Legislative Activity

The Fair Access to Banking Act aims to ensure equal access to financial services by preventing banks and credit unions from denying services to individuals or entities engaged in lawful activities based on subjective or politically motivated reasons. It sets requirements for banks with over $10 billion in assets, prohibiting them from denying services based on reputational risk and requiring them to justify denials with documented, risk-based standards. The act also allows individuals to sue financial institutions that violate these requirements, with the potential for treble damages and attorney fees awarded to successful plaintiffs. Furthermore, it restricts access to Federal Reserve lending programs and the Automated Clearing House Network for institutions that fail to comply with the Act.

The Hearing Protection Act seeks to remove silencers from special regulation under federal tax law, treating them similarly to standard firearms components. This bill preempts state and local governments from imposing special taxes or registration requirements on silencers involved in interstate commerce. Furthermore, it mandates the destruction of existing federal records identifying silencer owners and establishes new serial number marking requirements for manufacturers.

The "Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act" expands Medicare coverage to include innovative multi-cancer early detection screening tests starting in 2028. These tests, which use genomic sequencing to detect multiple cancer types, will be covered for eligible beneficiaries with age and frequency limitations. The payment amount for these tests will initially align with that of multi-target stool screening DNA tests. This new coverage aims to improve early cancer detection without affecting existing Medicare-covered cancer screenings.

The "Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act" amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to improve the calculation and reduce taxpayer costs of payment errors in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It sets the tolerance level for excluding small errors at $0 and increases the error threshold from 10% to 25%. The bill also introduces a payment error rate reduction based on the percentage of overpayments recouped and requires state agencies to recoup overpayments made to benefit recipients.

The Stop Funding Global Terrorists Act of 2025 restricts U.S. funding to the United Nations for Afghanistan assistance unless the Secretary of State certifies that no U.S. funds are used for cash shipments by the United Nations into Afghanistan, and that no specially designated global terrorist organizations or foreign terrorist organizations receive funds from these shipments. The Secretary can revoke this certification if found inaccurate, with notification to relevant congressional committees. The bill defines key terms like "foreign terrorist organization" and "specially designated global terrorist organization" to ensure clarity in its application.

This resolution addresses the threats to global stability posed by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons capabilities, citing its history of hostile actions, support for terrorism, and advancements in its nuclear program. It affirms that Iran's actions endanger the U.S., Israel, and their allies, and insists that all options should be considered to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The resolution demands Iran cease all activities that threaten the national security of the U.S., Israel, and its allies, while clarifying that it does not authorize military force or deployment of U.S. troops.

The "Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025" introduces a federal tax credit for individuals and corporations who donate to scholarship granting organizations that provide educational scholarships to eligible elementary and secondary students. These scholarships can be used for tuition, books, tutoring, and other qualified education expenses. The bill sets a volume cap on the total amount of donations eligible for the tax credit and includes provisions to prevent government control over scholarship organizations and non-public schools. It also exempts these scholarship amounts from gross income.

The "Charitable Act" modifies and extends the deduction for charitable contributions for individuals who do not itemize deductions. For the 2026 and 2027 tax years, the deduction is capped at one-third of the standard deduction for the individual. The bill also eliminates a penalty related to this deduction. These changes are effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025" amends the Immigration and Nationality Act, clarifying who is considered a U.S. citizen at birth. It affirms that individuals born in the U.S. are citizens if born to parents who are citizens, lawful permanent residents, or aliens in lawful status serving in the armed forces. This clarification applies prospectively and does not impact the citizenship status of those born before the Act's enactment.

This resolution designates January 23, 2025, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" to raise awareness about maternal mortality, illness, and disparities in the United States. It supports initiatives to eliminate disparities in maternal health and ensure equitable maternity care for all women. The resolution also honors those who have died from pregnancy-related causes and promotes investments in improving maternal health outcomes.

This resolution expresses concern over China's growing influence in Panama, particularly regarding the management of key ports, and its potential threat to the Panama Canal's neutrality and U.S. interests. It urges Panama to expel Chinese officials and terminate agreements that allow Chinese entities to manage critical infrastructure. The resolution also calls on the U.S. to utilize the Neutrality Treaty to address these threats, provide support to Panama, and explore a partnership to restore operational control of the Panama Canal, ensuring its security and freedom of navigation.

The POLICE Act of 2025 amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make any alien who assaults a law enforcement officer deportable. It requires the Department of Homeland Security to publish an annual report detailing the number of aliens deported for assaulting a law enforcement officer.

The "Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act" prohibits abortions performed because of a belief or diagnosis that an unborn child has Down syndrome, and establishes criminal penalties and civil remedies for violations. This bill also requires medical professionals to ask pregnant women about any knowledge or evidence concerning the unborn child having Down syndrome and informs them of the prohibitions of abortion under this section. Additionally, the bill specifies that violations will be considered discrimination under the Rehabilitation Act, potentially resulting in a loss of federal funding.

The "Main Street Tax Certainty Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the deduction for qualified business income permanent. This is achieved by eliminating the expiration date for this deduction. This change provides long-term tax certainty for small businesses.

The "Protecting Life on College Campus Act of 2025" prohibits federal funding to colleges and universities that host or are affiliated with school-based service sites that provide abortion drugs or abortions to students or employees. To remain eligible for federal funds, these institutions must annually certify that their school-based service sites do not offer these services. Compliance with this law protects institutions from penalties under state law.

The "Unborn Child Support Act" amends the Social Security Act to include unborn children in child support enforcement, allowing mothers to seek child support from the biological father starting from the first month of conception. It ensures states establish and enforce these obligations while protecting the interests and safety of both the mother and the unborn child, with collections potentially dating back to conception, and prevents the modification of these requirements through experimental projects. These changes take effect two years after enactment.

The "Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act of 2025" expands the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review real estate transactions near military installations and airspace involving foreign entities connected to Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea. It mandates CFIUS review of certain real estate purchases, leases, or concessions near military facilities and requires certifications to Congress. The Act also puts limitations on the approval of energy projects related to CFIUS reviews.

The "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2025" seeks to prohibit the use of federal funds for abortions and for health benefits coverage that includes abortion coverage, with exceptions for rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. It clarifies that premium credits and cost-sharing reductions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) cannot be used for health plans that include abortion coverage, allowing for separate purchase of abortion coverage without federal tax credits. The Act also requires health plans to transparently disclose the extent of abortion coverage and any related premium surcharges to enrollees.

The "Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025" allows victims of certain crimes committed by aliens to sue sanctuary jurisdictions that failed to honor Department of Homeland Security requests or detainers. It mandates that states or local governments accepting specific federal grants waive immunity in these civil actions and protects state and local entities from liability when acting on Department of Homeland Security detainers. This act aims to ensure cooperation between federal and local law enforcement while holding sanctuary jurisdictions accountable for harm caused by their policies.

The "Not One More Inch or Acre Act" prohibits citizens and entities of the People's Republic of China from purchasing public or private real estate in the United States and mandates the sale of any U.S. real estate owned by these individuals or entities if deemed a national security risk. Refugees and asylum seekers from China are exempt, as well as U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents. The bill also increases the penalty for violations of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 to no less than 10 percent, and up to 25 percent, of the value of the land holdings for which the person failed to report or submitted a deliberately false report.