Legislative Activity

The Medicaid Breast Cancer Access to Treatment Act expands Medicaid eligibility to cover certain individuals who have had breast or cervical cancer. This legislation also mandates that Medicaid coverage must include breast reconstruction surgery following a medically necessary mastectomy. These changes aim to ensure comprehensive care and remove financial barriers for cancer survivors under the program.

The Stop NOAA Closures Act places a temporary moratorium on the closure or restriction of access to any National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facilities. This freeze remains in effect until 180 days after key officials submit a required report to Congress detailing the criteria and process for any future facility changes. After the moratorium lifts, any major facility action will still require a 30-day advance notice and justification report to Congress, except in cases of immediate emergency threatening staff safety.

The Right to FDA-Approved Medicines Act guarantees individuals the right to obtain and receive information about medicines already approved by the FDA. This law preempts and overrides conflicting federal and state regulations that restrict access to or the provision of these approved drugs by healthcare providers. It establishes strong enforcement mechanisms, allowing both the Attorney General and private citizens to sue states that violate these protections.

This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that extreme weather poses unique and severe threats to the health and well-being of children. It urges that solutions to address these escalating dangers must be rapidly and equitably developed and deployed with children's specific vulnerabilities in mind. The bill calls for prioritizing the physical and mental health needs of children in all future climate adaptation and air quality planning efforts.

The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025 mandates that employers protect workers from dangerous heat stress by establishing comprehensive safety standards. This Act requires the Secretary of Labor to create evidence-based rules covering engineering controls, administrative procedures, required training, and paid rest breaks to prevent heat-related illness. Furthermore, the law establishes strict enforcement mechanisms, whistleblower protections, and specific timelines for the implementation of these new federal heat protection standards.

This resolution declares a health and safety emergency disproportionately affecting children due to prior administration directives that promoted fossil fuels and suppressed climate science. Congress asserts that these actions harm children's fundamental rights to life and a stable environment by worsening climate change impacts. The bill demands the current administration cease policies that increase greenhouse gases and restore access to suppressed climate research. Ultimately, it calls for aligning all energy and climate laws with the duty to protect the rights and future of young people.

The PRESUME Act, or Providing Radiation Exposed Servicemembers Undisputed Medical Eligibility Act, simplifies the process for veterans seeking recognition for radiation exposure during service. This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from requiring veterans to provide proof of a specific, measured radiation dose to be officially classified as a radiation-exposed veteran. This change ensures that service members exposed to radiation are not denied status due to a lack of precise dosimetry records.

The Housing Is a Human Right Act of 2025 aims to combat homelessness and housing instability through comprehensive federal action. It establishes new funding streams and infrastructure investments to build affordable housing and provide direct support services while shifting local responses away from criminalizing poverty. Furthermore, the Act introduces new taxes on high-value real estate transactions to fund these initiatives and mandates stronger civil rights protections across federal housing and assistance programs.

The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2025 aims to significantly increase federal research, public education, and provider awareness regarding uterine fibroids. The bill mandates expanded research coordination across federal agencies and authorizes funding to study the condition, which disproportionately affects minority women. It also requires the creation of public awareness campaigns detailing non-hysterectomy treatment options and mandates data collection on Medicaid/CHIP spending for fibroid treatments.

The State-Based Universal Health Care Act of 2025 empowers individual states to design and implement their own comprehensive universal health coverage systems. States can apply for a federal waiver to bypass most existing federal health insurance rules, including major parts of the ACA, Medicare, and Medicaid. In exchange for waiving federal funding, the federal government will transfer equivalent funds to the state, provided the state commits to covering at least 95% of its residents within five years and maintains budget neutrality for the federal government.

The Cool Corridors Act of 2025 aims to combat extreme heat and improve transportation safety by funding the installation of green infrastructure, like trees, along walking, biking, and transit routes. This legislation reauthorizes and updates the Healthy Streets program to prioritize these cooling projects in the most vulnerable and underserved communities. The Act defines "cool corridors" and establishes clear criteria for demonstration projects focused on heat mitigation and long-term maintenance.

The White Oak Resilience Act establishes a multi-agency effort to restore and conserve white oak populations across the United States. It creates the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition to coordinate federal, state, and private restoration efforts and recommend policy changes. The bill also mandates pilot projects by the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior, alongside a national plan to address tree nursery shortages and boost white oak research.

The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025 aims to reform the management of wild horses and burros on federal lands by phasing out the use of helicopters in roundups over two years. This legislation mandates increased transparency through camera requirements on any remaining aircraft used during this transition. Furthermore, it directs the GAO to report on humane, non-aircraft population management alternatives and their economic impacts.

This resolution formally recognizes the significant and persistent wage disparity faced by Black women in the United States. It highlights that despite existing equal pay laws, Black women earn substantially less than their male counterparts, leading to massive lifetime earnings losses. Congress uses this measure to emphasize the urgent need to address both racial and gender discrimination to achieve true pay equity.

The YALI Act of 2025 formally establishes and expands the Young African Leaders Initiative to invest in emerging African leaders across sub-Saharan Africa. This legislation mandates the creation of professional development, training, and networking opportunities focused on business, civic engagement, and public administration. The bill specifically supports the Mandela Washington Fellowship and requires the establishment of regional leadership centers and online networks to foster ongoing engagement and U.S.-Africa ties.

The Head Start for Our Future Act updates the Higher Education Act of 1965 by replacing the term "literacy training" with "child development and early learning" when describing eligible community services. This change explicitly ensures that Head Start and Early Head Start programs are recognized under this section of the law. The bill aims to better reflect the comprehensive nature of early childhood education services.

This resolution serves as a formal tribute honoring the life, achievements, and enduring legacy of Frederick W. Smith, the visionary founder of FedEx. It officially recognizes his pioneering role in revolutionizing the global logistics industry and his deep commitment to the Memphis community. The bill does not enact any new laws but instead places his biography and contributions into the official Congressional record.

The GLOBE Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive U.S. strategy to champion and protect the human rights of LGBTQI people globally through diplomacy, targeted sanctions, and foreign assistance reforms. The bill mandates enhanced reporting on violence and discrimination while creating new interagency roles and funds to support international advocacy and development efforts. Furthermore, it reforms immigration law to better protect LGBTQI asylum seekers and ensures inclusive implementation of U.S. global health programs like PEPFAR.

This bill significantly strengthens the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016 by explicitly blocking time-based and procedural defenses that have previously prevented claims for Nazi-looted art from being heard on their merits. The changes ensure that courts must now focus on whether the art was actually stolen, regardless of when the claim is brought or the citizenship of the original owner. These improvements apply immediately to both pending and future lawsuits seeking the return of art expropriated during the Nazi era.

The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2025 aims to combat the growing obesity epidemic, particularly among older adults, by expanding access to intensive behavioral therapy under Medicare. This bill mandates that Medicare Part D plans begin covering FDA-approved medications for obesity and weight management in individuals with related health conditions. Finally, it requires the Secretary of HHS to report regularly to Congress on the implementation and coordination of these new obesity treatment strategies.