The Geothermal Tax Parity Act (HR 6873) updates U.S. tax code to treat geothermal energy projects the same as oil and gas projects for tax purposes. It allows geothermal developers to deduct exploration and development costs (amortization) and removes restrictions on passive loss deductions that previously limited geothermal investments. This directly affects geothermal energy companies, investors, and developers by providing tax parity with the oil and gas industry. The changes apply to taxable years beginning after the bill’s enactment date. The bill makes no new funding commitments but adjusts existing tax rules to support geothermal development.
This bill, titled "Pet and Livestock Protection Act," is misleading; it actually focuses on gray wolf management. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to reissue a 2020 rule removing gray wolves from the endangered species list within 60 days of enactment. The bill also prohibits courts from reviewing this reissuance. This directly affects gray wolf populations and management policies in states where wolves are present, shifting regulatory control away from federal endangered species protections.
This bill allows state veterans homes certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to be automatically deemed compliant with Medicare’s nursing home standards, eliminating redundant inspections. It requires the VA to provide documentation of inspections, undergo biennial joint reviews with Medicare officials to confirm alignment, and maintain the same care and safety standards as Medicare requires. The bill also mandates that VA inspection data for these homes be publicly reported on the Nursing Home Care Compare website. This applies to all state veterans homes meeting the defined standards, effective 90 days after enactment.
This bill requires that public comments on federal land management rules (administered by the Bureau of Land Management) must come only from U.S. citizens, replacing the previous standard. It mandates that agencies implement CAPTCHA systems to prevent artificial intelligence from submitting comments, explicitly stating this is to deter AI-driven public involvement. The changes apply to rulemaking under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, affecting how the public can participate in decisions about national public lands. The bill does not alter land management policies but modifies the process for gathering public input.
Essential Caregivers Act of 2025 This bill prohibits certain health care facilities from limiting the access of essential caregivers to residents of those facilities, including during designated emergency periods. Specifically, the bill generally prohibits Medicare skilled nursing facilities, Medicaid nursing facilities, Medicaid intermediate care facilities, and associated inpatient rehabilitation facilities from restricting the access of essential caregivers to residents of the facilities, including during emergency periods in which visitation rights are otherwise restricted. During emergency periods, facilities may restrict access for an initial period of up to seven days and for one additional maximum seven-day period (if the additional period is approved by the state health department). Facilities may restrict access for a total of 7 days (or 14 days with the approval of the state health department) during an emergency period. Essential caregivers must agree to comply with any safety protocols set by the facility, which may be no more stringent for caregivers compared to those for staff. Caregivers who fail to comply with these requirements may be denied access, subject to an appeals process.
HR 6734, the Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act, gives car, truck, and farm/construction vehicle owners direct control over data generated by their vehicles. It prohibits manufacturers from accessing or sharing vehicle data (including location and personal information) without the owner’s explicit, written consent, and bans selling such data to specific foreign governments like China, Russia, or North Korea. Owners gain free, real-time access to all vehicle data through standard interfaces (like the car’s port or wireless), with no fees for decryption or third-party access, and can delete data or adjust settings via an open application interface. The law requires manufacturers to provide this access without restricting how owners use the data or forcing them to pay for it.
This bill requires all federal agencies to identify, preserve, and transmit records related to missing military personnel and civilian employees to the National Archives for public access. It establishes a Missing Armed Forces and Civilian Personnel Records Review Board to oversee the process, determine which records can be disclosed, and handle exceptions for national security reasons. The bill mandates that most records be made public within 1 year of the Review Board's establishment, with specific deadlines for agencies to complete the process. It directly affects families of missing personnel by providing access to historical records about their loved ones' fate and government efforts to account for them. The law creates a new collection at the National Archives and requires agencies to disclose records unless national security concerns outweigh the public interest in disclosure.
The Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2025 requires the Comptroller General of the United States to audit the Federal Reserve System's Board of Governors and Federal Reserve banks within 12 months of the law's enactment. The audit must be completed within that timeframe, and a detailed report of findings, conclusions, and recommendations must be submitted to Congress within 90 days of completion. This report will be shared with congressional leaders and made available to any member of Congress who requests it. The bill directly affects the Federal Reserve System by imposing new transparency requirements for its operations and financial activities.
This bill establishes new requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) working with Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and Medicaid programs. It mandates that PBMs pay pharmacies a specific reimbursement amount based on drug acquisition costs plus a fixed fee, pass through manufacturer rebates directly to beneficiaries at the point of sale, and prohibits steering practices that direct patients to specific pharmacies. The bill applies to Medicare Part D plans and Medicaid managed care organizations beginning January 1, 2027, affecting how PBMs interact with pharmacies and handle drug rebates. Violations could result in criminal penalties of up to $1 million or 10 years in prison for willful noncompliance. The bill aims to increase transparency and fairness in pharmacy drug pricing for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
HR 6499, the Assessing Safety Tools for Parents and Minors Act, directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to review how technology companies promote online safety for minors under 17. The FTC must examine industry efforts like parental controls, age-appropriate content labels, and privacy settings to assess their effectiveness in reducing online harms, consulting with parents, experts, and industry. Within 6 months of enactment, the FTC must begin this review and submit a report to Congress within 3 years, including recommendations for improving online safety. The bill does not create new regulations but requires the FTC to evaluate existing industry practices and provide findings to lawmakers. This review directly affects the FTC and technology companies by mandating their participation in assessing current safety tools.
S 3428, the SAFE Crypto Act, establishes a Treasury-led Task Force to combat cryptocurrency scams. The Task Force includes representatives from law enforcement (like the Secret Service), digital asset service providers, scam victims, and industry stakeholders to develop strategies against scams such as financial grooming, rug pulls, and fraudulent coin offerings. It will evaluate existing fraud databases, assess scam methods, and recommend improvements to education, reporting systems, and real-time information sharing. The Task Force must submit annual reports to Congress and will terminate three years after its first report.
This bill requires federal agencies to report detailed payment information - including the purpose, funding source, and payment type - to the Treasury before disbursing funds. It mandates agencies to verify recipient bank account details and cross-check payment records to prevent errors or fraud. The Treasury gains access to databases like the National Directory of New Hires and tax/Social Security data (with privacy safeguards) to identify and recover improper payments. These requirements apply to all agencies using Treasury payment systems, aiming to improve transparency and reduce wasteful spending.
