Legislative Activity

The YALI Act of 2025 formally establishes and expands the Young African Leaders Initiative to invest in emerging African leaders across sub-Saharan Africa. This legislation mandates the creation of professional development, training, and networking opportunities focused on business, civic engagement, and public administration. The bill specifically supports the Mandela Washington Fellowship and requires the establishment of regional leadership centers and online networks to foster ongoing engagement and U.S.-Africa ties.

This resolution expresses support for designating July 10th as Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. It honors the essential and dangerous work performed by these skilled professionals, especially their heroic efforts in restoring power after major disasters. The day serves to recognize their service and remember those who have lost their lives performing this vital work.

The Qualified to Serve Act aims to standardize and clarify medical accession standards for individuals joining the Armed Forces. It prohibits disqualification based on certain medical conditions diagnosed before age 13, provided specific conditions regarding subsequent treatment and current fitness are met. The bill also mandates formal review and national security waiver processes for medical disqualifications and requires annual reporting on disqualifications and waivers to Congress.

This bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to lower the eligibility requirements for spouses of active duty service members. It reduces the required length of employment from 12 months to just 90 days for these military spouses to qualify for job-protected leave. This change ensures military families can access necessary leave more quickly during active duty periods.

This bill reauthorizes the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program through fiscal year 2030 with an annual appropriation of \$3.5 billion. It updates the program's goals to explicitly promote the use of alternative fuels and expands eligible uses for grant funds to include infrastructure supporting alternative fuel distribution. The legislation also expands competitive grant opportunities for projects focused on increasing alternative fuel adoption.

This bill reauthorizes key programs under the Kay Hagan Tick Act to combat vector-borne diseases like Lyme disease through 2030. It extends funding for the national strategy and regional centers focused on these illnesses. Additionally, the legislation continues enhanced support for local health departments to improve disease surveillance and response capabilities.

The Building Civic Bridges Act establishes a new Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within the National and Community Service Corporation to promote activities that unite divided communities. This Office will manage a competitive, research-backed grant program to fund local projects focused on reducing conflict and improving social cohesion. The Act mandates that the program be implemented using only donated funds, with no new federal appropriations authorized.

This bill, the Protecting Patient Access to Cancer and Complex Therapies Act, establishes a new mandatory rebate system for manufacturers of certain drugs selected for Maximum Fair Price (MFP) negotiation under Medicare. Manufacturers must pay quarterly rebates based on the difference between the standard Medicare payment and the lower negotiated MFP for units sold under Part B. These changes also adjust beneficiary coinsurance calculations to reflect the lower MFP, ensuring patient out-of-pocket costs are based on the negotiated price.

The CROP for Farming Act updates existing conservation programs to explicitly include climate change mitigation as a primary focus. It expands the definition of a "conservation incentive" to cover issues like reducing nitrous oxide and methane emissions. Furthermore, the bill redefines successful conservation to include measurable reductions in greenhouse gases and increases in soil carbon storage.

The Bunker Buster Act of 2025 expresses Congress's strong disapproval of Iran's escalating nuclear activities and regional aggression. The bill outlines a sense of Congress urging continued diplomatic pressure while ensuring Israel is prepared for contingencies should Iran pursue a nuclear weapon. To this end, it authorizes the President to provide specific military and infrastructure support to Israel upon request, provided national security interests are met. Crucially, this Act explicitly states it does not grant authority for the use of military force against Iran.

The Expanding Access to Mental Health Services in Schools Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to increase the number of mental health professionals in high-need school districts. This funding is specifically designed to help eligible agencies recruit, hire, and retain school counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Grantees must demonstrate a plan to improve student-to-provider ratios and report annually on staffing improvements and provider retention.

This resolution strongly condemns Russia for the abduction and forced "Russification" of Ukrainian children, highlighting these actions as grave violations of international law. It emphasizes that these children must be safely returned to Ukraine before any final peace agreement to end the war is considered. The document also underscores the heightened risks of trafficking, violence, and trauma faced by Ukrainian children due to the ongoing invasion.

The Essential Air Service Reliability Act of 2025 updates the Essential Air Service (EAS) program by requiring airlines seeking federal subsidies to submit contingency plans for non-weather-related service disruptions. This legislation also shifts the selection criteria for subsidy recipients to prioritize the proposed rate of compensation. These changes aim to ensure more reliable air service to smaller communities by mandating operational backups.

This resolution expresses the support of Congress for designating June 28, 2025, as "Community is Stronger than Cancer Day." The day aims to officially recognize and celebrate cancer patients, survivors, and the vital role of unpaid caregivers. It encourages communities nationwide to offer support, build connections, and work to remove barriers to cancer care. Ultimately, the day celebrates the inspiration and hope found within communities united against cancer.

The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2025 aims to combat the growing obesity epidemic, particularly among older adults, by expanding access to intensive behavioral therapy under Medicare. This bill mandates that Medicare Part D plans begin covering FDA-approved medications for obesity and weight management in individuals with related health conditions. Finally, it requires the Secretary of HHS to report regularly to Congress on the implementation and coordination of these new obesity treatment strategies.

This bill significantly strengthens the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016 by explicitly blocking time-based and procedural defenses that have previously prevented claims for Nazi-looted art from being heard on their merits. The changes ensure that courts must now focus on whether the art was actually stolen, regardless of when the claim is brought or the citizenship of the original owner. These improvements apply immediately to both pending and future lawsuits seeking the return of art expropriated during the Nazi era.

The Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act establishes a new grant program to enhance mental and behavioral health support for K-12 students through telehealth services. These grants prioritize funding for schools in high-poverty, rural, or underserved areas to acquire necessary equipment and staff for remote care delivery. The program aims to expand access to mental health services while ensuring strict compliance with student privacy laws.

The Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025 updates federal law to broaden protections against intimate partner violence by expanding the definition of an "intimate partner" to explicitly include dating relationships. This bill also introduces a new federal prohibition on firearm possession for individuals convicted of a misdemeanor crime of stalking. These changes aim to close loopholes and ensure comprehensive safety measures for survivors of abuse and harassment.

The Military PFAS Transparency Act of 2025 mandates that the Department of Defense (DoD) provide annual, detailed reports to Congress on the funding and status of all interim cleanup actions for toxic PFAS chemicals at military sites. This legislation also requires the DoD to submit a strategy for accelerating these cleanups based on health risks and environmental harm. Furthermore, the DoD must establish a public-facing online dashboard to ensure transparency regarding spending and cleanup progress.

The Bridge Corrosion Prevention and Repair Act of 2025 establishes new federal requirements to combat bridge rust and decay on federally funded projects by mandating the use of certified contractors and qualified training programs for corrosion control work. The bill also makes federal grant funding explicitly available for corrosion control work on rail bridges. Furthermore, it directs the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a comprehensive study on the efficacy and maintenance of weathering steel bridges within 18 months.