Legislative Activity

The Ensuring Naval Readiness Act allows the U.S. Navy to construct vessels in foreign shipyards under specific conditions to potentially reduce costs and enhance readiness. Construction in foreign shipyards is permitted only if they are located in a NATO member country or a country in the Indo-Pacific Region with a mutual defense treaty with the U.S., and if the construction cost is less than in a U.S. shipyard. The Act requires certification that the foreign shipyard is not owned or operated by a Chinese company or a multinational company based in China.

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 Hearing Protection Act seeks to remove silencers from special regulation under federal tax law, treating them similarly to standard firearms components. This bill preempts state and local governments from imposing special taxes or registration requirements on silencers involved in interstate commerce. Furthermore, it mandates the destruction of existing federal records identifying silencer owners and establishes new serial number marking requirements for manufacturers.

The "SHUSH Act" seeks to deregulate firearm silencers by removing them from the definition of firearms under federal law, thus treating them as firearm accessories. It preempts state laws that impose taxes, marking, registration, or record-keeping on silencers, and removes silencers from regulation by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Act also eliminates additional penalties for using a firearm with a silencer during a crime and removes silencer restrictions for law enforcement officers.

The "Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2025" authorizes the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Fred Korematsu in recognition of his civil rights contributions, loyalty, patriotism, and dedication to justice and equality. The Act directs the Secretary of the Treasury to create the gold medal, which will be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution after the award presentation. Additionally, the Act allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates of the gold medal to cover production costs.

The Laken Riley Act mandates the detention of illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting. It empowers state attorneys general to sue the Department of Homeland Security or the Secretary of State if they believe the state or its residents are harmed by violations of immigration enforcement or visa granting. The bill aims to ensure that these aliens are detained throughout their removal proceedings and to provide states with legal recourse against perceived failures in federal immigration enforcement.

The "Charitable Act" modifies and extends the deduction for charitable contributions for individuals who do not itemize deductions. For the 2026 and 2027 tax years, the deduction is capped at one-third of the standard deduction for the individual. The bill also eliminates a penalty related to this deduction. These changes are effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act" requires congressional approval for the creation or expansion of any national monument. This bill aims to limit the President's authority over public lands by ensuring that any designation or expansion of national monuments must be authorized by Congress.

This bill designates the area of 16th Street, Northwest in Washington, D.C., between Fuller Street and Euclid Street as "Oswaldo Pay Way" in honor of the Cuban pro-democracy activist. It also redesignates the address of the Cuban embassy to 2630 Oswaldo Pay Way. The District of Columbia is required to install street signs reflecting this designation.

The "Main Street Tax Certainty Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the deduction for qualified business income permanent. This is achieved by eliminating the expiration date for this deduction. This change provides long-term tax certainty for small businesses.

The "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2025" seeks to prohibit the use of federal funds for abortions and for health benefits coverage that includes abortion coverage, with exceptions for rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. It clarifies that premium credits and cost-sharing reductions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) cannot be used for health plans that include abortion coverage, allowing for separate purchase of abortion coverage without federal tax credits. The Act also requires health plans to transparently disclose the extent of abortion coverage and any related premium surcharges to enrollees.

The "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act" ensures that infants born alive after an abortion receive the same medical care as any other newborn, mandating immediate hospital transport and requiring healthcare practitioners to report any failures to comply. Violators face fines, imprisonment, and potential prosecution for homicide or attempted homicide, while the mother of the child is protected from prosecution. The bill also allows the woman on whom the abortion was performed to file a civil action against anyone who violated the requirements if a child was born alive.

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 Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025 establishes special base rates of pay for federal wildland firefighters, increasing their salaries based on their General Schedule grade. It also provides incident response premium pay for firefighters deployed to qualifying incidents and allows for rest and recuperation leave following deployments. The bill enables the transfer of funds between the Forest Service and the Department of Interior to ensure the continuation of salary increases.

The "Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act" repeals the Corporate Transparency Act, eliminating beneficial ownership reporting requirements for businesses. It also makes necessary technical adjustments to Title 31 of the United States Code to reflect this repeal. These adjustments involve removing and revising references to specific sections related to the Corporate Transparency Act within existing legal frameworks.

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.

The Historic Roadways Protection Act prohibits the Department of Interior from using federal funds to finalize or implement certain travel management plans in Utah until the Secretary of Interior certifies that all R. S. 2477 cases have been resolved. This prohibition applies to new travel management plans for specific areas, as well as the implementation of certain existing travel management plans, within the state. R. S. 2477 cases refer to legal disputes between Utah and the federal government regarding rights-of-way.

Sarah's Law mandates the detention of aliens who were not inspected upon entering the U.S., had a revoked nonimmigrant visa, or violated their visa terms, and are charged with a crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury. It requires the Department of Homeland Security to inform victims and their families about the alien's identity, immigration status, criminal history, custody status, and removal efforts. The law also ensures that it does not diminish any rights crime victims have under existing laws.

The "Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025" permits individuals legally authorized to carry a concealed firearm in their home state to do so in any other state that allows concealed carry, provided they possess a valid photo ID and either a concealed carry permit or the legal right to carry without one in their home state. When carrying a concealed handgun in another state, individuals must adhere to the same restrictions imposed on residents of that state. This law does not override state laws regarding the issuance of concealed carry licenses or permits.