Chris Van Hollen

Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2025

This bill makes the federal adoption tax credit refundable. The bill also requires the Internal Revenue Service to provide for a standardized third-party affidavit for purposes of verifying a legal adoption.

As background, individuals may claim a tax credit for qualified expenses to adopt a child. The maximum amount of the tax credit is $17,280 per child for 2025, which is adjusted annually for inflation. Income limitations apply. Under current law, the adoption tax credit is not refundable but may be carried forward for up to five subsequent tax years to reduce taxable income in those years.

Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts Act or the BUMP Act

This bill generally prohibits the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt, or possession of

• a device that is primarily designed, or redesigned, to increase the rate of fire when attached to a semiautomatic firearm;

• a device, part, or combination of parts that is designed and functions to increase the rate of fire of a firearm; or

• a semiautomatic firearm that has been modified to materially increase the rate of fire or to approximate the action or rate of fire of a machine gun.

Additionally, the bill adds to the list of firearms subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act semiautomatic firearms that have been modified to materially increase the rate of fire or approximate the action or rate of fire of a machine gun.

Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion Act or the GOSAFE Act

This bill establishes a framework to regulate gas-operated semiautomatic firearms and large capacity ammunition feeding devices under federal firearms laws.

First, the bill generally prohibits the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt, or possession of

• a firearm that is or is modified to operate as a prohibited gas-operated semiautomatic firearm;

• a combination of parts that modify or can be assembled into a prohibited gas-operated semiautomatic firearm, or that produce an unlawful gas-operated semiautomatic cycling action;

• a device or combination of parts designed to materially increase the rate of fire of a semiautomatic firearm; or

• a firearm that is modified to materially increase the rate of fire.

Second, the bill generally prohibits (1) the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or receipt of a large capacity ammunition feeding device; or (2) the possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device manufactured after the date of enactment.

A violation is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 12 months, or both, for each violation.

In addition, an individual who possesses a prohibited gas-operated semiautomatic firearm during a federal felony offense is subject to additional penalties—a fine, a mandatory minimum prison term of two years, or both.

Finally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender gas-operated semiautomatic firearms and large capacity ammunition feeding devices under a buy-back program.

No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act

This bill excludes from the tax deduction for ordinary and necessary business expenses amounts paid or incurred to influence employees with respect to labor organizations or labor organization activities. The bill also imposes information reporting requirements related to such expenses and imposes penalties for failure to comply.

Under the bill, amounts paid to influence employees with respect to labor organizations include amounts paid (including wages and other costs)

• in connection with an action that results in a complaint or settlement related to an unfair labor practice or a finding of interference, influence, or coercion related to railway employees’ rights to organize and bargain collectively;

• for any meeting or training attended by employees and at which labor organizations are discussed; and

• that require certain employer disclosures and financial reporting.

(Some exceptions apply.)

The bill requires employers to file a return reporting certain information related to expenses paid to influence employees with respect to labor organizations and imposes a penalty for noncompliance. The amount of the penalty is the greater of (1) $10,000, or (2) $1,000 multiplied by the number full-time equivalent employees. Additional penalties apply for violations that continue for more than 90 days.

The bill also imposes information reporting requirements on persons conducting activities on behalf of another person to influence employees with respect to labor organizations.

The bill allows certain penalties for noncompliance with the reporting requirements to be waived if noncompliance is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect.

This resolution condemns China's Hong Kong national security law (officially called The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), the Hong Kong government's Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, and related human rights abuses. The resolution also (1) supports the people of Hong Kong as they fight to exercise fundamental rights and freedoms; and (2) calls upon the Hong Kong government to drop all sedition and national security law-related charges and free all defendants immediately, including Jimmy Lai.

Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2025

This bill provides legal protections for a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) who is detained or subject to immigration-related proceedings.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), or the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a case involving an unaccompanied child, may appoint or provide counsel at the government's expense to non-U.S. nationals in removal proceedings and related appeals.

