Saving the Civil Service Act This bill generally prohibits changes to the classification of positions in the competitive service and excepted service unless certain conditions are met. (Competitive service positions are subject to competitive examination while excepted service positions are appointed under one of five schedules. Competitive service positions have notice and appeal requirements for adverse actions that are not applicable to most excepted positions, including those of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character under Schedule C.) On October 21, 2020, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that placed executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new Schedule F in the excepted service. The order was subsequently revoked by President Joe Biden. The bill prohibits executive agency positions in the competitive service from being placed in the excepted service, unless such positions are placed in a schedule in the excepted service as in effect on September 30, 2020. The bill also prohibits positions in the excepted service from being placed in any schedule other than the aforementioned schedules. Additionally, agencies may not (1) transfer occupied positions from the competitive or excepted service into Schedule C without the consent of the Office of Personnel Management, or (2) transfer employees in the excepted service to another schedule or transfer employees in the competitive service to the excepted service without employee consent.
This bill, the VA Home Loan Awareness Act of 2025, requires lenders using the Uniform Residential Loan Application to add a specific disclaimer below the military service question. The disclaimer states: "If yes, you may qualify for a VA Home Loan. Consult your lender regarding eligibility." It directly affects lenders nationwide who use this standard loan form. The bill mandates this change within six months of enactment and includes a requirement for the GAO to study whether at least 80% of lenders comply within 18 months. The goal is to increase veteran homebuyers' awareness of VA loan programs.
HR 476, the "No Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act," requires the U.S. President to impose sanctions on foreign individuals or entities that knowingly help build, maintain, or repair any tunnel or bridge connecting Russia to Crimea. The bill directly affects foreign businesses or officials involved in such infrastructure projects, which the bill states would support Russia’s occupation of Crimea - internationally recognized as Ukrainian territory. Key mechanisms include blocking U.S. assets of sanctioned parties and barring them from entering the U.S. via visa restrictions, with exceptions for humanitarian aid and certain national security activities. The legislation targets potential infrastructure projects discussed between Russian and Chinese officials in late 2023, aiming to disrupt Russia’s military use of Crimea during its invasion of Ukraine.
This bill prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or sex characteristics in military service. It requires that eligibility for military service and all personnel policies consider only an individual's ability to meet job-specific military standards, banning the use of race, color, national origin, religion, or gender-related factors. The law directly affects all current and prospective members of the Armed Forces by mandating that military occupational standards apply equally to everyone. It amends Title 10 of the U.S. Code to establish these protections as a formal requirement for all military personnel policies.
HR 475 would impose U.S. sanctions on Russian individuals or entities that have endangered the safety or operational control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Key provisions include freezing assets of targeted persons and banning their entry into the U.S. via visa restrictions. The bill includes critical exceptions for humanitarian aid (food, medicine, medical supplies) and efforts to restore Ukrainian control of the plant. These sanctions aim to address nuclear safety risks highlighted by the IAEA, without affecting legitimate humanitarian operations.
HR 507, the Veterans Member Business Loan Act, amends the Federal Credit Union Act to explicitly include loans made to veterans as qualifying "member business loans" under credit unions. This change directly affects veterans seeking business financing through federal credit unions, allowing them to access these loans under the same framework as other small business borrowers. The key mechanism is adding a new definition category ("made to a veteran") to the existing eligibility criteria for business loans, using the standard military definition of "veteran" from Title 38, U.S. Code. The bill does not create new funding or programs but expands existing credit union lending options to include veterans. This definition change takes effect six months after the bill's enactment.
HR 486, the Young Americans Financial Literacy Act, authorizes $27.5 million to $55 million annually through 2029 to fund competitive grants for centers of excellence focused on financial literacy education for individuals aged 8-24. These centers, established by eligible institutions like schools, nonprofits, or financial organizations, must develop research-based programs covering budgeting, debt management, student loan guidance, and avoiding pitfalls like predatory lending. The bill specifically requires programs to address at-risk populations, include evidence-based teaching methods, and serve groups such as high school graduates, college students, young families, and military personnel. It mandates annual reporting to Congress on grant recipients and the populations they serve, with funding ending in 2029.
S 94, the "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act," authorizes three congressional gold medals for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team members. The bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike the medals, with one medal displayed at each of three locations: the Lake Placid Olympic Center, the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Minnesota, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs. The legislation also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This is a commemorative measure recognizing the team's 1980 Olympic victory, not a policy change affecting current legislation or constituents.
HR 429, the Rosie the Riveter Commemorative Coin Act, authorizes the U.S. Treasury to mint and sell three types of commemorative coins ($5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar) to honor women who worked on the U.S. home front during World War II. The coins will be sold at face value plus surcharges ($35 for gold, $10 for silver, $5 for half-dollar), with all surcharge revenue directed to the Rosie the Riveter Trust to support the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and related educational programs. The coins must be issued between January 1, 2028, and December 31, 2028, in specified quantities (50,000 gold, 400,000 silver, 750,000 half-dollar), with all costs covered by the sales revenue to avoid net government expense.
HR 413, the CHILD Act of 2025, increases the annual tax benefit limit for dependent care assistance programs from $5,000 to $10,000 (with $2,500 to $5,000 for single filers) for taxpayers using employer-sponsored dependent care accounts. It adds automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments to these limits based on inflation, rounding increases to the nearest $50. The bill also removes an outdated provision (previously referenced as subparagraph (D)) from the tax code. These changes directly affect working parents and caregivers who use dependent care benefits, applying to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.
The TRUST in Congress Act requires current and new Members of Congress, along with their spouses and dependent children, to place certain investments - such as stocks, commodities, and derivatives - into a blind trust within 90 to 180 days of taking office. It excludes U.S. Treasury securities and widely held mutual funds from this requirement and exempts investments tied to a spouse’s or dependent child’s primary job. Members must certify the trust’s setup to the House Clerk or Senate Secretary within 15 days, with these records posted publicly online. The act also prohibits dissolving such trusts until 180 days after a member leaves office.
The LNG Public Interest Determination Act of 2025 requires the Secretary of Energy to approve natural gas exports only if they meet a public interest standard. This standard mandates three specific assessments: climate impact (including effects on global warming and clean energy investment), economic impact on U.S. consumers (with focus on low-income households and businesses), and environmental justice (assessing burdens on vulnerable communities). The Secretary must complete these assessments within one year of receiving environmental data and make a public finding. The bill also requires public participation in the process and treats export approvals as major federal actions under environmental law.
