Legislative Activity

The EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act directs the USDA to reform its food purchasing practices to support a more just, healthy, and sustainable food system. This is achieved by mandating the purchase of foods that prioritize equity, resilient supply chains, worker well-being, and climate mitigation. The bill also establishes reporting requirements, a set-aside for specific producers, and pilot programs to help smaller and targeted producers participate in USDA contracts.

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 Keeping All Students Safe Act strictly prohibits dangerous restraint and seclusion practices in federally funded schools, establishing national safety standards and requiring immediate parental notification after any restraint incident. It mandates that states create detailed plans, publicly report incident data broken down by student demographics, and utilize federal grants to fund training and prevention strategies. The bill creates a private right of action for families harmed by violations and ensures oversight across various federal school systems.

The Empowering App-Based Workers Act aims to increase transparency and accountability for digital labor platforms that use electronic monitoring and automated systems to manage workers. This bill mandates detailed disclosures regarding data collection, algorithmic decision-making for pay and assignments, and itemized receipts after each job. Furthermore, it establishes strong enforcement mechanisms, including a 25% cap on "take rates" for ride-hail services and prohibits certain pre-dispute arbitration agreements.

This bill commemorates the 50th anniversary of Southeast Asian refugee resettlement in the United States, recognizing the profound sacrifices and immense contributions of Southeast Asian Americans. It honors the historical alliance and acknowledges the challenges faced by these communities since their arrival. The legislation celebrates the vibrant cultural and economic impact of over three million Southeast Asian Americans today.

The Labor Enforcement to Securely Protect Workers (LETS Protect Workers) Act significantly increases civil penalties for violations across major federal labor laws, including child labor, wage and hour, and workplace safety standards. It strengthens enforcement mechanisms for mine safety violations and retaliation against miners, while also establishing new penalties for employer unfair labor practices under the National Labor Relations Act. Furthermore, the bill enhances enforcement for health plan parity and makes certain recordkeeping failures under OSHA and FLSA continuing violations.

This concurrent resolution commends state and local governments for championing reproductive rights as human rights following the overturning of *Roe v. Wade*. It declares that denying abortion care leads to severe health risks and highlights the criminalization of pregnancy outcomes across the U.S. The resolution urges states to repeal abortion restrictions and affirm that reproductive rights are fundamental human rights.

The Computer Science for All Act of 2025 establishes a grant program to dramatically expand computer science education across all grade levels in states, local districts, and Tribal schools. These grants aim to ensure universal access to rigorous computer science and STEAM learning, focusing specifically on closing equity gaps for underrepresented students. The Act mandates teacher training, curriculum development, and detailed reporting to track progress toward these national goals.

This bill officially designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 130 South Patterson Avenue in Santa Barbara, California, as the **Brigadier General Frederick R. Lopez Post Office Building**. This change ensures all federal records and documents will use the new name for this specific post office.

This bill, the Protecting Families from AI Data Center Energy Costs Act, directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to convene a technical conference on strategies to shield residential and small commercial utility customers from rising energy costs driven by large loads like AI data centers. Following the conference, FERC must submit a report to Congress detailing recommendations and best practices. The goal is to ensure utility costs remain manageable for everyday families and small businesses.

This bill establishes the **Temporary Immigration Judge Integrity Act** to authorize the Attorney General to appoint highly qualified, temporary immigration judges for limited terms. These temporary judges are intended to supplement, not replace, permanent judges and must meet specific experience requirements. The legislation mandates rigorous oversight, training protocols, and limits the total service time for these temporary appointments to ensure judicial integrity.

The Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act of 2025 seeks to reverse harmful provisions affecting unaccompanied children. This bill eliminates various immigration-related fees for current and former unaccompanied children, including those for asylum and employment authorization. It also prohibits physically intrusive medical examinations and restricts the sharing of sponsor information with immigration enforcement agencies. Furthermore, the Act mandates the refunding of previously paid fees.

The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act aims to overhaul immigration detention by establishing mandatory, high standards based on ABA guidelines and increasing transparency through rigorous, unannounced inspections. The bill prohibits the use of private, for-profit detention facilities within three years and ends the mandatory detention of most noncitizens, prioritizing release or community-based alternatives. Furthermore, it establishes new due process rights, including timely custody hearings, a presumption of release, and prohibitions on detaining children or using solitary confinement.

The Make Housing Affordable and Defend Democracy Act aims to increase housing accessibility through several tax incentives while simultaneously rescinding significant funding previously allocated for immigration enforcement. Key provisions establish new tax credits for first-time homebuyers, builders of starter homes, and the conversion of commercial buildings into affordable rentals. Additionally, the bill introduces a Renter Tax Credit for those spending over 30% of their income on rent, with an option for monthly advance payments.

The Corporal Fernando Ruiz Baltazar Posthumous Citizenship Act of 2025 expands eligibility for posthumous U.S. citizenship. This bill specifically grants citizenship to noncitizens who served honorably in the U.S. military and died from service-related injuries or disease. It particularly focuses on those who enlisted in the Philippines between September 1, 1939, and December 31, 1946. The relevant military department will determine eligibility for these posthumous benefits.

The Veteran Education Empowerment Act establishes a grant program to help colleges and universities create and operate dedicated Student Veteran Centers. These centers will serve as centralized hubs to coordinate academic support, transition services, and community building for student veterans. The bill authorizes funding for these grants, which can be used for establishing and operating the centers, with specific reporting requirements to track effectiveness.

The Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act of 2025 establishes comprehensive federal rules to prevent discrimination caused by automated decision-making systems in critical areas like employment, housing, and credit. It mandates independent safety checks, public reporting for high-risk findings, and clear contractual standards between algorithm creators and users. The law empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and grants individuals a private right of action to enforce these new civil rights protections against algorithmic bias.

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.

The John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act prohibits discrimination based on religion, sex, or marital status in federally funded child welfare services. This aims to increase the number of stable, family-like placements for children, especially for LGBTQ youth who are overrepresented in foster care. The bill mandates federal guidance, training, and data collection to improve safety and well-being outcomes for all children involved in the system.

The Small Business RELIEF Act exempts qualified small businesses from duties imposed under Executive Order 14257. It also mandates that the President refund any such duties already paid by small businesses within 90 days of enactment. This legislation aims to provide economic fairness and relief to small importers.