Inflation and prices

Medal of Honor Act

This act increases the monthly special pension for living Medal of Honor recipients. The act also prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs from increasing the amount of the pension for inflation if the amount was already increased during such year.

Additionally, the act extends a limitation on the pension paid to veterans who reside in Medicaid nursing homes and have no spouse or child. Currently, such pensions are limited to $90 per month through November 30, 2031. The act extends this limitation through January 31, 2033.

Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025

This act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase the amounts payable for wartime disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Specifically, the VA must increase the amounts by the same percentage as the cost-of-living increase in benefits for Social Security recipients that is effective on December 1, 2025. The act requires the VA to publish the amounts payable, as increased, in the Federal Register.

The VA is authorized to make a similar adjustment to the rates of disability compensation payable to persons who have not received compensation for service-connected disability or death.

Investing in All of America Act of 2025

This act modifies the limit on the amount of financing available to a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) from the Small Business Administration (SBA). It also expands the definition of private capital with respect to SBICs.

Specifically, the act reduces the maximum outstanding financing available to an SBIC from 300% to 200% of the SBIC's private capital. The act increases from $350 million to $475 million the maximum financing available to two or more commonly controlled SBICs that make quarterly or semiannual interest payments.

The act also expands the amounts that may be excluded from the calculation of the financing limit to include the amounts an SBIC invests in (1) rural areas, (2) certain technology categories, or (3) small manufacturers. The act revises the cap on such excluded amounts to the lesser of $125 million or the aggregate of 50% of the private capital of the SBIC.

Additionally, the act expands what is considered the private capital of an SBIC to include funds obtained from the business revenue of additional government-sponsored corporations and funds invested by the trust or endowment of a college or university.

Protect College Sports Act of 2026

This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights. The requirements address elements of the court-approved agreement to settle In re College Athlete NIL Litigation (i.e., House settlement).

First, the bill statutorily prohibits institutions, conferences, or interstate intercollegiate athletic associations (e.g., the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA]) from restricting student athletes from entering NIL agreements (subject to specified limitations). Students must report to their institution NIL compensation greater than $600.

The bill requires agents to register with a state and caps agent endorsement contract fees at 5%.

The bill also provides student athletes with one transfer without losing athletic eligibility and restricts football personnel from becoming the head football coach at a different institution during the same season.

Further, the bill prohibits institutions, conferences, or specified entities acting for the benefit of an institution from providing athletes with compensation that circumvents the limit on sharing revenue with student athletes established under the House settlement. The bill also makes the limit permanent and provides for an annual inflation adjustment.

The bill generally prohibits Division I conferences from reducing the number of varsity or Olympic sports teams that a member institution must sponsor. Specifically, large institutions ($80 million or more in annual athletics revenue) must offer and maintain at least as many grant-in-aid opportunities and roster spots for sports that do not generate positive net revenue as the institution provided during academic year 2024-25. The bill provides for a waiver of this requirement under certain circumstances of financial hardship and the requirements expire nine years after the enactment of the bill.

Additionally, the bill establishes (subject to specified conditions) a limited antitrust exemption for institutions or conferences that form joint agreements to transfer their sports telecasting rights to a third party. Such an agreement requires participation from at least 75% of the institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Transparency In Charges for Key Events Ticketing Act or the TICKET Act

This bill requires ticket sellers (including sellers on the secondary market) for concerts, performances, sporting events, and similar activities to clearly and prominently disclose the total ticket price for the event at the time the ticket is first displayed to an individual (and anytime thereafter during the purchasing process). Prior to completing a purchase, ticket sellers also must provide an itemized list of the base ticket price and each fee (e.g., service fee, processing fee, or other charge). The total ticket price must also be disclosed in any advertisement, marketing, or price list.

Additionally, a ticket seller, secondary market seller, or ticket exchange that does not have actual or constructive possession of an event ticket is prohibited from selling or advertising a ticket for the event. However, a secondary market seller or exchange may sell or advertise a service to obtain an event ticket for an individual if the seller or exchange (1) does not market the service as an event ticket, (2) maintains a clear separation between the provided service and the event tickets throughout the entire purchasing process, and (3) clearly discloses that the service is not an event ticket.

