Legislative Activity

The Service Dogs Assisting Veterans (SAVES) Act of 2025 establishes a five-year Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program to award grants to nonprofits providing service dogs to eligible veterans. This program mandates that the VA provide lifetime veterinary insurance coverage for every service dog placed through the program. Grants will fund the provision of service dogs to veterans with disabilities such as PTSD, TBI, or severe mobility issues, with recipients strictly prohibited from charging veterans any fees.

The Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025 expands reproductive and fertility preservation assistance for active-duty service members and provides comprehensive fertility treatment and adoption support for eligible veterans through the VA. This bill mandates coverage for fertility services, including IVF, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation, for both current service members and veterans. It also requires proactive measures, such as pre-deployment material preservation for service members and seamless care coordination between the DoD and VA.

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 Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025 mandates an increase in disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) rates for veterans and survivors. This adjustment, effective December 1, 2025, must match the percentage increase applied to Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLA). The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to publish these new payment rates concurrently with the SSA's annual COLA announcement.

The Time Off to Vote Act mandates that employers provide employees with at least two consecutive hours of paid leave to vote in federal elections. Employers retain control over the timing of this leave, which cannot result in the loss of existing benefits. This federal requirement supplements, but does not override, any state or local laws that offer greater employee protections.

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 Research for Healthy Soils Act aims to address environmental concerns related to agriculture. This bill specifically allocates funding for research into microplastics found in biosolids applied to farmland. Additionally, it extends the authorization for several high-priority agricultural research and extension initiatives through 2031.

The EATS Act of 2025 revises eligibility rules for students seeking Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by clarifying the definition of a "bona fide student." This legislation removes specific restrictions that previously barred many higher education students from receiving SNAP. The changes, including technical renumbering of relevant sections, will take effect on January 2, 2026.

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 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.

This bill, the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, updates the eligibility requirements for a specific immigration registry status. It replaces outdated entry date requirements with a new standard requiring applicants to have resided in the United States for at least seven years prior to applying. These changes aim to modernize the criteria for long-term residents seeking this status.

This bill, the Buffalo Soldiers Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2025, directs Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the historic Buffalo Soldier regiments for their distinguished service to the United States. The medal will be designed and struck by the Secretary of the Treasury and ultimately housed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. The Act also authorizes the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to help cover the costs of production.

The Adjunct Faculty Loan Fairness Act of 2025 updates eligibility for federal student loan forgiveness for adjunct and contingent faculty. This bill allows service as an adjunct instructor at colleges or vocational schools to qualify for loan forgiveness, provided specific minimum teaching hour requirements are met. It grants the Secretary of Education flexibility in defining qualifying teaching service under these new parameters.

The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 aims to address physician shortages by adding 2,000 new Medicare-funded residency positions annually from 2027 through 2033. These new slots are distributed through an application process, prioritizing hospitals serving rural areas, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), and those supporting new medical schools. Additionally, the bill mandates a study and report on effective strategies for increasing diversity within the healthcare workforce.

The O DAIRY Act of 2025 aims to support organic dairy farmers by expanding emergency assistance for losses due to high feed costs and establishing new programs for better cost data collection. The bill also mandates the creation of a specific safety net program for organic dairy operations, prioritizing smaller farms. Finally, it invests in local processing infrastructure and creates new market specialist positions to research and improve the organic dairy sector.

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 **End Polluter Welfare Act of 2025** is a comprehensive bill designed to eliminate financial support for the fossil fuel industry across federal subsidies, tax incentives, and international lending. It achieves this by increasing government royalties on federal resource extraction, terminating numerous tax breaks for oil, gas, and coal, and restricting federal funding for fossil fuel infrastructure. Ultimately, the Act shifts financial burdens onto large corporations while accelerating the sunset of certain methane reduction programs and adjusting incentives for clean hydrogen production.

This resolution recognizes the foundational importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in promoting independent living and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities. It calls for strengthened federal action to dismantle remaining barriers, particularly by expanding vital community-based health care and support services. The bill urges various federal agencies to actively improve access to employment, housing, telecommunications, and emergency preparedness for this community. Ultimately, it declares that fulfilling the ADA's promise requires a committed, ongoing effort to ensure full inclusion.

The EACH Act of 2025 mandates that all federally funded health programs and insurance plans must cover abortion services without imposing restrictions based on income or insurance type. This legislation aims to eliminate existing federal bans and state-level restrictions that prevent access to comprehensive reproductive care. Furthermore, the bill prevents the federal government from interfering with state or private insurance plans that choose to cover abortion services. It explicitly repeals Section 1303 of the Affordable Care Act and establishes that this Act takes precedence over all conflicting federal laws.