United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2025
Patients Before Middlemen Act This bill establishes certain standards and reporting requirements for prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and pharmacies under the Medicare prescription drug benefit and Medicare Advantage. Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must develop reasonable and relevant standards for contracts between PDP sponsors and pharmacies. The CMS must seek input from interested stakeholders when developing these standards. PDP sponsors are subject to civil penalties for violating these standards; PBMs must reimburse PDP sponsors for civil penalties that result from their responsibilities. The bill also requires the CMS to report periodically on essential retail pharmacies (i.e., pharmacies that serve as the only pharmacy within a certain radius) with respect to costs, contracts, and other specified information, particularly in relation to other types of pharmacies. Additionally, PBMs may not receive any income other than flat, bona fide service fees. PBMs must turn over any excess amounts they receive to PDP sponsors; PDP sponsors must turn over these amounts to the CMS. In addition, PBMs must report to PDP sponsors and to the CMS an itemized list of prescription drugs that were dispensed during the previous year and related data about costs, claims, affiliated pharmacies, and other specified information. PDP sponsors may audit PBMs to ensure compliance with these requirements and must annually certify their compliance; PBMs are responsible for any associated civil penalties for violations. The bill's changes generally apply beginning in 2028.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2025
ATF Transparency Act This bill modifies procedural requirements related to the transfer or making of firearms that are subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act (e.g., machine guns, short-barreled shotguns, and silencers). The bill generally permits the transfer of a firearm if three business days have elapsed since the application to transfer the firearm was filed, and the application has not been denied. Additionally, the bill establishes an administrative relief process with respect to an application to transfer that is denied. The bill permits the making of a firearm if three business days have elapsed since the application to make the firearm was filed, and the application has not been denied. Finally, the bill requires reports on firearms-related background check inquiries that remain unresolved after 90 days and the percentage of firearms-related background check inquiries related to the transfer of a firearm that were administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025
Disaster Assistance Simplification Act This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop and establish a unified intake process and system for applicants for assistance provided by a disaster assistance agency. The system must facilitate a consolidated application for any form of disaster assistance provided by a disaster assistance agency when appropriate to support the nature and purposes of the assistance; carry out the purposes of disaster assistance programs swiftly, efficiently, equitably, and in accordance with specified laws and privacy and data protections; and support the detection, prevention, and investigation of waste, fraud, abuse, or discrimination in the administration of disaster assistance programs. Further, the system must, among other things accept applications for disaster assistance programs; permit applicants to receive status updates on such applications; allow applicants to update disaster assistance information throughout their recovery journeys; permit the distribution of information on additional recovery resources to disaster survivors that may be available in a disaster-stricken jurisdiction in coordination with appropriate federal, state, local, and tribal partners; and permit disaster assistance agencies to communicate directly with disaster survivors. Not later than 30 days after receiving a request from a disaster assistance agency to update questions in the consolidated application needed to administer the disaster assistance programs of the agency, FEMA must make those updates. The bill requires reports and congressional briefings from FEMA, and a report from the Government Accountability Office, relating to the bill's implementation.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025
Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 This bill expands a requirement for federal agencies to report expenditures on the USAspending.gov website to include other transaction agreement expenditures. (Other transaction agreements, or OTAs, are contractual instruments other than standard procurement contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements; they are exempt from many federal procurement laws and regulations). Under current law, federal agencies must report expenditures on federal awards to USAspending.gov with the term federal award defined as federal grants, loans, cooperative agreements, contracts, and certain other types of expenditures. This bill expands the definition of federal award to include expenditures under OTAs, and therefore such expenditures must be included on the USAspending.gov website. The Department of the Treasury must ensure that data relating to OTAs are automatically transmitted to the website and a centralized view of this data is available on the website. Treasury must also annually post on the USAspending.gov website a report that includes (1) the total amount of federal spending on federal awards for which data has not been posted on the website, and (2) the reason why such spending data was not posted. For 10 years after enactment, the Office of Inspector General of specified federal agencies must periodically submit to Congress and make publicly available a report assessing the agency's spending data and use of data standards.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2025
