Legislative Activity

The "Access Technology Affordability Act of 2025" introduces a tax credit for blind individuals who purchase qualified access technology, such as hardware or software that converts visual information into accessible formats. The credit is capped at $2,000 per blind individual over any three consecutive tax years and will be adjusted for inflation after 2026. This credit is effective for tax years starting after December 31, 2025, and expires after December 31, 2030. It ensures that individuals cannot claim double benefits for the same expenses.

The MODERN WIC Act of 2025 aims to modernize the WIC program by expanding options for remote certification appointments, including telephone and video calls, and allowing for remote delivery of food benefits. It requires state agencies to offer various formats for certification appointments, ensuring accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The Act also mandates a report to Congress on the use of remote technologies in WIC, focusing on their impact and best practices.

The Buffalo Soldiers Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2025 authorizes the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Buffalo Soldier regiments, recognizing their dedicated service to the United States. Following the award ceremony, the medal will be given to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture for display and research. The Secretary of the Treasury is permitted to create and sell bronze duplicates of the gold medal. Funds from the sales will be deposited back into the Mint's Public Enterprise Fund.

The "Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act of 2025" aims to restore educational benefits to veterans and eligible individuals whose education was interrupted due to institutional misconduct, such as fraud or closure. It requires educational institutions to repay educational assistance received if a student's benefits are restored due to the institution's actions. The bill also allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to recover fraudulently obtained funds and establishes an appeal process for institutions.

The Venezuelan Adjustment Act allows eligible Venezuelan nationals who have been in the U.S. since December 31, 2021, to apply for lawful permanent resident status, providing a pathway to citizenship for those who meet specific requirements and pass background checks. Certain grounds for inadmissibility will not apply when determining an alien's admissibility. The Department of Homeland Security will oversee the application process, with decisions not subject to court review except for constitutional claims or questions of law. This adjustment of status does not reduce the number of immigrant visas available under existing immigration laws.

The "Expanding Child Care Access Act of 2025" introduces a tax credit, up to $5,000, for qualified child care startup expenses incurred by licensed family child care providers. This credit aims to support individuals starting or expanding licensed child care services within their primary residence, covering expenses such as licensing fees, supplies, insurance, and necessary equipment or renovations. The credit is available for a limited time and cannot be claimed for expenses already covered by other deductions or credits.

The Tipped Income Protection and Support (TIPS) Act eliminates the subminimum wage for tipped employees, requiring employers to pay the standard minimum wage before tips. It ensures that all tips go to the employees, allowing for traditional tip pooling. The bill also introduces a tax deduction for qualified cash tips for employees earning up to $112,500 annually, effective for taxable years after 2025.

The Susan Muffley Act of 2025 ensures that eligible participants and beneficiaries under specific pension plans, like the Delphi and PHI retirement programs, receive their full vested benefits. It directs the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to recalculate benefits, provide lump-sum payments for past-due amounts with interest, and establishes a trust fund within the Treasury to cover these increased payments. The act also includes provisions for the tax treatment of lump-sum payments, allowing recipients to spread the income over three years unless they elect otherwise.

The Justice for All Act of 2025 aims to strengthen and expand civil rights protections by clarifying prohibited discrimination, reinstating the right to sue for discriminatory impact, and addressing loopholes in existing laws. This bill amends several key acts to include protections based on religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), and source of income, while also prohibiting discrimination by law enforcement and in public accommodations. It also makes employers fully responsible for employee discrimination, bans mandatory arbitration in employment, consumer, and civil rights disputes, and clarifies liability for government officials who violate constitutional rights. Finally, the act ensures that individuals who have experienced discrimination can recover equitable and legal relief, attorney's fees, and costs.

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Act authorizes the creation of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall. It ensures the museum's exhibits and programs accurately represent the diverse cultures, histories, events, and values of Hispanic and Latino communities, seeking guidance from diverse sources. The Act also mandates regular reports to Congress on the museum's efforts to meet these diversity requirements.