The bill establishes additional disclosure requirements for ticket sellers, secondary market sellers, and ticket exchanges, and requires such entities to issue a refund for the total ticket price if an event is canceled or postponed.

The Federal Trade Commission must enforce these requirements.

Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2025

This bill requires providers of short-term lodging (e.g., hotels, short-term rentals, and third-party online sellers) to include certain price information when displaying, advertising, or marketing reservations for lodging.

Specifically, such providers must (1) display the total services price, including the base price and any service fees, if a price is displayed in an advertisement. marketing material, or a price list; (2) disclose the total services price at the time the services are first displayed to an individual seeking to purchase such services and anytime thereafter during the purchasing process; and (3) disclose, prior to the final purchase, any tax, fee, or assessment imposed by any government entity (or quasi-government entity) on the sale of such services.

The bill provides for enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general (or other authorized state officials).

Diversity Jurisdiction Inflation Adjustment Act

This bill raises the minimum amount in controversy for federal diversity jurisdiction.

Under current law, federal courts have jurisdiction over civil cases in which the monetary amount in controversy exceeds $75,000 and there is diversity of citizenship among the parties (e.g., the parties are citizens of different states).

This bill raises the minimum amount in controversy from $75,000 to $150,000 and adjusts the amount for inflation every 10 years beginning in 2030.

Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act

This bill limits in certain instances the number of patents that the manufacturer of a biologic drug can assert in a lawsuit against a company seeking to sell a biosimilar version of that drug. (A biologic drug is produced through natural processes or isolated from natural sources. A biosimilar version is substantially similar to the original biologic, which is the reference product, and is often marketed as a less expensive alternative.)

The bill's provisions apply to an existing framework that gives the biosimilar manufacturer an abbreviated path to Food and Drug Administration approval to sell the biosimilar. Specifically, if the biosimilar manufacturer completes certain actions under the framework, such as sharing certain information about its product with the reference product manufacturer, the bill limits the number of certain patents that the reference product manufacturer may assert in a lawsuit, such as patents that were filed more than four years after the reference product received market approval. The limit shall not apply to patents claiming certain methods for using the biologic drug.

The court in which the infringement lawsuit is filed may increase the limit if justice so requires or if there is good cause for the increase.

Lower Health Care Costs Act

This bill extends for three years, through 2028, temporary changes enacted by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) that generally expand eligibility for and increase the amount of the premium tax credit.

Currently, eligible taxpayers may be able to claim the premium tax credit, which applies toward the cost of obtaining health insurance through health insurance exchanges. To be eligible for the premium tax credit, a taxpayer’s household income must meet or exceed 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and, after 2025, may not exceed 400% of the FPL (maximum income limit). For 2021-2025, the ARPA and IRA eliminated the maximum income limit, which generally expands eligibility for the premium tax credit.

Further, under current law, the amount of the premium tax credit is (1) generally the plan premium (conditions apply), minus (2) the taxpayer’s household income multiplied by the applicable percentage. The applicable percentage is a specific percentage that varies depending on which of six income ranges (adjusted for inflation after 2025) the taxpayer’s household income falls within. For 2021-2025, the ARPA and IRA lowered the applicable percentages and eliminated the adjustment of the applicable percentages for inflation, which generally increases the amount of the premium tax credit.

The bill extends for three years, through 2028, the elimination of the 400% maximum income limit, the lower applicable percentages, and the elimination of the inflation adjustment for the applicable percentages.

Prescription Pricing for the People Act of 2025

This bill requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report about anticompetitive practices and other trends within the pharmaceutical supply chain that may impact the cost of prescription drugs.

The report must address whether pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) (1) reimburse pharmacies owned by the PBM at a higher price than other pharmacies, and (2) implement formulary designs to increase the market share of higher-cost prescription drugs or depress the market share of lower-cost prescription drugs.

The FTC also must provide recommendations to increase transparency in the supply chain, prevent anticompetitive practices, and ensure that consumers benefit from cost savings or efficiencies that result from mergers and consolidations.

