Kevin Mullin

H.R. 10583, known as Garrett's Law, would classify certain high-powered air guns as firearms under federal law. Currently, powerful air guns fall outside the federal firearms definition, but this bill would bring them into the regulatory framework by amending federal law to include "lethal air guns" as firearms. The legislation defines lethal air guns as air or gas-powered weapons shooting pellets at specific caliber and velocity thresholds, such as .177 caliber pellets at 800 feet per second or larger, with the Attorney General also able to designate additional air guns through rulemaking. The bill would take effect 850 days after enactment and requires the Attorney General to publish guidance within one year to help manufacturers become federally licensed and comply with firearms regulations like serialization and record keeping. This change would subject high-powered air gun manufacturers to the same federal licensing and regulatory requirements as traditional firearm manufacturers.

The National Archives Protection Act prohibits the Archivist of the United States from closing any Federal records center or archive facility that was established before the bill's enactment. The legislation also prevents the Archivist from imposing unreasonable restrictions on public access to these facilities and bars reconstruction, conversion, or rehabilitation projects that would require relocating records for more than 180 days. This bill protects existing public access to Federal records and archives maintained across the country. The measure applies to all Federal records centers and archive facilities currently in operation and is sponsored by a bipartisan group of House members.

The AV Emergency Response Coordination Act requires autonomous vehicle operators to establish detailed emergency response procedures and communication systems to help first responders handle incidents involving self-driving cars. Covered entities must submit emergency response guides and rescue sheets to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration within 180 days and before operating vehicles, distribute these documents to local emergency agencies, and maintain 24/7 emergency hotlines that respond within 30 seconds. The bill applies to manufacturers and operators of vehicles with Level 3, 4, or 5 autonomous driving systems. Within two years, the Administrator must create minimum standards for how autonomous vehicles interact with emergency responders, including procedures for vehicle immobilization, occupant access, data recovery, and compliance with geofence notices that allow authorities to restrict autonomous vehicles from specific areas during emergencies. Covered entities must comply with these standards within one year of issuance, though existing operators may request a one-year exemption.

This bill allows the Food and Drug Administration to continue reviewing new drug and medical device applications during government shutdowns, even if companies have not yet paid their required FDA fees. Specifically, the FDA can accept applications and submissions that are otherwise complete but lack fee payment, and must give companies an additional seven days after the shutdown ends to pay those fees. If a company fails to pay the extended fee deadline, the FDA will reject the application and cannot approve it or any related submissions until payment is received. The legislation applies to both human drug applications and medical device submissions. By enabling the FDA to keep processing these applications during funding lapses, the bill aims to prevent delays in getting new medicines and medical devices to patients when government appropriations temporarily expire.

The Methane Removal Research and Innovation Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a new research initiative focused on developing technologies that remove methane from the atmosphere within one year of the bill's enactment. The initiative will bring together multidisciplinary teams from national laboratories, universities, private companies, and federal agencies to research various methane removal approaches, including biological methods, chemical breakdown technologies, and new materials, with research goals informed by a National Academies report on the topic. The bill authorizes $25 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to fund these research activities. The Secretary must report to Congress every three years on research progress, scientific knowledge gaps, and recommendations for advancing methane removal technologies. This legislation affects climate researchers, energy companies, universities, and federal science agencies involved in environmental and energy research.

The Federal Flood Risk Management Act of 2026 establishes a new federal standard requiring that flood-prone projects funded by the federal government be built to higher elevation levels than current minimum standards to better protect communities and federal assets against increasingly severe flooding. The legislation endorses a flexible framework—the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard—that balances environmental, economic, and national security concerns while giving federal agencies and project applicants some discretion in implementation. Within one year of passage, federal agencies must report to the Council on Environmental Quality how the new requirements affect their operations, and the Water Resources Council must then conduct biennial reviews of agency compliance and report to Congress. The bill also streamlines project approval by allowing eligible applicants who are already handling environmental reviews under existing law to consolidate these responsibilities with federal flood risk management oversight. Overall, the Act aims to improve the resilience of communities and federally funded projects to current and future flood risks.

