Legislative Activity

The Wildlife Confiscations Network Act of 2025 establishes a national, voluntary partnership—the Wildlife Confiscations Network—to coordinate the care and placement of illegally smuggled or confiscated wildlife. This network will utilize qualified animal care facilities to ensure seized animals receive proper triage, housing, and forensic documentation. The Act authorizes up to $5 million annually from Fiscal Year 2026 through 2030 to support this critical infrastructure.

The DEFIANCE Act of 2025 establishes a federal civil cause of action against the creation, possession with intent to share, or sharing of nonconsensual intimate digital forgeries, often known as deepfakes. This legislation updates existing law to specifically address image-based sexual abuse created through AI or digital manipulation, regardless of whether the image is labeled as fake. Victims can sue for significant statutory damages, attorney's fees, and injunctive relief to stop the spread of the harmful content. The Act ensures that this new federal standard does not preempt or limit stronger existing State or Tribal laws.

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 Uplifting First-Time Homebuyers Act of 2025 significantly increases the penalty-free withdrawal limit from retirement accounts for first-time homebuyers. This legislation raises the maximum allowable distribution from $\$10,000$ to $\$50,000$. This change is designed to provide greater financial flexibility for individuals purchasing their first home, taking effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The SNAP Administrator Retention Act of 2025 aims to improve staffing and retention for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by setting new minimum pay standards for state administrators based on comparable federal salaries. If states adopt these standards and have their pay structure approved, the federal government will cover 100% of their administrative personnel costs. This increased federal funding must supplement, not replace, existing state spending on SNAP administration.

This resolution commemorates the 75th anniversary of the National Science Foundation (NSF), recognizing its vital role in advancing U.S. science, engineering, and education since 1950. Congress acknowledges the NSF's foundational support for groundbreaking innovations, including the internet and advancements in medical technology. The bill reaffirms Congress's commitment to ensuring the NSF continues to lead in scientific discovery for decades to come.

This resolution strongly condemns Hamas for its premeditated and brutal terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. It details the resulting casualties and the ongoing hostage crisis, emphasizing the severe mistreatment of those held captive. The bill demands that Hamas immediately release all remaining hostages and allow them safe return.

This bill mandates the Secretary of State to immediately provide Congress with all documents and a detailed report concerning the proposed transfer of an aircraft from Qatar to an entity controlled by former President Trump. Furthermore, it prohibits the use of any federal funding for aircraft transfers involving foreign governments to the U.S. Government, the President, or the Trump Presidential Library. The Act aims to ensure transparency and halt federal financial support for these specific property transfers.

The Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025 streamlines the process for electrical utilities to clear vegetation near power lines on National Forest and BLM lands. This allows utilities to remove trees under existing permits without requiring a separate timber sale permit for the cleared wood. Any revenue generated from selling the cleared material must be returned to the managing federal agency, minus transportation costs.

The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to help law enforcement officers secure childcare during non-traditional hours. Administered by HHS, these competitive grants will fund local agencies to offer subsidies, start new facilities, or cover operational costs for officers. The program requires state agencies to apply and secure matching funds, with a sunset date of September 30, 2030.

The Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2025 exempts discharges resulting from the use of Forest Service-approved products for fire control and suppression from certain federal water pollution permit requirements. This change streamlines firefighting operations by removing unnecessary permitting hurdles for using approved suppression agents. The Act also includes technical updates to related environmental statutes.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2025 aims to stabilize the agricultural labor force by creating a pathway to legal status for current undocumented farmworkers and modernizing the H-2A temporary worker program. The bill also mandates the implementation of a new, high-security electronic employment verification system across all industries, with specific deadlines for agricultural employers. Overall, it seeks to secure the existing workforce while establishing new compliance standards and protections for future agricultural labor.

The Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act establishes a new grant program to provide emergency assistance to farm workers following covered disasters, such as severe weather or health crises. Beginning in fiscal year 2026, the Secretary must award grants to eligible farm worker organizations to deliver direct relief and build community resilience. These funds are specifically designated to help workers who lose income or are unable to work due to a qualifying event.

The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2025 declares that practices attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity for payment constitute an unfair and deceptive business practice. Citing professional consensus on the ineffectiveness and harm of such "conversion therapy," the bill prohibits its provision and advertising. Enforcement authority is granted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the law allows both the U.S. Attorney General and State Attorneys General to file civil actions against violators.

The LAST ACRE Act of 2025 establishes a new federal program to deliver high-speed, precision agriculture connectivity to the most remote and underserved farmland. This program will provide competitive grants and loans to broadband providers to ensure eligible agricultural land receives at least 100/20 Mbps service. Additionally, the bill mandates updates to key agricultural surveys to accurately track broadband adoption and speed on farms nationwide.

The Protecting America's Property Rights Act aims to enhance the security of mortgages purchased by Federal Housing Enterprises by requiring the use of state-regulated title protection products. If these regulated products are not used, the Enterprises must hold additional capital reserves against those mortgages. This legislation mandates the Director to quickly establish rules ensuring compliance with these new title risk management standards.

The MEGOBARI Act expresses Congress's concern over Georgia's democratic backsliding and growing alignment with authoritarian states. It directs the Secretary of State to suspend the U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission until Georgia demonstrates commitment to democratic principles and EU/NATO aspirations. Furthermore, the Act establishes a policy supporting Georgia's Western trajectory while mandating reports on Russian influence and authorizing targeted sanctions against officials undermining Georgian democracy or stability.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating May 4 through May 10, 2025, as Wildfire Preparedness Week. The measure aims to raise public awareness about the dangers of wildfires and promote essential fire safety and community preparedness education. It highlights the need for proactive measures, such as evacuation planning and better land management, to mitigate the growing threat posed by these destructive events.

This bill directs the U.S. Trade Representative to swiftly investigate and report on any South Korean digital trade policies that unfairly target or restrict U.S. businesses. If such discriminatory actions are found, the U.S. is authorized to initiate trade enforcement actions, including WTO complaints or investigations under Section 301. The Act emphasizes the need to enforce fair digital trade practices to strengthen the U.S.-Korea economic partnership.

The Community Services Block Grant Improvement Act of 2025 aims to strengthen federal efforts to combat poverty by updating the core goals and operational rules of the Community Services Block Grant program. The bill revises definitions, sets a specific annual funding authorization through Fiscal Year 2032, and tightens requirements for state plans and local agency governance, including mandating tripartite boards. Ultimately, these changes seek to ensure grant funds are effectively used by local entities to promote the self-sufficiency of low-income individuals and families.