Legislative Activity

The Social Security Expansion Act aims to increase Social Security benefits, change cost-of-living adjustments to better reflect elderly consumers, and extend eligibility to student children. It also adjusts payroll and self-employment taxes for earnings above $250,000, increases taxes on investment gains, and establishes a new Social Security Trust Fund. These changes are intended to provide greater financial security for beneficiaries and ensure the long-term solvency of the Social Security system.

The SAFE Act of 2025 amends existing legislation to explicitly prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption, reinforcing protections for these animals. This bill seeks to prevent the inhumane treatment of American equines by closing loopholes that allow their slaughter and export for human consumption.

The RAISE Act of 2025 introduces a refundable tax credit for eligible teachers, offering $1,000 plus additional amounts for teachers in qualifying schools with high student poverty levels. It also increases the tax deduction for educators' expenses to $500 and expands eligibility to include early childhood educators. Additionally, the Act amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to provide mandatory funding to support local educational agencies that maintain or increase teacher salaries, with a portion reserved for teacher salary incentive grants. These grants can be used for various programs aimed at strengthening the teaching profession and improving educator skills.

The Protect Veteran Jobs Act allows wrongly fired or dismissed veterans in civil service jobs between January 20, 2025, and the Act's enactment date to be reinstated to their previous position or a similar one. It mandates executive branch agencies to report to Congress every three months on all veteran employees who were fired or dismissed and the reasons for their termination, effective until January 20, 2029. The Act relies on existing U.S. Code definitions for key terms like "veteran" and "civil service."

The American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 provides a pathway to permanent residency for eligible individuals who entered the United States as children and those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). Title I, the Dream Act of 2025, establishes conditional permanent residency for eligible individuals who entered the U.S. as children. Title II, the American Promise Act of 2025, allows the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to grant permanent resident status to eligible individuals from TPS or DED countries. Title III outlines general provisions, such as background checks, application processes, and fee exemptions, applicable to all seeking to adjust their status under this Act.

The Taxpayer Funds Oversight and Accountability Act enhances financial management and transparency in federal agencies by updating the duties of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) to include stronger oversight of financial reporting and internal controls. It replaces the government-wide 5-year financial management plan with a 4-year plan, requiring detailed strategies for improving financial management systems and workforce development. The Act also mandates annual financial management status reports to Congress and the Comptroller General, along with rigorous audits of internal controls to ensure effective financial management across the government.

The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act of 2025 aims to protect vulnerable communities by creating an Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice, defining key environmental justice terms, and establishing a grant program to aid state, local, and tribal governments in enforcing environmental laws. The Office of Environmental Justice will be responsible for developing environmental justice strategies, coordinating related matters, and promoting public participation. A Senior Advisory Council will also be created to advise on environmental justice matters and recommend policies. The grant program will provide funding for training, staffing, and community engagement to help address disproportionate environmental and health impacts on low-income, Tribal, and Indigenous communities.

The "Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act" or the "REPAIR Act" ensures vehicle owners and independent repair shops have access to necessary vehicle data, repair information, and tools, preventing manufacturers from creating barriers to repairs. It establishes an advisory committee to address competition issues in the auto repair industry and mandates that car buyers are informed of their rights to choose repair options. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is empowered to enforce the Act, protecting consumers from unfair restrictions on vehicle repair and ensuring control over their vehicle data.

Ethan's Law establishes federal requirements for the secure storage of firearms to prevent unauthorized access by minors and prohibited persons, making improper storage a civil violation with escalating penalties if injury or death results. The bill also creates a federal grant program to incentivize states and Tribes to adopt matching safe storage laws. Furthermore, Congress declares that failing to comply with these storage requirements constitutes negligence and may be considered the direct cause of resulting firearm injuries.

This bill reaffirms the United States' unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity amidst Russia's ongoing invasion. It condemns Russia's war crimes and demands the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and the Donbas. The bill insists on the safe return of kidnapped Ukrainian children and supports the prosecution of Russian leaders for war crimes. It emphasizes that any lasting peace agreement must include Ukraine and its European allies.

