United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2025
Regulations Evaluated to Determine The Anticipated Price and Effect Act or the RED TAPE Act This bill prohibits federal agencies from considering any nonmonetized or unquantified factor when conducting a regulatory impact analysis or benefit-cost analysis for any proposed rule, final rule, or interim final rule. Each agency must publish each regulatory impact analysis and benefit-cost analysis conducted by the agency with respect to a proposed rule, final rule, or interim final rule. Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget may not (1) authorize or endorse an agency's use of any nonmonetized or unquantified factor when conducting a regulatory impact analysis or benefit-cost analysis on any proposed rule, final rule, or interim final rule; or (2) consider any nonmonetized or unquantified factor presented in a regulatory impact analysis or benefit-cost analysis of another agency. The bill provides for judicial review of a rule issued by an agency that considered a nonmonetized or unquantified factor when conducting a regulatory impact or benefit-cost analysis. If a court finds that an agency relied upon such a factor to evaluate a final rule or interim final rule, the court must declare the rule invalid. The bill takes effect 30 days after enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2025
Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2025 This bill requires the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and State to combat the use of social media by transnational criminal organizations to recruit individuals in the United States for illicit activities. Specifically, the departments must jointly assess and implement a strategy to combat the use of social media platforms, messaging services, and other interactive digital platforms by these organizations to recruit individuals to engage in or support unlawful activities in the United States, Mexico, or otherwise near a U.S. international border.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025
Recover Fraudulent COVID Funds Act This bill extends the statute of limitations (i.e., time limit for bringing a legal action) to 10 years for criminal and civil violations involving specified COVID-19 pandemic relief programs, such as violations involving fraudulent activity. Under current law, the statute of limitations is generally five years for violations concerning these pandemic-era programs. The Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program currently have 10-year statutes of limitations relating to program fraud.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025
Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE Act This bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship. Further, the bill (1) prohibits states from registering an individual to vote in a federal election unless, at the time the individual applies to register to vote, the individual provides documentary proof of U.S. citizenship; and (2) requires states to establish an alternative process under which an applicant may submit other evidence to demonstrate U.S. citizenship. Each state must take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote, which shall include establishing a program to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens using information supplied by certain sources. Additionally, states must remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters. The bill allows for a private right of action against an election official who registers an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill establishes criminal penalties for certain offenses, including registering an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025
Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination Act or the FIND Act This bill prohibits the federal government from entering into contracts with an entity that discriminates against firearm trade associations or businesses that deal in firearms, ammunition, or related products. Specifically, the bill requires a federal agency to include in each contract for the procurement of goods or services awarded by the agency a clause requiring the prime contractor to certify that it (1) has no policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association; and (2) will not adopt a policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association during the term of the contract. The bill establishes (1) a similar requirement with respect to subcontracts, and (2) penalties for violations. The bill makes such prohibition inapplicable to a contract for the procurement of goods or services that is a sole-source contract.
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025
Natural Gas Tax Repeal Act This bill eliminates a program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency that provides support for reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. It also repeals a charge on methane emissions from facilities that contain petroleum and natural gas systems and emit 25,000 metric tons or more of greenhouse gases per year.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2025
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act This bill establishes requirements for the degree of care a health care practitioner must provide in the case of a child born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion. Specifically, a health care practitioner who is present must (1) exercise the same degree of care as would reasonably be provided to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) ensure the child is immediately admitted to a hospital. Additionally, a health care practitioner or other employee who has knowledge of a failure to comply with the degree-of-care requirements must immediately report such failure to law enforcement. A health care practitioner who fails to provide the required degree of care, or a health care practitioner or other employee who fails to report such failure, is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. An individual who intentionally kills or attempts to kill a child born alive is subject to prosecution for murder. The bill bars the criminal prosecution of a mother of a child born alive under this bill and allows her to bring a civil action against a health care practitioner or other employee for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2025
Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act This bill repeals the Corporate Transparency Act. The act requires existing companies and newly created companies to report beneficial ownership information to the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for purposes of addressing the financing of terrorism and money laundering.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2025
Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team in recognition of the team's achievement at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2025
Sarah's Law This bill requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who is unlawfully present in the United States and has been charged with a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. ICE must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the identity of any victims of the crimes for which the detained individual was charged or convicted. ICE shall provide the victim, or a relative or guardian of a deceased victim, with information about the detained individual, including name, date of birth, nationality, immigration status, criminal history, and a description of any related removal efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 14 January 2025
Thin Blue Line Act This bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include killing or targeting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
Telework Reform Act of 2025 This bill establishes additional terms and conditions for executive agency telework policies. It also authorizes agencies to noncompetitively hire qualified covered veterans, military spouses, and spouses of law enforcement officers for remote telework (i.e., full-time telework from an approved alternative worksite). The bill provides, among other requirements, that agencies limit telework agreements to a period of one year, review telework agreements at least annually, ensure that telework policies address the extent to which telework may be restricted based on performance or disciplinary action, and establish systems to confirm that employees are working solely at approved worksites. The bill also authorizes agencies to noncompetitively appoint veterans, military spouses, and spouses of law enforcement officers with appropriate qualifications to remote telework positions. The authority for hiring spouses of law enforcement officers is a seven-year pilot program. Further, the bill requires the (1) Office of Management and Budget to issue guidelines to protect the security of information and systems used while teleworking, and (2) the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study comparing the processing time for constituent services provided by agencies as of the study's date with the average processing times in 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
