Legislative Activity

The "Stop Subsidizing Multimillion Dollar Corporate Bonuses Act" modifies Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, broadening the definition of "covered individual" to include more employees and modifying the definition of "publicly held corporation." This change prevents companies from deducting excessive employee remuneration, applying to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024. The Secretary is authorized to issue regulations and guidance to implement these changes and prevent companies from avoiding the rules.

The "Improving SCRA Benefit Utilization Act" aims to enhance financial literacy among servicemembers and their families regarding the protections offered by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). It mandates that servicemembers receive comprehensive training on consumer financial protections, especially concerning interest rate limits. The bill also requires that servicemembers are notified of their SCRA benefits upon entering military service or being called to active duty and requires financial institutions to apply the maximum interest rate reduction to all debts incurred before military service and provide multiple avenues for submitting necessary documentation.

The Better CARE for Animals Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the enforcement of animal welfare regulations by clarifying inspection authority, prohibiting unlicensed animal dealing, and granting the Attorney General greater power to prosecute violations, including seeking penalties, seizing animals, and obtaining warrants. It also mandates collaboration between the Secretary of Agriculture and the Attorney General to share information on repeat offenders. This act enhances the ability to penalize and prevent mistreatment of animals under the Animal Welfare Act.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury selection. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act seeks to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals and women across various sectors.

This bill amends the Social Security Act to limit the amount withheld from monthly benefits to recover overpayments. For overpayments not caused by fraud, the Social Security Administration cannot reduce benefits by more than 10% of the monthly payment. Individuals can request a higher withholding amount if desired. This change applies to existing and future overpayments under Title II of the Social Security Act.

The "Working Families Task Force Act of 2025" establishes an interagency task force to address the challenges facing working families. Led by the Secretary of Labor, the task force will identify factors impacting the standard of living for working families and develop policy recommendations to improve their quality of life, address economic challenges, and promote economic growth. The task force will submit a report to Congress with its findings and recommendations.

Recognizes the crucial role of linemen in maintaining the nation's energy infrastructure and public safety. It also supports designating April 18, 2025, as National Lineman Appreciation Day to honor their contributions and dangerous work.

The "What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act" requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish standard practices for suicide prevention and mental health grant or pilot programs within the Veterans Health Administration. These practices include setting measurable objectives, creating data analysis plans for program evaluation, communicating program details with relevant entities, conducting program evaluations, and sharing results and best practices. The goal is to ensure that these programs are effective, data-driven, and transparent, ultimately improving veteran suicide prevention efforts. The regulations for these practices must be issued within 180 days of the bill's enactment and will apply retroactively to pre-existing programs.

The Vote at Home Act of 2025 aims to expand access to voting in federal elections by promoting vote-by-mail and automatic voter registration through state motor vehicle authorities. It prohibits states from imposing unnecessary conditions on vote-by-mail eligibility, requires states to mail ballots to registered voters before federal elections, and ensures accessible ballots for individuals with disabilities. The act also streamlines voter registration processes when applying for or updating a driver's license, while implementing safeguards to protect voter information and election integrity. Finally, the bill ensures that blank and completed ballots for federal elections will be carried expeditiously and free of postage.

The "Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2025" aims to safeguard the integrity of federal elections by enhancing protections for election records, papers, and equipment, mandating that paper records of cast ballots remain the official record. It sets standards for retaining and preserving election materials, allows for the reuse of election equipment, and introduces penalties for reckless disregard that results in the theft, destruction, or alteration of election materials. The Act also enables judicial review for election records and prohibits intimidation of those involved in processing, scanning, tabulating, canvassing, or certifying voting results.

The American Family Act establishes a refundable child tax credit with monthly advance payments, providing up to $300 per month per child, and creates a $500 tax credit for other dependents. The amount of the credit is reduced based on the taxpayer's income, with initial reductions starting at $150,000 for joint returns. The IRS will make monthly advance payments and establish an online portal for taxpayers to manage their payments and provide necessary information. This act terminates the existing annual child tax credit after 2024 and aims to provide regular financial support to families.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 aims to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and countering its support for terrorism by imposing sanctions on those involved in Iran's energy sector and those who provide financial support for its destabilizing activities. It mandates sanctions on foreign entities involved in processing, exporting, or selling Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemicals, while also establishing an interagency working group to coordinate and enforce these sanctions. The Act also amends existing legislation to require the identification of individuals involved in sanctionable activities or sanctions evasion related to Iranian oil and gas sales.

The Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act restricts the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of certain gas-operated semi-automatic firearms and large capacity ammunition feeding devices, while providing exceptions for governmental use, certain pre-existing firearms, and transfers to immediate family members. The bill also allows Byrne grants to be used for buy-back programs for these firearms and devices, and establishes penalties for violations, as well as a process for determining which firearms are prohibited, including manufacturer applications and judicial review. Finally, the bill establishes a "Firearm Safety Trust Fund" in the Treasury, using taxes collected by the ATF to fund the requirements of this act.

The "Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2025" outlaws devices that accelerate a semi-automatic firearm's firing rate or simulate machine guns. It redefines "semi-automatic firearm" and requires current owners of affected devices to register them. There are exceptions for governmental entities, and lawful transfers of registered devices are permitted.

The "GREATER Act" mandates collaboration between the Small Business Administration, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and the Delta Regional Authority to support small businesses in the Appalachian and Delta regions. It requires a memorandum of understanding to coordinate activities and a report to Congress on the outcomes of these efforts. The goal is to boost rural entrepreneurship and maximize the effectiveness of assistance to small businesses in these regions.

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees and supervisory employees. It requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine if state laws substantially provide these rights; if not, the Authority will administer collective bargaining procedures in those states. The act outlines specific rights and procedures, including the right to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activities, while also addressing enforcement and exceptions. This law aims to ensure that public service workers have the ability to negotiate for fair wages, hours, and working conditions.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 aims to increase affordable housing options by updating state housing credit formulas, refining tenant eligibility rules, and improving credit eligibility and determination. This includes adjusting income verification processes, modifying student occupancy rules, and protecting domestic abuse victims. The bill also focuses on Native American and rural assistance by addressing housing needs in Indian areas and streamlining income eligibility for rural projects. Additionally, it revises rules for exempt facility bonds and renames the "low-income housing tax credit" to the "affordable housing tax credit" while encouraging data sharing and discouraging discriminatory land use policies.

The "Invest to Protect Act of 2025" establishes a grant program within the Department of Justice to provide resources to local law enforcement agencies with fewer than 175 officers. These grants can be used for de-escalation training, mental health support for officers, officer recruitment and retention, and other community safety programs. The Act prioritizes a streamlined grant application process and emphasizes accountability and transparency in the use of funds, with \$50 million authorized annually from 2027 through 2031.

The "Raise the Wage Act of 2025" aims to increase the federal minimum wage to $17.00 per hour over five years, after which it will be annually adjusted based on the median hourly wage of all employees. The bill also gradually raises the minimum wage for tipped employees until it matches the standard minimum wage, while ensuring they retain all tips. Additionally, it increases and then eliminates the subminimum wage for newly hired employees under 20 and individuals with disabilities, promoting fair wages for all workers.

The "Tax Fairness for Workers Act" permits employees to deduct union dues and other employee business expenses above-the-line, bypassing previous deduction limitations. This change is achieved by amending sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, specifically 62(a)(1) and 67(g). These amendments will be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.