Legislative Activity

The Child Care Modernization Act of 2025 aims to significantly update federal child care funding by increasing state flexibility, broadening eligibility for assistance, and strengthening workforce support. The bill mandates that states develop plans ensuring child care payment rates cover actual costs, determined by new cost estimation models. Furthermore, it establishes new grant programs to fund the startup, expansion, and physical improvement of child care facilities.

The Stand Strong for Medicare Act expands Medicare coverage to include essential fall prevention items such as grab bars and shower chairs. This legislation removes the requirement for a physician's order for these specific safety devices to be covered. Furthermore, payments for these newly covered items are protected from budget sequestration cuts.

The Head Start for America's Children Act aims to strengthen early childhood education by explicitly including infants and toddlers in growth goals and emphasizing mental health support. The bill significantly increases funding authorizations, updates numerous definitions to promote inclusivity (especially for Native American and Native Hawaiian communities), and establishes new requirements for staff compensation and professional development. Furthermore, it creates several new pilot programs focused on extending operating hours, fostering partnerships with higher education, and enabling community-wide eligibility in high-poverty areas.

The Same Day Registration Act mandates that all states allow eligible citizens to register to vote or update their registration at the polling place on Election Day for any federal election. This ensures that individuals can register and cast their ballot simultaneously, provided the state does not already have a no-registration requirement. States must ensure registration forms are available at all polling locations, with full compliance generally required starting with the November 2026 general election.

This resolution officially designates September 2025 as National Literacy Month to raise awareness about the critical importance of reading skills. It highlights the significant national challenges in literacy rates and the economic costs associated with low literacy. The measure calls upon all sectors of society to observe the month by promoting evidence-based reading programs and activities.

The Register America to Vote Act of 2025 aims to modernize and secure voter registration nationwide by establishing automatic registration systems. This includes automatically registering citizens when they turn 18 and implementing opt-out registration through state motor vehicle agencies. The Act provides federal funding to states to upgrade technology and mandates new national security and privacy standards for handling voter data.

The Equal Employment for All Act of 2025 significantly amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit employers from using credit checks when making most hiring or firing decisions, even with applicant consent. This new restriction only allows credit checks for jobs requiring national security clearance or when specifically mandated by another law. The Act ensures that applicants cannot be penalized simply for refusing to authorize a credit check unless one of these narrow exceptions applies.

The Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act invalidates pre-dispute agreements that force individuals into private arbitration for employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights claims. This legislation protects the right of individuals and groups to pursue legal action in court rather than being compelled into private arbitration before a dispute arises. It ensures that courts, not arbitrators, decide if this new law applies to a specific agreement. The Act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

The Small Business RELIEF Act exempts qualifying small businesses from import duties imposed under Executive Order 14257 due to a national emergency declaration. This legislation also mandates refunds for any such duties already paid by these small businesses. The goal is to provide immediate financial relief to small businesses impacted by these specific emergency tariffs.

The Tax Cut for Striking Workers Act of 2025 makes strike benefits received from a labor union tax-free for striking workers. This legislation ensures that these payments are excluded from gross income and will not negatively affect a worker's eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). These provisions apply to compensation received after December 31, 2025.

This Act officially establishes the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 to honor the life and groundbreaking civil rights achievements of the late legal pioneer. The bill authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to her family in recognition of her service, including her role in *Brown v. Board of Education*. Furthermore, it permits the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the medal to cover production costs.

The Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act aims to protect Social Security from external government interference, specifically exempting it from the jurisdiction of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The bill also tightens restrictions on political appointees accessing beneficiary data, mandates that only verified deceased individuals are added to the Death Master File, and locks in current SSA office levels. Finally, it allocates significant new funding for improving customer service, modernizing technology, and establishing state and community grants to assist disability applicants.

The Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act of 2025 modifies how states calculate Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments under Medicaid by updating eligibility and factoring in payments received from Medicare or private health plans. This legislation also allows states the option to use unspent federal DSH funds from recent years to increase payments to hospitals retroactively. These changes aim to ensure hospitals treating vulnerable populations receive appropriate support under the Medicaid program.

This bill, the ESP, Paraprofessional, and Education Support Staff Family Leave Act, modifies the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for school employees. It establishes a new, more flexible standard for paraprofessionals and education support staff to meet the FMLA's hours-of-service requirement based on their typical school-year schedule. Furthermore, the Act mandates the Department of Labor to create specific calculation methods for FMLA leave entitlement tailored to the unique scheduling of educational employees.

The Nationwide Right To Unionize Act seeks to strengthen union organizing rights across the country. It achieves this by repealing the section of federal law that currently allows state "right-to-work" laws to override federal labor protections. This change effectively removes the federal permission for states to enforce laws prohibiting mandatory union membership or fee payment as a condition of employment.

The Telehealth Modernization Act primarily extends key Medicare telehealth flexibilities, such as geographic and audio-only options, until September 30, 2027. The bill also extends the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver through 2030 and mandates a comprehensive study comparing home-based and traditional hospital care. Additionally, it introduces new program integrity measures for Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and requires guidance to ensure language access for Limited English Proficiency patients utilizing telehealth.

The Student Loan Deduction Act of 2025 allows households applying for food assistance to deduct monthly student loan payments from their countable income. This deduction applies to both federal and private education loans, covering payments made for any household member. Claiming this deduction can positively impact eligibility for food assistance benefits.

This bill makes minor, technical corrections to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. The primary changes involve renumbering and updating existing definitions within the Act to ensure internal consistency. These are housekeeping adjustments designed to clean up the existing law without altering its substance.

The Lowering Electric Bills Act extends crucial tax credits for residential clean energy installations until 2034. It also modifies the phase-out schedule for the Clean Electricity Production and Investment Credits, tying their continuation to achieving specific emissions reduction targets or the year 2032. These changes aim to provide long-term stability for clean energy investments.

The West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025 mandates the President to impose targeted sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans, on foreign individuals or groups whose actions threaten the peace and stability of the West Bank. These penalties specifically target those involved in violence against civilians, property destruction, or terrorism. The law requires regular reporting to Congress detailing those sanctioned and the steps being taken to mitigate violence in the region.