Setting Manageable Analysis Requirements in Text Act of 2025 or the SMART Act of 2025 This bill requires agencies, when publishing a proposed or final major rule, to include a framework for assessing whether the rule achieves its regulatory objective. An agency must assess a rule in the time frame included in the framework. The assessment must compare the rule's anticipated and actual benefits and costs. Additionally, the assessment must determine whether (1) the rule has been rendered unnecessary because of changes to the subject area affected by the rule or it overlaps with, duplicates, or conflicts with other rules, or state and local government regulations; (2) the rule should be expanded, streamlined, or otherwise modified to accomplish the rule's objective; and (3) other alternatives or modifications to the rule could better achieve the rule's objective. The bill defines a major rule as a rule likely to cause (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, health, safety, the environment, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
Guidance Clarity Act of 2025 This bill requires federal agencies to state on the first page of guidance documents that such guidance (1) does not have the force and effect of law, and (2) is intended only to provide clarity to the public about existing legal requirements or agency policies.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
Improving Federal Financial Management Act This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to take certain actions to improve financial management systems across the federal government and expands the responsibilities of federal agency Chief Financial Officers (CFOs). The bill requires OMB to submit a four-year governmentwide financial management plan to Congress within six months of enactment and thereafter with the budget submitted in the first full fiscal year following the start of a presidential term. Such plans must address certain topics, including strategies for (1) improving financial management systems; (2) strengthening the financial management workforce; and (3) reporting performance and cost information. OMB must annually submit related status reports to Congress and the Government Accountability Office. Each agency CFO is assigned new responsibilities, including preparing the agency plan to implement OMB's governmentwide financial management plan; overseeing and providing leadership in the areas of budget formulation and execution, planning and performance, risk management, internal controls, financial systems, accounting, and other areas designated by OMB; coordinating with designated agency personnel on the strategic planning, performance measurement and reporting, and risk management functions of the agency; managing the formulation and financial execution of the agency budget; linking performance and cost information; and preparing annual reports on progress in implementing the governmentwide financial management plan and transmitting such reports to the agency head, OMB, and Congress. The bill establishes new requirements for audits of agency accounts, such as having auditors evaluate the design of the agency's internal controls over financial reporting.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
This resolution recognizes October 10, 2025, as American Girls in Sports Day. The resolution also calls on sports-governing bodies in the United States and abroad to protect biological women and girls in sports.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
This resolution calls on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to revoke its transgender student-athlete eligibility policy and urges the NCAA to require its member conferences to conform to a biological sex-based policy across all sports and all divisions.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
This concurrent resolution affirms the commitments in the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women's Health and Strengthening the Family and applauds the signatory countries for their dedication to advancing women's health, protecting life at every stage while affirming that there is no international right to abortion, and upholding the importance of the family as foundational to society. The resolution also states that Congress will work with the executive branch to ensure that the United States does not conduct or fund abortions, abortion lobbying, or coercive family planning in foreign countries.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
Allowing Contractors to Choose Employees for Select Skills Act or the ACCESS Act This bill prohibits federal contract bid solicitations for contractor personnel from including minimum educational requirements unless the contracting officer justifies the requirements. The prohibition applies to educational requirements that may be met through education alone, education or experience, or a combination of education and experience. The bill also requires the Office of Management and Budget to issue implementing guidance to federal agencies, including instructions for contracting officers that encourage using alternatives to education requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
Early Participation in Regulations Act of 2025 This bill directs agencies to publish an advance notice of a proposed rulemaking at least 90 days before publishing a notice of proposed rulemaking for a major rule. A major rule is a rule that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) determines is likely to impose (1) an annual economic effect of $100 million or more; (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, innovation, health, safety, the environment, or the ability of U.S. enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises. The advance notice must include a description of the problem the rule may address, alternatives under consideration, and the legal authority for proposing the rule; and solicit and provide at least 30 days for submission of written data, views, and argument from interested persons. Any difference between such advance notice and the notice of proposed rulemaking may not be considered arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law for the purposes of review under the Administrative Procedure Act. Advance notice is not required if the proposing agency is not required to publish notice of proposed rulemaking or OIRA finds that advance notice is (1) not in the public interest, (2) duplicative of a similar process, (3) not practicable due to a required deadline, or (4) for a rule that is routine or periodic in nature.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
Safeguarding the Transparency and Efficiency of Payments Act or the STEP Act This bill requires federal agencies to take certain actions to prevent improper payments (i.e., payments that should not have been made or were made in an incorrect amount). The bill requires agencies to annually identify as susceptible to significant improper payments any new program or activity that is in its first four years of operation and has, or is expected to have, outlays exceeding $100 million in any of its first three fiscal years of operation, with exceptions for activities that are not susceptible to significant improper payments. (Agencies must report estimates of improper payments for activities identified as susceptible.) The bill allows agencies, when estimating improper payments, to use an estimation methodology approved by the agency's chief financial officer (CFO). (Currently, only methodologies approved by the Office of Management and Budget may be used.) An agency’s annual financial statement must include certain reports related to the agency’s improper payments. Such reports must also include a certification by the agency CFO that the identification of programs and activities susceptible to significant improper payments is reliable as well as a description of the CFO's actions to monitor required corrective action plans. Each agency must report to Congress for each of the 10 fiscal years after enactment on certain matters, including progress in managing fraud risks and implementing financial controls.