The CHATBOT Act prohibits AI chatbots from falsely claiming or implying that they hold professional licenses or that their advice comes from licensed professionals in regulated fields like healthcare, finance, law, and accounting. Companies deploying AI chatbots must be transparent about the AI nature of their services and cannot deceive users into thinking they are receiving guidance from actual licensed practitioners. The Federal Trade Commission will enforce the law and issue compliance guidance within 12 months, treating violations as unfair or deceptive business practices. The bill also allows states and individuals harmed by violations to file lawsuits seeking actual damages or up to $5,000 per violation (which can triple for intentional violations), with damages automatically adjusted for inflation annually. The legislation has a five-year statute of limitations for private lawsuits and preserves states' rights to enforce stronger protections under their own licensing laws.

H.Res. 1117 is a resolution expressing congressional support for designating March as "Multiple System Atrophy Awareness Month" to increase public knowledge about this rare neurodegenerative disease. Multiple System Atrophy affects an estimated 25,000–75,000 Americans annually and is often fatal, causing progressive problems with movement, speech, eating, and breathing, yet currently has no known cure or effective treatment. The resolution highlights that the disease is frequently misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease or other neurological conditions, and that lack of awareness hampers both research efforts and accurate diagnosis. The resolution does not authorize any new funding or establish a specific timeline, but rather calls on Congress to support increased public awareness and continued investment in research efforts, including work being conducted at institutions like Stanford School of Medicine's Multiple System Atrophy Center of Excellence. This is a symbolic measure intended to draw national attention to the disease and encourage continued scientific advancement toward developing effective treatments.

The Nitrous Oxide Safety Act of 2026 bans the sale of consumer products containing nitrous oxide, effective 180 days after the law is enacted. The ban targets recreational use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or whippits, which the bill classifies as a banned hazardous product under existing consumer safety law. The legislation includes important exceptions that allow nitrous oxide to continue being used in medical and dental treatments, commercial food production and restaurants, research activities, and as a food propellant in pressurized containers like whipped cream dispensers. No new federal funding or enforcement mechanisms are specified in the bill; instead, it relies on existing Consumer Product Safety Act authorities to enforce the ban. The bill applies specifically to consumer products sold to the general public rather than professional or industrial uses.

The Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act allows individuals to claim a tax credit of up to $1,000 per year for hearing aid purchases that are not covered by insurance. The credit is available to taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income below $150,000 (or $300,000 for joint filers and heads of household) and can be claimed for themselves or their dependents. To prevent overuse, individuals can elect to use the credit only once every five years, and the same hearing aid expense cannot be claimed under multiple tax benefits. The law takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026, with no specific federal funding mechanism outlined in the legislation, as it operates as a reduction in tax liability rather than a direct spending program.

H.R. 7741, the E-Access Act, is designed to make it easier for consumers to access their own electric and natural gas usage and service information, including customer-specific data that can help them better manage costs and participate in programs like bill payment assistance and energy-efficiency or demand-response initiatives. The bill sets a framework requiring utilities to provide this data electronically, for free, and in machine-readable formats to consumers and authorized third parties, with clear privacy and security safeguards, user-friendly consent, standardized data-sharing standards, and performance expectations (including more than 99% system availability), supported by independent certification. Within 180 days, the Department of Energy working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must issue model guidelines for how utilities and states should deliver retail customer data, and states can apply for up to $10 million in FY2026 for certification and implementation assistance, along with related federal support. The bill also requires studies and a year-later joint report on the costs and potential competition and reliability effects of sending individual electric meter data to covered wholesale electricity markets, including estimates of reprogramming and settlement costs when meters are not already set up for the needed data intervals.

H.R. 7440 directs the Secretary of Transportation to transfer ownership of the Colma Park and Ride Lot to the San Mateo County Transit District at no cost to the district. The transfer would occur immediately upon the bill's enactment and would give the transit district complete federal and state ownership rights to the property, which is currently federally owned. This legislation affects the San Mateo County Transit District in California, which would gain control of the parking facility used for public transportation access. The bill requires no new federal funding since it simply transfers existing property rather than appropriating money. The straightforward nature of the legislation means implementation would occur as soon as the bill becomes law.

