of live dogs. Prior to a dog's arrival into the United States, USDA must receive electronic documentation about the dog's health. The documentation must demonstrate that the dog (1) is in good health; (2) has received all necessary vaccinations and parasite treatments and demonstrated negative test results as evidenced by a certificate from a licensed veterinarian; and (3) is officially identified by a permanent method approved by USDA. Additionally, a dog entering the United States for transfer (e.g., for sale, adoption, exchange, or donation) must be at least six months old and accompanied by a USDA permit. USDA must promulgate regulations to, among other things, deny entry of any dog in violation of the new requirements, require USDA to maintain a centralized database of imported dogs, and establish fees for verifying required documentation and issuing transfer permits. USDA must provide an exception to any requirements under the bill for dogs that are transferred as a personal pet of U.S. origin returning to the United States; as a U.S. military working dog; for research purposes; for veterinary treatment under certain conditions, including appropriate quarantining; or for lawful importation into the state of Hawaii (from the British Isles, Australia, Guam, or New Zealand) if the dog is less than six months old and is not transported out of Hawaii for transfer at less than six months old. USDA also has enforcement authority under the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2025
Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025 This bill generally prohibits the operation of a civil helicopter within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument in New York, New York. The bill includes an exception for flights carried out for the purposes of (1) public health and safety (e.g., for law enforcement or the provision of medical services), or (2) heavy-lift operations in support of construction and infrastructure maintenance. The Federal Aviation Administration must issue or update regulations to carry out the requirements of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2025
Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act of 2025 This bill expands the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in providing services to injured federal workers under the federal workers' compensation program. Specifically, under the program, nurse practitioners and physician assistants acting within the scope of their practice may (1) prescribe or recommend treatment for injured federal workers; (2) certify the nature of an injury and probable extent of disability; (3) provide prescribed treatment for injured federal workers; and (4) participate, with a physician designated by the Department of Labor, in a mandatory workers' compensation examination of an injured worker. In general, only physicians may fulfill these roles under current law.
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.