Legislative Activity

This bill officially renames the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to the **Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge**. The renaming honors the memory of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was tragically murdered near Houston. This legislation codifies the name change across all official government records and documents.

The Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025 ensures the Secretary of Agriculture has a seat on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for reviews involving agricultural land, biotechnology, or the food industry. This legislation mandates that specific committees review certain agricultural land transactions involving foreign entities from designated adversarial nations. These new provisions aim to enhance national security by scrutinizing foreign investment in critical U.S. agricultural assets.

The "No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act" establishes a U.S. policy to oppose foreign assistance to the Taliban from other countries and NGOs, requiring the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to discourage such support. The bill mandates several reports detailing foreign aid given to the Taliban and oversight of U.S. cash assistance programs in Afghanistan. Furthermore, it requires recurring reports on the status and controls surrounding the Afghan Fund to prevent Taliban misuse of assets.

The Small Bank Holding Company Relief Act mandates the Federal Reserve to raise the asset threshold for qualifying as a "small" bank holding company to \$25 billion. This change will allow larger institutions, up to that new limit, to benefit from regulatory policy treatment previously reserved for smaller entities.

The ACCESS Act of 2025 aims to support small businesses by significantly raising the offering threshold that requires a review by a public accountant, increasing it from $\$100,000$ to $\$250,000$. This new threshold may be further increased by the SEC up to $\$400,000$ based on recommendations from key advocacy offices. The bill also includes technical updates to correct outdated cross-references within the Securities Act of 1933.

The FBI Animal Cruelty Taskforce Act of 2025 establishes a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes Taskforce within the FBI to investigate and enforce federal laws against severe animal cruelty, such as dogfighting and crush videos. This Taskforce is also responsible for developing training materials for local law enforcement. Furthermore, it must coordinate with other federal agencies and submit annual reports to Congress detailing enforcement statistics, including charges filed and convictions secured.

The DEFIANCE Act of 2025 establishes a federal civil cause of action against the creation, possession with intent to share, or sharing of nonconsensual intimate digital forgeries, often known as deepfakes. This legislation updates existing law to specifically address image-based sexual abuse created through AI or digital manipulation, regardless of whether the image is labeled as fake. Victims can sue for significant statutory damages, attorney's fees, and injunctive relief to stop the spread of the harmful content. The Act ensures that this new federal standard does not preempt or limit stronger existing State or Tribal laws.

The Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act mandates an independent review of all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) forms sent to claimants to ensure they are clear and easy to understand. The VA Secretary must hire an outside entity to assess these forms and implement recommendations for improvement within a set timeline. Additionally, this bill slightly extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments.

The Insurance Data Protection Act aims to adjust federal regulatory authority over insurance data by limiting the subpoena power of the Office of Financial Research against insurance companies. It also strengthens confidentiality protections for data shared with and held by the Federal Insurance Office and other financial regulators. Furthermore, the bill mandates that financial regulators must seek existing data from other sources before directly collecting information from insurance companies, ensuring data privacy is maintained.

The STOP Screwworms Act mandates the establishment of facilities to rear and release sterile New World screwworm flies in high-risk areas to combat infestations. The Secretary of Agriculture must build these modular facilities within 180 days of enactment and provide annual public reports on the threat and control efforts. The bill authorizes up to $300 million to fund these necessary actions.

The Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act focuses on strengthening penalties for introducing prohibited items, specifically phones, into prisons. It mandates the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to review and update policies concerning prohibited objects to enhance the safety of inmates and staff. This legislation aims to curb contraband flow within correctional facilities.

This resolution formally honors mothers and recognizes the vital role they play in raising the next generation, coinciding with Mother's Day. It reaffirms that motherhood is defined by women and strongly rejects alternative terminology that diminishes this role. Ultimately, the bill encourages the nation to celebrate the invaluable contributions of mothers to families and the country.

The Protecting America's Property Rights Act aims to enhance the security of mortgages purchased by Federal Housing Enterprises by requiring the use of state-regulated title protection products. If these regulated products are not used, the Enterprises must hold additional capital reserves against those mortgages. This legislation mandates the Director to quickly establish rules ensuring compliance with these new title risk management standards.

This bill establishes a permanent advisory committee focused on studying and reporting on the severe financial market fallout that could result from Chinese military aggression toward Taiwan. The committee, composed of market experts and regulators, will advise the Financial Stability Oversight Council on potential economic vulnerabilities. The Council must then issue an annual public report detailing market risks, potential losses, and specific recommendations for regulators to fortify U.S. financial systems against such geopolitical shocks.

The Community Services Block Grant Improvement Act of 2025 aims to strengthen federal efforts to combat poverty by updating the core goals and operational rules of the Community Services Block Grant program. The bill revises definitions, sets a specific annual funding authorization through Fiscal Year 2032, and tightens requirements for state plans and local agency governance, including mandating tripartite boards. Ultimately, these changes seek to ensure grant funds are effectively used by local entities to promote the self-sufficiency of low-income individuals and families.

The Youth Lead Act establishes dedicated federal funding for youth organizations by setting aside \$5 million annually for grants between fiscal years 2026 and 2030. This legislation amends existing law to ensure consistent financial support for these organizations.

The Bank Loan Privacy Act mandates that the Bureau must establish a formal rule before deleting or modifying certain credit reporting data under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. This rulemaking process requires public notice and comment, ensuring any changes clearly detail the modifications and explain how they protect consumer privacy interests.

The TAKE IT DOWN Act establishes federal criminal penalties for the intentional sharing of both real and digitally forged nonconsensual intimate images, with stricter penalties for images involving minors. It mandates that covered online platforms create a clear process for victims to request the removal of such content within 48 hours. Failure by platforms to reasonably comply with these removal requests will be treated as an unfair or deceptive practice enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 updates federal housing tax credit allocations to reflect current economic realities and boosts minimum state allotments. It reforms tenant eligibility rules to stabilize tenancy and enhance protections for vulnerable residents, including victims of abuse. The bill also provides disaster relief for property owners, increases incentives for housing the extremely low-income, and directs greater resources toward Native American and rural housing needs. Finally, it streamlines administrative processes and signals a future focus on data transparency and discouraging restrictive local zoning.

The Promoting New Bank Formation Act aims to encourage the creation of new banks by providing regulatory relief for newly insured institutions. This includes a three-year phase-in period for new capital standards and streamlined processes for adjusting initial business plans. The Act also establishes temporary, favorable capital requirements for new rural depository institutions and expands lending authority for Federal savings associations to include agricultural loans. Finally, it mandates a study on barriers to new bank formation, especially in underserved areas.