Legislative Activity

This resolution designates February as "Serbian American Heritage Month" to honor the rich history, culture, and enduring contributions of Serbian Americans to the United States. It recognizes the significant impact of the Serbian American community across fields such as science, military service, business, and the arts. Additionally, the designation celebrates the historic partnership and alliance between the United States and Serbia.

The Stop Insider Trading Act restricts Members of Congress and their immediate families from purchasing individual stocks and requires public notice before selling existing holdings to prevent conflicts of interest. Additionally, the bill establishes a national photo identification requirement for voting in federal elections, including specific provisions for in-person and mail-in ballots.

The Main Street Act is comprehensive legislation designed to foster a more competitive and accessible banking environment by reducing regulatory burdens on community banks and credit unions. The bill streamlines application processes, modernizes supervision standards, and enhances transparency across federal financial agencies to encourage local lending and economic growth. Additionally, it promotes innovation and financial stability by facilitating bank-fintech partnerships and improving the tools available for managing liquidity and bank resolutions.

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.

The "Combating Illicit Xylazine Act" aims to combat the illegal use of xylazine by adding it to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, which would allow for increased regulation and tracking of the substance. The bill includes exemptions and delayed effective dates for certain requirements to ease the transition for legitimate users, such as veterinarians and animal handlers. It also directs the Sentencing Commission to review sentencing guidelines for xylazine-related offenses and mandates reports to Congress on the prevalence and impact of illicit xylazine use. Finally, it will include xylazine in Arcos tracking.

The Anti-Fraud Fund Act of 2026 increases the funding cap for the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account by $7 billion annually from 2027 through 2030. This legislation provides additional resources to combat health care fraud while implementing safeguards to ensure these temporary increases do not permanently inflate future funding baselines.

The FDA Modernization Act 3.0 directs the FDA to update federal regulations by replacing references to "animal testing" with the broader term "nonclinical tests." This update ensures regulatory consistency with modern testing standards and includes a technical correction to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

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.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and processors from assigning specific merchant category codes to firearms retailers. This legislation aims to protect consumer privacy by preventing the tracking of firearm and ammunition purchases through specialized financial classification. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcing these provisions and reporting annually on compliance.

The Hmong Congressional Gold Medal Act honors the Hmong people for their courageous service and sacrifice alongside the United States during the Vietnam War. This legislation authorizes the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to recognize their critical contributions in the fight against communism and their subsequent resettlement in America. The medal will be housed at the Smithsonian Institution to preserve the history of their service for future generations.

The FCRA Liability Harmonization Act aims to standardize civil liability for class action lawsuits under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This bill caps the total recovery amount for both willful and negligent violations in class actions at the lesser of $500,000 or 1% of the company's net worth. Furthermore, it places new limits on the recoverable attorney's fees and court costs associated with these class action claims.

This bill, the REAL Butter Act, aims to ensure consumer choice by requiring clear and truthful labeling for butter alternatives created through non-agricultural synthesis. It mandates that products marketed as butter but made with synthesized milkfat must be labeled as "lab-created butter." This prevents misbranding by distinguishing these products from traditional butter defined under existing law.

The State Emissions Authority Act of 2026 eliminates federal mandates requiring states to operate mandatory vehicle emission inspection and maintenance programs. This legislation amends the Clean Air Act to remove specific requirements for state air quality plans related to these inspections. Consequently, federal vehicles and facilities are also removed from compliance with state inspection programs.

The Medal of Sacrifice Act establishes a new national medal to honor law enforcement officers and first responders killed in the line of duty. This legislation creates a Commission to advise on the medal's design, presentation, and final eligibility decisions, particularly when there are findings of wrongdoing. The medal itself will feature specific symbolic elements and will be awarded to eligible fallen heroes.

This bill officially designates the "America 250 flag" as a national symbol to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It authorizes this special flag, featuring the number 250 within the circle of stars, to be flown alongside the U.S. flag at government buildings worldwide during the Semiquincentennial celebration. The act recognizes the flag as a symbol of the nation's founding and commitment to liberty.

The Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting January 1, 2026. This coverage is specifically for testing or treatment related to COVID-19, the flu, RSV, strep throat, or during a declared public health emergency. The bill outlines payment structures, generally covering 80% of the cost, and prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

The Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act amends the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding subminimum wage employment for individuals with disabilities. This bill changes the applicable age for subminimum wage employment from 24 and under to 18 and older. It also modifies employer requirements for providing counseling and documentation related to this employment status.

The Cashless Bail Reporting Act mandates that states and local governments receiving specific federal grants must report annual data on their use of cashless bail systems. This data includes the number of individuals released, subsequent failures to appear, and new arrests while on pretrial release. Furthermore, the Act requires the Attorney General to annually publish a list of jurisdictions that permit pretrial release without cash bail for certain offenses threatening public safety.

The GUARD Act expands the use of federal grant funds to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement investigate elder financial fraud, "pig butchering" scams, and general financial fraud. This legislation allows agencies to hire specialized staff, receive advanced training on emerging technologies, and acquire necessary investigative tools. Furthermore, the Act mandates comprehensive federal reports to Congress detailing the scope of these scams and the effectiveness of current enforcement efforts.

This bill, the Servicemember Payment Data Privacy and Security Act, directs the Department of Defense to review and phase out the use of payment processing equipment and services from retailers that rely on technology linked to designated countries of concern. The goal is to secure servicemember payment data by prohibiting contracts with retailers using this covered equipment starting in 2027. The Secretary of Defense must report to Congress on the implementation of these security measures.