The House of Representatives has concluded 2025 by passing several bills related to economic development, mining regulation, Medicaid restrictions, and agriculture. This year has been notable for the passage of major bills, including House Resolution 1, known as the One Big, Beautiful Bill, and HR 1968, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act.
First, the House passed HR 845, also known as the Pet and Livestock Protection Act. This bill directs the Department of the Interior (DOI) to remove protections for the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA).
Specifically, the bill requires the DOI to reinstate the final rule titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, published on November 3, 2020.
Next, the House passed HR 498, known as the Do No Harm in Medicaid Act. This bill prohibits federal Medicaid payment for specified gender transition procedures for individuals under the age of 18.
The bill also defines these procedures to include those that intend to change the body of an individual so that they no longer correspond to the individual's biological sex, including specified surgeries, implants, and medications.
The House passed HR 1366, known as the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act. This bill allows mining operators to use federal lands for activities ancillary to mining, such as waste disposal, regardless of whether those lands contain mineral deposits valuable enough to be mined.
HR 1366 also allows a mining operator to locate and include within its plan of operations as many mill site claims as are reasonably necessary for its operations, and use or occupy public land in accordance with an approved plan of operations.
Finally, the House passed HR 4776, known as the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act. This bill limits the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), modifying the environmental review standards of federal actions.
It also excludes from the requirement for NEPA review certain proposed agency actions that have already been reviewed under another federal, state, or tribal environmental review statute that meets the requirements of NEPA.
