Monthly Legislative Update: Congress Pushes Technology, Education, and Fiscal Reforms – May 2025
With funding secured for FY2025, the 119th Congress enters May with a renewed focus on technology regulation, education transparency, student debt relief, and economic competitiveness. April closed with bipartisan momentum on several fronts, and May promises major debates and votes on long-term structural reforms. Both chambers are pushing forward on a dynamic legislative agenda as the second quarter progresses.
🔹 Key Developments: April Recap & May Priorities
✅ Government Operations on Stable Footing
With the FY2025 appropriations bill passed in late March, federal agencies are now fully funded through September. This allows Congress to shift from crisis budgeting to forward-looking policy initiatives.
🧠 AI Safety and Regulation
The Senate Commerce Committee advanced an amended AI Safety and Accountability Act in late April.
The bill establishes:
Mandatory risk assessments for large-scale AI systems
A new Federal AI Safety Commission to oversee high-risk applications
Transparency requirements for AI-generated content
Floor vote expected mid-May.
🏛 Senate Legislative Activity – May 2025
✔ FISA Reauthorization (Completed April 2)
Now law, with enhanced judicial review of surveillance and stronger privacy protections.
⏳ SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act
Floor debate scheduled for mid-May.
Would raise SSI asset limits to $10,000 (individual) / $20,000 (couple)—first update in over 30 years.
⏳ Higher Education Transparency and Accountability Act
In the markup phase.
Proposes enhanced oversight of student loan programs, new disclosure requirements for for-profit colleges, and tracking of post-graduation outcomes.
🛫 FAA Modernization
Senate oversight hearings on aviation infrastructure improvements continue following the March reauthorization.
🏛 House Legislative Activity – May 2025
✔ H.R. 7213 – Autism CARES Act (Now Law as of April 4)
Provides expanded funding for autism research, early intervention, and family support programs.
⏳ H.R. 2530 – Nurse-to-Patient Staffing Ratios Act
Floor debate is ongoing.
Strong advocacy from healthcare professionals; industry groups seeking amendments for implementation flexibility.
⏳ H.R. 5 – Parents Bill of Rights Act
Scheduled for floor vote in May.
Would establish new federal standards for parental access to public school curricula and student records.
🗳 Election Infrastructure and Integrity Act
Advanced from the committee in late April.
Proposes funding for voting system upgrades, mail-in ballot tracking, and mandatory post-election audits.
A floor vote is expected before the Memorial Day recess.
🔮 What’s Coming in May & June
AI Safety Act – Senate floor vote (target: mid-May)
Student Loan Refinancing Act – bipartisan draft under review
House begins
Farm Bill reauthorization hearings
Senate Finance Committee to take up
Affordable Housing Tax Credits
Joint hearings on
cybersecurity investments
Critical infrastructure
📌 Conclusion
May finds Congress moving from stabilization to innovation and reform. The AI regulation framework, education accountability measures, and election modernization bills reflect growing bipartisan urgency around future-facing challenges. Meanwhile, debates on healthcare standards and student debt signal a busy summer ahead.
Stay tuned for the June 2025 update as Congress enters one of the most productive periods of the session. 🚀