Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to address the limitations on Reid Vapor Pressure (a measure of gasoline's volatility) that are placed on gasoline during the summer ozone season. Specifically, the bill applies the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements that is applicable to gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10) to gasoline blended with up to 15% ethanol (E15). This change allows gasoline that is blended with 10% to 15% ethanol to be sold year-round. Currently, states may be excluded from the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements by submitting documentation supporting that the waiver would increase air pollution. The bill nullifies existing state exclusions, but states may submit documentation after enactment of the bill to be excluded going forward. The bill also modifies the Renewable Fuel Standard Program, which requires transportation fuel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States to contain minimum volumes of renewable fuel. Under the existing program, obligated parties, such as small refineries, must satisfy the volume obligations by either blending renewable fuels into their gasoline or diesel fuel products or by acquiring credits that represent the required renewable fuel volume. The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to return compliance credits to small refineries under certain circumstances.
This bill allows individuals aged 70 and a half or older to donate money directly from their employer-sponsored retirement accounts to qualified charities without counting that money as taxable income. It applies to distributions from 401(k) plans, government plans, 403(b) plans, and 457 plans, provided the donation does not exceed a specific annual limit. The legislation requires the funds to be transferred straight from the retirement plan to the charity, bypassing the individual's personal bank account. By excluding these charitable contributions from gross income, the bill aims to simplify tax reporting for retirees while encouraging philanthropy through existing retirement savings.
The Patients Before Monopolies Act prohibits companies from owning both pharmacy benefit managers and insurance businesses or pharmacies to eliminate conflicts of interest. It requires existing violators to sell off their pharmacy operations within one year and grants the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice the power to block new mergers that would recreate these combined ownership structures. The bill also allows private citizens and state officials to sue for violations, seeking penalties like disgorgement of profits and treble damages if the law is broken.
The Bereaved Parents Rights Act requires hospitals and birth centers to inform parents of stillborn fetuses or miscarriages about their options for burial, cremation, or hospital disposal. This notification must occur within six hours of the event or the parent's discharge, using a standardized form provided by the federal government. If a parent chooses to arrange burial or cremation within 72 hours, the facility must follow the state's existing rules for handling fetal deaths. The law also allows parents to file a civil lawsuit in federal court if a hospital fails to comply with these notification and disposition requirements.
The Supporting Newborn Parents Act of 2026 creates a new tax credit of $2,000 for each child born to a taxpayer during the tax year. To receive this credit, parents must have earned income, with the maximum amount limited to 20% of their earnings, and the benefit phases out as family income rises. The bill allows parents to request an advance payment of the credit shortly after a child's birth by providing their information when applying for a Social Security number. Additionally, the legislation requires the Treasury to establish an online portal to help parents understand how to make elections regarding advance payments and estimated income figures.
This bill requires the Department of Defense to review and eventually ban contracts with retailers that use payment processing systems from specific countries deemed a national security risk, such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Effective January 1, 2027, the Defense Department will be prohibited from entering into agreements for payment equipment or services if those tools rely on technology developed, owned, or controlled by entities in these nations. The law defines covered systems broadly to include hardware, software, and firmware linked to these countries, aiming to prevent potential foreign access to sensitive military financial data. Retailers wishing to continue working with the Department of Defense must replace their payment processing infrastructure with systems that do not involve these restricted technologies.
The Critical Mineral and Extraction Tax Parity Act expands a federal tax credit for advanced manufacturing to include eleven new critical minerals, such as boron, copper, and uranium, while also adding specific rules for phosphate. It allows companies that extract ore in the United States to claim these credits for the extraction costs themselves, provided they certify that the ore is refined into a qualifying mineral and sold to an unrelated buyer. Additionally, the bill removes a previous penalty that reduced tax credit amounts for metallurgical coal, ensuring these materials receive the same financial support as other critical minerals. These changes are designed to encourage domestic production and processing of essential raw materials and will take effect for minerals produced and sold after December 31, 2025.
This bill, known as the Bulletproof Law Enforcement Vehicles Act, directs the Department of Homeland Security to allow funding for upgrading law enforcement vehicles with security features like bulletproof windows. By amending an existing law, it expands the types of vehicle enhancements that can be financed with current federal assistance programs. The change specifically authorizes the use of these funds for protective upgrades without creating new budgetary requirements. Law enforcement agencies that receive federal financial assistance would be the primary beneficiaries of this expanded eligibility.
This Senate resolution expresses support for designating May 2026 as "National Beef Month" to highlight the economic and nutritional significance of cattle in the United States. The bill does not create any new laws or regulations; instead, it serves as a symbolic gesture acknowledging the industry's role in the nation's agricultural economy and the health benefits of beef consumption. By citing statistics on production and nutritional content, the resolution aims to raise public awareness rather than alter policy or spending.
This resolution expresses support for police officers and other law enforcement personnel. The resolution further recognizes law enforcement officers across the United States in the pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities; the need to ensure that such officers have the equipment, training, and resources necessary to protect their health and safety while they are protecting the public; and the law enforcement community for acts of sacrifice and heroism. The resolution expresses condolences and appreciation to the loved ones of each law enforcement officer who has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
The Criminal History Access Act expands the types of government entities that can receive criminal history records from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for official use. It specifically allows the FBI to share these records with the United States Sentencing Commission, State sentencing commissions, Indian tribes, and State peace officer standards and training agencies. These State agencies are defined as those with statutory authority to set standards for law enforcement hiring, training, and ethical conduct. The bill also broadens the definition of "State" for these purposes to include U.S. territories, and requires the Attorney General to update regulations to reflect these changes within 180 days.
This bill increases loan limits for small manufacturers under two federal programs. It defines "small manufacturer" as a business primarily in U.S. manufacturing sectors (31-33) with all facilities in the U.S. The bill raises the maximum Small Business Administration 7(a) loan limit for these manufacturers from $3.75 million to $7.5 million (capping at $10 million), and doubles the export loan limit from $5 million to $10 million. These changes directly affect qualifying U.S.-based manufacturing businesses seeking federal loan support for operations or exports. The policy modifies specific loan caps without altering other program requirements.
