Legislative Activity

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.

The National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2025 establishes a new framework to strengthen the nursing workforce by creating a two-year pilot program for State and regional nursing workforce centers. These centers will receive federal grants to analyze workforce data, study education capacity, and develop strategies to recruit and retain nurses. The bill also enhances federal support for health workforce analysis centers to provide technical assistance and research specifically focused on nursing needs and shortages.

The Housing Supply Frameworks Act aims to address the severe national housing shortage by encouraging states and localities to reform restrictive zoning and land-use regulations. It directs the federal government to develop and publish best-practice guidelines for updating state and local zoning frameworks to promote housing construction across all income levels. The bill also establishes reporting requirements to track the adoption of these new guidelines and authorizes funding for the Act's implementation.