Advancing Commonsense Policies Act

This provision extends the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999 by one year, from 2024 to 2025. This act requires meatpackers to report prices, volumes, and other terms of livestock purchases to the USDA, which then disseminates this information to the public.

This title requires the Department of Defense to include information about registered apprenticeship programs in the Transition Assistance Program for separating service members. It also mandates the Department of Labor to create or update a user-friendly website for veterans to find searchable and sortable information on approved apprenticeship programs, including descriptions, costs, contact info, endorsements, veteran hiring preferences, and certifications earned.

This title amends the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), CIA Retirement Act, and Foreign Service Act. It allows certain federal first responders (e.g., law enforcement, firefighters, air traffic controllers) who are injured on duty and permanently unable to perform their covered position duties to retain their specialized retirement service credit if they transition to a non-covered position within the same agency without a significant break in service. This ensures they continue accruing benefits as if they were still in their original, more demanding role, under specific conditions.

This section mandates that new 401(k) and 403(b) plans must include an automatic enrollment feature. The initial default contribution rate must be between 3% and 10% of compensation, increasing by 1 percentage point annually to at least 10% but not more than 15% (with a temporary 10% cap until 2027). Employees retain the ability to opt out or choose a different contribution rate. Exceptions apply for simple plans, plans established before enactment, governmental and church plans, and new or small businesses (fewer than 11 employees).

This section increases the tax credit for small employers (up to 50 employees) establishing new retirement plans from 50% to 100% of qualified startup costs. Additionally, it introduces a new credit for employer contributions to eligible plans, equal to an 'applicable percentage' (100% for the first year, phasing down to 0% by the fifth year) of contributions, capped at $1,000 per employee. This additional credit phases out for employers with more than 50 employees.

This section gradually increases the age at which individuals must begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their retirement accounts. For individuals who attain age 72 after December 31, 2024, and age 73 before January 1, 2032, the applicable age is 73. For those attaining age 73 after December 31, 2031, and age 74 before January 1, 2035, the applicable age is 74. Finally, for individuals attaining age 74 after December 31, 2034, the applicable age is 75.

This section allows employers to make matching contributions to a defined contribution plan (including 401(k), 403(b), SIMPLE IRA, and 457(b) plans) on behalf of an employee who makes 'qualified student loan payments.' These payments are treated as elective deferrals for matching purposes, allowing employees to receive employer matching contributions even if they are prioritizing student loan repayment over direct retirement contributions. The provision includes non-discrimination rules and allows employers to rely on employee certification of payments.

This section creates a new general business tax credit for eligible small employers (up to 100 employees) that make military spouses eligible for their defined contribution plans earlier. The credit is $250 per military spouse employee, plus up to $250 for employer contributions made on their behalf. To qualify, military spouses must be eligible to participate within 2 months of employment and receive immediate vesting and contributions comparable to a non-military spouse with 2 years of service. The credit applies for the year of participation and the two succeeding taxable years.

This section establishes new rules for how retirement plans must handle inadvertent benefit overpayments under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. It allows plan fiduciaries discretion not to seek recovery of overpayments from participants or beneficiaries, or from plan sponsors/employers under certain conditions. If recoupment is sought from a participant, strict conditions apply, including no interest, a 10% annual recoupment limit on future payments, and a 3-year lookback period. These rules do not apply if the participant is culpable for the overpayment.

This section amends ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code to reduce disclosure requirements for 'unenrolled participants' in individual account plans (like 401(k)s). An unenrolled participant is an eligible employee who has received initial eligibility notices but is not participating and has no account balance. For these individuals, plans would only need to provide an annual reminder notice of eligibility and election deadlines, plus any documents specifically requested by the participant, rather than all standard disclosures.

This section mandates the Department of Labor to establish an online searchable database, the 'Retirement Savings Lost and Found,' within two years. This database will allow individuals to locate administrators and contact information for pension plans where they are or were participants or beneficiaries, helping them recover lost benefits. Plan administrators will be required to submit specific participant and plan information to the Department of Labor for this purpose, and the Inspector General will conduct regular audits.

This section expands the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS) to allow for self-correction of eligible inadvertent failures in various retirement plans (401(a), 403(a), 403(b), 408(p), 408(k)) for an indefinite period, unless the failure was identified by the Secretary. It specifically addresses loan errors, allowing self-correction under EPCRS and treating it as meeting Department of Labor's Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program. It also mandates the expansion of EPCRS to cover individual retirement plans (IRAs), including waivers for excise taxes and missed rollover deadlines, and to provide additional safe harbors for corrections.

