Legislative Activity

The NO BAN Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit the President's power to suspend or restrict the entry of foreign nationals based on nationality. It requires the President to provide Congress with specific evidence justifying any such restrictions, ensuring they are narrowly tailored and time-limited. The bill also expands nondiscrimination provisions in immigration law and allows those harmed by violations to sue the government. Additionally, the Act mandates detailed reports to Congress on visa applicants affected by any restrictions.

The "Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act" reauthorizes and expands programs aimed at supporting the mental health of healthcare providers. It requires annual reports on education and awareness initiatives, broadens eligibility for entities receiving funds, and extends funding for mental health support programs through 2030. The Act prioritizes reducing administrative burdens on healthcare workers to improve access to mental health services.

The "Stop the Wait Act of 2025" eliminates the waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, phasing it out completely by 2030. It also waives the 24-month waiting period for Medicare eligibility for certain SSDI recipients who lack minimum essential health coverage, allowing them to access Medicare retroactively to the start of their SSDI entitlement. The Act establishes special enrollment periods for Medicare Part B for these newly eligible individuals.

The "Access to Counsel Act" amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to guarantee individuals undergoing inspection at ports of entry or deferred inspection have access to legal counsel and assistance. It mandates that the Department of Homeland Security provide these individuals with the opportunity to consult with counsel within one hour of secondary inspection and allows counsel to advocate on their behalf. The Act also ensures lawful permanent residents are given the chance to seek legal advice before abandoning their residency status. This act aims to ensure due process and protect the rights of individuals during immigration inspections.

The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025 ensures that monetary penalties from False Claims Act cases are deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. This excludes payments to whistleblowers and reimbursements to the government. This will increase the amount of money available to help victims of crimes.

The "Black History is American History Act" amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to include Black history in American history education programs. It ensures Black history is part of authorized programs, Presidential and Congressional academies, Smithsonian Institution resources, national activities, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress. This act emphasizes the importance of Black history as an integral part of American history.

The "Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025" extends increased Medicare payment support for physicians and practitioners through 2025. It increases payment rates by 6.62% for services provided from April 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026. The bill also updates a section of the Social Security Act to include the years 2021 through 2025 for conforming changes.

The "Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act of 2025" allows the Secretary to request access to concentrated animal feeding operations for microbial sampling when investigating foodborne illness outbreaks or addressing public health needs. These operations must provide reasonable access for sampling of plants, animals, water, and the environment. The collected data will be shared with relevant agencies to help prevent foodborne illnesses. Refusal to provide reasonable access for microbial sampling is now a prohibited act under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

The "Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025" authorizes the EPA Administrator to award grants to air pollution control agencies for programs that help communities prepare for and lessen the impacts of wildfire smoke and extreme heat. It establishes Centers of Excellence for research on the public health effects of these events and directs the Administrator to conduct further research and develop interventions. The Act also creates a grant program for states, local governments, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations to develop and implement community plans to reduce the effects of wildfire smoke and extreme heat.

This bill expresses the House of Representatives' view that Congress should act to maintain the United States Postal Service (USPS) as an independent entity within the Federal Government. It emphasizes the USPS's role as a self-sustaining service vital to the economy and national connectivity. The resolution discourages privatization, citing concerns about increased costs, reduced services, and damage to critical infrastructure.

The "Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights Act" aims to ensure that foreign nongovernmental organizations are eligible for assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, part I, regardless of the health or medical services they provide with non-U.S. government funds if such services are legal in their country. It also prevents these organizations from facing stricter requirements than U.S. organizations regarding the use of non-U.S. government funds for advocacy and lobbying.

This bill recognizes the cultural and historical significance of Lunar New Year. It acknowledges the importance of Lunar New Year for Asian Americans and others in the U.S., and expresses respect for those who celebrate it worldwide. The bill wishes all celebrants a happy and prosperous new year.

The "Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2025" modifies tax deductions for performing artists by adjusting the income threshold for deduction phaseouts, clarifying deductible expenses to include commissions, and increasing the threshold for nominal employers. The adjusted gross income (AGI) threshold is $100,000, and the nominal employer threshold is $500. Both amounts will be adjusted for inflation after 2025. This ensures fair tax treatment and helps offset professional expenses.

This bill expresses the House of Representatives' disapproval of the President's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, recognizing climate change as a threat and highlighting the increasing costs of extreme weather events. It commends entities supporting the Agreement, urges the President to reconsider, and encourages Congress to prioritize U.S. leadership on climate change.

The "Build Housing with Care Act of 2025" establishes a grant program to encourage the co-location of affordable housing and child care services. The program, managed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, will award competitive grants to eligible entities for projects that design, plan, construct, or renovate co-location facilities. The bill prioritizes entities operating in childcare deserts or serving low-income families and requires a report to Congress on the program's implementation. Additionally, the bill directs the Comptroller General to study child care access for public housing residents and provide recommendations for improvement.

The "Assuring Medicare's Promise Act of 2025" aims to bolster the solvency of Medicare's Hospital Insurance Trust Fund by expanding the application of the net investment income tax. It directs revenue from the net investment income tax to the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and broadens the base of the tax to include trade or business income for high-income individuals, with certain income thresholds and phase-in provisions. This act amends both the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code to ensure the financial stability of Medicare.

The "Health Care Providers Safety Act of 2025" authorizes the Secretary to award grants to health care providers. These grants will enhance the physical and cyber security of healthcare facilities, personnel, and patients. Funds can be used for security services, upgrades to physical access, cyber security, video surveillance, data privacy, and structural improvements.

The Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act permanently withdraws approximately 225,504 acres of federal land and waters in Minnesota's Rainy River Watershed from mining and mineral leasing activities to protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park. It allows for the removal of certain materials like sand and gravel if it does not harm the environment. The Act aims to preserve water quality, air quality, and the ecological integrity of the Rainy River Watershed.

The Food Deserts Act establishes a grant program providing funds to states to create revolving loan funds for grocery stores in underserved communities. These funds will offer loans to establish new grocery stores or support existing ones, emphasizing the availability of healthful foods at affordable prices. States will prioritize entities that hire locally, offer nutritional education, and source food from local farms. The Act allocates $150 million for fiscal year 2026 to carry out these provisions.

The FAIR Act mandates a 3.3% increase in basic pay for federal employees under statutory pay systems and prevailing rate employees in 2026. Additionally, it increases locality pay for federal employees by 1% in 2026.