Legislative Activity

The Healthy Families Act establishes a national standard requiring most employers to provide employees with earned paid sick leave. Employees will accrue a minimum of one hour of paid time for every 30 hours worked, usable for personal or family health needs, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The Act prohibits employer retaliation for using this leave and ensures existing, more generous leave policies are not diminished.

This bill, the Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act of 2025, establishes new procedural hurdles for the FSOC before it can designate a nonbank financial company for stricter Federal Reserve supervision. The Council must first make an initial determination, in consultation with the company and its regulator, that other actions are insufficient to address the risk. This ensures that designation is a measure of last resort against threats to U.S. financial stability.

The Women’s Heart Health Expansion Act of 2026 reauthorizes the WISEWOMAN program through fiscal year 2031, securing significant funding for women's health initiatives. This legislation allows for supplemental grants to expand preventive health services, such as blood pressure and cholesterol screenings, to low-income women. These services will be integrated with existing breast and cervical cancer screening programs.

The Stop Underrides Act 2.0 mandates the Department of Transportation to establish new federal safety standards requiring comprehensive front, rear, and side underride protection systems on all new commercial motor vehicles. These standards must ensure guards prevent passenger vehicles and vulnerable road users from sliding under trucks in crashes up to 40 mph. The bill also reconvenes an advisory committee, funds new research studies, and requires the creation of a public website dedicated to underride crash information.

The ALS Better Care Act aims to improve care for individuals with ALS by establishing new Medicare coverage for essential ALS-related services starting in 2027. This includes creating a new, single payment system for providers delivering specialized care, such as therapy and nursing support. Additionally, the bill mandates a report to address current challenges in staffing and administering ALS clinical trials.

This resolution seeks to disapprove the Department of Veterans Affairs' final rule concerning "Reproductive Health Services" issued in September 2024. If enacted, this disapproval, made under the Congressional Review Act, would prevent the VA rule from taking legal effect.

This resolution honors the 97th anniversary of the birth of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by celebrating his legacy of equality, diversity, and civil discourse. It reaffirms a national commitment to his values of justice and tolerance while explicitly condemning all forms of hate, discrimination, and prejudice.

The Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act updates the requirements for approving nurse aide training programs in skilled nursing and nursing facilities under Medicare and Medicaid. This bill specifies that facilities with significant penalties or quality of care deficiencies will be disqualified from having their training programs approved. The goal is to ensure that training programs are overseen by facilities meeting high standards of care.

This resolution initiates impeachment proceedings against Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem for high crimes and misdemeanors. The articles of impeachment charge her with willfully refusing to comply with Congressional oversight laws and violating the Impoundment Control Act by improperly withholding funds. Further articles allege she directed widespread misconduct by ICE agents that violated federal law and constitutional rights, and misused taxpayer funds for personal gain through improper contracting.

This bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to temporarily exclude certain False Claims Act recoveries from being deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. It also mandates a comprehensive audit by the Department of Justice Inspector General on the Fund's sustainability and the impact of recent legislative changes. The resulting report will provide recommendations for improving the Fund's effectiveness and oversight.

The Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026 prohibits federal officials and employees from trading in prediction market contracts while possessing material, nonpublic government information. This ban specifically targets transactions related to government policy, actions, or political outcomes. The goal is to prevent insider trading within these emerging financial markets by those with privileged access to government knowledge.

The Protect America's Workforce Act nullifies a specific Executive Order issued in March 2025 concerning exclusions from federal labor-management relations programs. This legislation ensures that any existing collective bargaining agreements between federal agencies and employee unions remain fully in effect until their stated expiration dates. The Act also prohibits the use of federal funds to implement the overturned Executive Order.

The Loan Equity for Advanced Professionals Act raises the federal student loan limits for graduate and professional students. Effective July 1, 2026, the annual borrowing limit for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans will increase to \$50,000, and the aggregate limit will rise to \$200,000. This aims to provide greater financial support for advanced degree candidates.

The First Home Savings Opportunity Act of 2025 establishes a new tax-advantaged savings account to help individuals save for a first home down payment. Contributions to this "down payment savings account" are tax-deductible up to $10,000 annually, subject to income limitations. Withdrawals for qualified first-time homebuyer expenses, such as down payments or closing costs, are tax-free. Non-qualified withdrawals are subject to ordinary income tax plus an additional 20% penalty.

The Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act aims to streamline the creation of healthcare apprenticeship programs by establishing a national registration system with strict 45-day processing deadlines. This legislation mandates the digitization of all apprenticeship agreement forms to modernize the administrative process. The goal is to accelerate the development of the healthcare workforce.

The HELP Copays Act requires that financial assistance provided by non-profit organizations and drug manufacturers must count toward a patient's deductible, copayments, and out-of-pocket maximums for prescription drugs. This change ensures that patient assistance dollars directly reduce the amount a patient must pay before their coverage fully kicks in. The legislation specifically applies to specialty drugs and those subject to utilization management. These provisions will take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2025 significantly amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to broaden the definition of homelessness, particularly for children and youth. It mandates increased public reporting of homelessness data through required HMIS disclosures by HUD. Furthermore, the bill modifies grant scoring criteria and planning requirements to better ensure services reach vulnerable populations and align with local needs.

The College Athletics Reform Act establishes comprehensive federal standards for college athletics, primarily by securing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights for college athletes and prohibiting restrictions on their ability to earn compensation or obtain professional representation. The bill also introduces new regulations for sports agents, mandates significant expansion of financial and participation data disclosure by institutions, and establishes a new Commission to study and recommend future governance structures for college sports. Finally, it amends broadcasting law to exempt certain large athletic association media agreements from antitrust scrutiny.

This resolution celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), recognizing its landmark achievement in guaranteeing a free, appropriate public education for every child with a disability. It honors the law's transformative impact since 1975, which ensured access, protected rights, and established critical early intervention services. The resolution reaffirms the commitment to fully implementing IDEA so all students with disabilities have the opportunity to thrive.

The Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act focuses primarily on improving pediatric drug development and ensuring patient access to necessary treatments. This legislation mandates new research requirements for molecularly targeted pediatric cancer drugs, strengthens FDA enforcement of pediatric study completion, and extends incentives for developing drugs for rare pediatric diseases. Additionally, the bill updates organ transplant network functions and establishes an Abraham Accords Office within the FDA to enhance international regulatory cooperation.