Additionally, the FTC must report the number and nature of complaints the FTC receives relating to an allegation of anticompetitive conduct by a manufacturer of a sole-source drug.

Drug Competition Enhancement Act

This bill prohibits product hopping by drug manufacturers and authorizes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce this prohibition.

Generally, product hopping describes a situation where, when the patents on a reference drug (or biological product) expire, the manufacturer switches to a follow-on product that is covered by a later-expiring patent. Under this bill, a follow-on product is a modified version of the reference drug that has an indication (what the drug is used for) that is identical or substantively similar to an indication of the reference drug.

The bill establishes a presumption that product hopping has occurred when a reference drug manufacturer, after receiving notice that the Food and Drug Administration has received an application to market a competing generic (or biosimilar) version, takes certain actions such as withdrawing the reference drug from the market and selling a follow-on product.

A drug manufacturer may rebut these presumptions by demonstrating that its conduct was not intended to limit competition.

The bill makes product hopping an unfair method of competition and provides for enforcement by the FTC. If the FTC has reason to believe a manufacturer has violated or is about to violate this prohibition on product hopping, the FTC may institute an administrative proceeding or bring suit in federal court to stop the manufacturer’s action and seek equitable remedies, including disgorgement of unjust profits or paying restitution to those harmed.

Mitigating Automated Internet Networks for Event Ticketing Act or the MAIN Event Ticketing Act

This bill expands measures to protect the security and integrity of online ticket sales.

Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of applications that perform automated tasks to purchase event tickets from online ticket sellers in circumvention of the seller's posted ticket purchasing order rules. This includes using software applications that circumvent access control systems or security measures.

In addition, online ticket sellers must establish, implement, and maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the security, confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the seller's website or service.

Further, online ticket sellers must report known incidents of circumvention to the Federal Trade Commission and take reasonable steps to address any such incidents.

The bill establishes civil penalties for violations of the provisions of this bill (and related prohibitions under current law) and authorizes the commission to bring civil actions for such violations.

Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies must coordinate as appropriate with the commission to share information about known instances of cyberattacks against the websites or online services used by ticket sellers.

The commission must report to Congress on the status of enforcement actions taken under this bill.

Mitigating Automated Internet Networks for Event Ticketing Act or the MAIN Event Ticketing Act

This bill expands measures to protect the security and integrity of online ticket sales.

Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of applications that perform automated tasks to purchase event tickets from online ticket sellers in circumvention of the seller's posted ticket purchasing order rules. This includes using software applications that circumvent access control systems or security measures.

In addition, online ticket sellers must establish, implement, and maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the security, confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the seller's website or service.

Further, online ticket sellers must report known incidents of circumvention to the Federal Trade Commission and take reasonable steps to address any such incidents.

The bill establishes civil penalties for violations of the provisions of this bill (and related prohibitions under current law) and authorizes the commission to bring civil actions for such violations.

Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies must coordinate as appropriate with the commission to share information about known instances of cyberattacks against the websites or online services used by ticket sellers.

The commission must report to Congress on the status of enforcement actions taken under this bill.

Medication Affordability and Patent Integrity Act

This bill requires applicants seeking approval of a drug or licensure of a biological product to submit certain information about relevant patents to both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Specifically, the bill requires applicants to make certifications and disclosures related to each applicable patent on a proposed drug or biological product. An applicable patent is a patent or patent application held or sought by the applicant for the drug or biological product (including a formulation or composition, method of use, or method of manufacturing).

For each applicable patent, an applicant must submit to the USPTO any information material to patentability that the applicant submitted to the FDA and any information provided by the FDA in response. The applicant must certify that this submission is complete and consistent with the information the applicant provided to the FDA.

Further, for each applicable patent, an applicant must certify that certain information submitted to the FDA is consistent with information the applicant provided to the USPTO. This is specific to statements or characterizations that are material to patentability and related to (1) an applicable patent (including a statement or characterization of relevant publicly known information), or (2) analytical data included in a new drug or biological product application.

The bill establishes a defense to a patent infringement action if the owner of an applicable patent negligently or intentionally failed to make the disclosures required by these provisions.