An unaccompanied child must be represented by counsel paid for and appointed by the government at every stage of such proceedings unless the child has obtained counsel at their own expense. If HHS fails to provide counsel to an unaccompanied child, the child's deadline for filing a motion to reopen a removal proceeding shall not apply, and the filing of such a motion shall stay the child's removal from the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must provide a complete copy of a non-U.S. national's immigration file to the non-U.S. national (or the non-U.S. national's counsel) within seven days of a notice to appear for an immigration proceeding, and failure to provide the file shall result in a delay in the proceeding.

DHS must provide access to counsel for all detained non-U.S. nationals.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement must develop model guidelines for representing non-U.S. national children in immigration proceedings.

HHS must annually report on the extent to which it has provided counsel for unaccompanied children under this bill.

Save Our Seafood Act

This bill establishes that the annual numerical cap on temporary nonagricultural worker (H-2B) visas does not apply to fish processors.

Under current law, up to 66,000 H-2B visas may be issued in a year, with additional visas available to certain classes of workers who are exempt from this cap, including fish roe processors.

Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2025 or the CONNECT for Health Act of 2025

This bill expands coverage of telehealth services under Medicare.

Among other provisions, the bill

• permanently removes geographic restrictions on originating sites (i.e., the location of the beneficiary) and allows the home of the beneficiary to serve as the originating site for all services;

• permanently allows federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner); and

• allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to generally waive coverage restrictions during any public health emergency.

Additionally, the CMS must post certain information about the effects of Medicare telehealth services on its website, including information about utilization, costs, and the outcome of services. The CMS must also (1) provide resources to health care professionals about the requirements for furnishing telehealth services under Medicare, including with respect to payment, patient privacy, and support for underserved populations; and (2) ensure certain quality measures are applied to telehealth services.

This resolution designates March 27, 2025, as National Women in Agriculture Day. It also recognizes the important role of women in agriculture as producers, educators, leaders, mentors, and more.

Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025

This bill modifies and implements policies and procedures related to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and benefits for veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST), which is generally defined as physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment that occurred while the veteran was serving in the military.

In the case of any veteran who claims that a covered mental health condition (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder) based on MST was incurred or aggravated by active service, the VA must consider (1) a diagnosis of the condition by a mental health professional, (2) a medically proven link between current symptoms and MST, and (3) credible corroborating evidence that MST occurred.

The VA may not deny a veteran's claim of compensation for a covered mental health condition based on MST without first (1) advising the veteran that nonmilitary evidence and behavioral evidence may constitute credible corroborating evidence, and (2) allowing the veteran an opportunity to furnish the corroborating evidence or advise the VA of potential sources of such evidence.

The Veterans Benefits Administration must conduct an annual special focus review on the accuracy of the processing of claims for disability compensation for disabilities relating to MST.

Additionally, the bill (1) expands eligibility for MST counseling and treatment to former members of the reserve components regardless of duty status, and (2) requires various outreach by the VA to inform potentially eligible individuals about MST care.

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.

Privacy Act Modernization Act of 2025

This bill strengthens privacy protections that apply to personal data held or maintained by government agencies. These protections restrict the storage, access, use, and disclosure of personal data, such as an individual’s name or Social Security number.

Currently, these protections apply to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The bill expands this to include natural persons in the United States and certain associations and corporations.

The bill places additional limits on the use and disclosure of such data, including by limiting the use of records to a legally authorized purpose and requiring disclosures to be minimal and consistent with a previously stated use.

The bill also increases existing penalties and creates additional criminal penalties for violations. For example, under the bill, an agency employee who willfully discloses individually identifiable information with the intent to sell, transfer, use, or disclose such information for commercial advantage, personal gain, or malicious harm shall be guilty of a felony and fined not more than $250,000, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both.

Courts may provide preliminary relief and, if the U.S. is found to have acted intentionally or willfully, the U.S. is liable for additional types of damages (e.g., punitive).

The bill generally takes effect two years after the date of enactment. However, the bill takes effect immediately upon enactment with respect to certain actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), certain special or temporary employees, and other related individuals and organizations.