Legislative Activity

The West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025 mandates the President to impose targeted sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans, on foreign individuals or groups whose actions threaten the peace and stability of the West Bank. These penalties specifically target those involved in violence against civilians, property destruction, or terrorism. The law requires regular reporting to Congress detailing those sanctioned and the steps being taken to mitigate violence in the region.

This bill aims to strengthen efforts to prevent maternal deaths by reauthorizing support for State-based Maternal Mortality Review Committees. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to regularly disseminate proven best practices for maternal mortality prevention to hospitals and professional societies. Furthermore, the legislation increases federal funding dedicated to these crucial prevention initiatives.

The Warehouse Worker Protection Act establishes new federal standards to safeguard warehouse employees from excessive performance quotas and unsafe working conditions. It creates a dedicated office within the Department of Labor to enforce transparency requirements regarding quotas and mandates new OSHA standards to prevent musculoskeletal injuries. Furthermore, the bill strengthens labor protections by clarifying when performance targets unlawfully interfere with workers' rights to organize.

The Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act expands Medicare coverage to include physical and occupational therapy during Annual Wellness Visits and Initial Preventive Physical Exams for seniors at risk of falling. This aims to provide preventative care by covering falls risk assessments and fall prevention services for eligible patients. Additionally, the bill mandates annual reporting to Congress on fall incidents and resulting injuries among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older.

This resolution officially designates the week of August 3 through August 9, 2025, as "National Farmers Market Week." It aims to celebrate the vital role farmers markets play in strengthening local economies and supporting farmers across the nation. Furthermore, the resolution recognizes how these markets improve community health by increasing access to fresh food and promoting sustainable agriculture.

The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act primarily repeals previous health subtitle changes and permanently extends enhanced premium tax credits for marketplace health insurance. This extension removes the income cap for receiving enhanced credits and updates the calculation method for determining an individual's required premium contribution. The bill aims to simplify the tax code related to health insurance affordability.

The SAVES Act of 2025 establishes a five-year pilot program within the VA to award competitive grants to nonprofits providing service dogs to eligible veterans with disabilities like PTSD or mobility issues. These grants, capped at $2 million per recipient, will cover the cost of training the dog and veteran, and the VA will also provide veterinary insurance for each service dog. The goal is to ensure veterans receive necessary support dogs without incurring any personal fees.

The Food Date Labeling Act of 2025 establishes national standards for food date labeling, requiring manufacturers to use specific phrases like "BEST If Used By" for quality dates and "USE By" for discard dates. This legislation clarifies the meaning of these dates for consumers and prevents states from creating conflicting terminology. The new labeling requirements will take effect two years after the bill is enacted.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act mandates the Attorney General to release all unclassified Department of Justice records related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of enactment. This sweeping requirement covers investigations, travel logs, and communications, with limited exceptions primarily focused on protecting victim privacy and active cases. Any redactions must be publicly justified, and the Attorney General must report the details of the release and any withheld information to Congress.

The All Aboard Act of 2025 aims to significantly modernize and expand the nation's passenger and freight rail systems through massive federal investment. It establishes major grant programs focused on electrifying infrastructure, developing zero-emission locomotives, and improving high-performance rail service. Furthermore, the Act mandates strong labor protections and creates new training centers to ensure a skilled workforce is ready for the industry's technological transition.

The Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2025 authorizes $50 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to be appropriated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This funding is specifically designated for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention. This appropriation is in addition to any existing funds allocated for this purpose.

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the Voting Rights Act by establishing new standards to challenge discriminatory voting practices and updating federal oversight criteria for states. It mandates greater transparency for all changes to voting rules and implements "practice-based preclearance" for certain jurisdictions. Additionally, the bill creates new federal criminal penalties for using force or threats to intimidate voters or election workers.

The Restoring Essential Healthcare Act repeals a previous ban that prohibited Medicaid payments to certain healthcare entities. This legislation retroactively validates and ensures payment for essential healthcare services provided by these now-unbanned organizations during the period the prohibition was in effect.

The Service-Disabled Veteran Opportunities in Small Business Act aims to increase federal contract awards to small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans. It mandates that the Small Business Administrator provide specialized training to any agency failing to meet its established contract goals for these businesses. Furthermore, the Act requires the Administrator to issue best practices guidance and report annually to Congress on agency compliance and training efforts.

This bill seeks to protect the tenure of members serving on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). It mandates that current members may only be terminated for specific causes and requires the immediate reinstatement of all members who were serving on June 8, 2025. Furthermore, future vacancies on the committee must be filled using candidates recommended by the Comptroller General.

The Pay Teachers Act is a comprehensive bill designed to significantly boost federal investment in public education across three main areas. Title I guarantees substantial, growing funding for disadvantaged students, rural schools, Impact Aid, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Title II mandates a national minimum teacher salary of $60,000, raises pay floors for support staff, and requires states to address pay inequities. Finally, Title III establishes mandatory, increasing appropriations for programs that recruit, train, and support new educators, especially through paid residencies and specialized disability services.

The Community Investment and Prosperity Act amends federal banking laws to increase investment limits for national banks and Federal Reserve Banks. Specifically, this legislation raises the applicable investment threshold from 15% to 20%. This change is intended to promote public welfare through increased investment capacity.

The Stop the Scammers Act establishes a new whistleblower incentive and protection program within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), allowing individuals to receive awards of 10% to 30% of collected penalties for providing original information leading to successful enforcement actions. Furthermore, the Act invalidates predispute arbitration agreements that attempt to waive these new whistleblower rights. Finally, this bill increases the annual funding cap for the CFPB, allowing it to receive up to 12 percent of the Federal Reserve's prior year earnings.

The Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act establishes a new federal funding stream to mandate that states set and meet minimum living wage standards for all school paraprofessionals and support staff. This legislation sets baseline minimum salaries and hourly wages, which increase with experience and are adjusted for inflation after 2030. States must apply for funding and create a four-year plan to ensure all local districts comply with these new pay requirements, using federal funds to supplement, not supplant, existing local education budgets.

The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act of 2025 establishes a new, refundable tax credit for eligible first-time homebuyers, equal to 10% of the purchase price, up to a $15,000 maximum. This credit is subject to income and price phase-outs based on local area median figures. Claimants must meet specific age and residency requirements, and may be subject to a recapture provision if the home is sold within four years.