The Rail and Highway Transmission Planning Act directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct a comprehensive study on placing high-voltage electricity transmission lines along existing highway and railroad rights-of-way to speed up infrastructure development. The study, which must be completed within three years and involve the Departments of Transportation and Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and national laboratories, will examine completed projects, identify best practices, assess technical feasibility, evaluate different transmission technologies, and analyze costs, benefits, and environmental impacts of co-locating transmission infrastructure with transportation corridors. The findings will help determine which highway and rail routes are suitable for transmission development and could deliver savings in land acquisition and permitting while improving grid reliability and reducing energy costs for consumers. Results will be published incrementally online and in a final report to Congress, with all data made available in machine-readable format to help utilities, railroads, and government agencies plan future transmission projects. This bill aims to streamline the often-lengthy process of building new transmission infrastructure by leveraging existing public rights-of-way rather than requiring separate land acquisition.

The Staff Salary Schedule Improvement Act would allow the House of Representatives to switch to paying congressional staff twice per month instead of the current payment schedule, but only after the House upgrades its payroll system. The Chief Administrative Officer would have the authority to implement this new payment schedule if the House Administration Committee directs them to do so. The bill affects House employees and staff who currently receive paychecks on a fixed schedule. There is no specific funding or implementation timeline mentioned in the legislation; the change would only become possible once the House completes a payroll system upgrade and the Administration Committee approves the switch through new regulations.

The FIREWALL Act creates a new federal tax credit to help homeowners pay for disaster mitigation improvements to their primary residences. Individuals can claim a refundable credit equal to 50 percent of qualifying disaster mitigation expenses, up to a maximum of $25,000 per household per year (adjusted for inflation after 2025). The credit phases out for higher-income earners and applies only to homeowners living in areas that have experienced recent federal disaster declarations or received federal hazard mitigation assistance related to wildfires, hurricanes, windstorms, or floods. Eligible expenses include roof reinforcements, flood prevention measures, fire-resistant construction, storm shelters, backup power systems, and vegetation management around homes. The credit begins applying to tax years starting after December 31, 2024, and cannot be claimed for expenses already covered by insurance or government programs.

The Dredging Coordination Improvement Act requires the Secretary of the Army to consult with stakeholders—including local sponsors and other relevant parties—when setting the scope and timelines for maintenance dredging contracts. The bill prioritizes dredging work that supports commercial navigation, emergency needs, environmental protections, and projects of national importance, while allowing lower priority to recreational or non-commercial dredging. The Secretary must notify non-Federal sponsors within three business days if any changes to dredging performance are likely to affect the project timeline, and must provide capability information to local sponsors upon request. The bill allows the Secretary to skip stakeholder consultation only in genuine emergency situations or when national security is at stake. This legislation aims to improve coordination and transparency in how the federal government manages dredging operations across the nation's waterways.

Help Extend Auditory Relief Act of 2025 or the HEAR Act of 2025 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of hearing aids and hearing rehabilitation services. Covered services include hearing aid assessments, fittings, and related instructional services.

This bill expands veterans benefits available to individuals who served in the Philippine military forces and the Philippine Scouts during World War II. Currently, Filipino veterans can access certain VA benefits, but this legislation broadens their eligibility by adding two additional benefit categories (sections 1541 and 1542 of Title 38) and allowing the VA Secretary to accept alternative service documentation beyond official military rosters when determining eligibility. The bill also requires the VA to submit annual reports to Congress detailing how many Filipino veterans apply for and receive approved benefits. The law would take effect 270 days after passage, with no retroactive benefits provided for periods before that date. This change primarily affects aging Filipino veterans and their families who may have difficulty providing traditional documentation of their military service.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to create a federal grant program helping low-income homeowners and renters make their properties more resistant to climate-related hazards like flooding, wildfires, extreme heat, and storms. Grants would flow through states, tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations to eligible property owners—including low-income homeowners, affordable housing providers, and manufactured home communities—who would use the funds for home modifications and natural solutions to reduce climate risks. The program prioritizes communities facing the greatest climate threats but with the fewest resources to adapt. The bill authorizes $250 million annually from 2026 through 2031 for the Interior Department to administer grants, plus $2 million yearly through 2028 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop building and adaptation guidelines. Key protections include requirements that multifamily building owners receiving funds cannot displace residents without providing comparable replacement housing, cannot raise rents due to funded improvements for at least two years, and must allow residents to return after construction.

