United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025
Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a program to provide, upon request, a firearm lockbox (or voucher for such item) to eligible individuals. Currently, there is a pilot program under which certain veterans may be prescribed a lockbox by a VA clinician. The VA must also provide information with respect to the benefits of and options for secure firearm storage. The VA must develop an informational video on the secure storage of firearms as a suicide prevention strategy and publish the video on its website. Additionally, the VA must publish information to inform individuals who participate in the lockbox program that such lockboxes are not for resale. The VA must also implement a public education campaign to educate eligible individuals about the availability of lockboxes under the program and that participation in the program does not affect the rights of an individual with respect to the lawful ownership of a firearm.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025
Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025 This bill authorizes certain targeted clinical trials involving combinations of drugs to treat pediatric cancer, and renews the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) authority to award priority review vouchers (PRVs) to sponsors of new products for rare pediatric diseases. Specifically, the bill modifies requirements relating to molecularly targeted pediatric cancer investigations to permit research on new drugs used in combination with active ingredients that have already been approved and that (1) have been determined to be part of the standard of care for treating a pediatric cancer, or (2) have been approved to treat an adult cancer and are directed at molecular targets for pediatric cancer. The FDA must issue guidance on the implementation of these provisions and report to Congress on its efforts to ensure implementation. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) must report on the effectiveness of the bill's changes with respect to the development of pediatric cancer drugs. The bill also renews the FDA’s authority to issue PRVs to sponsors of new products intended to treat rare pediatric diseases through September 30, 2029. This is known as the Rare Pediatric Disease PRV program. The program expired in December 2024. GAO must report on the effectiveness of the Rare Pediatric Disease PRV program, including to what extent PRVs were successful in promoting drug development and expediting patient access to drugs for the treatment or prevention of rare pediatric diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025
Medication Access and Training Expansion Improvement Act or the MATE Improvement Act This bill expands the types of organizations that may provide required training for practitioners registering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to dispense (i.e., prescribe or administer) certain controlled substances. Current law requires health care practitioners to register with the DEA and complete a one-time training on substance use disorders from specified entities in order to dispense schedule II-V controlled substances. Practitioners who graduated within the last five years from specified types of schools and whose curriculum included similar training on substance use disorders are exempt from having to receive this additional training. The bill adds several organizations (e.g., the American Academy of Family Physicians) to the list of entities that may provide the required one-time training for physicians or other practitioners. It also expands the types of practitioners who are exempt from this training requirement to include those who graduated from schools of podiatric medicine or schools of pharmacy within the last five years and received similar training as part of their curriculums. The bill applies retroactively, taking effect as if enacted on December 29, 2022.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025
This bill permanently reauthorizes the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, an independent federal agency within the executive branch that coordinates the federal response to prevent and end homelessness.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2025
This resolution encourages (1) the people of the United States to join in a national effort to salute AmeriCorps members, alumni, and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers and to raise awareness about the importance of national and community service; and (2) all individuals to consider opportunities to serve in AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2025
This resolution designates March 6, 2025, as National Slam the Scam Day to raise awareness and amplify the messaging about scams involving individuals impersonating government employees, encourage policies and programs to prevent such scams, recognize those who work to prevent such scams, and encourage the public to report and share information about such scams.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025
Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to regularly perform a threat analysis of the northern U.S. border. The analysis must be performed every three years and include terroristic and criminal threats, recent changes in apprehensions, and improvements needed to prevent terrorism and reduce criminal activity. DHS must update its northern border strategy not later than September 2, 2026, and every five years thereafter, incorporating the results from the latest threat analysis. DHS must also provide a classified briefing to the appropriate congressional committees. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) must develop performance metrics to assess the AMO’s effectiveness at securing the northern border between ports of entry in air and maritime environments.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 2025
Supporting all Healthy Options when Purchasing Produce Act of 2025 or the SHOPP Act of 2025 This bill modifies the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) to include fresh frozen fruits and vegetables. GusNIP is a Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that provides grants for projects that increase low-income consumers' purchases of fruits and vegetables. It is made up of three competitive grant programs, including the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program, which provides grants for projects that provide incentives for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to purchase fruits and vegetables. The bill directs USDA, in awarding GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program grants, to give priority to projects that increase year-round availability of nutrition incentives by offering fresh frozen fruits or vegetables in the program. In addition, the bill amends another GusNIP program, the Produce Prescription Program, to include fresh frozen fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh and fresh frozen legumes. Currently, only fresh fruits and vegetables are covered under the program. The GusNIP Produce Prescription Program supports projects that demonstrate and evaluate the impact of fruit and vegetable prescriptions on increasing procurement and consumption of fruits and vegetables, reducing individual and household food insecurity, and reducing healthcare usage and associated costs.