HR 2666, the CBO Scoring Accountability Act, requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to annually analyze and publicly report on the actual costs and revenue impacts of major federal legislation for the first 10 years after it becomes law. It mandates that the CBO compare actual spending/revenue results against prior estimates, and if discrepancies exceed 10% for costs or revenue, the CBO must explain the causes in a report to Congress. This applies to bills projected to affect at least 0.25% of U.S. GDP in spending or revenue (defined as "major legislation"), and federal agencies must provide data to support these analyses. The bill aims to improve transparency around budget estimates without altering legislative processes.
The No Tax Breaks for Union Busting Act would deny tax deductions for employers who spend money to influence employees' decisions about union activities, such as union elections or collective bargaining. It defines "labor organization activities" broadly to include union elections, labor disputes, and collective actions. The bill requires employers to report such spending on tax returns and prevents them from deducting these expenses from taxable income. This would apply to employers using tactics like captive audience meetings, outside consultants, or other efforts to sway workers' union decisions. The policy aims to remove tax incentives for employers to interfere with workers' rights under labor law.
HR 2680, the Expanding Access to School Meals Act of 2025, ends reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs under federal law and expands free meal eligibility. It raises the income threshold for free lunch eligibility from 130% to 224% of the federal poverty level (Sec. 201) and allows schools to directly certify children receiving Medicaid benefits as eligible for free meals without additional applications (Sec. 202). The bill also permits schools to request retroactive reimbursement for meals served to eligible children starting the first day of the school year (Sec. 203) and increases the community eligibility program multiplier to 2.5 for schools serving high-poverty areas (Sec. 204). These changes directly affect public school students from low-income families and school districts receiving federal meal reimbursement funds.
The Tax Fairness for Workers Act (HR 2671) would allow certain employees to deduct work-related expenses directly from their gross income. Specifically, it creates an above-the-line deduction for union dues (amending IRC Section 62(a)(1)) and reinstates a deduction for other out-of-pocket work costs like uniforms or tools (amending IRC Section 67(g)), effective for 2025 tax years. This directly affects union members and workers with significant job-related expenses who previously could not deduct these costs. The bill removes the prior limitation that barred these deductions, making them available without needing to itemize. The policy change simplifies tax filing for affected workers by treating these expenses as deductible business costs.
This bill, HR 2253 (Puppy Protection Act of 2025), sets new federal standards for commercial dog dealers who sell puppies to the public. It requires specific housing sizes based on dog size (e.g., 12-30 square feet per dog), daily exercise in safe outdoor areas, clean water and nutritious food twice daily, and annual veterinary exams including dental checks. The bill also limits breeding frequency (max 2 litters in 25 months), sets age minimums for breeding (18 months for small dogs, 2 years for large dogs), and mandates health screenings to prevent genetic diseases. These requirements apply directly to commercial dealers, with final regulations to be issued within 18 months of enactment.
HR 2195, the Feed Hungry Veterans Act of 2025, would expand eligibility for food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to more veterans. It adds four new qualifying categories to the existing rules: veterans with a "catastrophically disabled" determination under military disability law, veterans under 65 receiving a pension, and veterans meeting specific combined disability rating thresholds. The bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act to include these new groups in SNAP eligibility, directly affecting veterans who currently may not qualify under existing disability rating criteria. The changes would take effect on October 1, 2030.
This bill, HR 2102 (Major Richard Star Act), allows veterans with combat-related disabilities to receive both full military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation simultaneously, without the previous offset that reduced retired pay. It directly affects veterans already eligible for both benefits due to combat-related injuries, removing the requirement that their retired pay be reduced by the disability compensation amount. The key provision amends Title 10 and Title 38 to eliminate the offset rule (sections 5304 and 5305 of Title 38) for these veterans. The change applies to payments starting after the bill’s enactment date, effective for all qualifying veterans. This is a policy change to increase financial support for affected veterans, not a new benefit.
SJRES 37 would terminate a national emergency declared on February 1, 2025, that authorized duties (tariffs) on articles imported from Canada. The resolution ends this emergency under the National Emergencies Act, removing the legal basis for imposing those duties. This directly affects U.S. importers of Canadian goods who were subject to these tariffs under the emergency authority. The bill does not eliminate the duties themselves but formally ends the emergency justification used to impose them.
This bill requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours when imposing or increasing most import duties on goods entering the U.S., including an explanation of the reason and an assessment of impacts on U.S. businesses and consumers. Any new duty would automatically expire after 60 days unless Congress passes a joint resolution approving it. Congress can also disapprove a duty by passing a resolution, which would immediately end the duty. The bill does not apply to anti-dumping or countervailing duties under existing law.
The No Taxation Without Representation Act of 2025 requires the President to obtain Congressional approval before imposing new import duties on foreign goods. Specifically, the President must submit a proposal to Congress with a rationale for the duty, and Congress must pass a joint resolution approving it. This applies to duties under key trade laws, including the Tariff Act of 1930 and the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, but excludes complete import embargoes. The bill shifts authority from the executive branch to Congress for decisions affecting import taxes.
S 1302, the "Increasing Transparency in Generic Drug Applications Act," requires the FDA to disclose to generic drug applicants whether their proposed drug matches the brand-name reference drug in inactive ingredients (type and amount). If differences exist, the FDA must specify which ingredients differ and the exact quantitative deviations. The bill mandates the FDA issue guidance within one year on how it determines ingredient similarity, including for pH adjusters, after a 60-day public comment period. This directly affects generic drug manufacturers seeking FDA approval by providing clearer, earlier feedback during the application review process.
This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover insulin for people under age 26 without deductibles, capping out-of-pocket costs at $35 per 30-day supply or 25% of the negotiated price (whichever is lower). It mandates coverage of multiple insulin types and formulations (like rapid-acting, long-acting, and premixed) to ensure access to various treatment options. The rule applies to employer-sponsored plans, ACA marketplace plans, and similar coverage starting in 2026. It directly affects young adults (up to age 26) managing diabetes who rely on private insurance for insulin.