The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 expands public safety officer benefits to include deaths and disabilities caused by exposure-related cancers, presuming that certain cancers diagnosed within 15 years of service are line-of-duty injuries if the officer served for at least 5 years. It defines "exposure-related cancer" and allows for updates to the list based on medical evidence, while also permitting individuals to petition for additions. The Act also clarifies "line of duty action" and applies retroactively to claims dating back to January 1, 2020, with a three-year window for filing claims based on these amendments.

This bill recognizes the significant contributions of immigrants to the United States and condemns discriminatory immigration policies. It urges the protection of immigrants' rights, the implementation of humane immigration policies, and supports comprehensive immigration reform. The bill aims to honor the legacy of immigrants and promote a welcoming immigration system that benefits the nation.

The "All Access Act of 2025" ensures Members of Congress can access any public building during regular hours by showing their official ID. Access outside of normal business hours requires a 12-hour advance notice to the building head. This act defines "Member of Congress" as a Representative or Senator.

This proposed constitutional amendment clarifies that constitutional rights are exclusively for natural persons, not corporations or other artificial entities, which can be regulated by the people. It aims to ensure equal access to the political process by allowing regulation of campaign finance, stating that spending money to influence elections is not protected speech. The amendment also explicitly protects the freedom of the press.

The "PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2025" extends funding for research on preterm births and infant care through 2029. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish an interagency working group to address premature birth issues and mandates a comprehensive study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on preterm births, including cost analysis, risk factor identification, and best practices for prevention and treatment. A report on the study's findings must be submitted to Congress and the Secretary of Health and Human Services within 24 months.

The "Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act" aims to ensure more veterans can access housing assistance by excluding certain disability benefits from income calculations for specific housing programs. This exclusion applies to the supported housing program under section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 and when determining eligibility to rent residential housing on Department of Veteran Affairs property constructed after the enactment of this act. This exclusion does not apply to the definition of adjusted income. By excluding these benefits, the bill seeks to make housing more affordable and accessible for disabled veterans.

The L’Ouverture Economic Development Plan for Haiti Act of 2025 aims to promote sustainable economic development in Haiti through private sector investment, accountable governance, and infrastructure development. It establishes a Haitian American Enterprise Fund to support Haitian businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, with a focus on key sectors like agriculture, energy, and tourism. The fund will be managed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and overseen by a panel of experts, with the goal of fostering job creation, reducing irregular migration, and improving overall stability in Haiti. The act authorizes $1 billion in appropriations annually from 2026 to 2031 to carry out these objectives.

This bill establishes a Department of Peacebuilding within the executive branch to coordinate and promote peace-related efforts, both domestically and internationally, through nonviolent conflict resolution and violence reduction strategies. The department will be led by a Secretary of Peacebuilding and will include offices focused on peace education, domestic and international peacebuilding, technology for peace, and human rights. It emphasizes collaboration with other agencies and allocates resources, with a focus on domestic peace programs, to implement these initiatives. The bill also directs the Secretary to propose legislative changes, encourages the promotion of peace through Peace Days, and defines key terms to ensure clarity in the Act's implementation.

The Taxpayer Data Protection Act limits access to the Treasury Department's payment systems to Treasury employees or contractors with satisfactory performance reviews and security clearances. It sets specific criteria for individuals accessing the system, including conflict of interest restrictions, training, and ethics agreements. The Act also mandates the Treasury Department's Inspector General to investigate and report to Congress on any unauthorized system use.

The Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act of 2025 aims to increase household disaster resilience through a grant program for pre-disaster mitigation activities, tax exclusions for state-based catastrophe loss mitigation payments and certain emergency agricultural assistance, and a tax credit for disaster mitigation expenditures. The grant program will provide funds to states and tribal governments for mitigation activities on individual homes in high-risk disaster areas, while the tax exclusions and credit offer financial relief and incentives for individuals and agricultural producers affected by disasters. This act seeks to encourage proactive measures to protect homes and businesses from the impact of future disasters.