This bill would permanently expand the Child Tax Credit to provide $4,200 per year for each child under age 6 and $3,000 per year for each child ages 6-17. It also creates a new $2,800 credit for pregnant mothers with unborn children at 20 weeks gestation or more, requiring physician certification of gestational age. Both credits phase out for higher-income taxpayers, with the Child Tax Credit phasing out at $400,000 for joint filers and $200,000 for other taxpayers. The bill would affect low and middle-income families with children, particularly those with young children or who are pregnant, with changes applying to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
HR 354, the Small Business Growth Act, increases tax deduction limits for small businesses purchasing equipment. It raises the annual deduction cap from $1 million to $2 million and the phaseout threshold from $2.5 million to $3.5 million under Section 179 of the tax code. These changes directly affect small businesses that buy qualifying depreciable assets like machinery or vehicles, allowing them to deduct more of the cost upfront. The provisions apply to property placed in service after December 31, 2025, with inflation adjustments updated to reference 2025 and 2026.
HR 361, the "Make Greenland Great Again Act," authorizes the President to begin negotiations with Denmark for the U.S. acquisition of Greenland starting January 20, 2025. It requires the President to submit any resulting agreement to specific congressional committees (Foreign Affairs and Foreign Relations) within five days, followed by a 60-day congressional review period. If Congress takes no action during that period, the agreement would automatically take effect. The bill does not change Greenland’s current status as part of Denmark’s Kingdom but proposes a diplomatic process for potential transfer. Note: This appears to be a symbolic or satirical proposal, as Greenland is an autonomous territory within Denmark’s Kingdom and not subject to unilateral acquisition.
End Child Trafficking Now Act This bill imposes restrictions related to adult non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) being admitted into the United States with a minor. Such an adult may not be admitted with a minor unless the adult (1) presents documents and witness testimony proving that the adult is a relative or guardian of the minor, or (2) submits to a DNA test that proves such a relationship. The Department of Homeland Security may request a DNA test only if the required relationship cannot be established by the presented documents and witness testimony. An adult who does not consent to a requested DNA test shall be inadmissible. If the required relationship cannot be established and the immigration officer believes the adult is guilty of a felony offense, the officer may arrest the adult. The bill makes it a crime for an adult to knowingly use a minor to whom the adult is not a relative or guardian to enter the United States.
The America First Act would restrict eligibility for numerous federal benefit programs based on immigration status. It requires verification of citizenship or lawful immigration status for programs including Medicaid, Medicare, Head Start, school meals, WIC, the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and housing assistance. The bill specifically would deny benefits to individuals who are unlawfully present in the U.S. or who have certain immigration statuses including parolees, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, DACA recipients, and asylum seekers. These provisions would directly affect millions of immigrants and their families who currently qualify for these programs. The bill would also prohibit use of FEMA assistance for certain non-citizens and limit access to postsecondary financial aid based on immigration status.
This bill would allow individuals with a valid concealed carry permit from their home state to carry concealed handguns in other states that either permit concealed carry for residents or don’t ban it entirely. It applies to permit holders who are federally eligible to possess firearms, require government-issued ID, and must follow the host state’s specific restrictions (like where carry is prohibited). The bill does not override state laws on issuing permits but ensures reciprocity for those who legally carry in their home state, excluding machineguns and destructive devices.
This bill modifies tax incentives to increase affordable housing near military installations. It excludes military housing allowances (payments under 37 U.S.C. § 403) from income calculations when determining eligibility for low-income housing tax credits, directly helping service members and their families qualify for affordable housing. It also designates buildings within 15 miles of large military installations (valued over $2.833 billion) as "difficult development areas" for tax credit purposes, encouraging developers to build in these areas. The bill does not require such housing to be occupied solely by military members. These changes apply to tax credit determinations made after the bill's enactment.
HR 283 authorizes the President, with coordination from the Secretary of State, to negotiate with Panama to reacquire the Panama Canal. The bill requires the President to submit a report to Congress within 180 days of enactment, detailing negotiation progress, challenges, and expected outcomes. This procedural bill focuses solely on initiating talks and reporting requirements, without specifying repurchase terms or funding. It directly affects U.S. executive branch actions and congressional oversight, not the canal’s current operations or Panama’s government.
HR 256, the SAVE Act, prohibits the sale of petroleum products drawn from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to entities headquartered in specific countries listed under federal regulations or to any entity based in Russia. This law directly affects SPR sales by blocking transactions with companies from designated nations (as defined in 22 CFR §126.1) and all Russian entities. The key mechanism adds Section 170 to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, requiring the Secretary to enforce this sales ban across all SPR-related transactions. The bill makes no changes to SPR stockpiling or other reserve operations, focusing solely on restricting sales to the specified entities.
This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) as outlined in a 2019 policy memo. It requires migrants seeking asylum at the U.S. border to remain in Mexico while their cases are processed, rather than being allowed to stay in the U.S. pending a hearing. The bill does not create new rules but mandates the reinstatement of a policy that was previously in effect from 2019 to 2021. This would directly affect asylum seekers arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. The policy change would apply to all migrants covered by the existing MPP framework.
HR 300, the Daylight Act, would allow U.S. states to adopt year-round daylight saving time instead of switching clocks seasonally. It directly affects states that choose to implement this change, giving them the option to maintain daylight saving time permanently across their entire territory. The bill amends current law to remove the requirement for seasonal time changes, enabling states to apply daylight saving time for the full year rather than switching back to standard time in the fall. This change would eliminate the biannual clock adjustments for participating states.
HR 274, the Sunset Chevron Act, requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to compile a list of federal court decisions that upheld agency rules using Chevron deference (a judicial practice deferring to agency interpretations of laws) and are still in effect. The bill mandates that the GAO publish this list within 180 days of enactment, organizing it by agency and assigning each rule a sunset date. The most recent rule from each agency expires 30 days after the list's publication, with earlier rules expiring 30 days after the prior rule’s sunset date. This creates an automatic expiration process for specific agency rules upheld under Chevron deference, directly affecting federal agencies whose rules are included in the GAO's list.
