MERIT Act of 2025

HR38 — Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025

National concealed-carry reciprocity. This bill would create nationwide recognition of state concealed-carry licenses so people with a valid photo ID and a state permit or the right to carry in their home State could carry a concealed handgun in many other States. - Gun owners and travelers: People not federally prohibited from firearms possession who hold a state concealed-carry license or are entitled to carry in their home State could carry a concealed handgun in States that issue permits or do not ban concealed carry. Machine guns and destructive devices are excluded. It would take effect 90 days after enactment. - State and property rights: States would keep the power to prohibit or restrict concealed carry on private property and on State or local government property. The bill also lists federal public lands and agencies where carrying would be allowed in publicly accessible areas, including National Park units and Forest Service land. - Criminal and civil protections: Officers may not arrest absent probable cause that the carry falls outside the law and prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt when the defense is raised. Prevailing defendants can recover reasonable attorney fees and may sue for deprivation of rights with damages.

HRES719 — Honoring the life and legacy of Charles "Charlie" James Kirk.

Condemns political violence. The resolution condemns the assassination of Charles 'Charlie' James Kirk, honors his life and leadership, and urges swift justice while offering sympathy to his family.

HR979 — AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

This bill would require AM broadcast capability to be installed as standard equipment in passenger motor vehicles. It focuses on driver-accessible AM reception, allows digital AM audio to count for compliance, and links vehicle AM capability to emergency alerting through IPAWS. - Drivers and households: Built-in, driver-accessible AM reception would make it easier for people to get local AM stations and emergency alerts from their vehicles. The bill allows devices that receive digital AM to meet the requirement. - Vehicle manufacturers: The Department of Transportation would need to issue a rule within 1 year, with a general compliance deadline no later than 2 years after the rule is issued. Small manufacturers that produced no more than 40,000 passenger vehicles in 2022 would get at least 4 years to comply. - Oversight and emergency systems: States would be barred from imposing their own AM-access rules. The bill mandates interim labels and pricing protections for cars without AM, authorizes civil penalties and DOJ injunctions for violations, requires a GAO study and a congressional briefing within 1 year, and includes an 8-year sunset for the authority.

HR452 — Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act

This law awards Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team as a formal recognition of their Lake Placid victory and its lasting effect on American morale and the sport of hockey. It directs the Treasury to strike the medals and sets rules for duplicates, display, and funding. - Team legacy and public recognition: The Act honors the 1980 team with a symbolic national award that reinforces their historical and cultural significance for fans, players, and communities connected to the game. - Museum displays and research access: One gold medal goes to the Lake Placid Olympic Center, one to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth, Minnesota, and one to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs for display and research. - Mint operations and collectibles: The Secretary of the Treasury will strike the medals, may sell bronze duplicates at prices that cover costs, and classifies the medals as national and numismatic items. The U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund pays for production and receives proceeds from duplicate sales.

HR21 — Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act

Mandates care and penalties for infants born alive after an abortion. This bill would set standards of care, require reporting, create criminal penalties, and allow civil suits when an infant is born alive following an abortion. - Women and families: A woman on whom an abortion is performed may sue anyone who violates the law and recover objectively verifiable medical and psychological damages, punitive damages, and statutory damages equal to three times the cost of the abortion. Courts must award reasonable attorney's fees to prevailing plaintiffs and may award fees to defendants if a suit is frivolous. - Health care practitioners and facility employees: Any practitioner present at a birth resulting from an abortion must exercise the same professional skill, care, and diligence as for any other live-born infant of the same gestational age. Practitioners or employees who know of a failure to comply must immediately report the violation to appropriate State or Federal law enforcement. - Criminal and statutory consequences: Violators face fines, up to 5 years in prison, or both, and anyone who intentionally kills a born-alive infant is punished under the murder statute. The bill also updates chapter headings and adds statutory definitions for "abortion" and "attempt."

HCONRES12 — Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act.

Blocks any new performance fee on local radio broadcasts. This concurrent resolution would state that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge for the public performance of sound recordings by local radio stations or businesses that play recorded music. - Local radio stations would be protected from new charges that supporters say could threaten local news, emergency alerts, and community programming. - Small businesses that play music — bars, restaurants, retail stores, venues, and transit centers — would avoid added fees for recorded music. - Performers and record companies are affirmed as benefiting from radio airplay and related promotion for sales and careers. - Listeners and communities would keep free access to local news, weather, public affairs, public service announcements, and charity fundraisers supported by broadcasters.