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 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 the public performance of sound recordings broadcast on a local radio station.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act This bill expands and makes permanent the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) grant program that provides transportation options to veterans for medical purposes. First, the bill expands the program to cover transportation for veterans in rural areas, in addition to veterans in highly rural areas (who are already eligible under the program). The bill also authorizes the VA to award such grants to county veterans service organizations and tribal organizations to assist veterans with transportation for medical care. Further, the bill increases the maximum grant amount to $60,000. However, if a grant recipient is required to purchase a vehicle to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, such grant amount may be increased to not more than $80,000. Finally, the bill defines rural and highly rural in the same manner as the terms are given under the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) coding system of the Department of Agriculture. RUCA uses population density and commuting patterns to assign designations.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Save America's Forgotten Equines Act of 2025 or the SAFE Act of 2025 This bill permanently prohibits the slaughter of equines (e.g., horses and mules) for human consumption. (Current law prohibits the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption. This bill extends the prohibition to equines.) Specifically, this bill prohibits a person from knowingly (1) slaughtering an equine for human consumption; or (2) shipping, transporting, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating an equine to be slaughtered for human consumption or equine parts for human consumption. The bill subjects a violator to a fine. The bill applies to conduct in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. However, it does not apply to an activity carried out by an Indian for a religious ceremony. As background, in recent years, the appropriations acts have prohibited the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from using federal funds to inspect horses before they are slaughtered for human consumption. Therefore, there are currently no USDA-inspected horse slaughter facilities in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025
Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2025 or the CROWN Act of 2025 This bill prohibits discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. Specifically, the bill prohibits this type of discrimination against those participating in federally assisted programs, housing programs, public accommodations, and employment. Persons shall not be deprived of equal rights under the law and shall not be subjected to prohibited practices based on their hair texture or style. The bill provides for enforcement procedures under the applicable laws (e.g., the Civil Rights Act of 1964).
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025
Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act 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 · 26 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.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2025
Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to seek to enter into an agreement with an independent and objective organization to study the difference in quality of mental health and addiction therapy care provided by the VA compared to non-VA providers across various modalities. The organization must publish its findings publicly.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2025
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act This bill modifies the Conrad 30 Waiver program, which incentivizes qualified foreign physicians to serve in underserved communities. It also extends statutory authority for the program for three years from this bill's enactment. Individuals coming to the United States under a J-1 nonimmigrant visa to receive medical training typically must leave the country and reside for two years abroad before being eligible to apply for an immigrant visa or permanent residence. The Conrad program waives this requirement for individuals who meet certain qualifications, including serving for a number of years at a health care facility in an underserved area. The bill increases the number of waivers that a state may obtain each fiscal year from 30 to 35 if a certain number of waivers were used the previous year, and provides for further adjustments depending on demand. A physician may be employed at an academic medical center to meet the Conrad program's employment requirements if the physician's work is in the public interest, even if the medical center is not in an underserved area. Employment contracts for physicians under the Conrad program shall contain certain information, such as the maximum number of on-call hours per week the physician shall have to work. Certain physicians (along with the physician's spouse and children) shall be exempt from the direct annual numerical limits on immigration, including those physicians that have met certain requirements related to visas for physicians to serve in underserved areas.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2025
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Retirement Technical Corrections Act This bill modifies the calculation of retirement benefits for certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. Under current law, effective July 6, 2008, CBP officers are entitled to an enhanced retirement benefit, subject to certain mandatory retirement requirements. CBP officers who were employed as of July 6, 2008, are entitled to a transitional enhanced retirement benefit without the corresponding mandatory retirement requirements (i.e., proportional annuity). The bill specifies that CBP officers who received a tentative offer of employment before July 6, 2008, and who started work on or after that date, are entitled to this proportional annuity. The Office of Personnel Management must correct annuity calculations for these officers, including retroactively, based on a list compiled by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS may also retroactively waive mandatory retirement requirements for these officers so that they may receive the proportional annuity. The Government Accountability Office must report on CBP's policies and procedures related to enhanced retirement benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2025
This resolution supports the designation of February 15-22, 2025, as National FFA (Future Farmers of America) Week. It also celebrates the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America (NFA), which served Black vocational agriculture students in segregated public schools until NFA and FFA became one organization in 1965. The resolution also commemorates the 75th anniversary of the federal charter for the Future Farmers of America.
