Chris Pappas

Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes through FY2030 and modifies the Weatherization Assistance Program. Under the program, the Department of Energy (DOE) provides grants for low-income households to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

The bill increases the cap on the average assistance provided per home from $6,500 to $12,000.

The bill also directs DOE to include in its annual report to Congress a description of the impacts of enhancement and innovation readiness efforts on eligibility for assistance under the program.

Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act

This bill specifies certain requirements for private health insurers regarding coverage of individuals with end stage renal disease (ESRD) who are also covered under Medicare.

In particular, the bill specifies that insurers may not limit benefits, including limiting network composition, in a manner that will affect ESRD Medicare beneficiaries differently compared to others without ESRD. The bill additionally specifies that insurers are not required to include a particular renal dialysis provider or a particular number of such providers as part of their networks.

Access Technology Affordability Act of 2025

This bill allows a refundable federal tax credit, through 2030, equal to the amounts paid for qualified access technology for use by a blind individual who is the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or a dependent of the taxpayer. (Limits apply.)

The bill defines qualified access technology as hardware, software, or other information technology with the primary function of converting or adapting information that is visually represented into forms or formats usable by blind individuals.

The tax credit is limited to (1) amounts paid that are not compensated by insurance or otherwise, and (2) an aggregate amount of $2,000 (adjusted for inflation) per blind individual in any period of three consecutive taxable years.

Increased TSP Access Act of 2025

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to modify the certification process for Technical Service Providers (TSPs) at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) by establishing an approval process for nonfederal certifying entities and a streamlined certification process for TSPs that hold certain specialty certifications.

As background, TSPs are third-party service providers, such as private businesses, Indian tribes, and nonprofit organizations, that work on behalf of customers to offer planning, design, and implementation services that meet NRCS criteria.

The bill specifies that USDA must ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, third-party providers with expertise in the technical aspects of conservation practice design, implementation, and evaluation are eligible to become approved TSPs.

USDA must provide a streamlined certification process for TSPs who hold appropriate specialty certifications (e.g., certified crop advisors).

In determining the eligibility of a nonfederal certifying entity, USDA must consider the ability, experience, expertise, and history of the entity. USDA must decide whether to approve an application submitted by a nonfederal certifying entity to certify TSPs within a specified time period.

USDA must also review a TSP's certification by a nonfederal certifying entity within a specified time period. If the certification is satisfactory, USDA must include the TSP on a USDA-maintained registry of certified TSPs.

The bill also specifies that TSPs must be paid at rates equivalent to technical assistance provided by USDA.

Further, USDA must provide accessible public information on TSPs, including information on funding, certification results, and utilization rates.

Interactive Federal Review Act

This bill revises the environmental review process for federal-aid highway projects to encourage the use of certain digital platforms and models.

Specifically, the Department of Transportation (DOT) must encourage recipients of federal highway funding who are carrying out environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to utilize (1) interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms; and (2) high fidelity, three-dimensional digital models of infrastructure project elements, such as digital twins.

DOT must also select at least 10 federal-aid highway projects to demonstrate the use of these platforms and models in carrying out the environmental impact analysis and community engagement processes required under NEPA.

Further, DOT must publish technology-neutral best practice guidance to encourage sponsors of projects that receive federal funds from DOT to use these platforms and models in carrying out the environmental impact analysis and community engagement processes required under NEPA.

Correcting Guam's History in the PACT Act

This bill expands eligibility for a presumption of service-connection for specified diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.

Under the bill, service performed in Guam or its territorial waters between August 15, 1958, and July 31, 1980, provides a veteran who has a specified disease that is associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents with eligibility for a presumption of service-connection. (Under current law, the eligible time frame for service in Guam is between January 9, 1962, and July 31, 1980.)

TAP Promotion Act

This bill requires that pre-separation counseling under the Transition Assistance Program include a presentation that promotes the benefits available to veterans from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill also requires the VA to annually report on the presentation to (1) identify veterans service organizations that participate, (2) provide the number of members of the Armed Forces who attend, and (3) provide any recommendations for changes to the presentation.

Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth Act of 2025 or the HEALTH Act of 2025

This bill modifies requirements relating to Medicare coverage of telehealth services, including services that are furnished by federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics (RHCs).

Specifically, the bill expands coverage to include audio-only telehealth services. It also permanently allows FQHCs and RHCs to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner) for telehealth services and excludes such services from certain geographic restrictions. Payment must be made in the same manner as for non-telehealth services, rather than in accordance with a separate methodology determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act of 2025 or the FEMA Act of 2025

This bill reestablishes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (currently within the Department of Homeland Security) as an independent, cabinet-level agency. It also makes broad changes to FEMA’s disaster and hazard mitigation assistance programs.

The bill generally transfers FEMA’s current functions and authorities to the independent FEMA, except for certain security-related programs.

The bill makes various changes to the Public Assistance program, including by

• establishing new grants for expedited funding to repair or replace disaster-damaged facilities,

• establishing block grants that recipients may choose instead of Public Assistance for smaller disasters,

• expediting and expanding uses of funding for emergency response and debris removal, and

• allowing use of excess administrative funds for increasing recipients’ disaster management capacity.

The bill makes various changes to the Individual Assistance program, including by

• expanding eligibility for housing assistance,

• expanding mitigation and direct (non-financial) assistance for residences,

• reducing certain restrictions on funds duplicating program benefits, and

• establishing a unified disaster application system.

The bill makes various changes to FEMA’s mitigation programs, including by

• establishing mitigation plans with preapproved projects,

• authorizing an entire Hazard Mitigation Grant Program grant to be provided before costs are incurred,

• changing pre-disaster mitigation assistance to noncompetitive formula grants, and

• allowing recipients to combine mitigation project funds from multiple federal programs.

Additionally, federal entities must publish various information relating to disaster assistance and conduct various studies on related topics (e.g., preliminary damage assessments, fast-moving disasters, and government emergency alerting systems).

Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act

This bill provides for permanent coverage under Medicare of certain pharmacist services.

Specifically, the bill provides for permanent coverage of testing and treatment services provided by pharmacists relating to (1) COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat); and (2) other public health needs in relation to a declared public health emergency. (Similar authorities were temporarily granted during the COVID-19 public health emergency.) Such services must be provided in accordance with the applicable state laws governing pharmacists' scope of practice.

Making Agricultural Products Locally Essential Act (MAPLE) Act

This bill includes maple syrup as one of the eligible foods under the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP).

As background, the Department of Agriculture's SFMNP provides grants to participating states to provide low-income seniors with coupons/vouchers that may be used at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and community supported agriculture programs to purchase eligible foods (i.e., fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally-grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honey).

Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025

This bill imposes penalties on certain persons (individuals and entities) if the President determines that the Russian government or a person acting at Russia's direction is involved with (1) refusing to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine; (2) violating a negotiated peace agreement; (3) initiating another invasion of Ukraine; or (4) overthrowing, dismantling, or seeking to subvert the Ukrainian government.

If the President makes such a determination, the bill requires certain actions including

• the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on specified persons such as the Russian president, certain Russian military commanders, and any foreign person that knowingly provides defense items to the Russian armed forces;

• the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported from Russia into the United States to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services;

• the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported into the United States from countries that knowingly engage in the exchange of Russian-origin uranium and petroleum products to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services;

• the Department of the Treasury must impose property-blocking sanctions on any financial institution organized under Russian law and owned wholly or partly by Russia, and any financial institution that engages in transactions with those entities; and

• the Department of Commerce must prohibit the export, reexport, or in-country transfer to or in Russia of any U.S.-produced energy or energy product.

Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act

This bill increases the maximum amount authorized under the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant program to $10,000 for veterans with a service-connected disability and $5,000 for those with disabilities that are not service-connected. The HISA grant program provides medically necessary improvements and structural alterations to a veteran's (or service member's) primary residence for specified purposes (e.g., allowing for entrance to their home).

The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase the maximum dollar amount of the grant in accordance with inflation as determined by the Consumer Price Index.