Legislative Activity

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to establish a new, increasing schedule for federal appropriations for Impact Aid programs through fiscal year 2031. It specifically sets new funding limits for payments related to federal property acquisition, basic payments for heavily impacted districts, services for children with disabilities, and construction activities. The legislation aims to advance progress toward full federal funding for these essential school support programs.

The High Occupancy Vehicle Lane Exemption Reauthorization Act extends the federal deadline for finalizing certain rules regarding High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) facilities. This legislation pushes back the required completion date by one year, moving it from September 30, 2025, to September 30, 2026. This extension provides authorities with additional time to complete necessary actions related to HOV lane regulations.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of a recent rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) concerning adherence to the text of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this resolution immediately nullifies the proposed HHS policy. Consequently, the new rule regarding APA adherence will have no legal effect.

The Protecting Students with Disabilities Act ensures that key federal offices overseeing disability education and services, such as OSEP and RSA, remain permanently housed within the Department of Education. This legislation prohibits the executive branch from unilaterally relocating these offices or using appropriated funds to undermine their statutory duties. Furthermore, the Act prevents the Department from outsourcing the enforcement or administration of major disability laws like IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act.

The CCAMPIS Reauthorization Act establishes a federal grant program to help student parents remain in college by making childcare accessible. The Secretary of Education can award five-year grants to eligible colleges and universities to provide on-campus or subsidized childcare services to student parents who qualify for Pell Grants. Grantees must ensure the funded programs meet specific quality benchmarks within three years and report annually on student outcomes. The Act authorizes $500 million annually for this program from Fiscal Years 2026 through 2031.

The SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve the national understanding and prevention of stillbirths. It authorizes federal grants to help states enhance stillbirth surveillance, data collection, and analysis, ensuring all collected data remains de-identified. Furthermore, the Act mandates the creation of clear federal guidelines for standardized data collection and the development of public educational materials regarding stillbirth risk factors.

The Safe Step Act establishes mandatory exception processes for group health plans and insurance issuers that utilize step therapy protocols for prescription drugs. This ensures patients and doctors have a clear, timely pathway to request coverage for medically necessary alternatives when required initial treatments are inappropriate or ineffective. Plans must provide rapid decisions for urgent requests and adhere to specific reporting requirements detailing exception outcomes.

The Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2025 requires colleges receiving federal aid to update their campus safety reports with comprehensive anti-harassment policies that specifically address technology-facilitated harassment. This legislation also establishes a competitive grant program to fund campus initiatives focused on harassment prevention, counseling, and training. Crucially, the Act supplements existing civil rights laws without overriding any current student protections or legal remedies.

The Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2025 aims to safeguard federal elections by criminalizing the knowing spread of materially false information intended to suppress voting within 60 days of an election. This bill specifically prohibits the use of deceptive Artificial Intelligence in election interference and grants citizens the right to sue violators. Furthermore, it empowers the Attorney General to issue public corrections to widespread false information and creates new criminal penalties for intimidating election workers involved in vote tabulation and certification.

The Protect America’s Workforce Act nullifies two specific Executive Orders related to federal labor-management programs and prohibits the use of federal funds to enforce them. Furthermore, the Act ensures that all existing collective bargaining agreements between the federal government and labor organizations remain fully in effect until their original expiration dates. This legislation solidifies current federal union contracts while removing the authority of the voided orders.

The Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2025 amends the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination in housing based on source of income, veteran status, or military status. This expansion broadens protections to cover lawful income sources, including housing vouchers and various benefits, alongside military service. The Act ensures these new protected classes are covered across all aspects of the housing transaction, from advertising to rental agreements.

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 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.

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.

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 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.