Legislative Activity

The MEDAL Act of 2025 seeks to honor Medal of Honor recipients by increasing their special monthly pension from the Department of Veterans Affairs from $1,406.73 to $8,333.33, recognizing their extraordinary heroism and inspiration to the Armed Forces. The bill maintains the surviving spouse's special monthly pension at $1,406.73, subject to periodic adjustments.

The "Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act of 2025" expands the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review real estate transactions near military installations and airspace involving foreign entities connected to Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea. It mandates CFIUS review of certain real estate purchases, leases, or concessions near military facilities and requires certifications to Congress. The Act also puts limitations on the approval of energy projects related to CFIUS reviews.

The Student Empowerment Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow 529 savings accounts to cover a broader range of elementary and secondary education expenses, including homeschooling costs such as curriculum, materials, tutoring, and educational therapies for students with disabilities. This expansion aims to provide families with greater flexibility in using 529 accounts to support their children's education.

The "No Tax on Tips Act" allows an annual deduction of up to $25,000 for qualified tips in traditional tip-receiving occupations, as defined by the Treasury, for taxpayers earning below a specified compensation threshold. It also extends the employer Social Security tax credit for employee tips to beauty service establishments, encompassing barbering, hair care, nail care, esthetics, and body and spa treatments. These provisions are effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The Natural Gas Tax Repeal Act repeals section 136 of the Clean Air Act, which likely taxes natural gas. Additionally, any funds that were previously allocated under the repealed section are rescinded, meaning they are no longer available for their original purpose.

The GATE CRASHERS Act aims to protect Department of Defense facilities by making it a federal crime to knowingly enter restricted areas without authorization. Penalties increase with repeat offenses, ranging from fines and short prison sentences for first-time offenders to significant prison time for those who repeatedly trespass.

The "AMERICANS Act" aims to provide remedies for members of the Armed Forces who faced adverse actions due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. It restricts new mandates, prohibits negative actions against unvaccinated service members, and allows those discharged or negatively affected to apply for remedies such as discharge upgrades, reinstatement, compensation, and expungement of records. The Act prioritizes retaining unvaccinated members and limits consideration of vaccination status for deployment and assignment decisions, and provides exemptions for COVID-19 vaccination based on natural immunity, health conditions, or religious beliefs. Additionally, it terminates bonus repayment obligations for those separated for refusing the vaccine and reimburses any prior repayments.

The "Overturn Biden's Offshore Energy Ban Act" nullifies presidential memoranda from January 6, 2025, that withdrew areas of the Outer Continental Shelf from oil and natural gas leasing. This rescission applies to areas in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, Pacific, and Bering Sea. The goal of the act is to reverse the prior administration's restrictions on offshore energy leasing.

The "Thin Blue Line Act" amends the U.S. Code to include the killing or targeting of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders as an aggravating factor in death penalty cases. This applies if the victim was targeted due to their status or duties as a public safety official.

This bill mandates the President to designate Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization. Within 30 days of this designation, the President must report to Congress whether certain individuals are officials, agents, or affiliates of Ansarallah.

The "Justice for Jocelyn Act" aims to limit participation in Alternatives to Detention programs, mandating GPS tracking and curfews for aliens on ICE's nondetained docket. It requires that aliens can only be released into Alternatives to Detention programs if all detention beds are full and all efforts to detain have been exhausted. The bill also mandates removal for aliens who fail to comply with release conditions, and ensures that if any part of the Act is found unconstitutional, the remaining parts will remain valid.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 107 North Hoyne Avenue in Fritch, Texas, as the "Chief Zeb Smith Post Office". It ensures that any reference to this facility in any document will now refer to it as the Chief Zeb Smith Post Office.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to limit the terms of members of Congress. Representatives would be limited to three terms, while Senators would be limited to two terms. Terms served before the amendment's ratification would not count towards these limits. The amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states within seven years to become valid.