Legislative Activity

This bill officially ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment, declaring it a valid part of the U.S. Constitution. It specifically removes any previously imposed deadlines for state ratification. If three-fourths of the states have approved the amendment, this law confirms its official status regardless of past time constraints.

The Puppy Protection Act of 2025 significantly increases humane treatment standards for dog dealers under the Animal Welfare Act. This legislation mandates specific minimum space requirements, daily exercise access, and mandatory socialization for housed dogs. Furthermore, it establishes strict limits on female dog breeding frequency and age, alongside enhanced veterinary care protocols.

The Air America Act of 2025 recognizes the sacrifices of former Air America employees who served the U.S. Government between 1950 and 1976. This Act authorizes a one-time monetary award, up to $40,000 plus potential additional amounts, for qualifying service members or their survivors. The CIA Director is responsible for administering these payments, which are capped at a total of $60 million, and establishing the application procedures. Decisions made by the Director regarding these awards are final and not subject to judicial review.

The Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act revises physician self-referral rules to improve healthcare access in underserved areas. Specifically, it creates a new exception allowing physician self-referrals to hospitals located in designated rural areas that meet specific distance requirements. Furthermore, the bill removes existing restrictions that previously limited the expansion of services at physician-owned hospitals.

The Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act creates an exception to income limits for certain federal agriculture disaster payments. This exception applies to individuals or businesses where at least 75% of their average adjusted gross income is derived from farming, ranching, or forestry. Consequently, these deeply involved agricultural producers will not be subject to standard payment caps on specific disaster assistance programs.

The Major Richard Star Act ensures that military retirees with combat-related disabilities can receive both their military retirement pay and VA disability compensation concurrently without reduction. This law removes previous restrictions that caused military retirement pay to be offset by VA disability payments for these specific cases. The changes take effect on the first day of the month following the Act's enactment.

The Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act amends federal student loan regulations to provide a specific deferment for medical and dental residents. This allows borrowers currently serving in an internship or residency program to pause principal payments and prevent interest accrual on their student loans during that training period.

The Stop Comstock Act aims to modernize and streamline federal statutes concerning obscene materials. It revises several sections of federal law, including those related to crimes, transportation, and importation, by removing outdated or redundant language like "indecent" or "immoral." This legislative cleanup focuses the legal definitions to center specifically on "obscene materials."

This bill condemns the House Republican Conference for a xenophobic social media post questioning Congressman Adriano Espaillat's immigration status and patriotism. It specifically condemns the House Republican leadership team for allowing the false statement that questioned Congressman Espaillat's citizenship.

The Congressional Trade Authority Act of 2025 significantly overhauls presidential authority to restrict imports based on national security grounds. This bill shifts the primary investigation role to the Secretary of Defense and mandates that any resulting import adjustments require explicit approval by a Congressional joint resolution to take effect. Furthermore, all new trade restrictions will automatically expire after three years unless Congress renews them.

The U.S. Engagement in Sudanese Peace Act aims to address the crisis in Sudan by mandating the President to investigate and sanction those involved in human rights abuses and obstruction of humanitarian aid. It requires a comprehensive strategy to protect civilians, provide humanitarian aid, and foster peace, with an emphasis on empowering Sudanese women and youth in conflict resolution. The act also seeks to prevent the flow of weapons to conflict parties and ensures accountability for human rights abuses. Ultimately, the goal is to promote a sustainable peace through diplomatic and multilateral efforts.

This bill, the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025, seeks to amend the National Labor Relations Act and other labor laws to strengthen protections for workers' rights to organize and collectively bargain. It aims to modernize labor regulations by clarifying definitions, addressing unfair labor practices, enhancing enforcement, and increasing transparency in labor-management relations. The bill introduces measures such as electronic voting in union elections, strengthens whistleblower protections, and mandates studies on collective bargaining practices. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure fair treatment of workers and promote equitable labor practices.

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to address vote dilution, denial, and abridgment claims, and to update which states and political subdivisions are subject to federal oversight based on a history of voting rights violations. It broadens the types of violations that allow a court to retain jurisdiction over a case, clarifies the Attorney General's authority to assign observers, and ensures transparency in voting-related changes. The Act also authorizes the Attorney General to demand documents and information to enforce voting rights and provides grants to small jurisdictions to assist with notification requirements.

The Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act directs the Department of Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar coins in 2027 to commemorate the life and legacy of Roberto Clemente. The coins' designs will represent Clemente's life, including his baseball achievements and humanitarian work. Surcharges from the coin sales will benefit the Roberto Clemente Foundation, supporting their educational programs, youth sports initiatives, disaster relief efforts, and historic preservation projects. The Act ensures that the coin program will not incur any net cost to the United States government.

The Safe Schools Improvement Act aims to reduce bullying and harassment in schools by requiring states to establish policies prohibiting such conduct based on various characteristics, including race, sex, religion, and disability. It mandates annual notifications, data collection on incidents, biennial evaluations of programs, and regular reports to Congress to ensure accountability and effectiveness. This act does not infringe on existing nondiscrimination laws or freedom of speech but seeks to create a safer, more inclusive learning environment for all students.

The PAST Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the Horse Protection Act to combat the painful practice of soring in specific horse breeds. This bill increases penalties for violations, establishes stricter licensing and oversight for inspectors, and explicitly bans the use of "action devices" designed to cause unnatural gaits. The legislation aims to enhance enforcement, ensure fairer competition, and hold violators accountable through increased fines and disqualifications.

The "Keep Americans Safe Act" aims to regulate large capacity ammunition feeding devices by making it illegal to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess magazines holding more than 15 rounds, with exceptions for law enforcement, government entities, and devices lawfully possessed before the law's enactment. It also permits the use of Byrne grants for buy-back programs of these devices and mandates that newly manufactured devices be marked with identifying information. Violators of this Act will face penalties under existing provisions of Title 18 of the U.S. Code.

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 Pell Grant Sustainability Act aims to increase the buying power of Pell Grants for lower-income students. It indexes the maximum Pell Grant award to inflation, starting with a \$1,060 increase for the 2024-2025 award year, and adjusts it annually based on the Consumer Price Index. This adjustment is added to the maximum Pell Grant specified in the latest appropriation act, ensuring Pell Grants keep pace with rising education costs. The bill also extends provisions of the Higher Education Act related to Pell Grants indefinitely.

This bill expresses support for the Iranian people's desire for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear republic, while condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, support for terrorism, and attempts to develop nuclear weapons. It affirms the right of the Iranian people to self-determination and supports continued sanctions against the current regime. The bill also calls for the protection of Iranian political refugees in Albania.