United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2025
International Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes programs and activities that combat international human trafficking and updates various elements of the federal framework to combat international human trafficking. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes through FY2029 programs and activities at various federal departments and agencies to combat international trafficking and reduce the prevalence of modern slavery. The bill also reauthorizes International Megan’s Law through FY2029. Among its provisions, the law requires sex offenders to provide certain information about their intended travel outside of the United States. Additionally, the bill updates the federal framework to combat international trafficking. First, with respect to country rankings for anti-trafficking efforts, the bill narrows the types of countries on the Tier 2 Watch List and increases the length of time a country may remain on the Tier 2 Watch List after being downgraded to the lowest ranking and then reinstated to the watch list. (The Tier 2 Watch List includes countries that are making significant efforts toward meeting the minimum standards to eliminate human trafficking but still have a significant or significantly increasing number of victims or fail to show improvement.) Second, the bill requires the Department of State to brief Congress on (1) countries that are downgraded or upgraded in the rankings, and (2) countries that receive a waiver from being downgraded. Third, the bill requires counter-trafficking strategies, activities, and efforts to be further incorporated into U.S. foreign assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2025
Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception Act or the GUARD Act This bill allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and grantees that receive funds from certain law enforcement grant programs to use the funds to investigate general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, and pig butchering. Pig butchering refers to a confidence and investment fraud in which a victim is gradually lured into transferring increasing amounts of money, generally in the form of cryptocurrency, into a fake virtual investment. The bill allows federal law enforcement agencies to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and fusion centers in the use of tracing tools for blockchain and related technology tools. Finally, the bill requires the Department of the Treasury and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to report on efforts and recommendations related to general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and scams. The bill also requires Treasury and FinCEN to report on the state of scams in the United States, including information about crimes committed, federal civil and criminal enforcement actions, and federal efforts to address the crimes.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 2025
Food Date Labeling Act of 2025 This bill establishes uniform requirements for quality and discard date phrases (e.g., best by and use by ) placed voluntarily on food labels. Specifically, if a food is labeled with a quality date (i.e., the date after which the quality of the item may deteriorate), the label must include the phrase BEST If Used By or the abbreviation BB . Similarly, if a food is labeled with a discard date (i.e., the date after which the item should not be consumed), the label must include the phrase USE By or the abbreviation UB . Abbreviations may be used only if an item’s packaging is too small to fit the full phrase. Quality and discard dates must be written in a single, easy-to-read font and placed in a prominent location on an item’s label or package. The phrase or freeze by may be added after a quality or discard date phrase where appropriate. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must promulgate regulations to carry out these provisions and ensure that the uniform phrases are standardized across all food products. HHS and USDA may specify alternative quality and discard date phrases through regulations. The bill specifies that no state or local government may enforce a requirement related to quality and discard date phrases that differs from the requirements of the bill. The bill does not apply to infant formula, which is subject to separate labeling requirements under current law.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2025
Recovery of Stolen Checks Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to establish procedures that allow an eligible taxpayer to elect to receive by direct deposit a replacement of a federal tax refund amount that was originally issued as a paper check and was lost or stolen. (Currently, taxpayers eligible to receive a replacement of a lost or stolen federal tax refund check are generally issued another paper check.)
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2025
Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2025 This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to complete an audit of the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks not later than 12 months after enactment. In addition, the bill allows the GAO to audit the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks with respect to (1) international financial transactions; (2) deliberations, decisions, or actions on monetary policy matters; (3) transactions made under the direction of the Federal Open Market Committee; and (4) discussions or communications among Federal Reserve officers, board members, and employees regarding any of these matters.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 2025
Supporting the Health of Aquatic systems through Research Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue Act of 2025 or the SHARKED Act of 2025 This bill requires the Department of Commerce to establish a task force to address and report to Congress about critical needs with respect to shark depredation. (Shark depredation is the partial or complete removal of a hooked fish by a shark directly from a fishing line before the line is retrieved.) The duties of the task force are, among other responsibilities, to (1) develop ways to improve coordination and communication across the fisheries management and shark research communities; (2) identify research priorities and funding opportunities; (3) develop recommended management strategies to address shark depredation; and (4) coordinate the development and distribution of educational materials. The bill specifies that the task force must include representatives of each Regional Fishery Management Council, each Marine Fisheries Commission, the fish and wildlife agencies of coastal states, and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The task force must also include researchers and others with relevant expertise. The task force must report its findings to Congress within two years after the bill's enactment and every two years thereafter until the task force is terminated. The task force sunsets within seven years after the date of its establishment.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2025
Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025 This bill makes changes to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), including by requiring CFIUS to determine whether a national security review is necessary for reportable agricultural land transactions that are referred by the Department of Agriculture (USDA). (CFIUS oversees the national security risks of certain foreign investment in the United States. CFIUS has the authority to review covered transactions, which include mergers, acquisitions, and takeovers that could result in foreign control of a U.S. business; certain investments in businesses involved in critical technologies, critical infrastructure, or sensitive personal data; and certain real estate transactions.) Specifically, the bill directs CFIUS to, after receiving notification from USDA, determine (1) whether a reportable agricultural land transaction is a covered transaction, and (2) whether CFIUS should initiate a national security review or take another action with respect to the transaction. Reportable agricultural land transaction means a transaction (1) that USDA has reason to believe is a covered transaction, based on information from or in cooperation with the intelligence community; (2) that involves the acquisition of an interest in agricultural land by a foreign person of China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran; and (3) with respect to which a foreign person is required to submit a report to USDA regarding their agricultural land transactions. The bill also expands CFIUS to include the Secretary of Agriculture for covered transactions that involve agricultural land, agricultural biotechnology, or the agriculture industry (e.g., agricultural transportation, storage, and processing).
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2025
WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to World War II Army and Navy Nurse Corps members in recognition of their critical military service and devotion to duty.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2025
Pay Down the Debt Act This bill rescinds appropriations that were provided for grants that were not accepted by a state or local government. The rescinded funds must be deposited in the Treasury and used for deficit reduction.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 2025
This resolution commemorates the passage of four years since the tragic building collapse in Surfside, Florida, on June 24, 2021, and honors the survivors and lives lost in the collapse.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2025
Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes through FY2030, modifies, and establishes programs under the Older Americans Act, which supports social services and activities for individuals aged 60 years or older. Reauthorized programs and activities include the national eldercare locator service; regional aging and disability resource centers; grants to support counseling and assistance on pensions and other retirement benefits; grants to support home-delivered nutrition services (sometimes referred to as meals on wheels programs); programs to facilitate the delivery of supportive services to tribal organizations; and programs to prevent elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The bill also modifies existing programs for older individuals, including by explicitly permitting states to use certain grant funds to make carryout meals available at congregate meal sites or community locations. (Some providers began offering carryout meals to seniors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.) Further, the bill permits the Administration on Aging to establish and operate, through grants to or contracts with eligible entities, a national resource center to support growth of the direct care workforce. The center’s activities may include the provision of training and technical assistance and the promotion of strategies to recruit and retain direct care workers. Finally, the bill establishes or reconvenes certain advisory groups, including (1) an advisory committee to provide guidance regarding the needs of older Native Americans and the implementation of related programs, and (2) a White House Conference on Aging to recommend improvements to federal programs that serve older individuals.
![Official portrait of Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s001217_200.jpg)