The Resilient Emergency Alert Communications and Training Act requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish a program providing technical and financial assistance to state, local, and tribal governments to test and improve their emergency alert and warning systems. The assistance includes funding for training exercises, help establishing clear procedures and responsibilities across different levels of government, development of message templates based on scientific research, and public education campaigns explaining how alerts work. FEMA must submit an operational plan to Congress within one year and annual reports thereafter assessing the effectiveness of these training and testing activities, including how many people opt out of receiving alerts. The program authorizes $30 million per year for fiscal years 2025 through 2035 and sunsets after 10 years, with the requirement that states and local governments are not forced to use any particular alert system.

The AV Safety Data Act requires manufacturers and operators of autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems to report detailed safety data to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Within 90 days of the bill's enactment, NHTSA must establish regulations requiring companies to submit monthly reports covering miles traveled, collisions involving injuries, and "unplanned stoppage events" where the vehicle stops unexpectedly on a public road. The reported data must include vehicle identification, location, time, weather conditions, and response details, with limited exceptions for Level 2 driver assistance systems that exclude personal driver information. Beginning 120 days after enactment, NHTSA will make all submitted reports publicly available in a machine-readable format so the public can access autonomous vehicle safety information. The reporting requirements will remain in effect for at least 10 years, after which NHTSA may reduce their scope.

The Resilient LEO PNT Act directs the Secretary of the Air Force to conduct a demonstration project with commercial satellite companies to develop an alternative positioning, navigation, and timing system using low Earth orbit satellites. This system is designed as a backup to GPS that would work even if GPS is unavailable, resist jamming and spoofing attacks, and be compatible with existing GPS receivers while achieving high precision (timing accurate to less than 10 nanoseconds and location accurate to less than 30 centimeters). The Air Force must select at least one eligible U.S.-based commercial provider within 18 months of the contract award, and if successful, award a follow-on production contract within 180 days to move toward operational deployment. The bill requires a report to Congress within two years detailing the participating companies, their technical capabilities, demonstration results, and a strategy for full deployment, though it does not specify total funding amounts.

The Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act of 2025 directs the U.S. Geological Survey to map how groundwater levels will rise in coastal areas across the continental United States through 2100 and to study the potential impacts on infrastructure and public health. The bill responds to concerns that rising sea levels—expected to increase 8 to 15 inches by 2050—will cause groundwater to rise in ways that threaten roads, buildings, water systems, and sewage infrastructure, yet no national assessment of these risks currently exists. The legislation authorizes $5 million for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 to develop the groundwater maps and create a public website for community planners and emergency managers, while a separate study commissioned through the National Academies will examine specific impacts to infrastructure and public health over a three-year timeline. The bill affects coastal communities, local governments, water utilities, and federal agencies involved in infrastructure planning and environmental protection, and it requires Congress to receive recommendations on additional resources needed for more accurate future projections.

The Language Access in Transit Act directs the Secretary of Transportation to ensure that public transit systems receiving federal funding provide meaningful language access services to people with limited English proficiency. The bill amends existing transportation law to require transit agencies that accept federal money to take active steps—rather than passive compliance—to make their services accessible to non-English speakers. This affects all public transportation systems that receive federal assistance, including buses, trains, and other transit operations across the country. The legislation does not specify new funding amounts or implementation timelines, but instead establishes a mandate that agencies must follow to maintain their eligibility for existing federal transportation dollars. The bill was introduced in June 2025 and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

H.R. 3729 expands federal funding eligibility for commuter rail systems to develop and implement regenerative braking and energy storage technologies. The bill amends existing rail infrastructure grant programs to allow commuter rail operators—organizations that provide local and regional passenger train service—to compete for federal funds previously unavailable for these specific projects. Regenerative braking systems capture energy that would normally be lost when trains slow down and store it in batteries for later use, potentially reducing fuel costs and emissions. The legislation does not specify new funding amounts or implementation timelines but adds new eligible project categories under an existing federal grant program designed to improve rail infrastructure and safety. The change benefits commuter rail agencies and passengers by helping modernize rail systems with more efficient, sustainable technology.