HR 6589, the Ranked Choice Voting Act, would require all states to implement ranked choice voting for elections of U.S. Senators and Representatives, including primaries and general elections. Under this system, voters would rank candidates in order of preference, with ballots tabulated by eliminating the least preferred candidate in successive rounds until a candidate achieves a majority. The bill prohibits separate runoff elections for these offices and provides federal funding to states to cover implementation costs, with payments due by June 1, 2026. The law would apply to federal elections held on or after January 1, 2030, and would not affect state or local elections.
HR 6575, the CommonGround for Affordable Health Care Act, extends enhanced premium tax credits for health insurance through 2026, directly benefiting millions of lower and middle-income Americans purchasing coverage through the ACA marketplace. The bill modifies income thresholds for premium subsidies, creating new income tiers that maintain or increase financial assistance for households earning up to 1,000% of the poverty level. It includes provisions to prevent fraud in health insurance exchanges by imposing civil penalties on agents and brokers who provide false information, and requires transparency in pharmacy benefit manager contracts to improve drug pricing accountability. The legislation also extends the annual open enrollment period for health insurance exchanges for the 2026 plan year, allowing more time for people to enroll or change coverage.
HR 6597, the LET’S Protect Workers Act, increases civil penalties for employers violating key labor laws to strengthen worker protections. It raises fines for child labor violations to up to $700,000 per incident causing death or serious injury, and doubles penalties for repeated wage/hour violations (up to $50,000 per violation). The bill also significantly boosts OSHA penalties (e.g., up to $800,000 for serious violations), adds new retaliation penalties for mine safety violations (up to $200,000 for repeat offenses), and clarifies that recordkeeping violations continue until corrected. These changes apply to employers across sectors, including manufacturing, agriculture, and mining, under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, and Mine Safety Act.
HR 6576, the SAFE LiDAR Act, prohibits U.S. businesses and critical infrastructure operators (like utilities, transportation systems, and government entities) from using LiDAR technology developed or controlled by countries designated as "foreign adversaries" (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea) after specific deadlines. It bans new transactions involving such technology starting three years after enactment and requires existing systems to transition within five years, with limited waivers available for national security or critical infrastructure needs. Key exemptions include research, testing, legacy systems in use before enactment, and products exported outside the U.S. The bill establishes a process for waivers, a national security task force, and annual reporting to Congress on enforcement actions and emerging threats.
This bill allows seniors over 65 who only have Medicare Part A hospital insurance (and no other Medicare coverage) to contribute to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Currently, Medicare beneficiaries cannot contribute to HSAs, but this bill removes that restriction for seniors enrolled solely in Part A. The change amends the tax code to exclude these individuals from the existing HSA contribution ban during periods they have only Part A coverage. The provision takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.
HR 6579, the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act, requires federal, state, and local law enforcement officers to provide notice of their authority and purpose before entering a premises with a warrant. This applies to all officers serving warrants, including those at the federal level and state/local agencies receiving Department of Justice funding. The law mandates this notice requirement starting in the first fiscal year after enactment, directly affecting law enforcement agencies that receive federal funding for policing. It changes the process for executing warrants by eliminating the ability to conduct no-knock entries without first informing occupants.
This bill authorizes the placement of a memorial honoring women who supported the U.S. war effort during World War II (including those working as pilots, engineers, and in factories) on federal land in Washington, D.C. It specifies two locations: Area I on the National Mall map or the National Mall Reserve, as defined in existing law. The memorial was previously authorized by Section 702 of the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 117-328), and this bill clarifies its permitted locations.
HR 1676, the "Make SWAPs Efficient Act of 2025," requires the federal government to approve or deny state wildlife conservation plans within 180 days of receiving them. This directly affects states that submit comprehensive wildlife conservation plans under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act. If the Secretary fails to act within that timeframe, the state's plan is automatically approved as of the 180th day. The bill streamlines the approval process to prevent federal delays from blocking state conservation funding.
This House resolution (HRES 935) proposes impeaching Secretary of Defense Peter B. Hegseth for alleged "high crimes and misdemeanors." It outlines two articles: Article I alleges Hegseth ordered lethal military strikes against a Caribbean boat carrying 11 people (described as potentially migrants, not drug smugglers) and later directed a second strike to kill survivors, violating murder laws and the Law of War. Article II alleges Hegseth recklessly mishandled classified information by discussing sensitive military operations in a private Signal chat with high-level officials and a journalist, breaching federal laws governing classified data. The resolution asserts these actions warrant impeachment, removal from office, and disqualification from future federal positions. As a proposed impeachment resolution, it does not enact law but initiates a formal process against Hegseth.
Sentencing Accountability For Exploitation Act or the SAFE Act This bill directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and amend its guidelines and policy statements applicable to federal criminal offenses involving the production, receipt, transport, shipment, or distribution of child sexual abuse material to (1) account for the actual and potential harm from the offense and changes since the last amendments with respect to the typical offense behavior and modern technologies, and (2) better reflect the spectrum of offender culpability.
Stop Sextortion Act This bill criminalizes threats to distribute child sexual abuse material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress. This practice is commonly referred to as sextortion . The bill also increases criminal penalties for related offenses that involve the use of child sexual abuse material to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress. Specifically, the bill establishes new federal criminal offenses for threatening to distribute child pornography or a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct with intent to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress. An offense, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit the offense, is subject to criminal penalties. Additionally, the bill increases the maximum prison term for various offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children if those offenses involve the use of child pornography or a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct with intent to intimidate, coerce, extort, or cause substantial emotional distress.
The AGRITOURISM Act (S 3392) creates a new Agritourism Advisor position within the USDA to support rural businesses. This role will directly assist farms and ranches offering agritourism activities - like farm stays, winery tours, u-pick operations, and farm-to-table dining - by connecting them to federal resources. The Advisor will coordinate USDA programs, provide technical assistance, share best practices, and help update farm enterprise development tools. The bill aims to strengthen rural economies by making it easier for small agricultural businesses to diversify through tourism. It applies to all states, tribal lands, and USDA programs nationwide.
