United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2025
Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency Act or the SECURE Act This bill allows qualified nationals of a country that has or had a temporary protected status designation (certain countries in which nationals experience conflict or other unsafe conditions) to obtain lawful permanent residence (sometimes referred to as a green card ). To qualify for a green card, such an individual must (1) have or had temporary protected status, (2) have qualified for such status on certain dates, or (3) have been present in the United States due to having been granted deferred enforced departure status that extended past a certain date. Furthermore, the individual must (1) have been continuously present in the United States for three years before applying for a green card or before being removed after a certain date, (2) not be inadmissible or deportable for certain reasons, and (3) pass applicable background checks. The continuous presence requirement may be waived in certain instances. Such an individual's spouse, domestic partner, child, or unmarried child may also obtain a green card under this bill upon meeting certain requirements. An individual with a pending application shall receive work authorization and be eligible for travel authorization. An individual may not be removed if the individual (1) has a pending application, or (2) is prima facie eligible for a green card under this bill and intends to apply. Information from applications may not be used or shared for immigration enforcement, with limited exceptions such as for identifying fraudulent claims.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2025
Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers Act of 2025 or the POST Act of 2025 This bill requires proprietary (i.e., for-profit) institutions of higher education (IHEs) to derive a larger portion of their revenues from nonfederal sources by replacing the existing 90/10 rule with an 85/15 rule. Specifically, the bill requires a proprietary IHE to derive at least 15% of its revenue from sources other than federal education assistance funds. (Currently, a proprietary IHE must derive at least 10% of its revenue from sources other than federal education assistance funds.) Additionally, the bill specifies how revenue must be calculated for purposes of the 85/15 rule. (Currently, the Higher Education Act of 1965 and accompanying regulatory provisions specify how revenue must be calculated for purposes of the 90/10 rule.) Finally, the bill makes a proprietary IHE that fails to meet the 85/15 rule's requirements for a fiscal year ineligible to participate in federal student aid programs for at least two institutional fiscal years. However, the proprietary IHE may regain eligibility if it complies with all eligibility and certification requirements for at least two institutional fiscal years. (Currently, if a proprietary IHE fails to meet the 90/10 rule's requirement in a single year, then its certification to participate in federal student aid programs becomes provisional for two institutional fiscal years. Further, if a proprietary IHE fails to meet the rule's requirements in two consecutive years, then it loses its eligibility to participate in these programs for at least two institutional fiscal years.)
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2025
Healthy Food Financing Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes and provides specified funds for the Department of Agriculture's Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) through FY2029 and for each fiscal year thereafter. As background, HFFI provides loans, grants, and technical assistance resources to eligible healthy food retailers and food supply chain enterprises to improve and support access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food in urban and rural underserved communities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2025
State Public Option Act This bill allows residents who are not already eligible for Medicaid and not concurrently enrolled in other health insurance coverage to buy into a state Medicaid plan beginning January 1, 2026, at the option of the state. State Medicaid programs may set premiums and cost-sharing requirements for such coverage in accordance with specified limitations. The bill also (1) provides the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) to every state that expands Medicaid coverage for individuals who are newly eligible under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, regardless of when such expansion takes place; and (2) requires state Medicaid programs to cover comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services, including abortion services.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 2025
Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act This bill removes limitations on the civil liability of gun manufacturers and the disclosure of gun trace data in civil actions. Specifically, the bill repeals the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prohibits civil actions against a firearm or ammunition manufacturer, seller, importer, dealer, or trade association for damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm. Additionally, the bill states that firearms trace data maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is not immune from legal process. Such data is subject to discovery; is admissible as evidence; and may be used, relied on, or disclosed in a civil action or administrative proceeding.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2025
Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025 This bill permanently extends and expands judicial authority under the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016. The law allows and establishes procedures for civil claims and causes of action to recover artwork and other property lost between 1933 and 1945 because of Nazi persecution. Among the changes, the bill removes the deadline for filing civil claims or causes of action. Currently, the filing deadline is December 31, 2026. (Claims must still be filed within six years of the claimant's discovery of the property in question.) The bill permits courts to exercise jurisdiction over civil claims or causes of action against a foreign state without regard to the nationality or citizenship of the alleged victim. The art or property at issue must still have a connection to the foreign state's commercial activities in the United States. Additionally, the bill authorizes nationwide service of process, which allows courts to exercise personal jurisdiction over defendants in any judicial district where they may be found, reside, have an agent, or transact business. Finally, the bill limits the defenses that may be asserted against civil claims or causes of action, including by prohibiting defenses based on the passage of time, including equitable defenses such as laches (i.e., unreasonable delays); and discretionary bases for dismissal that are unrelated to the merits of the claim, including international comity (i.e., deference to the laws of other countries). These changes apply to pending and future civil claims or causes of action.
