Legislative Activity

The Stop Insider Trading Act restricts Members of Congress and their immediate families from purchasing individual stocks and requires public notice before selling existing holdings to prevent conflicts of interest. Additionally, the bill establishes a national photo identification requirement for voting in federal elections, including specific provisions for in-person and mail-in ballots.

The American Franchise Act aims to protect the traditional franchise business model by clarifying the definition of a "joint employer." This legislation establishes that a franchisor is only considered a joint employer if it exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over the essential terms of employment for a franchisee's workers. This change specifically targets liability risks associated with maintaining brand standards, ensuring franchisors are not automatically held responsible for local labor practices. The new standard applies prospectively to future legal proceedings.

The Ratepayer Protection Act establishes a new federal standard requiring electric utilities to ensure large industrial customers (100 MW or more) fully cover the costs of necessary infrastructure upgrades. This mandates that large-load customers provide financial assurances before construction begins, protecting existing ratepayers from bearing the risk of future contract terminations. States must consider and adopt this standard within two years, unless they have already implemented similar requirements.

The STOP Nitazenes Act amends the Controlled Substances Act to permanently classify nitazenes—a highly potent class of synthetic opioids—as Schedule I controlled substances. This legislation strengthens federal enforcement by establishing a permanent legal framework to regulate these dangerous substances and any future chemical derivatives.

This act, the Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2025, prohibits the Secretary of Labor from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed rule regarding heat injury and illness prevention published in August 2024. This restriction extends to any future standard substantially similar to the one proposed.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to streamline and modernize the prior authorization process within Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and significantly increases transparency regarding approval rates and decision times starting in 2027. Furthermore, it establishes new enrollee protections and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timeframes for medical services.

The Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act amends the organization’s federal charter to formally define membership eligibility. The bill restricts membership to adult human females, establishing a biological definition for the term "female" based on reproductive system development.

The Chloe Cole Act of 2026 establishes a federal private right of action allowing individuals to sue healthcare professionals and institutions for damages related to gender-transition medical interventions performed on them as minors. The bill permits lawsuits regardless of when the intervention occurred and sets a statute of limitations extending 25 years past the individual's 18th birthday. Additionally, it mandates strict liability for such interventions performed after the Act's enactment.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and processors from assigning specific merchant category codes to firearms retailers. This legislation aims to protect consumer privacy by preventing the tracking of firearm and ammunition purchases through specialized financial classification. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcing these provisions and reporting annually on compliance.

The SHARE Act of 2025 establishes new federal requirements for the FBI to share criminal history record information with states participating in professional licensing interstate compacts. This information sharing is strictly for the purpose of conducting background checks on applicants seeking to practice a profession in another compact state. States receiving this data are severely restricted on how they can use or further disseminate the detailed criminal history, generally only being permitted to report a binary "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory" determination back to the compact's Commission.

The No Antisemitism in Education Act of 2026 addresses the rise of antisemitism in educational institutions by requiring federally funded schools to treat discrimination motivated by antisemitism with the same seriousness as other prohibited discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The bill mandates the use of the definition of antisemitism from Executive Order 13899 when investigating such incidents. This ensures consistent enforcement against harassment and discrimination targeting Jewish students and employees, while preserving First Amendment rights.

This bill, the Hydropower Licensing Affordability Act, modernizes the hydropower licensing process under the Federal Power Act. It expands the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's authority to impose conditions on licenses to ensure hydropower projects reasonably mitigate direct adverse effects on federal reservations and local fish populations.

This act establishes the Diplomatic Reserve Corps Pilot Program within the State Department to create a surge workforce for supporting U.S. diplomatic operations during crises. The program will recruit retired Foreign Service members to provide temporary assistance during emergencies like conflicts or disasters. After three years, the Secretary of State will submit a final evaluation recommending whether to establish a permanent corps.

This act officially establishes the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and designates its location on the National Mall, requiring the transfer of land jurisdiction to the Smithsonian Institution. The museum is mandated to preserve and present the history and achievements of biological women in the United States. Furthermore, the legislation requires that exhibits and programs reflect diverse political viewpoints and authentic experiences of women, as guided by a broad array of knowledgeable sources.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 aims to combat sophisticated, cross-jurisdictional organized retail and supply chain theft. It achieves this by strengthening federal laws regarding money laundering and stolen property offenses, including lowering monetary thresholds for prosecution. Furthermore, the bill establishes a dedicated Center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal, state, and local enforcement efforts against these criminal organizations.

The Guard the Skies Act authorizes the National Guard to protect critical facilities and assets from threats posed by unmanned aircraft (drones). This authority is established at the request of a state's governor and requires consultation with the Secretary of Defense. The bill outlines specific conditions under which National Guard members can be activated and take action against threatening drones.

The Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act significantly narrows the federal beneficial ownership information reporting requirements. This legislation limits reporting obligations exclusively to foreign individuals and foreign-connected companies. Furthermore, it mandates the deletion of all previously collected data pertaining to domestic persons and entities.

The Diplomatic Reserve Corps Act of 2026 establishes a new, separate personnel system within the Department of State to maintain a pool of trained civilian experts ready for immediate deployment. This Corps will be gradually built up to 1,000 members and can be called to active service during national emergencies or to augment diplomatic efforts abroad. The legislation details comprehensive rules for appointments, compensation, benefits, retirement, and service obligations, closely aligning the Corps' structure and protections with those of the Foreign Service and uniformed services.

The Expeditionary Diplomacy Act mandates the State Department to formally define "expeditionary diplomacy" and assess its current practice in high-risk environments. It requires reports from the GAO and establishes a dedicated Tiger Team to develop recommendations for improving the department's ability to engage in this type of diplomacy. Ultimately, the bill seeks to encourage diplomats to regularly interact with local populations, even in challenging security settings, through new directives and risk management practices.

This bill establishes a National and Nuclear Risk Reduction Center (NNRRC) within the Department of State to serve as a 24-hour hub for critical government-to-government communications regarding arms control and international security. The Center will manage time-sensitive notifications, provide technical expertise on security agreements, and facilitate essential coordination with foreign governments. By maintaining specialized linguistic and technical capabilities, the NNRRC aims to enhance transparency and reduce the risk of miscommunication in global security matters.