Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses the sense of the House that the Department of Agriculture should utilize its existing contingency funds and interchange authority to ensure the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) remains fully funded. The bill specifically urges the administration to immediately use these resources to finance SNAP operations, particularly during potential government funding lapses. This action is deemed crucial to support millions of vulnerable Americans, including children, seniors, and veterans, who rely on these benefits.

The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2025 comprehensively bans the manufacture, processing, use, and sale of commercial asbestos and products containing it upon enactment. The bill establishes clear definitions for commercial asbestos and includes limited exceptions for existing chlor-alkali plant diaphragms until 2030. It also grants the President authority to issue temporary, renewable national security exemptions under strict conditions. This legislation amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to eliminate most commercial uses of this hazardous material.

The Building US Infrastructure by Leveraging Demands for Skills (BUILDS) Act authorizes competitive grants to industry partnerships focused on key infrastructure sectors like energy, construction, and technology. These grants fund collaborations to develop training programs, align education with industry needs, and support worker recruitment and retention. The overall goal is to strengthen these critical industries by ensuring a skilled and competitive workforce through strategic planning and investment in work-based learning.

The PARTNERS Act aims to boost registered apprenticeships and on-the-job training programs, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses in high-demand industries. It achieves this by establishing and funding regional partnerships that develop and support work-based learning opportunities. States will receive federal funds to issue grants to these eligible partnerships, which must then focus on curriculum development, business engagement, and providing essential support services to participants. The Act also establishes specific performance reporting requirements for accountability.

The ACCESS Act aims to significantly improve career counseling and public awareness regarding opportunities in the skilled trades. This legislation requires states to launch public awareness campaigns highlighting high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand career and technical education programs. Furthermore, it mandates that local workforce areas provide detailed labor market information focused on these growing professions to better guide students and job seekers.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating September 2025 as "National Workforce Development Month." It signals Congress's intent to strengthen federal job training programs, like WIOA, to better meet current economic needs and address skill gaps. The goal is to improve access to critical training, apprenticeships, and career pathways for millions of Americans seeking economic security.

This resolution officially supports designating the week of September 8 through September 12, 2025, as "Malnutrition Awareness Week." It highlights the widespread and costly impact of malnutrition across all demographics, particularly among vulnerable populations. The bill recognizes the vital work of nutrition professionals and existing federal programs while encouraging better screening and early intervention to improve health outcomes.

The Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2025 aims to combat the nation's leading weather-related killer by establishing a comprehensive federal strategy against extreme heat. The bill creates an Interagency Committee and a National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) within NOAA to coordinate research, data sharing, and preparedness efforts across government agencies. Furthermore, it authorizes significant financial assistance for community projects focused on heat resilience, prioritizing historically disadvantaged areas. The Act also mandates a national study to identify critical gaps in current heat response policies and infrastructure.

The Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement Act (PRICE Act) establishes a new competitive grant program to improve manufactured housing communities serving low- and moderate-income residents. These funds can be used for essential infrastructure repairs, resident health and safety upgrades, and community enhancement projects. Priority will be given to projects that ensure the long-term affordability and stability of the housing.

The Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America’s Streets Act establishes strict limitations on the deployment of federal law enforcement and military personnel for domestic crowd control. This bill mandates that all federal personnel involved in such situations must clearly display identifying information, such as their name and agency. Furthermore, it generally restricts their operations to federal property unless specific state and local requests are made or the Insurrection Act is invoked. Agencies must also publicly report details of any deployment within 24 hours.

The Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act of 2025 aims to improve services and support for older adults who identify as LGBTQI. This bill establishes a new Office of LGBTQI Inclusion within the Administration on Aging and mandates the creation of a National Resource Center on LGBTQI Aging. Furthermore, it updates definitions, ensures eligibility for federal grants, and requires specific data collection on discrimination faced by this population in aging services.

The Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2025 aims to bolster the mental well-being of school employees through several key actions. It mandates the sharing of best practices for suicide prevention and mental health support across the education workforce. The bill also establishes national awareness campaigns to encourage staff to seek necessary mental health services and funds new grant programs to develop and expand direct support and training initiatives. Finally, it requires comprehensive reviews by the Secretary and the GAO to assess the effectiveness of these new and existing federal efforts.

The Tsunami Warning, Research, and Education Act of 2025 reauthorizes and updates the nation's tsunami warning system to enhance the timeliness and accuracy of alerts. This legislation mandates improvements in data management, expands the geographic scope of coverage, and integrates social and behavioral science into mitigation efforts. It also authorizes specific funding levels through fiscal year 2030 to support these critical upgrades across warning, research, and education programs.

The Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act aims to improve support for postsecondary students with disabilities. It standardizes the types of documentation colleges must accept to verify a disability, ensuring clearer access to necessary accommodations. The bill also authorizes increased funding for national technical support centers and requires colleges to report essential data on enrolled students with disabilities. Finally, it clarifies that these changes do not alter existing rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Opportunity To Address College Hunger Act requires colleges receiving federal funding to proactively notify students receiving Federal work-study assistance about their potential eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This notification must include official documentation proving work-study status to help students meet SNAP eligibility exceptions. The goal is to streamline the process for food-insecure students to access federal nutrition benefits.

The Keeping Obstetrics Local Act aims to stabilize and expand access to maternity care by increasing financial support for rural and safety-net hospitals providing obstetric services. It mandates comprehensive coverage expansion for pregnant and postpartum individuals under Medicaid and CHIP, while also investing in the maternal health workforce through emergency staffing support and streamlined cross-state provider enrollment. Finally, the bill increases transparency by requiring timely public notification and detailed data reporting before any hospital maternity unit closes.

The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2025 updates federal programs to better support and protect runaway, homeless, and trafficked youth. This legislation modernizes grant programs to ensure services are trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and address critical needs like housing, education, and mental health. It also expands communication channels to include online outreach and strengthens coordination across federal agencies to combat youth homelessness and exploitation.

This resolution recognizes World Oceans Day and affirms the critical need to protect, conserve, and rebuild the ocean and its vital resources. It highlights the severe threats facing marine ecosystems, including pollution, acidification, and warming. The bill commits the U.S. to increasing investment in ocean science and monitoring to better manage these challenges. Ultimately, this recognizes our shared duty to safeguard the ocean for economic stability and future generations.

The MEALS Act of 2025 aims to significantly strengthen security measures for the Summer EBT program to combat fraud, specifically targeting theft like card skimming and cloning. It mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to establish industry-standard security guidance and formal rules requiring participants to adopt these measures. Furthermore, the bill ensures that stolen benefits resulting from skimming or cloning will be replaced, provided states and tribes submit approved operational plans for handling theft claims. The Act also requires comprehensive reporting to Congress and an independent review by the GAO on payment system security risks.

This resolution officially recognizes the goals of "National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day" on May 16, 2025. It highlights the unique challenges and significant contributions of older LGBTQI adults, who often face disproportionate health and economic difficulties. The bill encourages public education, culturally sensitive healthcare for this population, and prioritizing their rights in federal and international aid efforts.