Legislative Activity

The Kayla Hamilton Act revises the standards for placing unaccompanied alien children in federal custody to prioritize child safety and prevent trafficking. It mandates enhanced screening, consultation with law enforcement, and stricter criteria for placement settings and sponsors. This legislation ensures that placement decisions are made only after comprehensive safety checks are completed for the child and potential sponsors.

The PAID OFF Act of 2025 restricts certain exemptions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) for agents representing foreign government or corporate entities owned or controlled by designated "countries of concern." It establishes a process requiring Congressional approval via a joint resolution for the Secretary of State to modify this list of concerning countries. These significant changes are set to terminate five years after the date the Act becomes law.

The PARTNERS Act establishes a pilot program for joint training between the U.S. and Mexican Armed Forces focused on countering transnational criminal organizations. This initiative will involve the Mexican military training in the United States on tactics like rotary-wing operations, network analysis, and counter-illicit trafficking. The Secretary of Defense is required to submit a detailed plan for this cooperative security effort to Congress.

This bill mandates that secondary schools provide military recruiters with the same access to students and campus facilities as any other prospective employer or institution of higher education. It requires schools to facilitate a minimum of four in-person recruitment events annually. Furthermore, the legislation compels local educational agencies to disclose specific student contact and academic information to military recruiters upon request.

The Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act updates federal laws to enhance protections against crimes involving minors. This bill clarifies definitions in kidnapping and sexual abuse statutes, broadens the scope of sex trafficking offenses, and establishes a new federal crime for certain intentional touching of minors under 16. Furthermore, it standardizes penalties, ensuring attempts to commit these offenses carry the same weight as completed acts.

The Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act aims to combat illegal drug manufacturing by tightening regulations on equipment used to make counterfeit pills. This bill expands the definition of regulated persons to include those dealing in specific pill-making machinery and their critical parts. It mandates permanent serial numbers on these machines and parts, requiring transaction reporting to the Attorney General. Furthermore, the Act prohibits the removal or alteration of these required identification numbers.

The Hidden Foster Care Transparency Act mandates that states report detailed data on child separations occurring outside of formal court oversight, termed "hidden foster care arrangements." This legislation requires states receiving federal child welfare funding to track the circumstances, duration, services provided, and outcomes for children in these informal placements. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will then compile this information into an annual public report for Congress to shed light on these often-untracked situations.

The JUSTICE in D.C. Act repeals previous legislation regarding incarceration reduction and second look sentencing in the District of Columbia. This act establishes a new annual grant program, starting in fiscal year 2026, to support organizations providing services to survivors of violent crime. These grants will be administered by the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants, with a maximum award of $200,000 per organization annually.

The Share the Savings with Seniors Act aims to lower out-of-pocket costs for seniors taking specific, long-term chronic care medications under Medicare Part D, beginning in 2027. This bill mandates that cost-sharing for these drugs, once the deductible is met, must be calculated based on the drug's net price rather than the retail price. These changes apply to drugs treating conditions like diabetes and certain respiratory or cardiovascular issues.

This resolution amends Senate rules to allow the Majority Leader to group up to ten non-high-level presidential nominations for en bloc consideration. This change permits the Senate to vote on these nominations as a single package, streamlining the confirmation process for certain appointments. The grouped consideration follows the standard procedural rules applied to a single nomination.

The LETITIA Act significantly increases criminal penalties for public officials who commit financial crimes, including bank fraud, lying on loan applications, and tax fraud. This legislation establishes mandatory minimum sentences and higher fines that escalate based on the number of prior offenses committed by the official. Furthermore, it directs the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury to issue guidance ensuring rigorous investigation and enforcement of these enhanced statutes against public servants.

The No Tax Treaties for Foreign Aggressors Act mandates the termination of the U.S.-China Income Tax Convention if the President determines the People's Liberation Army has initiated an armed attack against the Republic of China. Upon this determination, the Secretary of the Treasury must notify China of the treaty's termination within 30 days. The President must also inform key Senate committees when this action is taken.

This bill mandates an independent study comparing the quality of mental health and addiction therapy care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) versus non-VA providers. The study will examine differences across various treatment settings and report on key outcomes like patient improvement, use of evidence-based practices, and coordination of care. The findings will be submitted to Congress and made publicly available.

The Stop the SWARM Act of 2025 mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture submit a report to Congress within 30 days detailing the nation's readiness to combat a New World Screwworm outbreak. This report must specifically address domestic preparedness, including plans for building a domestic sterile fly production facility, current technology, and a comparison between domestic and international production capabilities. The goal is to ensure a robust national response strategy is in place against this serious pest.

The Veterans Scam And Fraud Evasion Act of 2025, or VSAFE Act of 2025, establishes a dedicated Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This new officer will be responsible for leading efforts to prevent, track, and respond to fraud and scams targeting veterans. The bill also temporarily extends existing limits on certain pension payment rules for two additional months.

The Improving Police CARE Act establishes federal standards for trauma kits purchased by law enforcement agencies receiving specific federal funding. This ensures that these kits, which must include essential bleeding control equipment, meet defined performance criteria set by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The bill also mandates consultation with medical and law enforcement experts to develop these required standards within 180 days of enactment.

This Act officially codifies the renaming of the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge. The change honors the memory of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who tragically lost her life near Houston. This legislation ensures all federal records and documents reflect the new name.

This Act, the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act, establishes stricter federal penalties for non-citizens convicted of murder if they were inadmissible or deportable at the time of the crime. Specifically, first-degree murder committed by such individuals will carry a mandatory sentence of death or life imprisonment. This legislation amends federal criminal sentencing guidelines based on the offender's immigration status.

This bill, the PROACTIV Artificial Intelligence Data Act of 2025, directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create voluntary guidelines for detecting, removing, and reporting child pornography found in datasets used to train AI systems. It establishes definitions for key industry roles and provides limited legal liability protection to AI developers and data collectors who follow these new guidelines when handling such illegal material. The legislation also mandates federal support for research into better detection methods for this harmful content.

The Halting the Epidemic of Addiction and Loss Act of 2025 mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) update all relevant grant programs to include any FDA-approved medication for emergency opioid overdose reversal. This ensures that federal funding guidance reflects the broadest range of life-saving reversal agents available. HHS has one year to revise all existing regulations and guidance documents to incorporate these updated definitions.