This section allows individuals who are victims of domestic abuse by a spouse or domestic partner to make penalty-free withdrawals of up to $10,000 (or 50% of their nonforfeitable accrued benefit, if less) from applicable eligible retirement plans. The distribution must occur within a 1-year period beginning on any date the individual is a victim of domestic abuse. The withdrawn amount can be repaid to a retirement plan within 3 years. Plans can rely on employee self-certification for these distributions.

This section allows Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs) and Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLE) IRAs to be designated as Roth IRAs. This means contributions to these accounts would be made with after-tax dollars, and qualified distributions in retirement would be tax-free. Employees must elect for their plan to be treated as a Roth IRA. It also includes rules for rollovers and coordination with Roth contribution limitations.

This section amends the Internal Revenue Code to generally limit catch-up contributions (additional contributions allowed for individuals aged 50 and over) to designated Roth contributions for applicable employer plans, with an exception for certain governmental plans. This means that for most plans, catch-up contributions would have to be made with after-tax dollars, rather than pre-tax dollars.

This title reauthorizes the Small Business Administration's 'Boots to Business Program' until September 30, 2028. The program provides entrepreneurship training to service members, veterans, and their spouses/dependents, with goals to provide in-depth training on business ownership, planning, capital, and local resources. It outlines program components, collaboration requirements with other agencies, and mandates regular reports on performance and effectiveness.

This title increases the maximum prison sentence by up to 5 years for individuals who commit human trafficking (Section 1591 of title 18, U.S. Code) or coercion and enticement (Section 2422 of title 18, U.S. Code) in a school zone, or within 1,000 feet of a school-sponsored activity or institution of higher education. The enhanced penalties apply to offenses against minors (under 18) for coercion and enticement.

This title establishes an 8-member Commission to study the feasibility of creating a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture in Washington, DC. The Commission is tasked with reporting on a plan of action, including collection availability, location criteria, governance, fundraising, and legislative recommendations. It explicitly states that no federal funds may be obligated for the Commission, which must rely on gifts and bequests.

This title focuses on increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. It defines 'SelectUSA' and outlines findings on the importance of semiconductors for economic and national security. It directs SelectUSA to solicit comments from state-level economic development organizations on how to support increased FDI in semiconductor production, identify barriers, and develop recommendations. SelectUSA must then report to Congress on its activities and strategies to achieve this goal, including working with allies to prevent foreign adversaries from benefiting.

This title amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the FEMA Administrator to implement uniform processes for reviewing applications for grants (under sections 2003 or 2004) to purchase equipment or systems that either do not meet national voluntary consensus standards or are not on the Authorized Equipment List. The review process must consider factors like federal agency use, absence of national standards, existence of international standards, capability gaps, and comparative effectiveness. It also mandates an Inspector General report on the implementation of this review process.

This title extends NASA's authority to enter into enhanced use leases of non-excess, underutilized properties and facilities by one year, from December 31, 2032, to December 31, 2033. The findings section highlights that this authority helps NASA manage real property, improve use of underutilized assets, reduce operating costs, and generate revenue for facility repairs.

This title mandates that each standing committee of the House of Representatives hold a hearing on the implementation of this Act within one year of its enactment. It specifies that this is an exercise of House rulemaking power.

This title amends Rule XXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit Members, Delegates, Resident Commissioners, officers, or employees of the House from knowingly and willfully disclosing publicly the identity or personally identifiable information of individuals who report allegations of wrongdoing under federal whistleblower protection laws. Exceptions are provided for express written consent, voluntary public disclosure by the individual, or an affirmative two-thirds vote by a committee chair with advance notice to the individual.

This title directs the Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission to seek an agreement with a federally funded research and development center to study how foreign ownership of marine terminals at the 15 largest U.S. container ports affects or could affect U.S. economic security. The study must consider ownership changes, Chinese/Russian ownership, overall foreign ownership, federal grant funding to foreign-owned ports, and operational control, and offer recommendations on policies to prevent excessive foreign ownership and address supply chain impacts. A report to Congress is required within one year.

This title amends the Federal Credit Union Act to revise the required frequency of board of directors meetings for federal credit unions. De novo credit unions must meet monthly for their first five years. Credit unions with strong financial and management ratings (1 or 2 under UFIRS) must meet at least six times annually, with at least one meeting per fiscal quarter. Credit unions with weaker ratings (3, 4, or 5) must meet at least monthly.

This title appropriates additional funds for several federal agencies for fiscal year 2026. Specific allocations include: $1,000,000 for HRSA's Telehealth Resource Center, $1,000,000 for USDA's Office of Budget and Program Analysis, $1,000,000 for the State Department's Capital Investment Fund, $1,000,000 for Army Operation and Maintenance, $1,000,000 for DHS Management Directorate, and $1,000,000 for DOE's Energy Information Administration.