United States · United States Congress · 13 January 2025
Taxpayer Resources Used in Emergencies Accountability Act or the TRUE Accountability Act This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue guidance to certain executive branch agencies for the development of internal control plans that are available for immediate use in future emergencies or crises. ( Internal control refers to a process that provides reasonable assurance of achieving effective and efficient operations, reliable financial reporting, and legal compliance.) This guidance must be in alignment with the Government Accountability Office reports entitled A Framework for Managing Improper Payments in Emergency Assistance Programs and A Framework for Managing Fraud Risks in Federal Programs . Periodically, the agencies subject to this guidance must submit their internal control plan to OMB and OMB must submit such agency plans to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2025
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to contract for and place a statue of Benjamin Franklin in the Capitol. The committee shall place the statue in a permanent public location where it is accessible during a guided tour provided by the Capitol Visitor Center. The contract must be executed by December 31, 2025, and the statue must be placed by December 31, 2026.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2025
Transnational Criminal Organization Illicit Spotter Prevention and Elimination Act This bill provides for criminal penalties for certain conduct that interferes with U.S. border control measures. Specifically, a person who knowingly transmits the location or activities of law enforcement with the intent to further a crime related to immigration, customs, controlled substances, or other border controls may be imprisoned for a maximum of 10 years. A person who knowingly damages or destroys a device deployed to control the border or a port of entry may be imprisoned for a maximum of 10 years. Additionally, the bill provides for enhanced punishment for carrying or using a firearm in connection with certain criminal immigration violations such as assisting a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who is inadmissible due to a felony conviction enter the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2025
America First Act This bill limits the eligibility of certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) for various federal benefits and grants, makes permanent the child tax credit increase, and requires individuals to provide evidence of satisfactory immigration status prior to receiving specified benefits. The bill prohibits asylees, parolees, and individuals withheld from removal from receiving certain federal benefits, including Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), and Supplemental Security Income. The bill further restricts on the basis of immigration status benefits under federal health programs such as Medicare, emergency disaster relief, housing assistance, food assistance, early childhood assistance, student aid, and Community Development Block Grants. The bill also makes permanent the increase in the child tax credit set to expire at the end of 2025. In addition, this tax credit and the earned income tax credit are not available to asylees, parolees, individuals granted temporary protected status, individuals withheld from removal, individuals granted deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) status, and non-U.S. nationals with employment-based immigrant visas. Federal aid is reduced for elementary and secondary education by 50% annually to jurisdictions that do not assist federal immigration enforcement actions (deemed sanctuary jurisdictions under the bill). The bill also removes statutory exemptions for Haitian entrants that allows such entrants to receive various aid. Certain benefits are prohibited, including Medicaid and SNAP, until an applicant’s satisfactory immigration status is proved. The bill prohibits tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organizations from using federal funds to support certain non-U.S. nationals.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2025
This resolution (1) mourns the passing of former President Jimmy Carter and extends sympathy to his family; and (2) honors his life, legacy, and contributions to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2025
Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025 This bill allows a qualified individual to carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms. A qualified individual must (1) be eligible to possess, transport, or receive a firearm under federal law; (2) carry a valid photo identification document; and (3) carry a valid state-issued concealed carry permit, or be eligible to carry a concealed firearm in his or her state of residence.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2025
Build the Wall Act of 2025 This bill establishes the Southern Border Wall Construction Fund to be used by the Department of Homeland Security to construct and maintain physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. All unobligated amounts in the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds must be immediately deposited in the Southern Border Wall Construction Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2025
Requiring Effective Management and Oversight of Teleworking Employees Act or the REMOTE Act This bill directs executive agencies to track employees' computer network activity, compare the activity of teleworking and on-site employees, and report on any deficiencies in the performance of teleworking employees. First, the bill requires each agency to establish policies to track for every employee (1) the average number of daily logins, (2) the average daily duration of the network connection, and (3) the network traffic generated while the employee works. This information must be collected from employees working primarily on-site within 180 days after the bill's enactment and from teleworking employees within one year after the bill's enactment. The bill also directs each agency to publish this data in the agency’s fiscal year budget justification materials, including a comparison of the average login rates of on-site and teleworking employees. Next, the bill directs any manager who revokes a teleworking employee's authorization to telework (due to a reason specific to that employee) to document for the employee and the agency's Human Capital Office (1) the total number of days that the employee teleworked in the six work periods immediately preceding the revocation, (2) a narrative summary of the circumstances giving rise to the revocation, and (3) any steps the manager took to discipline the employee before revoking the employee's telework authorization. Finally, agencies must report to the Chief Human Capital Officers Council about any adverse effects of telework policies on the performance of the executive agency.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2025