United States · United States Congress · 20 February 2025
North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to recognize the individuals and communities that provided financial and other support for the North Platte Canteen in North Platte, Nebraska, during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 20 February 2025
Retirement Security for American Hostages Act of 2025 This bill permits individuals held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad to collect Social Security benefits based on average national wages for months in which they were held hostage or detained. Specifically, for purposes of determining Social Security benefits based on an individual’s wages or self-employment income, the bill directs the Social Security Administration (SSA) to deem qualifying individuals to have been paid a monthly portion of the national average wage index for any month during which the individual was held hostage or unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad. (The national average wage index is determined annually by the SSA.) Deemed wages must apply for any affected month before the individual reaches the statutory retirement age (generally between ages 65 and 67). A qualifying individual is a U.S. national (1) determined by the Department of State to have been unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad, or (2) determined by the interagency Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell to have been taken hostage abroad. A qualifying individual or an individual entitled to benefits on the basis of a qualifying individual’s wages and income must apply to the SSA in order to receive deemed wages for affected months. These provisions do not apply if a larger benefit would be available without the application of deemed wages.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025
Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025 This bill provides statutory authority for the requirement that the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights take into consideration the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA's) working definition of antisemitism when reviewing or investigating complaints of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. According to the IHRA's working definition, antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025
EAGLES Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes the National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) within the U.S. Secret Service. It reauthorizes the functions of NTAC through FY2030 and expands them to include additional activities related to the prevention of targeted violence, such as the establishment of a national program on targeted school violence prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025
First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment, collectively, in recognition of their dedicated service during the Revolutionary War.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025
Fair Milk Pricing for Farmers Act This bill requires manufacturers to report production cost and product yield information for all dairy products processed in the same facility or facilities to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Dairy Product Mandatory Reporting Program. Further, USDA must publish a report containing the information obtained under these new requirements and publish a report every two years thereafter. As background, under the Dairy Product Mandatory Reporting Program, USDA must collect certain dairy product sales information from manufacturers and release the data on a weekly basis.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025
The resolution urges the E3 (the United Kingdom, France, and Germany) to invoke the snapback of United Nations (UN) sanctions against Iran under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 before the option expires on October 18, 2025. This resolution also (1) recognizes that Iran's possession of a nuclear weapon would threaten U.S. and global security, (2) condemns Iran's repeated violations of certain international commitments related to nuclear weapons, and (3) reaffirms that the United States maintains the right to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
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.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2025
Financing Our Energy Future Act This bill allows a publicly traded partnership to derive income from certain clean energy-related activities and still be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As background, a publicly traded partnership is a partnership whose interests are traded on an established securities market (or readily tradable on a secondary market). A publicly traded partnership generally is treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of such partnership’s gross income is qualifying income. Under current law, qualifying income includes interest and dividends; real property rents; gain from the sale (or disposition) of real property; income from certain activities related to minerals and natural resources, source carbon dioxide, and the transportation or storage of certain fuels; and gain from the sale (or disposition) of a capital asset or commodities. Under the bill, the qualifying income is expanded to include income derived from electric power (or thermal energy) generated from renewable energy sources (e.g., wind and solar energy), qualified gasification projects, or advanced nuclear facilities; accepting or processing open-loop biomass or municipal solid waste (by certain facilities); the storage of electric power or thermal energy using certain energy storage technology; the generation, storage, or distribution of electric power (or thermal energy) using combined heat and power system property; fuels that use certain carbon oxides as primary feedstock; certain renewable chemicals; transportation or storage of liquefied or compressed hydrogen; the conversion of renewable biomass; and certain carbon capture and sequestration facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2025
Credit Union Board Modernization Act This bill revises the required frequency of meetings held by a credit union's board of directors. Specifically, new credit unions and credit unions with a low soundness rating must meet monthly. All other credit unions must hold at least six meetings annually, with at least one meeting held during each fiscal quarter. Currently, all credit union boards must meet at least once a month.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2025
American Apprenticeship Act This bill authorizes the Department of Labor to make grants to assist states in carrying out projects that defray the cost of pre-apprenticeship or related instruction for qualified apprenticeship programs. Labor shall (1) establish performance measures and an evaluation system for such grant program; and (2) identify in-demand occupations that lack the use of apprenticeships, analyze the use of the qualified apprenticeship program model in those occupations, and report on such analysis to states and Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2025
National Plan for Epilepsy Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a national plan, form an advisory council, and take other actions to address epilepsy. The requirements sunset on December 31, 2035. Specifically, the bill requires HHS to carry out a National Plan for Epilepsy to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure epilepsy. In carrying out the plan, HHS must implement activities such as coordinating research and services across all federal agencies and soliciting public comments. Also, HHS must establish an Advisory Council on Epilepsy Research, Care, and Services. The advisory council must report to HHS and Congress every two years with an evaluation of federally funded efforts. Additionally, HHS must annually report to Congress with recommended actions based on its assessments of the nation’s progress on epilepsy.
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.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 2025
Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act This bill creates and expands federal grant programs within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to increase capacity to provide emergency obstetric health services in rural areas or areas without practitioners or facilities specializing in obstetric services. Specifically, HRSA must establish a program for providing grants to certain hospitals or consortiums that include hospitals in rural areas or areas with maternal health care professional shortages for training, developing a workforce, and purchasing equipment relating to obstetric emergencies. In addition, the bill requires HRSA’s Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health Capacity program to provide grants for training on emergency obstetric services for practitioners in rural health care facilities without dedicated obstetric units. HRSA must also establish a pilot program to provide grants to government entities for developing or improving telehealth access programs to support urgent maternal health care in rural facilities without a dedicated obstetric unit.
![Official portrait of Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001035_200.jpg)