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 · 21 May 2025
Strengthening Transparency and Obligations to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment Act of 2025 or the STOP CSAM Act of 2025 This bill revises the federal framework governing the prevention of online child sexual exploitation to expand protections for victims, expand requirements for electronic communication service providers and remote computing service providers (providers), and expand related penalties and remedies. The bill extends protections for child victims and witnesses who testify in federal court (e.g., privacy protections) to child victims and witnesses of kidnapping offenses and to child victims and witnesses who were under 18 years of age at the time of the crime, even if they are 18 or older at the time of court proceedings. Additionally, the bill establishes statutory procedures for courts to appoint a trustee to hold restitution payments for certain victims (e.g., minor victims) of offenses involving human trafficking, sexual abuse, child sexual abuse material, illegal sexual activity and related crimes, or crimes of violence. The bill requires providers to report online child sexual exploitation to the CyberTipline (i.e., the national reporting system for online child sexual exploitation) within 60 days. Reports must include specified information, such as information about repeat offenders. The bill establishes criminal and civil penalties for providers who fail to comply with the requirements. Finally, the bill prohibits providers from hosting or storing child pornography or knowingly facilitating the sexual exploitation of children and allows victims to pursue civil remedies.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 2025
Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes through FY2030 various federal grants for state, local, and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and service providers to support individuals who reenter the community following a period of incarceration. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes the following: grants for adult and juvenile offender reentry demonstration projects; grants for family-based substance abuse treatment programs; grants to evaluate and improve educational methods at prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities; grants for career training education; the offender reentry substance abuse and criminal justice collaboration program; and grants to nonprofit organizations for community-based mentoring and transitional services.
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 · 14 May 2025
Kids Online Safety Act This bill requires covered online platforms, including social media platforms, to implement tools and safeguards to protect users and visitors under the age of 17. Covered platforms are online platforms, video games, messaging applications, or video streaming services used or likely to be used by individuals under the age of 17, with specified exceptions. The bill generally requires covered platforms to exercise reasonable care in the design and use of features that increase minors’ online activity in order to prevent and mitigate harm to minors (e.g., mental health disorders and severe harassment). Covered platforms are also required to provide certain safeguards to minors, such as protections for minors’ data; tools for parents of minors, such as access to minors’ privacy settings; and a mechanism for account holders and visitors to report harm to minors on the platform. Covered platforms are prohibited from conducting market or product research on children under the age of 13, and may only conduct such research on those under the age of 17 with parental consent. The bill provides for enforcement through the Federal Trade Commission and states. The bill also requires online platforms to meet certain requirements before using algorithms that select, order, or prioritize information presented to users based on user-specific data not provided for that purpose. Specifically, such platforms must (1) provide users with notice of the use of such algorithms, and (2) permit users to switch to an algorithm that does not rely on such user-specific data.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2025
This resolution recognizes the significance of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month as an important time to celebrate the significant contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United States.
![Official portrait of Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/d000563_200.jpg)