Legislative Activity

The TREATS Act modifies existing law to expand access to medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders. Specifically, it allows a single telehealth evaluation to satisfy the prior in-person evaluation requirement for prescribing certain Schedule III, IV, or V controlled substances approved for addiction treatment. This change aims to improve the delivery of necessary therapy services via remote care.

This resolution formally condemns President Trump's pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who previously pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws. The measure expresses strong disapproval of the pardon, citing potential conflicts of interest related to the Trump family's financial dealings with Binance. Finally, it calls upon Congress to utilize its authority to prevent similar acts of corruption in the pardon process moving forward.

The China Exchange Rate Transparency Act of 2025 mandates the Treasury Secretary to direct the U.S. Executive Director at the IMF to advocate for greater transparency from the People's Republic of China regarding its exchange rate policies. This advocacy includes pushing for IMF surveillance of potential indirect foreign exchange interventions by Chinese entities. The requirements terminate when China meets specific conditions of compliance with IMF obligations or after seven years.

The Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025 ensures that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits continue without interruption, even if Congress fails to pass the Department of Agriculture's budget for fiscal year 2026. This legislation authorizes automatic funding from the Treasury to maintain payments and cover any retroactive benefits missed due to the delay. This temporary funding mechanism remains active until the regular fiscal year 2026 appropriations are officially enacted.

The No Big Blockbuster Bailouts Act amends the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to adjust the treatment of certain orphan drugs. Specifically, it raises the negotiation threshold for drugs exclusively treating rare diseases from \$200 million to \$400 million. These changes will apply to initial price applicability years beginning on or after January 1, 2028.

The Advancing Water Research and Collaboration Act of 2025 updates existing water research law to explicitly include the artificial intelligence industry in federal water research initiatives. The bill authorizes $16 million annually through 2029 for Water Resources Research Institutes. Furthermore, it mandates that 20% of these funds must be dedicated to research addressing water problems that cross state boundaries.

This resolution officially recognizes and celebrates the 250th birthday of the United States Navy, honoring its long history since the Continental Navy. It expresses deep appreciation for the courage and service of all Navy personnel, past and present, who have defended the nation. Furthermore, the resolution reaffirms Congress's commitment to supporting the Navy's vital role in global security, humanitarian aid, and technological advancement.

The Federal Employees Civil Relief Act temporarily halts certain legal and administrative actions that could negatively affect the civil rights of federal employees and contractors during a government shutdown. This protection includes pausing evictions, foreclosures, lien enforcement, and providing relief for student loan and income tax obligations. The law also ensures that seeking these protections will not negatively impact an employee's credit or future financial standing.

The Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025 ensures federal agencies compensate contractors for employee costs incurred due to government funding lapses or shutdowns. This act mandates contract price adjustments to cover reasonable expenses for furloughed or impacted contractor employees, up to a specified weekly limit. The law also provides necessary appropriations to cover these adjustments and requires public reporting on the compensation provided.

The Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act of 2025 provides financial relief to federal employees affected by government shutdowns. This bill waives the 10% early withdrawal penalty on Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) distributions up to \$30,000 taken due to a shutdown. Furthermore, it establishes rules allowing furloughed or non-paid employees to take TSP loans and prevents missed loan payments during a shutdown from being treated as a taxable distribution.

This Act prohibits the use of the U.S. Treasury Department's Exchange Stabilization Fund to provide any financial assistance or bailout to Argentina's financial markets. Congress asserts that these funds should instead protect American jobs and stability against foreign currency manipulation. The prohibition on using the fund to aid Argentina remains in effect until December 10, 2027.

This joint resolution seeks to disapprove and nullify a specific rule published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services concerning the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Market Integrity and Affordability." If enacted, this measure would prevent the CMS rule from having any legal force or effect.

This resolution formally recognizes October 2025 as Filipino American History Month to celebrate the rich history and culture of Filipino Americans. It highlights their significant and long-standing contributions across all sectors of American life, including military service, healthcare, and public office. The measure encourages all Americans to observe the month with appropriate programs to promote the study of this vital community's heritage.

The Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act of 2025 establishes a program to enhance cybersecurity across the agricultural sector by creating five Regional Agriculture Cybersecurity Centers. These centers, hosted by eligible land-grant universities, will focus on research, threat monitoring, tool development, and training specific to farming and the food supply chain. The initiative is specifically tasked with developing defenses against cyber threats originating from adversarial nations.

This Act mandates that the U.S. Trade Representative actively push Canada and Mexico to establish national security-based foreign investment review systems similar to the U.S. CFIUS framework. The goal is to align North American defenses against harmful investments, particularly from nonmarket economy countries like China. This effort includes offering technical assistance to neighboring countries to help them build these review mechanisms.

The Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act aims to combat illegal drug manufacturing by tightening regulations on equipment used to make counterfeit pills. This bill expands the definition of regulated persons to include those dealing in specific pill-making machinery and their critical parts. It mandates permanent serial numbers on these machines and parts, requiring transaction reporting to the Attorney General. Furthermore, the Act prohibits the removal or alteration of these required identification numbers.

The Safe Step Act establishes mandatory exception processes for group health plans and insurance issuers that utilize step therapy protocols for prescription drugs. This ensures patients and doctors have a clear, timely pathway to request coverage for medically necessary alternatives when required initial treatments are inappropriate or ineffective. Plans must provide rapid decisions for urgent requests and adhere to specific reporting requirements detailing exception outcomes.

The Dennis John Benigno Traumatic Brain Injury Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 renames and updates the national TBI surveillance program, expanding data collection to focus on high-risk populations and long-term outcomes. The bill extends funding authorizations for federal TBI programs and state grant initiatives through fiscal year 2030. It also mandates a comprehensive report to Congress on TBI risk factors and requires a new study on the long-term symptoms and conditions following a brain injury.

The Protect America’s Workforce Act nullifies two specific Executive Orders related to federal labor-management programs and prohibits the use of federal funds to enforce them. Furthermore, the Act ensures that all existing collective bargaining agreements between the federal government and labor organizations remain fully in effect until their original expiration dates. This legislation solidifies current federal union contracts while removing the authority of the voided orders.

The HIV Medication Access Act officially recognizes the provision of HIV prevention tools, including PrEP medication, as core life-saving humanitarian assistance. This legislation updates how the U.S. approaches HIV/AIDS prevention aid under existing foreign assistance laws. Furthermore, it mandates that the identification of at-risk populations for aid must align with scientific guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO).