Legislative Activity

The "Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act" amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to ensure accrediting agencies uphold free inquiry standards consistent with First Amendment rights and institutional policies. It prohibits accrediting agencies from considering race, color, sex, or national origin in the composition of students, faculty, or staff, and ensures institutions can adopt any lawful policy regarding these factors without accreditation repercussions. Higher education institutions can take civil action against accrediting agencies that violate these prohibitions.

The Veterans Opportunity Act of 2025 establishes the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration within the Department of Veterans Affairs to manage and oversee programs providing economic assistance to veterans, their dependents, and survivors. It creates a new Under Secretary position to lead this administration, ensuring focus on vocational rehabilitation, education, housing, and transition programs. The Act mandates reports to Congress on program performance and requires certification that the transfer of services will not negatively impact veterans. It aims to streamline and improve the delivery of economic opportunities and support for veterans.

The William S. Knudsen Defense Remobilization Act establishes a commission to examine and provide recommendations to the President and Congress on strengthening the United States' defense-industrial base. The commission will assess current defense production capabilities, evaluate the impact of federal regulations, and develop strategies to increase industrial capacity for defense production. The commission will submit a report with its findings and recommendations within one year. $7 million is authorized for the commission's activities.

The "Abortion Funding Awareness Act of 2025" requires states to report annually all Medicaid payments made to abortion providers, including payment details, abortion statistics, and methods used. These state reports will then be compiled into a comprehensive report by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and submitted to Congress and made public. This aims to increase transparency regarding the use of federal funds for abortions. The act amends the Social Security Act to ensure state compliance with these reporting requirements.

The Family First Act expands the child tax credit, offering up to \$4,200 per child under age 6 and \$3,000 for older children, and introduces a tax credit for pregnant mothers with qualifying unborn children. It also simplifies the Earned Income Credit, setting new maximum credit amounts and income thresholds, while eliminating the additional exemption for dependents and the head of household filing status. Additionally, the act modifies the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit and disallows deductions for state and local taxes for individuals.

The Nuclear Family Priority Act prioritizes immigration for spouses and children of U.S. citizens and permanent residents by redefining "immediate relatives" to exclude parents, setting a new annual limit for family-sponsored immigrants, and creating a nonimmigrant visa for parents of adult U.S. citizens under specific conditions. The Act modifies family-sponsored visa categories and revises numerical limitations, allocating a majority of visas without per-country limits. It also establishes a W nonimmigrant visa for parents of adult U.S. citizens, requiring the citizen child to provide financial support and health insurance for the visa holder. The changes will take effect at the start of the second fiscal year after enactment, with immediate invalidation of certain pending family-sponsored petitions.

The "Safeguarding American Education From Foreign Control Act" aims to increase transparency in higher education by amending disclosure requirements for foreign gifts and contracts. It mandates institutions to report gifts or contracts from foreign sources to the Secretary of Education, who then transmits these reports to the FBI and Director of National Intelligence. The threshold for reporting is set at $250,000 for sources not associated with a covered nation, while any amount from a covered nation must be reported. The Act also requires the Secretary to transmit all past and present records related to Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to the FBI and Director of National Intelligence.

The Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act of 2025 mandates an independent assessment of the notices sent to claimants by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This assessment, conducted by a federally funded research and development center, will focus on reducing paper consumption and costs, while also improving the clarity, organization, and conciseness of these notices. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must then submit the assessment to Congress and implement the recommendations within one year.

The College Admissions Accountability Act of 2025 establishes a Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education within the Department of Education to investigate allegations of discrimination in college admissions, financial aid, and academic programs. The Special Inspector General will review policies, recommend corrective actions, and report findings to Congress, with the goal of ensuring compliance with the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act authorizes $25,000,000 to carry out these activities and stipulates that institutions found to have discriminated on the basis of race will be ineligible for federal funding. The office of the Special Inspector General will terminate 12 years after the enactment of this law.

