Legislative Activity

The American Franchise Act aims to protect the traditional franchise business model by clarifying the definition of a "joint employer." This legislation establishes that a franchisor is only considered a joint employer if it exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over the essential terms of employment for a franchisee's workers. This change specifically targets liability risks associated with maintaining brand standards, ensuring franchisors are not automatically held responsible for local labor practices. The new standard applies prospectively to future legal proceedings.

This act, the Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2025, prohibits the Secretary of Labor from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed rule regarding heat injury and illness prevention published in August 2024. This restriction extends to any future standard substantially similar to the one proposed.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to streamline and modernize the prior authorization process within Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and significantly increases transparency regarding approval rates and decision times starting in 2027. Furthermore, it establishes new enrollee protections and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timeframes for medical services.

This resolution congratulates the Carolina Hurricanes on winning the 2026 Stanley Cup Championship, their first in 20 years. It celebrates their dominant playoff run, significant economic impact on Wake County, and extensive community contributions. The bill also recognizes the outstanding performances of the players, coaches, and staff who brought the championship back to Raleigh.

The Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2025 aims to protect students' rights to join single-sex social organizations at colleges receiving federal funding. This bill prevents institutions from taking adverse action against students or groups solely because of sex-based membership policies. It ensures these organizations are treated fairly compared to other campus groups regarding participation and privileges. Ultimately, the Act safeguards a student's freedom to choose their associations, including single-sex clubs.

The No Antisemitism in Education Act of 2026 addresses the rise of antisemitism in educational institutions by requiring federally funded schools to treat discrimination motivated by antisemitism with the same seriousness as other prohibited discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The bill mandates the use of the definition of antisemitism from Executive Order 13899 when investigating such incidents. This ensures consistent enforcement against harassment and discrimination targeting Jewish students and employees, while preserving First Amendment rights.

This resolution congratulates the Carolina Hurricanes on winning the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, their second championship, twenty years after their first. It recognizes the team's dominant playoff performance, highlights key players like Captain Jordan Staal and Coach Rod Brind'Amour, and acknowledges the organization's community contributions.

The No Aid for Ghost Students Act of 2026 establishes mandatory identity fraud screening for all federal student aid applications starting in late 2026. If an application is flagged for potential fraud, colleges are prohibited from disbursing aid until they verify the student's identity using strict methods. This legislation also creates a higher scrutiny category for institutional program reviews if a school shows a pattern of paying aid on flagged applications without proper verification.

This Act updates the criteria the U.S. government uses to evaluate foreign countries' efforts to combat sex trafficking. Specifically, it requires assessing a country's actions to prohibit or implement policies against purchasing commercial sex acts. The evaluation also considers efforts to educate buyers and reduce international sex tourism by their nationals.

This resolution designates May 2025 as Jewish American Heritage Month to recognize the significant contributions of Jewish Americans to the nation. It also addresses the concerning rise in antisemitism across the country. The bill calls on leaders to actively counter hate, educate the public on Jewish heritage, and ensure the safety and dignity of Jewish Americans.

The Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act of 2026 aims to protect parents from unwarranted investigation or prosecution for allowing children to engage in reasonable, age-appropriate independent activities. The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to study and report on best practices for supporting childhood independence. Furthermore, it amends federal law to ensure that state child welfare systems recognize these activities as beneficial, not as grounds for abuse or neglect claims.

The Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act of 2026 establishes a federal ban on performing dismemberment abortions, carrying criminal penalties for physicians who knowingly violate the law. This ban includes exceptions only when necessary to save the life of the mother. The Act also allows for civil lawsuits by the woman or her parents against violators, while explicitly stating that other abortion methods remain unaffected.

The Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act significantly narrows the federal beneficial ownership information reporting requirements. This legislation limits reporting obligations exclusively to foreign individuals and foreign-connected companies. Furthermore, it mandates the deletion of all previously collected data pertaining to domestic persons and entities.

This bill officially designates April 18, 2026, as "National Lineman Appreciation Day." It recognizes the vital contributions of linemen in maintaining critical energy infrastructure and serving as essential first responders during emergencies. The resolution expresses strong support for these brave men and women who work under dangerous conditions to keep communities safe and powered.

The PREDICT Act prohibits federal officials, including members of Congress, the President, and high-level executive and judicial employees, from trading in prediction markets tied to political events. The bill mandates financial penalties for violations, requires the disgorgement of any profits, and ensures public transparency by requiring ethics offices to disclose all assessed fines.

The FAFSA Verification Efficiency Act streamlines the federal student aid process by mandating that the Department of Education and the Social Security Administration automatically verify the Social Security numbers and citizenship status of all applicants. This legislation aims to reduce administrative burdens and improve the accuracy of federal financial aid eligibility determinations.

The Science of Reading Act of 2026 amends federal education law to formally align reading instruction with the evidence-based "science of reading." This legislation defines the science of reading, explicitly excluding instructional methods like the three-cueing model. The Act prioritizes federal funding and requires state literacy plans to adopt these research-backed approaches for teaching reading and writing.

The ERISA Litigation Reform Act amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act to establish stricter pleading standards for civil actions alleging fiduciary breaches, particularly concerning prohibited transactions. It mandates a stay on discovery proceedings while certain preliminary motions are pending in federal court. Furthermore, the bill requires parties to preserve relevant documents during this discovery stay, subject to potential sanctions for willful failure to comply.

The Truman Scholarship Clean House Act reforms the Harry S. Truman Memorial Scholarship Foundation by restructuring its Board of Trustees and establishing new, bipartisan appointment requirements. The bill introduces stricter eligibility and conduct standards for scholarship recipients, mandates repayment for those who fail to meet public service requirements, and implements new transparency protocols for Foundation records. Additionally, it updates the appointment process and term limits for the Foundation’s Executive Secretary to ensure greater oversight and accountability.

The Student Aid Fraud Oversight and Accountability Act of 2026 mandates that the Secretary of Education prioritize federal program reviews for institutions suspected of disbursing aid to students based on fraudulent identities. This act requires the Secretary to identify institutions that disburse Title IV aid where identity fraud is reasonably suspected, unless the institution verifies the student's identity in person or synchronously online. This identification serves to guide oversight activities but does not automatically imply a violation of the Higher Education Act.