Ensuring Pathways to Innovative Cures Act of 2025 or the EPIC Act of 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 beginning in 2028.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Critical Minerals Security Act of 2025 This bill establishes requirements for the Department of the Interior related to securing U.S. access to critical minerals and rare earth element (REE) resources. Critical minerals mean any mineral, element, substance, or material designated as critical by the U.S. Geological Survey. REEs mean cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, lanthanum, lutetium, neodymium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium, scandium, terbium, thulium, ytterbium, and yttrium. First, Interior must report on the critical mineral and REE resources, including recyclable or recycled materials containing those resources, around the world. Among other information, the report must include an assessment of the global ownership and supply of critical mineral and REE resources. Interior must submit the report within a year and every two years thereafter. Next, Interior must establish a process to assist a U.S. person—a U.S. citizen, a non-U.S. National (alien under federal law) lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or an entity organized under U.S. laws—seeking to divest stock in mining, processing, or recycling operations for critical minerals and REEs in a foreign country with finding a purchaser that is not under the control of North Korea, China, Russia, or Iran. Finally, Interior must develop (1) a strategy to collaborate with U.S. allies and partners to develop advanced mining, refining, separation, processing, and recycling technologies; and (2) a method for sharing related intellectual property with U.S. allies and partners to enable those countries to license those technologies and develop their resources.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025
Book Minimum Tax Repeal Act This bill repeals the corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT) and makes related modifications to the general business tax credit. Under current law, a 15% CAMT is imposed on a corporation with adjusted financial statement income (also known as book income) exceeding an average of $1 billion for a consecutive three-year period (or an average of $100 million for a U.S. corporation that is part of a foreign parent multinational group if the adjusted financial statement income of such group exceeds an average of $1 billion for a consecutive three-year period). Adjusted financial statement income generally is the net income or loss reported on the corporation’s applicable financial statement for a tax year, with adjustments for specific items. The bill repeals the CAMT and modifies a related limit on the amount of general business tax credits allowed for a corporation.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025
Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act This bill increases federal criminal penalties for providing or attempting to provide a cell phone to an individual who is incarcerated at a prison.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025
Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net Act or the SCREEN Act This bill establishes age-verification requirements for commercial interactive computer services (e.g., websites) that make available content that is harmful to minors (e.g., content that appeals to the prurient interest in nudity or sex, is obscene, or is child pornography). Specifically, the bill requires such services to adopt and utilize technology verification measures to ensure that (1) users of the service are not minors, and (2) minors are prevented from accessing any content on the service that is harmful to minors. Additionally, such services must (1) use the technology to verify a user's age; (2) publish the verification process that the service uses; and (3) subject users' Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, including known virtual proxy network (VPN) IP addresses, to the technology verification measures, unless the service determines a user is not located within the United States. Covered services also must implement data security measures to protect information about individuals collected through the verification process. The Federal Trade Commission must conduct regular audits of such services, issue guidance, and otherwise enforce the requirements of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025
Protecting Rural Seniors’ Access to Care Act This bill prohibits administration, implementation, or enforcement of the rule titled Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting , which was issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on May 10, 2024. Specifically, the bill prohibits administration, implementation, or enforcement of provisions that, among other changes, (1) establish minimum staffing standards for nurses in Medicare and Medicaid long-term care facilities, including requiring a nurse to be onsite 24/7 and requiring a minimum of 3.48 total nurse staffing hours per resident per day; and (2) require state Medicaid programs to report on payments to direct care workers and support staff of nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Also, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish an Advisory Panel on the Nursing Home Workforce. The panel must report annually to Congress, including on workforce shortages and barriers to accessing nursing homes in rural and underserved areas.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2025
Federal Prisons Accountability Act of 2025 This bill modifies the appointment procedures and term of service for the Director of the Bureau of Prisons. Currently, the director is appointed by the Attorney General. This bill requires the director to be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The bill also limits the director to a single term of 10 years.
