Ted Cruz

Livestock Indemnity Program Enhancement Act of 2025 or the LIP Enhancement Act of 2025

This bill expands coverage under the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) to include unborn livestock as LIP-eligible livestock losses.

The bill applies to unborn livestock death losses (i.e., losses of any livestock that was gestating on the date of the death of the livestock) incurred on or after January 1, 2024.

LIP is a Farm Service Agency program that provides indemnity payments to eligible livestock owners and contract growers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality or reduced sales prices due to specified events (e.g., adverse weather, disease, or animal attack).

Authorizing Vocational and Instructional Aviation Training for Eligible Veterans Act of 2025 or the AVIATE Act of 2025

This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to approve nondegree flight training courses for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities as part of the VA’s vocational rehabilitation programs under the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program. Generally, the VR&E program provides job training and other employment-related services to veterans with service-connected disabilities, including long-term employment training courses.

Universal Savings Account Act of 2025

This bill establishes Universal Savings Accounts, which are tax-advantaged savings accounts that allow contributions up to a certain amount, exempt earnings and distributions from federal income taxes, and allow distributions to be used for any purpose. (Conditions and exceptions apply.)

Specifically, the bill allows cash contributions to a Universal Savings Account of up to $10,000 in 2025 (maximum base contribution), excluding qualified amounts rolled over from another tax-advantaged account (e.g., individual retirement account). The maximum base contribution amount is increased by $500 each year beginning in 2026 and adjusted annually for inflation, up to a total maximum contribution of $25,000 (also adjusted annually for inflation beginning in 2026).

Under the bill, earnings and distributions from a Universal Savings Account are excluded from gross income for federal tax purposes and, thus, are not subject to federal income taxes (similar to the federal tax treatment of distributions from a Roth individual retirement account). (Some exceptions apply.)

Further, distributions from such accounts are not restricted and may be used for any purpose (unlike other types of tax-advantaged accounts currently available).

The bill also imposes

• a federal excise tax on contributions to a Universal Savings Account in excess of the applicable contribution limit,

• a federal excise tax on certain transactions involving a Universal Savings Account and disqualified persons,

• certain reporting requirements on Universal Savings Account trustees, and

• a federal excise tax for failing to meet such reporting requirements.

Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2025

This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to establish a program to provide children with parents on active duty in the uniformed services with funds to pay educational expenses.

Specifically, ED must establish a tax-exempt Military Education Savings Account for dependent children of parents in the uniformed services for the payment of the children's educational expenses. Funds in the savings account may be used for specified purposes, including the cost of attendance at a private elementary or private secondary school or institution of higher education, private tutoring, or costs associated with an apprenticeship or other vocational training program.

Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act

This bill prohibits a Federal Reserve bank from offering products or services directly to an individual, maintaining an account on behalf of an individual, or issuing a central bank digital currency (i.e., a digital dollar). Further, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is prohibited from using a central bank digital currency to implement monetary policy or from testing, studying, creating, or implementing a central bank digital currency, with exceptions as provided by the bill.

Pay Our Coast Guard Act

This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Coast Guard for pay and benefits when there is a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse.

Under the bill, a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs when (1) a bill providing appropriations for the Coast Guard for a fiscal year has not been enacted before the beginning of that fiscal year, and no joint resolution providing continuing appropriations for the Coast Guard is in effect; and (2) a bill providing appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for the fiscal year has been enacted before the beginning of the fiscal year, or a joint resolution providing continuing appropriation for DOD is in effect.

If a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs, the bill provides appropriations to the Coast Guard for

• pay and allowances for military members of the Coast Guard who perform active service or inactive-duty training;

• pay and benefits for certain civilian employees and contract employees;

• the payment of a death gratuity;

• payments for travel related to funerals, the dignified transfer of remains, and unit memorial services; and

• the temporary continuation of the basic allowance for housing for dependents of members of the Coast Guard dying on active duty.

The bill generally provides the appropriations to the Coast Guard until the earlier of (1) the enactment of specified Coast Guard appropriations legislation, or (2) the termination of the availability of appropriations for DOD.

Eric's Law

This bill modifies procedures with respect to capital sentencing hearings.

If a jury at a capital sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence and there is a motion by the attorney for the government, the court must order a new special sentencing hearing and impanel a new jury. If the new jury at the special sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court is prohibited from imposing a death sentence.

Border Airport Fairness Act of 2025

This bill requires the President to designate certain primary airports near the border as ports of entry and terminate the user fee requirement for customs services at these airports.