Transparency In Charges for Key Events Ticketing Act or the TICKET Act

This bill requires ticket sellers (including sellers on the secondary market) for concerts, performances, sporting events, and similar activities to clearly and prominently disclose the total ticket price for the event at the time the ticket is first displayed to an individual (and anytime thereafter during the purchasing process). Prior to completing a purchase, ticket sellers also must provide an itemized list of the base ticket price and each fee (e.g., service fee, processing fee, or other charge). The total ticket price must also be disclosed in any advertisement, marketing, or price list.

Additionally, a ticket seller, secondary market seller, or ticket exchange that does not have actual or constructive possession of an event ticket is prohibited from selling or advertising a ticket for the event. However, a secondary market seller or exchange may sell or advertise a service to obtain an event ticket for an individual if the seller or exchange (1) does not market the service as an event ticket, (2) maintains a clear separation between the provided service and the event tickets throughout the entire purchasing process, and (3) clearly discloses that the service is not an event ticket.

The bill establishes additional disclosure requirements for ticket sellers, secondary market sellers, and ticket exchanges, and requires such entities to issue a refund for the total ticket price if an event is canceled or postponed.

The Federal Trade Commission must enforce these requirements.

Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2025

This 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.

Equal COLA Act

This bill applies a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for annuities paid under the Federal Employees Retirement System that is equal to the increase in inflation, regardless of the amount of the increase.

Specifically, for any year in which the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased over the previous year, the COLA amount shall be increased by the change in the CPI from the previous year.

Current law applies an adjustment equal to the change in CPI only if the change is 2% or less. If the change is between 2% and 3%, the adjustment is limited to 2%. If the change is more than 3%, the adjustment is limited to 1% less than the change.

Food Deserts Act

This bill establishes a grant program within the Department of Agriculture to reduce food deserts. Under the program, grants are provided to states for revolving funds that support the establishment and operation of grocery stores in underserved communities. Underserved communities are communities that have (1) limited access to affordable, healthy foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, in grocery retail stores or farmer-to-consumer direct markets; and (2) a high rate of hunger, a high rate of food insecurity, or a high poverty rate.

The bill requires states to use such funds for loans that support grocery stores in underserved communities, including for opening a store (excluding new construction), or supporting an existing store.

In order to qualify for loans, grocery stores must meet criteria enumerated in the bill. For example, grocery stores must (1) emphasize unprocessed, healthful foods; (2) provide staple foods and a variety of raw fruits and vegetables; and (3) charge affordable prices at or below market values.

Further, states must prioritize loan applications from entities that meet criteria related to

• hiring workers from the underserved community,

• providing classes or educational information about a healthful diet,

• sourcing food from local urban farms and gardens, and

• demonstrating existing supply chain relationships in the grocery industry.

Pell Grant Sustainability Act

This bill indexes the maximum award amount for Pell Grants to the rate of inflation. The bill also permanently reauthorizes the discretionary statutory authority for the Pell Grant program.

Social Security Expansion Act

This bill increases Social Security benefits, expands Social Security payroll taxes, and makes other changes to the Social Security program.

Specifically, the bill changes the way Social Security benefits are calculated by increasing the primary insurance amount applicable to average monthly earnings that fall below a specified amount, and increasing bend points for individuals who become eligible for Social Security after 2025. (Bend points are dollar amounts at which earnings are segmented for the purpose of calculating an individual’s primary insurance amount. The share of an individual’s earnings that are replaced by Social Security decreases at each escalating bend point.)

The bill also revises the method of calculating cost-of-living adjustments to account for the spending of individuals over the age of 62 and establishes a new minimum benefit for certain low earners. Further, the bill permits full-time students who are the children of deceased or disabled workers to collect Social Security or railroad retirement child’s benefits until they reach age 22.

With respect to taxes, the bill extends payroll taxes on wages, salaries, and self-employment earnings to income above $250,000. (In 2025, the maximum amount subject to Social Security payroll tax is $176,100.) The bill also increases the net investment income tax and subjects active trade or business income to this tax.

Finally, the bill combines the existing Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund into a single Social Security Trust Fund.