Congressional Bills

Proven Forest Management Act of 2025This bill sets forth provisions to expedite the approval and implementation of forest management activities and establishes related requirements.First, the bill categorically excludes a forest management activity conducted on National Forest System land for reducing forest fuels from certain environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 if the activity (1) does not exceed 10,000 acres (including not more than 3,000 acres of mechanical thinning), (2) is developed in a collaborative manner, and (3) is consistent with the forest plan developed for the relevant National Forest System land. Next, the bill directs the Forest Service to conduct forest management activities in a manner that attains multiple ecosystem benefits unless the costs associated with attaining such benefits are excessive.Additionally, the Forest Service must (1) establish any post-program ground condition criteria for a ground disturbance caused by a forest management activity required by the applicable forest plan, and (2) provide for monitoring to ascertain the attainment of relevant post-program conditions.The bill also allows the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior, as appropriate, to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with certain entities to provide for fuel reduction, erosion control, reforestation, and similar activities on federal and nonfederal lands within land adjustment programs.Finally, the bill directs the Forest Service, when conducting a forest management activity on National Forest System land, to coordinate with impacted parties to increase efficiency and maximize the compatibility of management practices across such land.

Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act of 2025This bill modifies requirements concerning determinations on whether a species is a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), caps attorney's fees to prevailing parties in ESA citizen suits, and makes related requirements.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) must publish online, subject to privacy or administrative limitations, the best scientific and commercial data available that are the basis for each determination. The bill states that the term best scientific and commercial data available includes all data submitted by a state, tribal, or county government. Thus, such data is automatically deemed to be the best scientific and commercial data available. Before making a determination on whether a species is an endangered or threatened species, the FWS and NMFS must provide affected states with all of the data that is the basis of the determination.The Department of the Interior must also publish and maintain an online searchable database that discloses federal expenditures related to litigation under the ESA.

This bill requires naturally propagated animals (i.e., wild animals) and artificially propagated animals to be treated the same under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). Specifically, distinctions between naturally propagated animals and artificially propagated animals may not be made when the federal government makes determinations under the ESA, such as determinations to designate endangered species, threatened species, or critical habitats. In addition, the bill requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to authorize the use of artificial propagation of animals of a species when mitigation is required under the ESA. This bill applies to all endangered or threatened species regardless of when they were listed as endangered or threatened.

Law Enforcement Officer Recreation Pass ActThis bill directs the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to make the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass available, without charge and for the lifetime of the passholder, to law enforcement officers.

Action Versus No Action ActThis bill limits the scope of an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS) conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for forest management activity on certain public lands to only the following two alternatives: (1) the effects of the forest management activity, and (2) no action.The bill applies to any EA or EIS prepared by the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior for a forest management activity on public land that is suitable for timber production and thatoccurs on land designated as an insect and disease treatment area under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003,is developed through a collaborative process,is proposed by a resource advisory committee, oris covered by a community wildfire protection plan.In the case of the alternative of no action, the Forest Service or Interior must consider whether to evaluatethe effect of no action on forest health, potential losses of life and property, habitat diversity, wildfire potential, insect and disease potential, and timber production; andthe implications of a resulting decline in forest health, loss of habitat diversity, wildfire, or insect or disease infestation on potential losses of life and property, domestic water supply in the project area, wildlife habitat loss, and other economic and social factors.

Responsible Legislating ActThis bill establishes or modifies various federal programs and requirements, including those related to retirement accounts, penalties for certain sex offenses, foreign investment and ownership, and appropriations.The bill makes changes to retirement account contributions and distributions, including increasing the maximum amount that may be contributed to a Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to include certain contributions to a Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE IRA) or Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan, subject to limitations. The bill establishes an enhanced penalty—an additional prison term of up to five years—for certain interstate human trafficking offenses or coercion of sexual activity that occurs in a school zone or related area.The Department of Commerce must report on efforts to increase foreign direct investment in semiconductor-related manufacturing and production. The Federal Maritime Commission must evaluate the effect of foreign ownership of marine terminals at the 15 largest U.S. container ports on U.S. economic security.The bill provides additional appropriations for the Departments of Health and Human Services, Agriculture, State, Defense, Homeland Security, and Energy.The bill extends mandatory livestock market reporting requirements through FY2025.The bill revises the required frequency of meetings held by a credit union's board of directors by decreasing the frequency for existing credit unions with satisfactory soundness ratings. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) enhanced-use leasing authority is reauthorized through 2033.The bill requires hearings on the bill's implementation within one year of the date of enactment.

Hershel "Woody" Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location ActThis bill requires the authorized monument honoring Medal of Honor recipients to be located within the Reserve (the great cross-axis of the National Mall, which generally extends from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and from the White House to the Jefferson Memorial).

Modernizing Access to our Public Waters Act or the MAPWaters Act of 2025 or the MAPWaters Act of 2025This bill directs the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to standardize and publish data relating to public's access to federal waterways for recreational use.Specifically, the Forest Service and Interior must jointly develop and adopt interagency standards for data collection and dissemination of geospatial data relating to public outdoor recreational access of federal waterways and federal fishing restrictions. The standards must ensure compatibility and interoperability among applicable federal databases with respect to collection and dissemination of such data.Within five years, the Forest Service and Interior must also digitize and make publicly available online certain geographic information system data about (1) federal waterway restrictions, (2) federal waterway access and navigation information, and (3) federal fishing restrictions. They must also update the data about waterway restrictions, waterway access, and navigation information at least twice per year. Data about fishing restrictions must be updated in real time as changes go into effect. Finally, the Forest Service and Interior must develop a process to allow members of the public to submit questions or comments regarding the data regarding waterway restrictions, waterway access, and navigation information.

Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers ActThis bill directs Amtrak to comply with federal open meeting requirements under the Government in the Sunshine Act, with exceptions.Under the bill, certain open meeting requirements do not apply to any portion or portions of a meeting that Amtrak properly determines are likely to involvecontract negotiations, including negotiations for contract procurements and agreements, the disclosure of which would imperil or compromise Amtrak’s competitive position;collective bargaining agreements or any terms and conditions that are proposed for inclusion in an agreement; andmatters involving the employment, appointment, termination, terms and conditions of employment, performance evaluation, promotion, or disciplining of a current or prospective Amtrak officer, employee, or contractor (unless all affected individuals request in writing that the matter or matters be discussed at a public meeting).

Securities and Exchange Commission Real Estate Leasing Authority Revocation Act This bill revokes the authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to lease general purpose office space and instead provides for the General Services Administration to lease such space for the SEC. The bill's provisions do not affect those leases entered into by the SEC before this bill's enactment.The Government Accountability Office must (1) complete a review under which it shall update a 2016 report with respect to independent leasing authorities, and (2) report to Congress on the review.

Sending Evading Non-Documented Threats Home Especially Migrants Biden Accepted Carelessly and Knowingly Act of 2025 or the SEND THEM BACK Act of 2025This bill subjects non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who illegally entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021, to expedited removal (i.e., removal without further hearing or review). This applies even if such an individual indicated an intention to apply for asylum or expressed a fear of persecution. The bill does not apply to an individual serving in the Armed Forces as of January 1, 2025.