Tagged: government information and archives

Adoption Information ActThis bill requires federally funded family planning programs to provide each person who inquires about medical or abortion services with specified information about adoption centers in their region. The Department of Health and Human Services must provide the programs with pamphlets containing the required information.

Less Imprecision in Species Treatment Act of 2025 or the LIST Act of 2025This bill modifies the process for removing a species from the endangered or threatened species lists and makes related requirements. A species must be removed from the endangered or threatened species lists if the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service produces or receives substantial scientific or commercial information demonstrating that the species is recovered or that recovery goals set for the species have been met.The publication and notice of a proposed regulation to remove a species from the lists must consist solely of a notice of the removal.The bill establishes a process for removing species from the lists if they were erroneously or wrongfully listed. The bill prohibits a person from submitting a petition to list a species as a threatened or endangered species for 10 years if the person knowingly submitted a petition with information that was inaccurate beyond scientifically reasonable margins of error, fraudulent, or misrepresentative.

No Free Rent for Freeloaders Act of 2025This bill directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), on an annual basis, tomonitor the extent of noncompliance of public-housing tenants with certain community service and economic self-sufficiency requirements,determine the aggregate amount provided in federal subsidies for all public-housing dwelling units that were occupied by noncompliant tenants, andpublish this amount in the Federal Register.In each fiscal year, the amount as determined and published for the preceding fiscal year must be rescinded from funds made available for HUD's Management and Administration account.

Stopping Border Surges Act This bill modifies immigration law provisions relating to unaccompanied alien minors and to asylum seekers.The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to repatriate certain unaccompanied, inadmissible alien children, generally those not at risk of being trafficking victims nor having a fear of persecution. Currently, only inadmissible unaccompanied aliens from neighboring countries are subject to repatriation, and DHS has discretion whether to repatriate.When the Department of Health and Human Services releases an unaccompanied child to an individual, it shall provide DHS with certain information about that individual, including Social Security number and immigration status.The bill requires a stricter standard to find a credible fear of persecution and imposes additional rules on credible fear interviews.If an alien is granted asylum because of fear of persecution in a country, the alien shall be deemed to have renounced asylum status by returning to that country, if there has been no change in the country's conditions.The bill also (1) expands the definition of what constitutes a frivolous asylum application, (2) imposes additional limitations on eligibility for asylum, (3) shortens the deadline for applying for asylum, and (4) extends the time period an alien seeking asylum must wait before receiving employment authorization.Any individual who knowingly and willfully makes materially false statements or uses fraudulent documents in asylum-related proceedings shall be fined or imprisoned up to 10 years, or both.

Improving Science in Chemical Assessments Act This bill modifies procedures related to specified chemical assessments performed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Specifically, chemical hazard identification and dose response assessments must be performed by the appropriate EPA program office (they are currently performed by the Integrated Risk Information System program). Additionally, the bill requires the EPA to establish a steering committee to ensure there is no duplication of effort by relevant program offices in conducting covered assessments.

Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2025This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to report on the deaths of covered veterans who died by suicide during the last five years, regardless of whether information relating to such deaths has been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A covered veteran is any veteran who received VA hospital care or medical services during the five-year period preceding the veteran's death.Among other elements, the report shall include the total number of covered veterans who died by suicide, violent death, or accidental death, as well as certain demographic information.

Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2025This bill revises provisions relating to congressional review of agency rulemaking.Specifically, the bill establishes a congressional approval process for a major rule. A major rule may only take effect if Congress approves of the rule. A major rule is a rule that has resulted in or is likely to result in (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises.The bill generally preserves the current congressional review process for a nonmajor rule.

Unauthorized Spending Accountability ActThis bill reduces budgetary levels for certain federal programs that are funded through the annual appropriations process and do not have an authorization of appropriations.Under the bill, budgetary levels are spending allocations provided to the congressional appropriations committees by a congressional budget resolution or a deeming resolution. The allocations are provided under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and are often referred to as 302(a) allocations.The bill applies to programs included in the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO's) annual report listing programs that are funded through the appropriations process and have an authorization of appropriations that has either expired or will expire during the year. If a program is listed in the CBO report, the bill requires specified reductions to be implemented over a three-year period and terminates the unauthorized programs at the end of the third unauthorized year.

Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency ActThis bill expands reporting requirements for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). TVA is a government corporation that provides electricity in Tennessee and in portions of several surrounding states. It also provides flood control, navigation, and land management services for the Tennessee River system.The bill reinstates the requirement for TVA to file an annual financial statement and report with Congress in March. (The requirement was terminated by the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995.)The bill also modifies the requirement that the report include the names, salaries, and duties of employees earning more than $1,500 a year. Under the bill, this information is only required for employees earning more than the maximum rate of basic pay for grade GS-13 of the General Schedule.

FinCEN Oversight and Accountability Act of 2025This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to keep specified congressional committees informed of the activity of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), particularly regarding unlawful activity and any resulting corrective action.Further, Treasury must disclose to Congress and to the public (with some exclusions) all controlling documents delegating authority to or providing direction to FinCEN. Such disclosure includes any controlling documents in force upon enactment, any controlling documents issued thereafter, and any changes to controlling documents.The bill extends for an additional five years the time period during which Treasury must testify before Congress regarding FinCEN’s anti-money laundering programs.FinCEN must also hold an annual small business working group to provide guidance on beneficial ownership reporting obligations. 

Equal Representation ActThis bill requires that the statement sent by the President to Congress after the decennial census indicating the number of persons in each state exclude noncitizens. (This statement is the basis for reapportionment of U.S. Representatives.)The bill also requires any questionnaire used in the decennial census to include a checkbox or other similar option for respondents to indicate whether the respondent and each household member is (1) a U.S. citizen, (2) a U.S. national but not a citizen, (3) a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) lawfully residing in the United States, or (4) a non-U.S. national unlawfully residing in the United States.The Department of Commerce must make public the number of persons in each state, disaggregated by each of these four categories.