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 · 19 February 2025
Quapaw Tribal Settlement Act of 2025 This bill creates a trust account, funds the account, and establishes a distribution process to settle certain claims between the federal government and the Quapaw Nation (a tribe in Oklahoma). Specifically, the bill establishes the Quapaw Bear Settlement Trust Account and directs the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Trust Funds Administration to administer all funds appropriated to the trust account. Interior must make payments to the tribe and individual members of the tribe in accordance with the January 2020 recommendation of the review panel of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The bill outlines the distribution process for the settlement funds in the trust account.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 2025
Clergy Act This bill establishes a two-year window for certain members of the clergy and Christian Science practitioners to revoke their exemption from Social Security and Medicare taxes on ministerial earnings. Under current law, such individuals who object to participation in public insurance programs on religious or conscientious grounds may apply to the Internal Revenue Service for an irrevocable exemption and will not receive Social Security or Medicare benefits in retirement unless they have qualifying credits from other employment. The Internal Revenue Service must develop a plan to inform members of the clergy and Christian Science practitioners of their eligibility to revoke prior exemptions, pursuant to the bill's changes.
United States · United States Congress · 18 February 2025
Veterans Border Patrol Training Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to collaborate with the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a five-year interdepartmental pilot program, under which DHS must use the DOD SkillBridge Program to train and hire transitioning servicemembers as border patrol agents for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025
Shadow Wolves Improvement Act This bill allows for the revision of the federal employment classification of the Shadow Wolves, a tactical patrol unit in Homeland Security Investigations currently operating on the lands of the Tohono O'odham Nation in Arizona on the U.S.-Mexico border, and establishes other requirements related to the expansion of the Shadow Wolves program. Specifically, the bill allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to noncompetitively convert certain special agents serving in the Shadow Wolves program from the excepted service to the competitive service. Competitive service positions in the federal government are subject to examinations and a statutorily defined hiring process. These agents must have served in the unit for three years to qualify for the conversion regardless of the location assigned. In coordination with appropriate representatives of partnering tribal governments, including the Tohono O'odham Nation, ICE must (1) specify the mission and goals of the Shadow Wolves program, and (2) update the strategy for the expansion of the program. Additionally, ICE must (1) determine national staffing needs and required skills for the program, (2) provide current Shadow Wolves classified as officers written information about reclassifying as special agents, (3) develop a succession plan for anticipated retirements among agents in the program, and (4) develop criteria for evaluating and selecting additional tribal lands on which additional Shadow Wolves units may be located. ICE must report to specified congressional committees regarding the implementation of this bill.
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
Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade Facilitation Act of 2025 or the BEST Facilitation Act This bill establishes a pilot program for positions within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to review inspection images of vehicles and cargo entering or exiting the United States. Specifically, the bill establishes the position of image technician 1 within the CBP Office of Field Operations. An image technician must (1) review nonintrusive inspection images of vehicles and cargo entering or exiting the United States; (2) assess whether such vehicles and cargo contain contraband, illicit drugs, weapons, or persons seeking to unlawfully enter the United States; and (3) refer suspicious vehicles and cargo for further inspection by a CBP officer. These reviews must take place at one of five regional command centers established pursuant to this pilot program. The bill also establishes the position of image technician 2 with additional responsibilities, including receiving and reporting intelligence to the National Targeting Center about techniques used by malign actors to transport contraband, illicit drugs, weapons, and persons seeking to unlawfully enter the United States. Image technicians must be supervised by a supervisory CBP officer. The bill establishes annual training requirements for both positions, including training on privacy and civil liberties and how to analyze inspection images. This pilot program ends five years after the date of enactment of this bill. Individuals employed as image technicians at the end of the pilot program may transfer to comparable positions within CBP or the Department of Homeland Security.