Expresses support for strengthening public schools through community partnerships, mental health resources, and equitable funding. Aims to advance equity and excellence in public education, ensuring high-quality education for every child through evidence-based practices. Designates the week of February 24-28, 2025, as Public Schools Week.

Recognizes January 2025 as "National Mentoring Month" to highlight the importance of mentoring in improving outcomes for young people. Mentoring programs support academic achievement, social skills, and career exploration, especially for underserved youth. The resolution encourages the expansion of mentoring opportunities through collaboration between various sectors. Ultimately, this helps connect more young people with adult mentors to guide them toward success.

The Federal Retirement Fairness Act amends title 5 of the United States Code, allowing civilian service in a temporary position after December 31, 1988, to be creditable under the Federal Employees Retirement System. This change applies to current employees and Members of the United States Postal Service, and requires the Office of Personnel Management to notify eligible individuals and issue implementing regulations.

The "DOC Access Act of 2025" aims to enhance health care coverage under vision and dental plans by ensuring fair payment practices, protecting doctors' choices in labs and suppliers, and respecting state laws. It allows optometrists and dentists to charge their standard rate for non-covered services if the plan's payment is unreasonable, while ensuring they can only charge the contracted rate for dental cleanings. The bill also gives doctors more control over agreement extensions with limited benefit plans and allows them to opt out of certain provisions. Ultimately, this act seeks to balance federal guidelines with state oversight in regulating health insurance issuers and dental or vision benefit plans.

The "BAD DOGE Act" repeals Executive Order 14158, effectively disbanding the US DOGE Service (USDS) and the US DOGE Service Temporary Organization (USDSTO). This action is in response to findings that the USDS and USDSTO, under the leadership of Elon Musk, exceeded their authorized powers, violated constitutional principles, and contravened federal statutes and ethics regulations. The Act aims to restore proper oversight and adherence to legal standards within government IT operations.

The "Accelerating Kids Access to Care Act of 2025" streamlines the enrollment process for out-of-state healthcare providers in Medicaid and CHIP, ensuring children under 21 have access to care from eligible providers across state lines. By reducing administrative burdens and unnecessary screening requirements, the Act aims to improve healthcare access for children while maintaining necessary safeguards against fraud and abuse. Participating providers will be enrolled for a 5-year period, and the changes will take effect three years after the Act's enactment.

The "Energy Resilient Communities Act" establishes a grant program for clean energy microgrids, prioritizing projects that benefit environmental justice communities and community-owned energy systems. These grants will fund technical assistance, community outreach, and the construction of clean energy microgrids for critical infrastructure and residences. The Act emphasizes domestic production, prevailing wages, and local employment, while also requiring annual reports to Congress on the program's progress and impacts. It allocates significant funding for these initiatives over the next decade.

The MODERN WIC Act of 2025 aims to modernize the WIC program by expanding options for remote certification appointments, including telephone and video calls, and allowing for remote delivery of food benefits. It requires state agencies to offer various formats for certification appointments, ensuring accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The Act also mandates a report to Congress on the use of remote technologies in WIC, focusing on their impact and best practices.

The 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025 amends the Public Health Service Act to improve the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program by expanding the types of healthcare providers who can conduct mental health evaluations, modifying provider credentialing, clarifying enrollment calculations, and extending the time frame for adding health conditions for WTC responders. The act adjusts the funding formula for fiscal years 2026 through 2090 and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the program's budget, including projected needs through 2090 and recommendations for changes to the funding formula. It also stipulates that remaining funds in the Supplemental Fund, Special Fund, and Pentagon-Shanksville Fund will revert to the Treasury.

The "Affordable Child Care Act" aims to ease the financial burden of childcare for families by doubling the child and dependent care tax credit, increasing the tax-free amount for dependent care assistance programs, and doubling the tax credit for employer-provided childcare. These changes are intended to make childcare more accessible and affordable for working families. The provisions of this act will be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.