Decentralizing and Reorganizing Agency Infrastructure Nation-wide To Harness Efficient Services, Workforce Administration, and Management Practices Act or the DRAIN THE SWAMP Act This bill relocates 30% of employees of executive agencies who are based in the Washington, DC area and reduces the office headquarters of agencies by 30%. It also ends full-time telework for relocated employees and for those who remain based in the DC area. Under the bill, each agency must relocate at least 30% of full-time employees based at the agency’s headquarters, including full-time telework employees who receive DC-area locality pay (unless telework is an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act). The bill does not apply to certain essential employees in the Executive Office of the President, the Department of Defense, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Homeland Security. In determining the new duty stations, each agency must promote geographic diversity and ensure adequate staffing throughout the regions of the agency. Compensation for relocated employees must be according to the locality pay scale for their new duty station. Agencies must provide their reduction plans to Congress within 180 days and complete the relocations within one year after the bill's enactment. Further, the Office of Management and Budget must identify at least 30% of agency headquarters' office space (i.e., real property) to sell or to cease leasing. Agency heads must complete the space reduction within two years after the bill's enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2025
Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 This bill generally prohibits school athletic programs from allowing individuals whose biological sex at birth was male to participate in programs that are for women or girls. Specifically, the bill provides that it is a violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 for federally funded education programs or activities to operate, sponsor, or facilitate athletic programs or activities that allow individuals of the male sex to participate in programs or activities that are designated for women or girls. (Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs or activities, including in public elementary and secondary schools and in colleges and universities.) Under the bill, sex is based on an individual's reproductive biology and genetics at birth.
United States · United States Congress · 7 January 2025
Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 This bill makes daylight saving time the new, permanent standard time. States with areas exempt from daylight saving time may choose the standard time for those areas.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 2025
Laken Riley Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. The bill also authorizes states to sue the federal government for decisions or alleged failures related to immigration enforcement. Under this bill, DHS must detain an individual who (1) is unlawfully present in the United States or did not possess the necessary documents when applying for admission; and (2) has been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to having committed acts that constitute the essential elements of burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. The bill also authorizes state governments to sue for injunctive relief over certain immigration-related decisions or alleged failures by the federal government if the decision or failure caused the state or its residents harm, including financial harm of more than $100. Specifically, the state government may sue the federal government over a decision to release a non-U.S. national from custody; failure to fulfill requirements relating to inspecting individuals seeking admission into the United States, including requirements related to asylum interviews; failure to fulfill a requirement to stop issuing visas to nationals of a country that unreasonably denies or delays acceptance of nationals of that country; violation of limitations on immigration parole, such as the requirement that parole be granted only on a case-by-case basis; or failure to detain an individual who has been ordered removed from the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 20 December 2024
Counter-UAS Authority Extension Act This bill reauthorizes counter-drone authorities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) through FY2025. Under current law, DHS and DOJ have limited authority to protect certain covered facilities and assets from threats posed by drones. Covered facilities and assets include those related to U.S. Customs and Border Protection functions, U.S. Secret Service protection operations, Federal Bureau of Investigation activities, and operations of the U.S. Marshals Service. This authority allows DHS and DOJ to detect, identify, monitor, and track drones; warn drone operators; disrupt or take control of drones; seize, exercise control of, or otherwise confiscate a drone; and use reasonable force to disable, damage, or destroy drones deemed to pose a threat.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 2024
Quapaw Tribal Settlement Act of 2024 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 · 21 November 2024
This resolution expresses the sorrow of the Senate upon the announcement of the death of Timothy Peter Johnson, former Senator and Representative for the state of South Dakota.
![Official portrait of Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000575_200.jpg)