Legislative Activity

The "Federal Freeze Act" temporarily freezes federal hiring and salaries for one year, with exceptions for positions related to law enforcement, public safety, national security, and emergency response. Additionally, it mandates a reduction in the number of federal employees by 2% within two years and 5% within three years, again excluding law enforcement, public safety, national security, and emergency response roles.

This bill proposes across-the-board rescissions to nonsecurity discretionary spending, reducing such appropriations by 1% in fiscal year 2026, 2% in 2027, and 5% in 2028 and subsequent years. The rescissions take effect the day after appropriations are available and apply pro rata across all applicable accounts. The Office of Management and Budget is required to report to Congress on the specific rescissions made each fiscal year.

The American Music Fairness Act updates copyright law to require terrestrial radio broadcasts to pay royalties to music creators, similar to internet radio services. It establishes royalty rates for eligible small broadcasters and ensures that songwriters' royalties are not negatively impacted. The bill also directs Copyright Royalty Judges to consider the promotional value of radio airplay when determining royalty rates.

This bill authorizes the creation of a Congressional Gold Medal for Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, posthumously recognizing his courageous actions during World War II when he saved approximately 200 Jewish-American soldiers from Nazi persecution by defying a direct order to identify them. The medal will be presented to his next of kin, and the bill also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to commemorate his heroism.

The "Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025" amends the Social Security Act to change Medicare's payment rules for ultralightweight manual wheelchairs. Starting in 2026, separate billing codes will be created based on the wheelchair's material. For titanium or carbon fiber wheelchairs, suppliers can charge the individual the difference between Medicare's payment and the actual cost, potentially leading to out-of-pocket expenses for the beneficiary.

The "Access to Pediatric Technologies Act of 2025" aims to improve children's access to innovative medical devices by directing the Secretary to set national payment values for qualifying pediatric technologies under the physician fee schedule, starting in 2026. Manufacturers can request these payment values, providing necessary data to support the technology's pediatric qualification. This act is intended to facilitate access to these technologies without mandating coverage or altering existing requirements.

The "Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act" expands access to virtual cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services by allowing patients to receive care in their homes via telehealth. It broadens the originating sites for telehealth services and waives geographic restrictions, effective January 1, 2026. The Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish standards for designating a patient's home as a provider-based organization, ensuring consistent care with the Hospital Without Walls program.

The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act establishes a pilot program within the Department of Veterans Affairs, allowing eligible veterans to choose their healthcare providers, including both VA and non-VA facilities. This program requires veterans to select a primary care provider to coordinate their care but allows them to choose any specialist within the covered care system. After four years, the bill makes these conditions on healthcare provider choice permanent, enabling veterans to receive care at any VA facility, regardless of their Veterans Integrated Service Network. The pilot program will be carried out using existing Veterans Health Administration funds.

The "HITS Act" allows independent music creators to immediately deduct up to $150,000 in sound recording production costs, rather than capitalizing those costs over time. It classifies qualified sound recording productions as qualified property for bonus depreciation purposes. This applies to productions commencing in taxable years ending after the enactment date of this Act.

The "Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act" amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to deem individuals inadmissible and deportable if they have committed sex offenses, domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, or violated protection orders. It broadens the definition of "crimes against children" to include domestic violence and includes convictions or conspiracy to commit sex offenses as grounds for deportation.

The CONTAINER Act allows border states to place temporary structures on federal lands along the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico, without needing special permits, to enhance border security. These structures can remain for up to a year, with possible extensions if border control is not achieved, as determined by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Act streamlines the process for states to implement immediate, temporary border security measures on federal land.

The "Make the Migrant Protection Protocols Mandatory Act of 2025" makes the Migrant Protection Protocols mandatory. This bill amends existing immigration law to require the government to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols.

The CLEAR Act of 2025 aims to enhance cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement in the enforcement of immigration laws. It encourages state and local law enforcement to assist in immigration enforcement by reaffirming their authority and providing financial assistance, training, and immunity for actions taken. The Act also mandates the sharing of information on immigration violators, increases federal detention space, and ensures federal custody of undocumented immigrants apprehended by state or local authorities. Additionally, it continues and expands the Institutional Removal Program to identify and remove criminal aliens from prisons.

The FAIR PREP Act of 2025 prohibits the IRS from preparing tax returns or offering free direct e-file tax return systems, with exceptions for existing programs like the IRS Free File Program. It restricts the Treasury Secretary from funding or developing electronic tax preparation services without explicit congressional authorization. This act aims to limit the IRS's role in tax preparation, ensuring reliance on existing programs and preventing unauthorized expansion into new services. The changes apply to returns filed more than 30 days after the law is enacted.

This resolution designates October 10, 2025, as "American Girls in Sports Day" to recognize the positive impact of sports participation on young girls. It emphasizes the importance of fair competition and protecting opportunities for biological women in sports, referencing concerns about biological men displacing women and girls. The resolution urges sports organizations to protect biological women and girls in sports.

The "Fair Play for Girls Act" mandates the Attorney General to produce a report analyzing challenges to fair competition for female athletes, instances of lost opportunities due to competition with biological males, and the effectiveness of state laws protecting female athletes. It also requires an examination of online violence and sexual abuse against female athletes, along with recommendations to address these issues.

This resolution urges the NCAA to revoke its current transgender student-athlete eligibility policy, arguing it discriminates against female athletes. It calls for the NCAA to prevent transgender-identifying males from competing in women's sports and to require member conferences to adopt a biological sex-based policy. The resolution also asks all U.S. sports governing bodies to protect women's sports for biological women and girls.

The National Human Trafficking Database Act aims to combat human trafficking by establishing a national database. This database will collect and report data from state agencies, list anti-human trafficking organizations, and identify areas with high and low trafficking rates. The Act prioritizes survivor confidentiality and allocates funding for grants to state agencies and for the database's creation and maintenance. It prohibits using the collected data to make funding decisions and protects survivors' personal information.

The "End Child Trafficking Now Act" aims to prevent child trafficking by requiring adults entering the U.S. with a minor to prove their familial relationship through documentation or DNA testing. Refusal to take a DNA test after providing insufficient evidence results in inadmissibility, and the child will be treated as an unaccompanied alien. The act also criminalizes the act of "recycling" minors, which is defined as adults using the same minor more than once to enter the United States.

The "SAVE Girls Act" aims to combat the smuggling and trafficking of children and young women by authorizing the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to states, tribes, local governments, and nonprofits. These grants will primarily focus on preventing the smuggling of individuals aged 12-24 across U.S. borders and supporting those at risk of trafficking. The act allocates $50 million for these grants.