Legislative Activity

The Supporting Our Shelters Act establishes a new federal grant program to provide financial assistance directly to eligible animal shelters. These funds are intended to improve animal care, facility operations, and staffing capabilities. Recipients must submit annual reports detailing animal outcomes and fund expenditures, while the Secretary must also report annually to Congress on the program's effectiveness.

The Pigs and Public Health Act enacts sweeping reforms for the humane handling and processing of pigs, banning certain growth-promoting drugs and establishing strict transportation and euthanasia standards for nonambulatory animals. It also significantly increases public health transparency by creating a confidential reporting portal for violations and strengthening whistleblower protections for employees. Furthermore, the bill mandates a study on the public health risks associated with nonambulatory pigs entering the food system. These measures aim to improve animal welfare while empowering workers to report safety concerns.

The Climate Adaptation Plan (CAP) Act of 2025 establishes a new competitive grant program administered by the EPA to help eligible entities develop comprehensive climate adaptation plans. These grants prioritize applications from environmental justice communities and require applicants to detail community demographics and risk assessments related to climate change impacts on people, ecosystems, and infrastructure. The resulting plans must outline specific actions to address identified risks and integrate with existing local planning documents.

The PIGS Act of 2025 aims to improve animal welfare by prohibiting the confinement of breeding pigs in spaces too small for them to fully stand, lie down, or turn around. This legislation establishes minimum space requirements for breeding pigs one year after enactment, with specific rules taking effect by the end of 2025. The Act includes exceptions for necessary transport or veterinary care and mandates financial assistance for producers transitioning to the new housing standards.

The American Families United Act grants immigration officials increased discretion to halt removal proceedings or grant immigration benefits for family members of U.S. citizens when separation would cause hardship. This discretion is presumed to be met if the action results in family separation, though certain serious criminal grounds remain disqualifying. The Act also allows individuals to file motions to reopen or reconsider past immigration decisions if the outcome would have been different under these new provisions, subject to a two-year filing deadline.

The Homeland Security Improvement Act aims to improve border enforcement policies and community relations by establishing an independent oversight commission, creating an ombudsman for border and immigration-related concerns, mandating additional training for CBP agents, and increasing transparency and accountability in border enforcement activities. The act also requires several reports to Congress on border security, migrant deaths, use of force, and the impact of border enforcement on civil rights and liberties, and limits the separation of families at the border.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 4400 East Paisano Drive in El Paso, Texas, as the "Enedina Sanchez Cordero Post Office Building." Any reference to this facility in any document will now refer to it as the Enedina Sanchez Cordero Post Office Building.

The "Health Care Providers Safety Act of 2025" authorizes the Secretary to award grants to health care providers. These grants will enhance the physical and cyber security of healthcare facilities, personnel, and patients. Funds can be used for security services, upgrades to physical access, cyber security, video surveillance, data privacy, and structural improvements.