Legislative Activity

This resolution honors the life and service of Delaware State Police Corporal Grade One Matthew T. "Ty" Snook, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on December 23, 2025. It recognizes his decade of service and his heroic actions while protecting the public during an incident near New Castle. The resolution expresses condolences to his family and reaffirms support for law enforcement officers.

The Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act of 2026 focuses on securing the nation's water systems. This legislation reauthorizes and extends critical federal programs dedicated to improving the resilience and sustainability of both clean water and drinking water infrastructure through fiscal year 2031. It specifically ensures continued funding for programs supporting clean water systems and those serving midsize and large drinking water systems.

This bill, the Public Health Air Quality Act of 2025, significantly expands air quality monitoring to protect public health, especially in affected communities. It mandates new fenceline and ambient air monitoring for hazardous air pollutants at industrial facilities, requiring real-time data submission and public access. The Act also strengthens the national air quality monitoring network and deploys thousands of low-cost community air quality systems. Finally, it requires updated reporting rules for industrial hazardous air pollutant and PFAS emissions.

The UPGRADE Act of 2025 extends crucial federal support for safe drinking water infrastructure. This legislation extends technical assistance authorizations for small public water systems through 2031. It also expands eligibility for financial assistance to include unincorporated and underserved communities, ensuring broader access to necessary water system improvements.

The REPAIR Infrastructure Act establishes and funds the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient Infrastructure program through 2031, dedicating $3 billion annually for planning and capital construction grants. This legislation significantly updates selection criteria to prioritize projects that redress historic barriers, promote equitable access, and involve robust community participation. Crucially, the Act prohibits the use of these funds for expanding the number of travel lanes on existing highways. Furthermore, it expands eligibility for REPAIR projects across numerous existing federal transportation grant programs.

The Restoring Patient Protections and Affordability Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the Affordable Care Act marketplaces by extending financial assistance and lengthening enrollment periods to keep coverage affordable. It also increases transparency by requiring insurers to notify enrollees of key coverage changes and establishes new rules to simplify enrollment and stabilize market costs. Overall, the bill seeks to increase health insurance accessibility and provide greater financial predictability for consumers.

The Workforce of the Future Act of 2025 directs federal departments to study AI's impact on jobs and recommend policies to help workers adapt. It also establishes new grant programs to expand education and workforce retraining in high-tech fields like AI and quantum computing. The goal is to prepare the American workforce for a technology-driven economy while ensuring equitable access to new opportunities.

This concurrent resolution recognizes the heroic military sacrifices and patriotism of Black veterans throughout U.S. history. It acknowledges the significant challenges and discrimination they faced both during and after their service. The resolution connects their fight for equality abroad to their crucial role in advancing the Civil Rights Movement at home. Finally, Congress affirms the ongoing need to address current health and benefit disparities affecting Black veterans.

The SNAP BACK Act of 2025 mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture reimburse states for the costs incurred while operating the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during any period when federal funding for the program lapsed. This reimbursement is contingent upon the state having administered SNAP in accordance with federal law during the lapse.

The Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act of 2025 establishes a federal grant program managed by the Secretary of Labor to fund career pathway programs utilizing immersive technologies like virtual and augmented reality. These grants aim to equip workers with in-demand job skills, prioritizing partnerships with employers and serving individuals facing employment barriers. The legislation authorizes $50 million annually for ten years to support the creation and implementation of these innovative training services.

The Streamlining American Manufacturing Strategy Act updates the required update frequency for the National Advanced Manufacturing Program's strategic plan. This legislation mandates that the strategic plan be updated at least every four years. The key goal is to align this update cycle directly with the planning cycle for the broader National Strategy for Advanced Manufacturing.

This bill seeks to protect the tenure of members serving on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). It mandates that current members may only be terminated for specific causes and requires the immediate reinstatement of all members who were serving on June 8, 2025. Furthermore, future vacancies on the committee must be filled using candidates recommended by the Comptroller General.

The Senior Savings Protection Act extends and secures dedicated federal funding through 2030 for vital outreach and assistance programs serving low-income seniors. This funding directly supports State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), Area Agencies on Aging, and Aging and Disability Resource Centers. The goal is to ensure older Americans continue to receive necessary help navigating and accessing their available Medicare and other benefits.

The Accelerating Home Building Act of 2025 aims to combat the national housing shortage by streamlining the construction of new homes. This bill establishes a grant program to fund local entities in creating and pre-reviewing standardized building designs for smaller, mixed-income housing projects. By using these pre-approved plans, the goal is to significantly speed up local permitting and approval processes, making housing development faster and more predictable. The program prioritizes areas with high needs and ensures a portion of funding is reserved for rural communities.

The Uterine Cancer Study Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive federal study to investigate the potential link between the use of hair straighteners and the risk of developing uterine cancer. This research will specifically examine disparities in incidence rates among women of color and evaluate the need for enhanced FDA oversight of product safety testing. The study aims to deliver findings and recommendations within two years of enactment.

This concurrent resolution officially recognizes the significance of equal pay and highlights the persistent wage disparity faced by Black women compared to White, non-Hispanic men. It designates July 10, 2025, as Black Women's Equal Pay Day to draw attention to the economic losses caused by this gap. The resolution underscores that closing this disparity is vital for the economic stability and wealth-building of Black women and their families.

The Helping Tobacco Users Quit Act mandates that Medicaid and CHIP programs comprehensively cover counseling and prescription drugs for tobacco cessation, aligning with established clinical guidelines. This coverage must be provided without any patient cost-sharing, such as copayments or deductibles. To encourage immediate adoption, the federal government will temporarily boost funding to 90% for these services and related state outreach campaigns for five years. Furthermore, the bill prohibits requiring prior authorization for tobacco cessation medications under both programs.

The Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act of 2025 establishes a competitive grant program managed by the Secretary of HUD to revitalize severely distressed neighborhoods marked by extreme poverty. Grantees must submit comprehensive transformation plans focused on improving housing, fostering economic self-sufficiency, and coordinating community services. A core requirement of the Act is the one-for-one replacement of any public or assisted housing units demolished as part of the revitalization effort. The law also mandates robust resident involvement and guarantees displaced residents the right to return to the newly developed housing.

The Veterans Housing Stability Act of 2025 establishes a new Partial Claim Program allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to step in and cover a portion of a veteran's mortgage debt to prevent or resolve default on a VA-guaranteed loan. Under this program, veterans agree to repay the interest-free VA-purchased debt later, while the VA secures a secondary lien on the property. The legislation also outlines specific responsibilities for lenders and establishes civil penalties for fraudulent activity related to this new default prevention tool.

The Clean Slate Act of 2025 establishes new federal procedures for automatically sealing certain criminal and arrest records one year after sentence completion, particularly for nonviolent marijuana offenses or cases resulting in acquittal. It also creates a judicial process allowing individuals convicted of other nonviolent offenses to petition the court to seal their records after meeting specific criteria. This legislation aims to protect sealed records from general disclosure while maintaining access for law enforcement and national security purposes.