Legislative Activity

The John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act prohibits discrimination based on religion, sex, or marital status in federally funded child welfare services. This aims to increase the number of stable, family-like placements for children, especially for LGBTQ youth who are overrepresented in foster care. The bill mandates federal guidance, training, and data collection to improve safety and well-being outcomes for all children involved in the system.

The HEAR Act of 2025 aims to significantly expand Medicare benefits by establishing coverage for comprehensive hearing rehabilitation services. This legislation specifically amends the Social Security Act to include hearing aids as covered durable medical equipment and mandates coverage for necessary aural rehabilitation services. The goal is to ensure eligible Medicare beneficiaries receive necessary audiological assessments, appropriate hearing aids, and follow-up rehabilitation care.

The NOAA Data Preservation Act aims to ensure the uninterrupted storage of critical National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data sets. This legislation restricts the Secretary of Commerce from canceling cloud storage contracts unless a comprehensive plan for seamless data transition and protection is established in collaboration with NOAA. The bill focuses on maintaining continuous access to vital environmental data.

This bill, the "Ending Forced Arbitration of Race Discrimination Act of 2025," invalidates predispute arbitration agreements and joint-action waivers for disputes involving alleged race discrimination. It ensures that individuals alleging race discrimination can choose to pursue their claims in court rather than through mandatory arbitration. Federal courts will determine the applicability and enforceability of these arbitration agreements.

The Grid Research and Development Act mandates the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to modernize and standardize how electric utilities report detailed data on transmission projects, costs, and operations. This law establishes a centralized, publicly accessible data repository, managed by FERC and the EIA, to make this information searchable and machine-readable. Furthermore, it directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct research and develop a public dashboard to analyze grid expansion costs, interconnection efficiency, and overall system performance for improved affordability and planning.

The EXPERTS Act of 2025 aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the federal rulemaking process. It introduces new disclosure requirements for studies submitted during public comment periods and mandates greater public awareness of agency actions. Furthermore, the bill establishes the Office of the Public Advocate to improve public involvement and explicitly requires agencies to consider social equity in their cost-benefit analyses. Finally, it streamlines the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) review timeline and clarifies judicial review standards for agency interpretations.

The Global Respect Act aims to promote and protect the human rights of LGBTQI individuals worldwide. It mandates the President to identify and report foreign persons responsible for human rights violations against LGBTQI people, leading to their inadmissibility to the United States. Furthermore, the Act requires enhanced tracking and reporting of violence and discrimination targeting individuals based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics in the annual human rights reports.

The End Rent Fixing Act of 2025 prohibits rental property owners from hiring coordinators or engaging in activities that involve collecting, analyzing, or recommending rental prices or terms across multiple properties. This coordinated activity is deemed an unlawful restraint of trade under existing antitrust laws. The bill grants enforcement power to the FTC, the Attorney General, and State Attorneys General, while also allowing injured persons to sue for treble damages. Furthermore, it lowers the pleading standard for civil lawsuits brought under this Act and related antitrust claims.

The Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act establishes grant programs to build pipelines that train and place more mental health providers in low-income schools. It also creates a student loan repayment program for providers who commit to working in these underserved districts for five years. The bill aims to improve student support ratios by increasing the number of school counselors, psychologists, and social workers in high-need areas. Finally, it mandates a study to develop future criteria for identifying areas with mental health provider shortages.

The Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025 aims to strengthen domestic food security by repealing specific sections of a prior reconciliation act. This action effectively revives the original laws that were previously amended by the repealed provisions. The bill seeks to revert existing agricultural and food-related statutes to their pre-amendment status.

This resolution supports designating November 15, 2025, as "America Recycles Day" to raise national awareness about the importance of recycling and composting. It recognizes the significant economic and environmental contributions of the American recycling sector. The bill encourages public participation and reaffirms the commitment to investing in circular economy solutions.

This bill, the International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025, establishes a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Peoples within the Department of State. It codifies U.S. policy to actively combat international criminalization, violence, and discrimination against LGBTQI+ individuals worldwide. The legislation also mandates enhanced reporting on these abuses in annual human rights reports and authorizes assistance to support related protection efforts abroad.

The Sgt. Walter F. Hartnett IV Green Star Veterans Service Act establishes the "Green Star Service Flag" to honor the next of kin of veterans who died by suicide on or after September 11, 2001. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to design and designate this flag for eligible next of kin to display. The Act also sets regulations for manufacturing and selling the authorized flag.

The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 ensures that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) continue to operate without interruption in fiscal year 2026 if standard appropriations are delayed. If funding lapses, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to use funds from the Treasury to provide benefits and reimburse state agencies. This special funding remains in effect until full appropriations are enacted or until September 30, 2026.

The Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act of 2025 establishes strict new standards for the use of non-deadly force by federal immigration personnel, requiring proportionality and de-escalation efforts. The bill mandates identification requirements, restricts the use of certain crowd-control equipment, and imposes new body camera and detailed reporting mandates. Furthermore, it creates affirmative duties for officers to intervene against excessive force and requires annual training on these new policies.

This resolution designates October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month to highlight the widespread and devastating impact of intimate partner violence across all demographics. It recognizes the urgent need to eliminate domestic violence and supports increased funding for intervention and prevention programs. The resolution underscores the severe physical, emotional, and economic toll this abuse takes on individuals, families, and communities.

The American Energy Independence and Affordability Act is a comprehensive bill designed to lower energy costs by extending and adjusting key tax incentives across energy production, efficiency, and clean vehicle adoption. It stabilizes support for renewable energy manufacturing, extends deadlines for energy-efficient building credits, and ensures consumer incentives for electric vehicles remain available through 2032. Overall, the legislation aims to provide long-term certainty for energy investments and consumer adoption of cleaner technologies.

The WIC Benefits Protection Act mandates that all states must operate the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This legislation also guarantees permanent, mandatory funding for WIC starting in fiscal year 2026, ensuring the program has the necessary resources annually. Furthermore, it clarifies eligibility language within the program's governing statute.

The Trust Through Transparency Act of 2025 mandates that federal immigration enforcement agents wear body cameras during public-facing duties. The bill establishes specific rules for retaining video footage, generally requiring deletion after six months unless exceptions like use of force or a filed complaint apply. Furthermore, it requires annual public reporting to Congress on compliance and establishes an advisory panel to recommend best practices for camera usage and data management.

The Child Care for Every Community Act establishes a national framework to guarantee universal access to high-quality, regulated child care and early learning programs for every young child. It mandates federal standards for quality, ensures child care staff receive pay comparable to K-12 employees, and requires local coordination with school systems. Furthermore, the bill protects existing state funding levels and caps family fees based on income.