Legislative Activity

This resolution officially recognizes the significant and systemic pay disparities faced by disabled women compared to both disabled and non-disabled men. It highlights stark statistics showing disabled women earn substantially less across various racial and ethnic groups. While not enacting new law, the resolution reaffirms Congress's commitment to addressing the underlying barriers that perpetuate this unfair wage gap.

The Stop Stealing Our Jobs Act prohibits the President or agency heads from firing, laying off, or removing career civil service employees during a government shutdown caused by a lapse in discretionary funding. This protection ensures job security for the career federal workforce, while explicitly excluding political appointees from coverage. The bill clarifies definitions to specify which employees are shielded and which are not.

The Federal Disaster Housing Stability Act of 2025 establishes temporary eviction and foreclosure moratoriums following a federally declared disaster. This act prevents landlords from initiating evictions or increasing rent for 120 days, and halts mortgage foreclosure proceedings for six months in affected areas. These protections apply to covered dwellings and mortgages from the date of the disaster declaration.

The African Diaspora Investment and Development Act (AIDA) aims to strengthen U.S. relationships with African and Caribbean nations by empowering diaspora communities. The bill focuses on lowering the high costs of sending remittances, encouraging formal diaspora investment through new financial tools, and providing tax incentives for sending money home for essential needs. Ultimately, AIDA seeks to treat the millions of diaspora members as strategic economic partners to foster development across Africa and the Caribbean.

The Specialist Fourth Class Keith Smith Glioblastoma Parity Act of 2025 addresses the lasting impact of Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War. This bill mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) presume glioblastoma multiforme is service-connected for eligible Vietnam veterans. This change simplifies the process for veterans suffering from this aggressive brain cancer to receive disability benefits.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act officially integrates therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists into the VA's professional staffing ranks. This legislation establishes specific qualification standards, including mandatory post-graduate training and board certification, for these roles. Furthermore, it creates dedicated pay grades for these physicists, ensuring they are properly compensated within the VA healthcare system structure. The VA must report to Congress one year after enactment on the impact of these changes.

The All-Americans Tax Relief Act of 2025 introduces sweeping changes to the federal tax code, primarily focused on providing financial relief to families and individuals. Key provisions include expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and making the Child Tax Credit fully refundable. The Act also creates several new above-the-line deductions for expenses like daycare, tutoring, and credit card interest, while expanding the medical expense deduction to non-itemizers. These significant tax adjustments are generally scheduled to take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026.

The Caribbean Anti-Smuggling of Trafficked Arms Act (CAST Act) mandates the Secretary of Defense to produce a comprehensive report on expanding the mission of Joint Interagency Taskforce South (JIATF South) to combat illegal arms trafficking in the Caribbean. This report must detail the feasibility, necessary legal changes, resource requirements, and coordination efforts for such an expansion. The findings will be submitted to relevant congressional committees for review.

This bill directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to submit an annual report to Congress. This report must analyze successful state and local strategies aimed at promoting affordable housing. The goal is for Congress to use this analysis to shape effective federal policies supporting local efforts to combat the national housing crisis.

This bill recognizes obesity as a disease with complex causes and widespread health and economic consequences. It acknowledges the high prevalence and costs associated with obesity, particularly among certain populations. The bill expresses the House of Representatives' support for addressing obesity as a disease. It urges healthcare professionals and researchers to develop effective strategies for prevention and treatment.

This bill expresses the House of Representatives' support for strengthening U.S.-Africa partnerships in critical minerals development to reduce reliance on foreign entities of concern. It recommends diversifying critical mineral sources, improving coordination among U.S. agencies to support business investments in Africa, and enhancing partnerships with African countries through incentives and investment programs. The bill also urges the Secretary of State to develop a 5-year strategy to support U.S. investors, provide financing and technical assistance, and enhance economic cooperation with African mineral producers.

The Compassion for Vulnerable and Struggling Workers Act allows civil service employees involuntarily terminated between January 20, 2025, and January 1, 2026, to enroll in a health benefits plan if they meet certain conditions. These conditions include being removed without cause, having a fully successful performance review, being pregnant at the time of removal, or being diagnosed with cancer in the 5 years before removal. Federal funds saved by the United States DOGE Service will cover the government and individual contributions for these health benefits.

The L’Ouverture Economic Development Plan for Haiti Act of 2025 aims to promote sustainable economic development in Haiti through private sector investment, accountable governance, and infrastructure development. It establishes a Haitian American Enterprise Fund to support Haitian businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, with a focus on key sectors like agriculture, energy, and tourism. The fund will be managed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and overseen by a panel of experts, with the goal of fostering job creation, reducing irregular migration, and improving overall stability in Haiti. The act authorizes $1 billion in appropriations annually from 2026 to 2031 to carry out these objectives.