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 · 13 February 2025
Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act This bill expands the high-priority research and extension areas at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to include the research and development of ungulate grazing land management techniques to promote wildfire mitigation, fuel reduction, and post-fire recovery. (An ungulate is a hooved grazing mammal.) Specifically, the bill allows USDA to provide grants to land-grant institutions for supporting the research and development of wildfire-related ungulate grazing land management techniques that improve soil health and are compatible with activities that protect against adverse environmental effects. This includes compatibility with activities that protect against the spread of invasive plant species and disease, soil erosion, water quality degradation, and watershed degradation. The grants to land-grant universities may also be used to disseminate information to public and private landowners, land managers, and livestock owners regarding these wildfire-related grazing land management techniques and compatible activities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2025
Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025 This bill bars the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Forest Service from prohibiting or regulating the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal land or water. The bill makes exceptions for specified existing regulations and where the FWS, the BLM, or the Forest Service determines that a decline in wildlife population at the specific unit of federal land or water is primarily caused by the use of lead in ammunition or tackle, based on the field data from such unit, and the state approves the regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2025
Combating Illicit Xylazine Act This bill regulates xylazine under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Xylazine, also known as tranq , is a nonopioid sedative and pain reliever that is approved for use in animals. Recently, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reported an increase in trafficking of fentanyl mixed with xylazine. This bill adds xylazine, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, to schedule III of the CSA. Schedule III controlled substances, including anabolic steroids, buprenorphine, and ketamine, have less potential for abuse than a schedule I or II substance, have a currently accepted medical use, and have low or moderate risk of dependence if abused. Under the bill, manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing xylazine, or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense xylazine for illicit use is subject to criminal penalties under the CSA. The bill also requires xylazine transactions to be tracked in the drug reporting system maintained by the DEA. The bill exempts from registration under the CSA persons and entities that possess xylazine (1) lawfully dispensed by a veterinarian or pharmacy and (2) for an animal or for use in certain animal-control or wildlife programs. The bill also exempts xylazine manufacturers from the CSA's physical security requirements. Finally, the bill requires the DEA, in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to provide Congress with a report on how the agencies previously determined whether xylazine should be a controlled substance, including the full text of HHS's recommendations to the DEA for scheduling xylazine.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2025
Ensuring Continuity in Veterans Health Act This bill requires the consideration of continuity of care when determining whether care through the Veterans Community Care Program is in the best medical interest of a veteran.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 2025
Eliminate Lavish Incentives To Electric Vehicles Act or the ELITE Vehicles Act This bill eliminates federal tax credits for the purchase of certain clean vehicles (generally electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles) and electric vehicle recharging stations. Specifically, the bill repeals the federal tax credits for the purchase of a qualified used clean vehicle (tax credit of up to $4,000 for the purchase of a previously-owned clean vehicle before 2033), the purchase of a qualified new clean vehicle (tax credit of up to $7,500 for the purchase of a new clean vehicle before 2033), the purchase of a qualified commercial clean vehicle (business tax credit of up to $40,000 for the purchase of a commercial clean vehicle before 2033), and alternative fuel vehicle refueling property used to recharge electric vehicles (tax credit of up to $1,000 for individuals or up to $100,000 for businesses for the installation of property before 2033 that is used to recharge electric vehicles).
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
Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act This bill establishes new federal criminal offenses for operating a motor vehicle within 100 miles of the U.S. border while fleeing from a U.S. Border Patrol agent or a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer who is actively assisting or under the command of the U.S. Border Patrol. The bill establishes criminal penalties for an offense, including a mandatory minimum prison term for an offense resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Additionally, a non-U.S. national who is convicted of or admits to committing an offense is inadmissible, deportable, and ineligible for immigration relief (including asylum).
