Legislative Activity

The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2025 makes the existing adoption tax credit fully refundable, allowing taxpayers to receive the benefit even if they owe no tax. This is achieved by relocating the credit within the tax code and updating related references. The bill also mandates the Treasury Department to issue regulations establishing a standardized third-party affidavit form for verifying adoption expenses. These changes will apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act prioritizes states that have not yet received funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) suicide prevention grants. This legislation ensures that eligible organizations in unfunded states receive a scoring preference during the grant review process. The goal is to guarantee that every state eventually receives at least one VA suicide prevention grant.

The Transportation Asset Management Simplification Act revises federal requirements for how states manage their transportation assets, such as roads and bridges. This legislation changes the mandatory compliance review schedule from annual to once every four years, aligning it with existing recertification processes. Furthermore, the bill establishes a clear process allowing states a minimum of 90 days to correct any identified compliance issues before penalties are enforced.

The Strengthening VA Patient Advocacy for Rural Veterans Act of 2025 mandates that every VA medical center appoint a dedicated patient advocate to support veterans receiving care in rural or community settings. This legislation clarifies reporting structures for advocates and requires the VA to submit an annual, detailed report on patient issues and resolution times to Congress. The goal is to improve support and accountability for veterans, particularly those living far from major VA facilities.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility at 840 Front Street in Casselton, North Dakota. The post office will now be known as the "Commander Delbert Austin Olson Post Office." This action ensures all federal records and documents officially recognize the new designation.

The Fair Access to Banking Act aims to ensure equal access to financial services by preventing banks and credit unions from denying services to individuals or entities engaged in lawful activities based on subjective or politically motivated reasons. It sets requirements for banks with over $10 billion in assets, prohibiting them from denying services based on reputational risk and requiring them to justify denials with documented, risk-based standards. The act also allows individuals to sue financial institutions that violate these requirements, with the potential for treble damages and attorney fees awarded to successful plaintiffs. Furthermore, it restricts access to Federal Reserve lending programs and the Automated Clearing House Network for institutions that fail to comply with the Act.

The "Unborn Child Support Act" amends the Social Security Act to include unborn children in child support enforcement, allowing mothers to seek child support from the biological father starting from the first month of conception. It ensures states establish and enforce these obligations while protecting the interests and safety of both the mother and the unborn child, with collections potentially dating back to conception, and prevents the modification of these requirements through experimental projects. These changes take effect two years after enactment.

The "Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2025" seeks to update Medicare's chiropractic coverage to reflect modern practices. It broadens coverage to include all services that Doctors of Chiropractic are licensed to perform in their state, not just manual spinal manipulation. Payment for expanded services requires doctors to attend a documentation webinar. This aims to align Medicare with other healthcare systems and improve beneficiary access to chiropractic care.

The "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act" authorizes the creation of three Congressional Gold Medals to honor the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team and their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. These medals will be given to the Lake Placid Olympic Center, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Museum, and the United States Olympic Paralympic Museum for public display. The Act also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to fund the medal production.