S 181 requires most federal agencies to submit zero-based budgets every six years, analyzing current operations, exploring alternatives, and ranking programs by importance. These budgets must cover the next fiscal year and the following four years, submitted to the Office of Management and Budget and congressional budget committees. Agencies (excluding Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration) must also recommend specific program cuts totaling at least a 2% reduction in non-defense discretionary spending from the prior year. The bill directly affects how federal agencies plan and justify their funding, aiming to improve budget efficiency through systematic review.
S 184, the CURD Act, defines "natural cheese" in federal food labeling regulations to clarify what products can legally use that term. It directly affects cheese manufacturers who label products as "natural cheese" and consumers who rely on that labeling for purchasing decisions. The bill adds a specific definition to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, requiring that "natural cheese" must be made by coagulating milk proteins without the addition of certain processed cheese ingredients listed in the definition. Products like pasteurized process cheese, cheese spreads, and cold pack cheeses are explicitly excluded from the "natural cheese" category under this new standard.
This bill prohibits federal funds from being used for abortions or health plans covering abortion. It amends the Affordable Care Act to block premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions for health plans that include abortion coverage (except for rape/incest cases or life-threatening conditions), and requires clear disclosure of abortion coverage and related surcharges in plan materials. The law explicitly exempts abortions performed due to rape, incest, or to preserve a mother's life, and allows separate abortion coverage using non-federal funds. It applies to all federal health programs and ACA marketplace plans, effective for plan years beginning after 2025.
S 187, the ALIGN Act, permanently allows businesses to immediately deduct the full cost of qualified property (like machinery or equipment) instead of depreciating it over time. This directly affects businesses that purchase qualifying property after September 27, 2017, by eliminating the previous requirement to spread deductions across multiple years. The key provision changes the tax code to set the "applicable percentage" for such property at 100% permanently. This simplifies tax treatment for eligible investments without altering other tax rules. The bill does not change tax rates or affect individual taxpayers.
S 177, the Protect Funding for Women's Health Care Act, prohibits federal funding from being provided to Planned Parenthood Federation of America or its affiliates, clinics, subsidiaries, or successors. This directly affects Planned Parenthood as a recipient of federal funds for women's health services. The bill ensures that funds previously allocated to Planned Parenthood will instead be made available to other eligible providers like community health centers, hospitals, and clinics serving women. It explicitly states this prohibition does not reduce overall federal funding for women’s health care or affect existing abortion-related funding restrictions in appropriations acts.
HR 613, the ATF Transparency Act, requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to improve transparency and speed for firearm transfer and manufacturing applications. It mandates that applicants denied a transfer due to background check issues receive their NICS transaction number, can appeal denials through a formal process, and may submit information to prevent future errors - plus, successful appellants get reimbursed for reasonable attorney fees. The bill also sets a strict 90-day deadline for ATF to approve or deny applications; if not decided within that time, the application is automatically approved. This directly affects individuals and businesses seeking to legally transfer or manufacture firearms who face delays or denials under current background check procedures.
HR 627 requires states receiving Medicaid funds for family planning services to submit standardized abortion data to the CDC annually, covering 10 specific variables like maternal age, gestational age, race, procedure type, and whether the child survived. States must report by December 31 of the previous year, with delayed submissions allowing retroactive payments but false reporting risking one year of lost Medicaid funding. This creates a uniform national system to replace inconsistent state reporting, aiming to fill gaps where some states currently report no data. The bill directly affects states administering Medicaid family planning programs, linking their funding eligibility to data submission.
HR 634, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judgeship and Reorganization Act of 2025, splits the current Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals into two separate circuits: the restructured Ninth Circuit (covering California, Guam, Hawaii, and the Northern Mariana Islands) and a new Twelfth Circuit (covering Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington). The bill adds 2 new judges for the restructured Ninth Circuit and 3 new judges for the Twelfth Circuit, with appointments requiring Senate confirmation after January 2025. It establishes transition rules for existing judges, ensuring current judges in specific states are reassigned to the new circuits based on their duty stations, and ensures ongoing cases are handled without disruption. This reorganization directly affects federal appellate judges and the administrative structure of the U.S. Court of Appeals system.
HR 7 prohibits federal funds from being used for abortions or health insurance plans covering abortion, with exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape, incest, or when a woman's life is endangered. It blocks federal premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act for health plans covering abortion (except in specified cases) and requires clear disclosure of abortion coverage and related surcharges in plan materials. The bill allows individuals or employers to purchase separate abortion coverage using non-federal funds, such as out-of-pocket payments, without affecting federal subsidies. It directly affects federal health programs, ACA marketplace plans, and health insurance issuers offering coverage that includes abortion services.
S 155, the MAILS Act, requires the U.S. Postal Service to create a formal process for local governments to request new post offices within 90 days of the bill's enactment. It mandates that the Postal Service must collect community input before any temporary post office relocation lasting more than 2 days, provide 30 days' written notice to local elected officials, and hold public presentations 15 days before such relocations. For relocations exceeding 180 days, the Postal Service must report to congressional committees and local representatives about communication compliance and reasons for extensions. The bill directly affects local governments, community members, and the Postal Service by standardizing communication and transparency during temporary post office changes.
This bill would require the U.S. Secretary of State to re-designate Yemen's Houthi group (Ansarallah) as a foreign terrorist organization within 90 days of enactment. It mandates the President to impose existing sanctions under two executive orders - blocking property under E.O. 13224 and restricting travel under E.O. 13780 - on Ansarallah and its members, agents, affiliates, or entities they own or control. These sanctions would apply to the group and its associated individuals or organizations, directly affecting the Houthi leadership and their operational networks. The bill does not create new sanctions but directs the re-imposition of existing measures previously revoked by the Biden administration.
This bill amends the federal Controlled Substances Act to automatically classify all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs. It defines "fentanyl-related substances" to include any compound structurally similar to fentanyl through specific chemical modifications (like changes to rings or groups), covering isomers, salts, and derivatives. This means any new fentanyl analogues created by manufacturers would be immediately illegal without needing separate scheduling. The law directly affects drug manufacturers, distributors, and anyone possessing these substances, aiming to prevent new fentanyl variants from entering the market and causing overdoses.
