Legislation

The Legal Workforce Act mandates employers to verify employees' work eligibility through a federal verification system, requires the use of secure identity authentication technologies, and increases penalties for hiring unauthorized workers. It establishes a federal employment eligibility verification system, preempts state laws on employment eligibility verification, and protects employers from liability if they act in good faith based on the system's information. The Act also includes measures to prevent fraud and misuse of documents and Social Security numbers, and requires audits to identify unauthorized workers.

This bill amends House rules to allow staffers who are members of the armed forces and already hold a security clearance from the Department of Defense to be exempt from the limit on the number of employees in a Member's office who can have security clearances. This exemption applies to staffers working for members of specific House committees and subcommittees related to defense, homeland security, foreign affairs, and intelligence. The employee's security clearance level cannot be higher than their existing Department of Defense clearance or the highest level the office can sponsor.

The "Dairy Farm Resiliency Act" amends the Agricultural Act of 2014 to improve the Dairy Margin Coverage program. It updates the production history calculation for dairy farms and increases the coverage levels for Tier I and Tier II. These changes aim to provide better support and stability for dairy farmers.

The "AMERICANS Act" addresses the COVID-19 vaccine mandate's impact on service members by preventing new mandates without congressional approval and prohibiting adverse actions based solely on vaccination status. It offers remedies for those discharged or negatively affected, including discharge upgrades, reinstatement, and compensation. The act prioritizes retaining unvaccinated members, limits consideration of vaccination status for assignments, requires a COVID-19 vaccine exemption process, and terminates bonus repayment obligations for those separated due to vaccine refusal.

This resolution authorizes the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to spend money from the Senate's contingent fund, hire staff, and utilize personnel from other government entities to support its functions, including holding hearings and conducting investigations, from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2027. It sets specific expense limits for the committee during three defined periods, covering costs such as salaries, consultants, staff training, and agency contributions related to employee compensation. Vouchers approved by the chairman will cover the committee's expenses, with some exceptions for routine costs like salaries and telecommunications. Payments for agency contributions related to committee employee compensation will be authorized from the Senate's Inquiries and Investigations expense account.

The "Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement Restoration Act" or the "VOICE Restoration Act" re-establishes the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office within US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to support victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, witnesses, and their legal representatives by providing resources, referrals, and information. It mandates VOICE to offer a toll-free hotline, local contacts, and assistance with custody status updates, as well as requiring quarterly reports to Congress and executive leaders analyzing the impact of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.

This bill allocates \$19,240,928 from the House of Representatives' funds to cover the expenses of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence during the 119th Congress, including staff salaries. It sets spending limits for the first and second sessions of the Congress and mandates that all payments be made through vouchers approved by the House Administration Committee. Funds provided must be spent in accordance with the regulations set by the House Administration Committee.

This resolution authorizes the Committee on Indian Affairs to spend money from the Senate's contingent fund, hire staff, and utilize personnel from other government departments or agencies from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2027. It sets limits on the committee's expenses during specified periods, including allocations for consultants and staff training. The resolution also outlines how the committee will handle its expenses and agency contributions, with specific exclusions and authorizations for payments related to employee compensation.

This bill sets the daily meeting time for the House of Representatives during the 119th Congress. The House will meet at 2 p.m. on Mondays, noon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and 9 a.m. on all other days.

The Disaster Reforestation Act modifies the rules for deducting casualty losses of uncut timber due to fire, storm, theft, or other casualties. Taxpayers can deduct losses based on the difference between the timber's appraised value before the loss and its salvage value, with specific appraisal and reforestation requirements. The definition of "other casualties" includes losses from wood-destroying insects or invasive species, or severe drought. It applies to timber held for sale in a trade or business that is not a passive activity for losses sustained in taxable years beginning after the enactment of this Act.

This resolution elects Representative Michael Guest to serve as chair of the House Committee on Ethics.

The CHILD Act of 2025 increases the maximum contribution limits for dependent care assistance programs, helping families afford childcare. It raises the contribution limit from $5,000 to $10,000 for individuals (and from $2,500 to $5,000). The bill also includes a cost-of-living adjustment to account for inflation, ensuring the benefit keeps pace with rising childcare costs. These changes will be effective for calendar years after 2024.

The "INCREASE Housing Affordability Act" introduces a tax credit for converting commercial buildings into residential properties, aiming to boost housing supply. The bill offers a base credit of 15% of conversion costs, with potential bonus credits for affordable housing and paying prevailing wages. It also establishes an advisory board to support state and local agencies in identifying conversion opportunities and streamlining the conversion process.

This bill allocates \$9,276,290 for the Committee on Ethics' expenses during the One Hundred Nineteenth Congress, covering staff salaries and other necessary costs. It sets spending limits for specific periods and requires all payments to be made through vouchers approved by the House Administration Committee. Funds provided must adhere to the regulations set by the House Administration Committee.

The Train FOOD Act requires Amtrak to establish an advisory committee to oversee the implementation of recommendations from the Amtrak Food and Beverage Working Group. Amtrak must submit annual reports to Congress detailing the progress of these recommendations, including justifications for any that are deemed impractical or impossible to implement. The Comptroller General is also required to submit a report to Congress, detailing Amtrak's progress in implementing each recommendation.

The Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act aims to reduce the regulatory burden on small businesses by clarifying and expanding the scope of rules covered under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, requiring more detailed analyses of the impact of regulations on small entities, and enhancing the role and powers of the Small Business Administration's Chief Counsel for Advocacy. It also includes provisions for periodic review of rules, judicial review of compliance, and waiving fines for first-time paperwork violations by small businesses. Additionally, the Act mandates agencies to prepare plain language guides for small businesses to understand regulations and requires a Comptroller General report on the capacity of the Chief Counsel for Advocacy.

The "Implementing Decreases in Overall Government Expenditures Act" or "Implementing DOGE Act" aims to control government spending by rescinding a portion of non-security discretionary funds if total annual appropriations exceed the previous fiscal year's appropriations by more than one percent, starting in fiscal year 2026. This rescission would be applied across the board to non-security discretionary funds. The bill defines specific terms to clarify the application of these rescissions.

This resolution condemns President Biden's commutation of Anthony George Battle's death sentence, arguing it undermines the rule of law and insults Battle's victims. Battle, convicted of murdering his wife and a correctional officer, received the commutation despite showing no remorse. The resolution suggests the commutation was politically motivated due to Biden's inconsistent stance on the death penalty.

The CLEAN Elections Act requires states to use independent, nonpartisan commissions for Congressional redistricting. States must use similar commissions for state legislative districts to access federal election administration funds. A commission is considered nonpartisan and independent if the number of members from the state's two largest political parties is equal and none of its members are elected officials.

The Mens Rea Reform Act of 2025 amends Title 18 of the U.S. Code to define the required "state of mind" for criminal offenses. It mandates that the government prove a defendant acted with a specified state of mind for each element of a covered offense beyond a reasonable doubt, defaulting to "knowingly" if no state of mind is specified in the law. This requirement applies to both existing and future laws, with exceptions for elements establishing jurisdiction or venue, or if it lessens the degree of mental culpability that the Government is required to prove. Future laws cannot repeal or modify this section unless explicitly stated.