Legislative Activity

The Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act extends the life of the Historic Preservation Fund through the year 2035. This legislation also increases the maximum annual funding available for the program from \$150 million to \$250 million. Essentially, this bill ensures continued and increased financial support for preserving historic sites across the nation.

The Children Don't Belong on Tobacco Farms Act amends child labor laws to prohibit individuals under 18 from having direct contact with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves. This change ensures that agricultural work involving direct handling of tobacco falls under federal child labor protections. The bill specifically updates exemptions to reflect this new restriction on youth employment in tobacco agriculture.

This bill aims to safeguard the financial stability of land-grant colleges and universities. It explicitly prohibits any federal official, including the Secretary of Agriculture, from reducing, eliminating, or suspending their established funding. Funding for these institutions can only be altered through a new act of Congress.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House that the severe, ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Cameroon warrants immediate action. It calls on the Department of Homeland Security to establish a specific humanitarian parole program for Cameroonian nationals fleeing persecution. The bill highlights the dangers returnees face and seeks to address the historical lack of such programs for African nations.

This resolution officially designates the week of May 5 through May 9, 2025, as "Teacher Appreciation Week" to honor the dedication of public school teachers nationwide. It recognizes the crucial support teachers offer for key educational policies, including funding for students with disabilities and loan forgiveness programs. Furthermore, the bill affirms that teachers must have a voice in shaping federal, state, and local education policy.

The Public Service Worker Protection Act expands the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) to explicitly cover all public employees, including those working for federal, state, and local governments. This change brings public sector workers under the general protections afforded by OSHA. While the expansion takes effect generally within 90 days, states without an existing OSHA plan are given a three-year transition period before federal oversight applies to their employees.

The Protect our Public Health Workforce Act addresses the unfair removal of certain CDC federal employees between January 20, 2025, and the enactment of this law. It mandates the reinstatement or placement of these affected employees into equivalent positions, along with providing full backpay. Furthermore, the CDC must regularly report detailed information regarding employee removals to relevant Congressional committees until January 20, 2029.

This resolution expresses the support of Congress for designating the last Tuesday of April as "APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD) Awareness Day." It highlights the disproportionate impact of AMKD, often linked to APOL1 gene variants common in people of African descent, on kidney health. The bill encourages public education and genetic testing to help identify at-risk individuals early. Ultimately, it aims to raise awareness to reduce kidney disease disparities and promote further research into specific treatments.

The Arctic Refuge Protection Act officially repeals the previous law authorizing oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This legislation simultaneously designates approximately 1.56 million acres within the Refuge as protected wilderness under the National Wilderness Preservation System. The Secretary of the Interior is now required to manage this newly designated land according to strict wilderness preservation standards.

The Medicare for All Act establishes a universal, nationwide health insurance program providing comprehensive coverage for all U.S. residents with no out-of-pocket costs. It fundamentally restructures healthcare financing by implementing global budgets for institutions and a new fee schedule for individuals, while phasing out existing federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid. The legislation also sets strict quality standards for providers and creates a dedicated Trust Fund to manage the system's finances.

The Equality Act comprehensively expands federal civil rights protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity across key areas of American life. It amends existing laws to prohibit discrimination in public accommodations, housing, credit, employment, and federal funding. The purpose of the bill is to provide consistent, explicit, and comprehensive remedies for individuals facing bias in these essential sectors.

The Training and Nutrition Stability Act amends the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by removing an outdated rule. Crucially, this bill excludes income earned from specific employment and job training programs when calculating a household's SNAP eligibility. This change aims to encourage participation in workforce development and rehabilitation efforts without negatively impacting food assistance benefits.

This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that the votes of overseas servicemembers and citizens, cast under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), must be counted and honored. It emphasizes the federal duty of states and localities to uphold UOCAVA requirements and prevent the disenfranchisement of military voters. Furthermore, the bill encourages states to prioritize the timely processing of these absentee ballots and calls on the Attorney General to monitor compliance and act on any violations.

The **Preventing Risky Operations from Threatening the Education and Career Trajectories of Students Act of 2025** aims to strengthen federal oversight and accountability for institutions receiving federal student aid. It establishes new financial performance standards, expands student protections against deceptive practices and school closures, and mandates greater transparency regarding institutional spending and student outcomes. Ultimately, the bill seeks to ensure that federal aid supports quality education that leads to financial success for students while penalizing low-performing or fraudulent institutions.

This resolution is an official request from the House of Representatives demanding the President and the Secretary of Education immediately transmit all unredacted documents related to any plans for downsizing or closing the Department of Education. The required records must detail staff reduction measures, internal communications, and any determinations made regarding the sufficiency of remaining staff to enforce major federal education laws. The documents must be provided to the House within 14 days of the resolution's adoption.

The American Family Act fundamentally overhauls the Child Tax Credit by replacing the annual lump sum with a system of advance, refundable monthly payments delivered directly to families. These monthly allowances vary based on the child's age, with higher amounts provided for younger children. The bill also establishes a separate, smaller credit for other dependents and outlines procedures for annual renewal and reconciliation of advance payments when filing taxes.

The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 establishes a phased increase of the federal minimum wage, culminating in a \$17.00 per hour rate five years after enactment, followed by automatic annual adjustments tied to median wage growth. This bill also phases out the lower minimum wage for tipped employees and workers under 20, ensuring they eventually earn the standard federal minimum wage. Furthermore, it sets a schedule to eliminate subminimum wages for individuals with disabilities and prohibits the issuance of new special certificates allowing for lower pay.

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees across the nation. It requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to review state laws to ensure they substantially provide these minimum rights, including the right to organize and bargain collectively. If a state fails to meet these standards, the FLRA will administer federal labor relations rules for the uncovered employees. The Act also prohibits strikes or lockouts that would measurably disrupt emergency or public safety services.

The Eliminating Looting of Our Nation by Mitigating Unethical State Kleptocracy Act of 2025 (the ELON MUSK Act) strictly prohibits special government employees from holding or benefiting from any contract or agreement with the Federal Government. This legislation immediately terminates any existing such contracts upon enactment. The goal is to prevent individuals serving the government temporarily from simultaneously doing business with it.

The Expanding Access to School Meals Act of 2025 aims to simplify school meal programs by eliminating the "reduced-price" meal category for both breakfast and lunch. It significantly expands eligibility for free school meals by raising the federal poverty level threshold to 224% and allowing automatic certification for children receiving Medicaid benefits. Additionally, the bill enhances financial support for schools by allowing retroactive reimbursement claims and increasing the multiplier for the Community Eligibility Program.