Legislative Activity

Alyssa's Act of 2025 establishes a grant program to help schools develop emergency response maps and comprehensive master plans for preventing and responding to school shootings. The bill also significantly expands the Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-based Practices to enhance research, technical assistance, and the development of new safety technologies like panic alarms. Furthermore, it mandates the creation of a National School Safety Data Center to analyze nationwide school safety issues and trends. Finally, the Act sets technical standards for federally funded emergency response maps and requires ongoing reporting on national planning efforts.

The Postal Suspension Transparency Act requires the U.S. Postal Service to create a public, searchable website detailing temporary post office closures due to emergencies. This site must provide essential information for each affected location, including the reason for closure, alternative services, and the nearest operating facility. The goal is to ensure the public has timely and accessible information when their local post office is temporarily suspended.

This bill directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program to support the development of advanced diagnostic tools for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in service members. The program will assess promising TBI diagnostic technologies to determine their feasibility for military use, potentially improving readiness and long-term health outcomes. It authorizes funding to award grants to U.S. entities working on these diagnostics, with the goal of moving successful technologies from research into production.

The MAIL Theft Act of 2025 mandates that federal agencies, including the Department of Justice and Homeland Security, develop and report on a coordinated strategy to combat organized postal crime networks. This legislation aims to improve information sharing between federal, state, and local law enforcement regarding mail theft operations. It also requires an independent review of coordination efforts between the private sector and law enforcement.

The Championing Local Efforts to Advance Resilience Act of 2025 (CLEAR Act of 2025) establishes a grant program to help state, territory, and tribal governments create and maintain offices focused on community resilience. These offices will develop frameworks to identify risks from extreme weather and other challenges, and implement programs to address them. The bill authorizes $100 million annually through 2030, prioritizing assistance for communities with the greatest need.

This bill, the Bipartisan IVF for Military Families Act, mandates that TRICARE provide coverage for fertility treatments, including IVF, for active duty service members and their dependents starting in late 2027. The legislation outlines specific coverage limits for egg retrievals and embryo transfers while prohibiting the use of DoD funds for certain procedures like preimplantation genetic screening. It also requires the establishment of a program to coordinate this specialized fertility care for military families.

The Essential Caregivers Act of 2025 protects the rights of residents in long-term care facilities to designate an essential caregiver who can provide support and companionship. This legislation ensures that these caregivers maintain in-person access to residents even during public health emergencies when general visitation is restricted. By establishing clear protocols and an appeals process, the bill aims to prevent the harmful effects of isolation and ensure residents continue to receive vital care and advocacy.

The Campus Housing Affordability Act removes existing federal prohibitions that prevent students from receiving housing assistance. This legislation allows eligible students living in institutional housing to receive tenant-based rental assistance without that aid counting against their eligibility for federal student financial aid or other benefits. The bill grants the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development the authority to waive certain requirements to facilitate this assistance.

The ESTUARIES Act amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to officially add the Mississippi Sound to the National Estuary Program and extends the program's funding authorization through fiscal year 2031. However, the bill places specific restrictions on the EPA Administrator regarding the use of funds to implement this addition during fiscal years 2025 and 2026. This ensures that the expansion of the program is contingent upon specific funding levels in the near term.

The Professional Student Degree Act seeks to amend the Higher Education Act by formally defining what constitutes a "professional degree" for student loan purposes. This definition specifies degrees that prepare students to immediately begin practicing in a profession and require a skill level beyond a standard bachelor's degree. The bill explicitly lists numerous professional degrees, such as Law, Medicine, and specialized health fields, under this new classification.

The Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act of 2025 ensures that veterans whose benefits are misused by a fiduciary will have those funds promptly reissued by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill mandates the VA to make a good faith effort to recover the misused funds from the fiduciary after reimbursing the veteran. Furthermore, it establishes procedures for payment if the veteran dies before reimbursement and requires the VA to assess potential negligence in benefit oversight.

This bill, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, officially authorizes Congress to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. The medals will be struck by the Treasury and permanently displayed at specific national sports museums. The Act also permits the sale of duplicate bronze medals to cover production costs.

The Restoring American Mineral Security Act of 2025 aims to secure the U.S. supply of critical minerals by establishing a **Critical Minerals Security Alliance** with trusted international partners to counter market dominance by foreign adversaries. The bill authorizes the creation of a **trust fund**, financed by duties on imports from countries of concern, to support domestic mining, processing, and manufacturing projects. It also increases U.S. tariffs on certain critical minerals and derivative products sourced from designated "foreign countries of concern."

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to create an exception to the automatic enrollment requirements for certain retirement plans. Specifically, it exempts multiemployer plans from these automatic enrollment provisions. This change will take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The Protect America's Workforce Act nullifies a specific Executive Order issued in March 2025 concerning exclusions from federal labor-management relations programs. This legislation ensures that any existing collective bargaining agreements between federal agencies and employee unions remain fully in effect until their stated expiration dates. The Act also prohibits the use of federal funds to implement the overturned Executive Order.

The Helping Improve Recruitment and Retention Efforts for Prosecutors Act of 2025 establishes a federal grant program to assist state, local, territorial, and tribal governments in hiring, retaining, and training prosecutors and support staff. Administered by the Attorney General, the program will award competitive grants, prioritizing offices in underserved or budget-impacted areas. This initiative is authorized with $10 million annually from 2026 through 2030, requiring a 25% non-federal match unless waived.

The Senior Legal Hotline Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to support the creation and operation of statewide senior legal hotlines. These grants, administered under the Older Americans Act, will be awarded to eligible nonprofit organizations to provide free legal advice, counseling, and referrals to older individuals across an entire state. Grantees must meet specific operational requirements, including ensuring adequate staffing and coordinating services with existing legal and aging networks.

The Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act of 2025 establishes new federal regulations to control the discharge of harmful PFAS chemicals into U.S. waters. This bill mandates the EPA to set strict, industry-specific pollution limits and human health water quality criteria on aggressive timelines. It also immediately requires monitoring for PFAS discharges from several key industries and authorizes funding for local treatment works to address contamination.

This bill establishes the Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act of 2025 to address critical shortages in mental health care. It creates a federal program administered by HRSA to repay student loans for eligible mental health professionals. In exchange, participants must commit to up to six years of full-time service in designated mental health professional shortage areas. The program aims to incentivize practitioners to serve in underserved communities through significant loan forgiveness, capped at $250,000 per individual.

This bill reauthorizes critical research and development programs related to PFAS chemicals through fiscal year 2030. It amends existing law to extend the authorization period for these important initiatives.