Legislative Activity

The FIGHT Act of 2025 significantly strengthens federal prohibitions against animal fighting ventures, specifically targeting the sponsorship, exhibition, and gambling associated with these events. This legislation clarifies the definition of a rooster for legal purposes and bans the interstate transport of roosters for fighting. Furthermore, it empowers private citizens to file lawsuits against violators, allowing for civil penalties and the potential seizure of property used to facilitate illegal animal fighting.

The Kerrie Orozco First Responders Family Support Act expedites the U.S. citizenship process for immediate relatives of public safety officers who died in the line of duty. This legislation allows surviving spouses, children, or parents to skip standard residency requirements when applying for naturalization. The goal is to provide a pathway to citizenship for the families of fallen heroes.

The CHIP IN for Veterans Act of 2025 expands and extends a pilot program allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to accept donated facilities and related improvements. This expansion broadens acceptable donations to include minor construction or nonrecurring maintenance projects. Furthermore, the bill extends the operational deadline for this valuable pilot program from 2026 to 2031.

The LEOSA Reform Act updates federal laws to better align concealed carry rights for qualified active and retired law enforcement officers with existing school zone restrictions. This legislation modernizes the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (LEOSA) by expanding qualification standards for retired officers and clarifying where they may carry firearms, including in certain lower-security federal facilities. The bill ensures that LEOSA-authorized carriers are not inadvertently violating federal school zone prohibitions.

The Public Safety Retirees Healthcare Protection Act of 2025 aims to increase the amount of tax-free income public safety officers can receive from their government retirement plans to cover healthcare costs. Specifically, this bill doubles the current annual exclusion limit from $\$3,000$ to $\$6,000$. This increased tax benefit will apply to distributions taken in tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

This Act officially renames Taiwan's primary diplomatic office in the U.S. from the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office" to the "Taiwan Representative Office." It directs the U.S. government to treat this office with the diplomatic courtesies afforded to other foreign nations, consistent with existing U.S. policy. This renaming does not alter the official U.S. stance on Taiwan's international status or restore full diplomatic relations.

The Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act expands eligibility for services under the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) to include spouses of veterans and service members. This amendment specifically defines "eligible persons" as spouses who meet certain criteria or are the spouse of someone who died while serving in the Armed Forces. This change ensures that surviving spouses receive crucial career support through the DVOP.

The Federal Firefighter Cancer Detection and Prevention Act of 2025 mandates specific, regular cancer screenings for Department of Defense (DoD) firefighters as part of their annual health evaluations. This includes tailored testing for breast, colon, and prostate cancers, based on age and risk factors. While these screenings are offered, participation remains optional for the individual firefighter. The DoD must track participation and anonymized results to monitor cancer trends within the firefighting community.

Hammers' Law extends existing federal liability limitations, previously applied only to commercial aviation accidents, to cover claims arising from cruise ship voyages. The bill specifically defines what constitutes a "cruise ship" for the purpose of these limitations, including vessels authorized to carry at least 250 passengers with sleeping accommodations. This change broadens the scope of established liability caps to encompass incidents occurring on covered passenger vessels operating to or from the United States.

The Youth Lead Act establishes dedicated federal funding for youth organizations by setting aside \$5 million annually for grants between fiscal years 2026 and 2030. This legislation amends existing law to ensure consistent financial support for these organizations.

The SNAP Staffing Flexibility Act of 2025 grants states the authority to hire external contractors to assist with processing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications during periods of high demand or staffing shortages. This flexibility allows states to manage application backlogs while adhering to strict rules against conflicts of interest and ensuring contractors do not incentivize benefit denials. States must notify the Secretary of Agriculture before using this authority, which is intended to supplement, not replace, existing merit-based state staff.

The Trade Review Act of 2025 requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours when imposing new or increased import duties, detailing the justification and impact. These new duties will automatically expire after 60 days unless Congress passes a joint resolution of approval. Furthermore, Congress can swiftly override any new duty by passing a joint resolution of disapproval.

The Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act increases the maximum financial assistance available to disabled veterans for necessary home improvements related to their health services. This legislation raises the existing benefit caps to provide greater support for accessibility modifications. Furthermore, it mandates annual adjustments to a specific benefit amount based on the rate of inflation to ensure continued relevance.

The Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act aims to ease the process for military veterans who served as firefighters to receive VA disability benefits for certain illnesses. This bill establishes a presumption of service connection for specific heart and various cancers if the veteran served five or more years in a firefighting role. If the qualifying illness is rated at 10% or more disabling and manifests within 15 years of service separation, the VA must presume it is service-connected.

The Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025 aims to modernize and maintain the Air Force's fighter aircraft fleet by increasing the minimum number of fighter aircraft, requiring detailed reports on the fleet's status, prioritizing the assignment of new aircraft to existing squadrons, and preserving the Air National Guard's fighter capabilities. The act mandates the Air Force to assign at least three out of every four new advanced fighter aircraft to existing Air Force fighter squadrons and maintain at least 25 Air National Guard fighter aircraft squadrons. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of the Air Force to develop and submit an annual modernization plan for the Air National Guard's fighter fleet to Congress. The Act defines specific categories of fighter aircraft to clarify modernization efforts.

This bill mandates that George Washington's Farewell Address be read aloud at the beginning of each new Congress. In the Senate, a Senator chosen by the majority leader will read the address, while in the House, a Representative selected by the Speaker of the House will do the honors. This reading will occur on the first day of the first regular session. The resolution affirms Congress's authority to establish these rules, while also recognizing each chamber's right to amend them.

The "Marc Fischer Memorial Act" aims to combat the flow of synthetic drugs, particularly fentanyl, into Federal prisons through the mail. It mandates the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to develop and implement a strategy to equip all Federal correctional facilities with the technology and processes needed to scan mail, protect staff and inmates, and ensure timely delivery of mail copies while maintaining legal mail privileges. The strategy includes assessing current practices, identifying necessary resources, and providing a budgetary proposal for implementation, with ongoing reporting to Congress on its effectiveness.

The "Tip Tax Termination Act" allows individuals in industries where tipping is customary to exclude up to $20,000 in tips from their gross income for tax purposes. This exclusion applies to tips received between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2029. The Secretary of the Treasury is directed to adjust tax withholding procedures to accommodate this change.

The "Working Class Bonus Tax Relief Act of 2025" allows eligible individuals to deduct bonuses from their taxable income, up to 15% of their non-bonus wages, with income limitations. This deduction is available to both itemizers and non-itemizers and is set to expire after December 31, 2029. The Treasury will adjust withholding tables to reflect this new deduction, which applies to bonuses received after the Act's enactment.

The "Second Job Tax Relief Act of 2025" allows qualifying taxpayers to exclude income from secondary jobs from gross income, decreasing as income rises above $100,000 and phasing out at $150,000. To qualify, taxpayers must designate a primary employer for whom they have worked at least 2080 hours. This exclusion is set to expire after 5 years and the bill allocates funds to offset revenue reductions. The changes apply to amounts received after the enactment date.