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2025
Methane Emissions Reduction Program Clarifications Act of 2025 or the MERP Clarifications Act of 2025 This bill modifies the Methane Emissions Reduction Program, including by exempting certain facilities from methane emission reporting requirements and fees. Under the program, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must (1) provide financial and technical assistance to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and (2) collect a fee on methane emissions that exceed certain thresholds. The bill exempts certain small upstream facilities from the program's reporting requirements and fees. Specifically, the exemption applies to a facility that, as of August 16, 2022, (1) was emitting less than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gases per year, and (2) had 2,500 or fewer full-time employees. The bill also prohibits the EPA from imposing a fee on certain facilities during any period in which the facilities (1) comply with specified emission standards, and (2) are located in states that are complying with their state implementation plans. Further, the bill requires the EPA to disburse all incentive grants under the program and finalize revisions to certain emissions reporting regulations before it collects fees. The EPA must also propose a rule to establish an expedited process for certain facilities to appeal or dispute the amount of fees. Additionally, the EPA must publish specified information about the program, including a clear explanation of the reporting requirements and calculations necessary to understand them. Finally, the bill automatically terminates the program on December 31, 2034.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2025
Prescription Pricing for the People Act of 20 25 This bill requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report about anticompetitive practices and other trends within the pharmaceutical supply chain that may impact the cost of prescription drugs. The report must address whether pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) (1) reimburse pharmacies owned by the PBM at a higher price than other pharmacies, and (2) implement formulary designs to increase the market share of higher-cost prescription drugs or depress the market share of lower-cost prescription drugs. The FTC also must provide recommendations to increase transparency in the supply chain, prevent anticompetitive practices, and ensure that consumers benefit from cost savings or efficiencies that result from mergers and consolidations. Additionally, the FTC must report the number and nature of complaints the FTC receives relating to an allegation of anticompetitive conduct by a manufacturer of a sole-source drug.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 2025
Protect Small Businesses from Excessive Paperwork Act of 2025 This bill extends the deadline for certain companies that are required to file beneficial ownership information with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Specifically, the bill requires companies formed or registered before January 1, 2024, to submit this information to FinCEN by January 1, 2026, instead of by January 1, 2025, as required under current regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2025
Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025 This bill temporarily allows additional hospitals to qualify as critical access hospitals (CAHs) that receive special payment under Medicare. Currently, in order to qualify as a CAH under Medicare, a hospital must either (1) be located more than 35 miles (or 15 miles in mountainous regions or areas with only secondary roads) from another hospital, or (2) have been certified prior to January 1, 2006, by the state as a necessary provider of services in the area. The bill allows a hospital to also qualify if the hospital is a small, rural hospital that (1) serves a health professional shortage area, or a high number of low-income individuals or Medicare beneficiaries; (2) has experienced financial losses for two consecutive years; and (3) attests to having a strategic plan to address financial solvency and to committing to provide a service that is in high demand in the hospital's service area. This authority expires nine years after the bill's enactment. The Government Accountability Office must study the effects of the bill's implementation. In addition, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission must study and recommend payment systems for rural hospitals under Medicare. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must subsequently establish a mechanism and issue guidance on how newly designated CAHs may transition to different payment models under Medicare, including any new payment models recommended by the commission.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2025
Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act of 2025 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.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2025
Securing our Border Act This bill addresses issues concerning border security and immigration, including by transferring unobligated funds from the Internal Revenue Service to certain border-related projects. Specifically, the bill transfers certain unobligated funds previously appropriated for tax enforcement activities (e.g., collecting owed taxes and conducting criminal investigations) to fund (1) nonintrusive inspection systems along the northern border and southwest border of the United States, and (2) the construction of a border wall system along the southwest border. The bill also authorizes the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to pay recruitment, retention, and relocation bonuses, subject to various requirements and limitations. For example, a relocation bonus may not exceed 15% of the agent's annual basic bay and must be conditioned on the agent agreeing to serve for at least three years at the new duty station. The bill also modifies the treatment of non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) arriving by land from a country next to the United States. Specifically, if such an individual is not clearly entitled to admission into the United States, the Department of Justice must (1) return the individual to that neighboring country or a safe third country while removal proceedings are pending, or (2) detain the individual while the individual's asylum application is under consideration. (Current law authorizes DOJ to return the individual to the neighboring country but does not require such action or detention.)
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2025
Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2025 This bill expands congressional review of federal agency rules and establishes additional procedures for major rules and agency guidance. Specifically, the bill requires the enactment of a joint resolution for a major rule to take effect. A major rule is a rule that has resulted in or is likely to result in (1) an annual economic effect of at least $100 million; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, or innovation. Additionally, major rules approved by a joint resolution under the bill expire, and are no longer effective, 10 years after the enactment of such joint resolution. Further, each agency must annually designate at least 10% of the agency’s major rules that are currently in effect for review and approval by a joint resolution of Congress. Such rules that are not approved shall no longer be in effect. Under the bill, agency guidance documents are considered rules and certain significant guidance documents are considered major rules. Significant guidance documents include guidance anticipated to lead to an annual effect of at least $100 million, or adversely affect in a material way the economy, the environment, public health, or state or local government. The Office of Management and Budget must establish an federal regulatory budget specifying the net amount of incremental regulatory costs allowed by the federal government for the next fiscal year.
![Official portrait of Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000575_200.jpg)