Budget & Taxes

HR 1869 creates a new DOJ task force within the Criminal Division to investigate and prosecute international trade crimes, such as customs evasion, smuggling, and trade-based money laundering. It requires the DOJ to hire specialized prosecutors, coordinate with agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and focus on specific violations covered under statutes like 18 U.S.C. §§ 541-546 and 21 U.S.C. § 331. The bill authorizes $20 million in funding for fiscal year 2026 (with 80% dedicated to criminal prosecutions), mandates annual reports to Congress on enforcement activities, and requires the DOJ to develop multi-agency partnerships to address these crimes. This directly affects federal prosecutors, border enforcement agencies, and industries impacted by trade violations.

Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2025 This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Coast Guard for pay and benefits when there is a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse. Under the bill, a  Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs when (1) a bill providing appropriations for the Coast Guard for a fiscal year has not been enacted before the beginning of that fiscal year, and no joint resolution providing continuing appropriations for the Coast Guard is in effect; and (2) a bill providing appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for the fiscal year has been enacted before the beginning of the fiscal year, or a joint resolution providing continuing appropriation for DOD is in effect.  If a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs, the bill provides appropriations to the Coast Guard for pay and allowances for military members of the Coast Guard who perform active service or inactive-duty training; pay and benefits for certain civilian employees and contract employees; the payment of a death gratuity; payments for travel related to funerals, the dignified transfer of remains, and unit memorial services; and the temporary continuation of the basic allowance for housing for dependents of members of the Coast Guard dying on active duty. The bill generally provides the appropriations to the Coast Guard until the earlier of the enactment of specified Coast Guard appropriations legislation, the termination of the availability of appropriations for DOD, or two weeks after the beginning of the Coast Guard-specific funding lapse.

This bill suspends the production of new one-cent coins (pennies) for 10 years to save taxpayer money, as Congress determined sufficient pennies exist and ongoing production costs exceed benefits. It allows the Treasury to continue making pennies *only* for numismatic collectors, selling them at cost to cover production expenses. The bill explicitly states pennies remain legal tender for all debts and transactions regardless of when they were minted. This directly affects the U.S. Mint, taxpayers, and collectors, but does not change the legal status or everyday use of pennies.

HR 1963, the Agency Accountability and Cost Transparency Act of 2025, requires federal agencies to assess costs before issuing major rules. Specifically, agencies must estimate the public cost of a major rule, identify and repeal existing rules to offset that cost, and state in the Federal Register whether the new rule is "budget neutral" (costs equal to savings from repealed rules). This applies to rules with significant economic impact, such as those costing $100 million or more annually or affecting prices, competition, or industry. The bill directly affects how federal agencies develop and publish rules, aiming to ensure new regulations do not increase net costs to the public.

This bill protects small businesses with fewer than 500 employees from higher unemployment insurance premiums caused by unpaid state loans. It amends tax code rules to prevent these businesses from being penalized if their state hasn't repaid federal loans used for unemployment benefits. Specifically, it blocks the standard premium calculation from applying to qualifying small businesses when states owe money to the federal government. The change applies to tax years starting after the bill becomes law, directly affecting small employers in states that have received federal unemployment assistance.

This bill modifies tax rules for investors in qualified small business stock. It reduces the required holding period from 5 years to 3 years and creates a phased exclusion scale: 50% of gains excluded after 3 years, 75% after 4 years, and 100% after 5+ years. The changes directly affect investors who buy stock in qualifying small businesses, making capital gains tax exclusion more accessible. Key mechanisms include updating Internal Revenue Code Section 1202 to reflect the shorter holding period and revised exclusion percentages, while also clarifying rules for S corporations and convertible debt instruments. These adjustments aim to incentivize investment in small businesses by lowering the tax barrier for holding qualifying stock.

This bill expands tax-advantaged health accounts to cover specific oral care products. It adds toothbrushes (manual or electric), water flossers, and over-the-counter antiplaque/anticaries drugs (like certain mouthwashes or gels) to the list of qualified medical expenses for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Archer MSAs, and health flexible spending accounts (FSAs). The change allows people to use pre-tax dollars from these accounts to pay for these common oral healthcare products, directly affecting individuals managing their dental care costs through such accounts. The bill amends existing tax code provisions to include these items under "qualified medical expenses" without creating new government programs.

The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act of 2025 imposes a tax on major fossil fuel companies for historical carbon dioxide emissions exceeding 1 billion metric tons during 2000-2023, with payments due by September 2026. The tax revenue will fund a new Climate Fund that must be used for climate resilience, adaptation, and disaster response programs, with 40% specifically directed to environmental justice communities. The bill requires at least $15 billion annually for FEMA climate programs and $6 billion for Clean Air Act climate resilience grants. It explicitly states the fund does not affect existing legal claims against polluters for climate-related harms.

This bill provides federal grants to public or nonprofit health care providers serving minority, low-income, or medically underserved communities to expand maternal and infant health services. It specifically funds prenatal, postnatal, and postpartum care while requiring grantees to offer culturally appropriate services and limit administrative costs to 10% of grant funds. Priority is given to organizations led by or located within the communities they serve, aiming to reduce racial and economic disparities in care access and health outcomes. The funding is authorized for fiscal years 2026-2030, with grantees required to coordinate with other federal maternal health programs to avoid duplication.

HR 1339, the Safeguarding Social Security and Medicare Act, requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study within one year of enactment on how inflation and rising living costs impact Social Security and Medicare benefits. The study will examine these effects and provide Congress with specific recommendations for legislative actions to maintain full benefits for these programs. This study directly addresses the needs of 71.7 million Social Security recipients and 66.6 million Medicare beneficiaries, focusing on financial pressures faced by seniors and disabled individuals. The bill itself does not change current benefits but aims to inform future policy decisions through evidence-based analysis.