The "Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2025" protects students' rights to join single-sex organizations at colleges and universities. It prevents institutions receiving federal funds from discriminating against students or organizations based solely on their single-sex status, while allowing institutions to address misconduct or safety concerns. This act ensures fair treatment and equal opportunities for students participating in single-sex social groups.

This resolution celebrates the centennial anniversary of WOWO, a historic radio station recognized as one of America's first, for its century-long broadcasting excellence. It acknowledges WOWO's significant role in informing and strengthening communities, and supports its ongoing mission to educate and inspire future generations.

The "Ensuring Veterans’ Final Resting Place Act of 2025" amends section 2306(h) of title 38, United States Code, to update language regarding Department of Veterans Affairs burial benefits when an urn or plaque is furnished. The changes apply to individuals who died on or after January 5, 2021.

The "FRIDGE Act of 2025" aims to bolster the export of U.S. agricultural products by improving infrastructure in developing foreign markets. It enables the Secretary to collaborate with trade organizations to prevent damage or loss to U.S. agricultural commodities due to inadequate infrastructure. The act allocates $1,000,000 annually from 2026 to 2030 for these infrastructure improvements, with unused funds available for the general program. This initiative seeks to strengthen global supply chains, reduce food waste, and expand market access for American farmers.

The College Employment Accountability Act aims to ensure that institutions of higher education do not employ unauthorized aliens. It mandates that these institutions participate in the E-Verify Program and makes them ineligible for federal student and institutional aid if they violate employment laws related to unauthorized aliens. The Department of Homeland Security will monitor institutions' compliance and notify the Department of Education of any violations.

The "No Tax Dollars for College Encampments Act of 2025" amends the Higher Education Act of 1965, requiring colleges to disclose their responses to campus civil disturbances, including coordination with law enforcement. It mandates that accrediting agencies monitor institutions for compliance with disclosing campus security policies and crime statistics related to these disturbances. This act aims to increase transparency and accountability regarding campus safety and security measures.

The "Buying Faster than the Enemy Act of 2025" aims to streamline the Department of Defense's acquisition processes for commercial products and services. It modifies commercial solutions openings, limits contract clause flowdown to subcontractors, and requires the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement to list defense-unique laws and contract clauses applicable to contracts for commercial products and services. The bill also establishes consortia for prototype projects, increases the maximum advance payment allowed, and modifies the process for determining whether products and services are commercial, favoring commercial solutions unless proven unsuitable.

The "Fairness in Veterans' Education Act of 2025" amends title 38 of the United States Code to ensure that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs repays members of the Armed Forces for contributions made towards Post-9/11 Educational Assistance. This bill removes language that prevented the repayment of these contributions, ensuring veterans receive the full educational benefits they are entitled to. This change is effective August 1, 2025.

The "Protecting Americans Retirement Savings Act" (PARSA) amends ERISA to prohibit retirement plan fiduciaries from knowingly investing in or transacting with foreign adversary or sanctioned entities. It requires disclosure of existing plan investments in these entities, including their value and the rationale behind maintaining such investments. The bill defines "foreign adversary entity" and "sanctioned entity" based on existing federal regulations and lists. PARSA mandates the Secretary issue implementing regulations within 180 days of enactment, effective no later than one year after enactment.

Tyler's Law mandates a study by the Department of Health and Human Services on fentanyl testing practices in hospital emergency departments during overdoses. The study will assess testing frequency, costs, benefits, risks, and impacts on patient experience. Following the study, the DHHS will issue guidance on routine fentanyl testing, ensuring clinicians' awareness of substances included in drug tests, and the effects of fentanyl testing on future overdose risk and health outcomes.

This bill amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act by defining "evidence-based" to include activities, services, or materials that demonstrate a statistically significant effect on improving participant outcomes through experimental, quasi-experimental, or correlational studies. It also allows for strategies based on research findings likely to improve outcomes, with ongoing evaluation efforts. States will be required to prioritize funding for these evidence-based programs using reserved funds.