This bill establishes tax credits for individuals and corporations who contribute to scholarship granting organizations that provide educational scholarships for eligible students. The individual tax credit is limited to 10% of adjusted gross income or $5,000, while corporate credits are capped at 5% of taxable income. The bill defines "eligible students" as those from households with income not exceeding 300% of the area median gross income, and specifies that scholarships can cover tuition, materials, tutoring, and educational therapies. The bill includes a $10 billion annual cap on tax credits, with a first-come, first-served allocation system, and requires scholarship organizations to meet specific financial and operational standards.
This bill (S 313) restricts U.S. funding for United Nations assistance programs in Afghanistan until the Secretary of State certifies specific conditions are met. It prohibits voluntary or assessed U.S. contributions to the UN for Afghanistan aid unless the Secretary certifies no U.S. funds are used in UN cash shipments there, and no designated terrorist groups (either "foreign terrorist organizations" or "specially designated global terrorist organizations") receive funds from those shipments. If certification is later found inaccurate, the Secretary must revoke it and provide a detailed justification to congressional committees. The bill directly affects U.S. foreign aid policy and UN operations in Afghanistan, requiring a formal certification process before funding can proceed.
This bill, S 317 (Charitable Act), creates a new federal income tax deduction for charitable contributions for individuals who do not itemize deductions (the majority of taxpayers). It allows these taxpayers to deduct up to one-third of their standard deduction amount for charitable gifts in 2026 and 2027. The bill also eliminates penalties related to charitable deduction errors under tax code sections 6662 and 6664. The changes apply to tax returns filed for 2026 and 2027 tax years.
HRES 74 is a symbolic House resolution supporting Catholic schools and celebrating the 51st annual National Catholic Schools Week (January 26-February 1, 2025). It recognizes Catholic schools’ contributions, citing their role in educating 1.7 million students, serving diverse communities (including 20.5% racial minorities and 15.5% Hispanic students), and maintaining a 98.9% high school graduation rate. The resolution specifically applauds the National Catholic Educational Association and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for their work in promoting Catholic education and the 2025 theme, "United in Faith and Community." As a procedural resolution, it has no legal effect but formally acknowledges these schools’ academic and community impact.
This bill authorizes a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal for Fred Korematsu, a Japanese American civil rights advocate who challenged the World War II internment of Japanese Americans. It recognizes his legal fight against Executive Order 9066, which led to the unjust incarceration of over 120,000 people, and his lifelong advocacy against racial discrimination. The medal, designed by the Treasury Secretary, will be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. The bill is purely commemorative and does not create new legal rights or funding requirements.
This bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, a U.S. Army soldier who saved approximately 200 Jewish-American prisoners during World War II by refusing Nazi orders to identify them. It directs the Treasury Secretary to design and strike the medal, with the posthumous presentation made to Edmonds' next of kin (specifically his grandson, Pastor Christopher Waring Edmonds). The medal serves as a ceremonial recognition of Edmonds' heroic actions at Stalag IX-A prisoner camp during the Battle of the Bulge, where he declared "We are all Jews here" to protect Jewish soldiers. The bill does not create new policy or affect any ongoing programs, as it solely provides for this commemorative honor.
HJRES 30 is a congressional resolution seeking to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that implements the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020. The resolution targets the EPA's specific rule (published in the Federal Register on October 11, 2024) which establishes a phasedown schedule for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and other applications. If approved, this resolution would formally disapprove the EPA rule under the Congressional Review Act, preventing it from taking effect and halting the agency's implementation of the HFC phase-down. The resolution directly affects the EPA’s regulatory authority and the timeline for reducing HFC use, which impacts industries relying on these chemicals.
Life at Conception Act This bill declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual comes into being. Nothing in this bill shall be construed to authorize the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child.
This Senate resolution (SRES 31) calls on Panama's government to end Chinese influence at key Panamanian ports, specifically demanding the termination of Chinese management at Balboa and Cristobal ports and the expulsion of Chinese officials from these facilities. It urges Panama to reaffirm the Panama Canal's neutrality under the 1977 Neutrality Treaty and reduce reliance on Chinese-affiliated entities. The resolution also directs the U.S. government to support Panama in transitioning away from Chinese infrastructure partnerships and to develop U.S.-led alternatives for canal operations. The resolution is non-binding but seeks to align Panama's infrastructure management with U.S. security interests and democratic values.
Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act This bill creates new federal crimes related to the performance of an abortion on an unborn child who has Down syndrome. It subjects a violator to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. It also authorizes civil remedies, including damages and injunctive relief. A woman who undergoes such an abortion may not be prosecuted or held civilly liable.
The Restoring Trade Fairness Act would suspend normal trade relations (NTR) status with China, requiring the U.S. to apply significantly higher tariffs to Chinese goods. It establishes minimum duty rates of 35% for most Chinese products (with a 100% minimum for specific items listed in Section 10), with these increases phased in over five years. The bill also creates a trust fund to compensate U.S. producers for losses resulting from Chinese retaliation against U.S. trade measures. These changes aim to address what Congress views as China's failure to comply with its WTO obligations and its "unfair trade practices" that have allegedly harmed U.S. manufacturing.
This bill creates a legal right for individuals who received gender-transition medical procedures (like puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgery) before age 18 to sue the medical practitioner up to 30 years after turning 18, if they suffered harm. It defines "gender-transition procedure" broadly to include those changing the body to align with gender identity (excluding specific medical exceptions like ambiguous biological characteristics or life-threatening conditions). The law applies when the procedure involves interstate commerce, such as payments or communications crossing state lines. It does not ban such procedures but establishes a civil liability framework for minors affected by them.
