Legislative Activity

The FIGHT Act of 2025 significantly strengthens federal prohibitions against animal fighting ventures, specifically targeting the sponsorship, exhibition, and gambling associated with these events. This legislation clarifies the definition of a rooster for legal purposes and bans the interstate transport of roosters for fighting. Furthermore, it empowers private citizens to file lawsuits against violators, allowing for civil penalties and the potential seizure of property used to facilitate illegal animal fighting.

The Empowering Parents’ Healthcare Choices Act allows parents with separate health insurance plans to jointly choose which plan will serve as the primary coverage for their newborn child. This choice must be communicated to the insurers within 60 days of the child's birth. This new flexibility applies to coverage decisions for children born on or after January 1, 2026.

This resolution strongly condemns the recent rise in ideologically motivated attacks targeting Jewish individuals and institutions across the United States, including the violent assault in Boulder, Colorado. The House of Representatives reaffirms its commitment to combating antisemitism and politically motivated violence in all its forms. It calls for thorough investigation and prosecution of such incidents and urges all sectors of society to speak out against hate.

The Baseload Reliability Protection Act prohibits owners of certain dispatchable power plants in areas facing high or elevated risk of electricity shortages from retiring those units or switching their fuel source. Owners can seek an exemption from this ban from FERC, which must grant it if continued operation causes financial hardship or if retirement does not harm grid reliability. The Department of Energy may offer financial assistance to keep essential, money-losing plants operational.

The Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2025 aims to streamline pesticide regulation by generally exempting legally authorized pesticide applications from needing separate Clean Water Act discharge permits. This change applies when authorized pesticides or their residues enter navigable waters from a specific discharge point. However, the exemption does not apply if the discharge violates FIFRA rules, involves certain stormwater runoff, or originates from industrial processes or vessels.

The Energy Choice Act prevents state and local governments from enacting bans or restrictions on the type or source of energy services consumers can access. This legislation protects consumer choice across various energy sources, including natural gas, hydrogen, propane, and electricity, provided the energy is sold across state lines. Essentially, it limits local interference with energy delivery options.

The VA Loan Informed Disclosure Act of 2025 (VALID Act) aims to increase awareness of VA loan options among homebuyers. It requires lenders to include comparative information about potential VA loan terms on standard FHA disclosure forms. Furthermore, the Act mandates that the Uniform Residential Loan Application include a prominent question regarding the applicant's military service.

The Patriots Over Politics Act creates a special, limited window for certain service members separated for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine between August 2021 and January 2023 to transfer their unused VA education benefits to an eligible dependent. This transfer option is available for 90 days following the bill's enactment. If transferred to a child, the benefit use is contingent upon the service member having completed at least six years of service.

This bill mandates comprehensive federal reporting to better understand and address violence, aggression, and wellness challenges facing law enforcement officers. It requires the Attorney General to produce detailed reports analyzing attacks on officers, potential new data collection methods for non-criminal aggressive incidents, and the state of officer mental health resources. The goal is to use this improved data to recommend better federal, state, and local responses and support systems for officers.

The Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act directs the FAA to update regulations within one year to permit civil supersonic flight over the United States. This allowance is strictly conditional: supersonic flight is only permitted if the aircraft operates in a manner that guarantees no sonic boom reaches the ground anywhere in the U.S. airspace.

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.

The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to help law enforcement officers secure childcare during non-traditional hours. Administered by HHS, these competitive grants will fund local agencies to offer subsidies, start new facilities, or cover operational costs for officers. The program requires state agencies to apply and secure matching funds, with a sunset date of September 30, 2030.

This Act restricts federal funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for U.S. colleges and universities that maintain relationships with Confucius Institutes or designated "Chinese Entities of Concern." These entities are broadly defined to include Chinese schools involved in military fusion, intelligence support, or human rights abuses. Institutions must sever ties with these groups to remain eligible for DHS funding, though limited, case-by-case national security waivers may be granted. The DHS is also required to report annually to Congress on the implementation of these restrictions.

The Punishing Illegal Immigrant Felons Act of 2025 significantly increases prison sentences for non-citizens who commit crimes after entering the U.S. illegally or after being previously removed. This legislation mandates substantial minimum prison terms—including an additional five years for illegal entry followed by a felony conviction and a new ten-year minimum for re-entry after deportation coupled with a crime. The bill aims to impose much harsher penalties on undocumented immigrants who commit serious offenses.

The CHOICE for Veterans Act of 2025 aims to overhaul how veterans receive assistance with their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit claims. It establishes new rules for the recognition, fees, and conduct of agents and attorneys who represent veterans. The bill also mandates increased transparency regarding available assistance and requires a review of the entire representative recognition process.

The Critical Minerals and Manufacturing Support Act significantly enhances the advanced manufacturing tax credit for battery production by increasing incentives for domestic and allied sourcing. This legislation raises the credit rate for electrode materials and tightens sourcing requirements, mandating that a rising percentage of critical minerals and component value originate from the U.S. or free-trade partners. Furthermore, it explicitly disqualifies components tied to "foreign entities of concern" from receiving these federal manufacturing incentives.

The Lifting Overburdensome Commerce Obstructions and Motives (LOCOMOTIVES) Act clarifies and strengthens federal authority over emission standards for existing locomotives and engines. This legislation limits the ability of states to set their own pollution control standards for certain railroad equipment. Specifically, it expands federal preemption to cover more nonroad engines and locomotives engaged in commerce.

The Uniform School Mapping Act prohibits the use of federal funds to purchase emergency response maps after fiscal year 2026 unless those maps meet strict digital, storage, and content requirements. These mandated maps must detail critical building features and be easily shareable with public safety agencies at no cost. Furthermore, the Secretary of Homeland Security must develop a strategy to ensure the federal government acquires and distributes these standardized maps for critical properties.

The SOAR Act of 2025 aims to significantly reform Medicare access to supplemental oxygen by removing it from the competitive bidding program and establishing new payment rates. The bill also mandates clearer documentation requirements for medical necessity using electronic templates and restores clinical judgment in claim audits. Finally, it establishes specific rights for oxygen beneficiaries and improves reimbursement for respiratory therapists.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act aims to combat sophisticated, cross-border criminal organizations driving massive increases in retail and supply chain theft. This bill updates federal laws regarding stolen goods and money laundering to strengthen enforcement tools against these groups. Furthermore, it establishes a new federal Coordination Center within Homeland Security to share intelligence and coordinate efforts between federal, state, and private sector partners. The legislation recognizes that these theft rings often fund other serious criminal activities, threatening national security and the economy.