Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses support for designating October 2025 as National Learning Disabilities Awareness Month to highlight the significant academic challenges faced by students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). It emphasizes that SLDs are the most common disability category under IDEA, yet these students show alarmingly low proficiency rates in reading and math. The bill urges early screening and calls on educational agencies to ensure these students receive the required specialized instruction and support to achieve success.

Katie Meyer's Law mandates that colleges and universities receiving federal funding must provide students accused of code of conduct violations the option to have a trained adviser assist them through the disciplinary process. Students can choose their own adviser or request an independent one provided by the institution. Additionally, the bill updates campus security reporting requirements to include incidents of suicide.

The Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act of 2025 aims to eliminate unfair lease-purchase agreements where truck drivers are tied to the motor carrier they drive for without gaining ownership of the vehicle. This Act directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish rules banning predatory programs where carriers control the driver's work and debt, yet the driver forfeits any built-up equity. Furthermore, the legislation provides a mechanism for drivers to seek relief from existing lease terms that violate the new regulations.

The Gun Suicide Prevention Act of 2025 mandates that all firearms sold must include a conspicuous label in English and Spanish directing individuals contemplating suicide to call or text 988. This new requirement applies to manufacturers and retailers, treating non-compliance similarly to violations under the Consumer Product Safety Act. The labeling provisions will take effect two years after the Act is signed into law.

This resolution expresses support for designating September 9, 2025, as "National Firearm Suicide Prevention Day." The goal is to raise awareness about the growing crisis of firearm suicides across the United States. It emphasizes that safe and secure firearm storage is a critical component of suicide prevention efforts. The resolution encourages professionals to discuss gun safety and suicide prevention with their patients.

The Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must now provide abortion care, counseling, and related medication as part of the medical services offered to eligible veterans and certain other beneficiaries. This legislation formally amends existing VA health care provisions to include these reproductive health services.

The Veterans’ Surviving Spouse Equity Act of 2025 expands eligibility for certain VA benefits for the surviving spouses of veterans who died while rated totally disabled. This update lowers the marriage duration requirement for survivors to qualify for benefits. Spouses may now qualify if they were married for at least one year or cohabited and publicly presented as married for one year prior to the veteran's death.

The Saving Our Interconnected Lives (SOIL) Act aims to incentivize farmers to adopt conservation practices that benefit both soil health and wildlife habitat simultaneously. It achieves this by increasing payment rates under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for dual-benefit projects and prioritizing these applications. Furthermore, the bill introduces supplemental payments under the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) for activities that improve soil, wildlife habitat, and climate outcomes.

The Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025 prioritizes candidates with at least three years of relevant professional legal experience when appointing new members to the Board of Veterans Appeals. This ensures that individuals with direct experience in veterans' benefits law receive priority consideration for these judicial roles.

This bill establishes the Climate-Friendly Food Label Task Force Act to study the creation of a voluntary, market-based "climate-friendly" certification label for agricultural products. The Secretary of Agriculture must convene an advisory panel of experts to develop recommendations for a system that measures and promotes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions across a product's lifecycle. This study must be completed and reported to Congress before the USDA can begin any official climate-friendly labeling or certification process.

The Protecting Federal Employee Rights to Personnel Files Act of 2025 ensures current and former federal employees have a right to easily access their official personnel records. The bill mandates that agencies must provide electronic and physical copies of these files within seven days upon request for current employees. Furthermore, separating employees will automatically receive their file within seven days of their departure.

The Protecting Americans from Reckless Gun Dealers Act of 2025 mandates annual public reporting by the Attorney General detailing ATF actions on firearms dealer licenses, including violations and revocations. It also requires the GAO to conduct a comprehensive study on the effectiveness of ATF's licensing and enforcement procedures. This legislation aims to increase transparency and evaluate the consistency of federal oversight for firearms dealers.

The Offshore Pipeline Safety Act mandates new safety regulations for offshore oil and gas pipelines, including deadlines for finalizing rules, requiring third-party inspections, and installing leak detection systems. It also directs studies on the environmental risks of pipeline decommissioning and requires annual fees from pipeline owners to cover future removal costs. Furthermore, the bill addresses the safety of exposed pipeline segments and requires a study on the environmental risks of chemicals used in offshore operations.

The Loved Ones Interment Act allows the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide a single headstone or marker for a cremated veteran buried alongside another eligible individual. This marker can include information for both people, provided the cost does not exceed the standard limit for one marker. This change streamlines the process for honoring veterans interred together.

The Green Energy for Federal Buildings Act mandates increasing renewable energy procurement targets for all federal buildings, starting at 7.5% and escalating to 100% by the year 2050. This legislation amends existing law to establish clear, phased buying goals for the government over the coming decades. The Act also prioritizes sourcing this renewable energy from on-site federal facilities or federal and Indian lands when feasible.

The COMPOST Act officially designates composting as a recognized conservation practice under federal farm conservation laws. This change allows farmers to utilize existing conservation program benefits for activities related to creating and applying compost on their farms. The legislation requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish clear standards for what qualifies as on-farm composting, including using organic waste from nearby communities only if it results in a net decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. Ultimately, this bill aims to improve soil health and water retention through the formal promotion of composting.

This bill amends federal law to establish specific qualifications for marriage and family therapists appointed within the Veterans Health Administration (VA) who are designated to provide clinical supervision. To qualify for these supervisory roles, therapists must meet existing VA requirements plus one of two specific criteria related to state authorization or AAMFT approved supervisor designation. This ensures that supervisors within the VA system meet recognized standards for training and oversight.

The Renewable Energy Certificate Study Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive study by the Comptroller General on the effectiveness of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) in driving new renewable energy development. This evaluation will compare REC usage against other compliance methods, like Power Purchase Agreements, for federal agencies. The final report will include recommendations for legislative or administrative changes to better align the REC market with federal investment goals for new clean energy generation.

The Green Federal Fleet Act mandates that federal agencies must purchase or lease zero-emission vehicles for their non-military fleets, unless a specific technical exception is documented. This legislation aims to transition government vehicle purchases toward electric or hydrogen-powered options. The EPA is tasked with defining the official standards for what qualifies as a zero-emission vehicle.

The FEMA Temporary Housing Assistance Improvement Act clarifies that insurance payouts received by disaster survivors will not be counted as a "duplication of benefits" when determining eligibility for FEMA temporary housing assistance. This ensures that receiving insurance money does not automatically disqualify an individual from receiving necessary temporary housing aid following a disaster.