Legislative Activity

This resolution honors the life and legacy of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, a pioneering female surgeon during the Civil War who received the Medal of Honor for her meritorious service. It recognizes her contributions to medicine, her advocacy for women's rights, and her embodiment of service, courage, and resilience as a U.S. hero. The resolution also commits to preserving her story to inspire future generations to pursue justice and equality.

The Major Richard Star Act allows veterans with combat-related disabilities to receive both veteran's disability compensation and military retired pay concurrently, without reduction. This act amends Title 10 of the United States Code to ensure that disability retirees with combat-related disabilities are not subject to reductions in retired pay due to receiving veteran's disability compensation. These changes will take effect the first day of the month following the enactment of the Act.

This bill aims to prioritize veterans and military families by amending titles 5 and 38 of the United States Code to provide protections for employees, benefits, and programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It focuses on safeguarding the rights and job security of VA employees and civil servants, ensuring transparency in VA operations, and restoring services and programs that may have been reduced or eliminated. The bill also seeks to enhance employment opportunities for veterans, military spouses, and caregivers, while improving the security and integrity of VA data and systems. Additionally, it addresses financial oversight of VA contracts and mandates increased reporting requirements to improve transparency and accountability.

The GENIUS Act of 2025 establishes a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, defining key terms, outlining who can issue stablecoins, and setting requirements for reserves, disclosures, and compliance. It creates a process for federal and state regulators to approve and supervise stablecoin issuers, addressing consumer protection, anti-money laundering measures, and interoperability standards. The Act also clarifies that payment stablecoins are not securities or commodities and prioritizes stablecoin holders' claims in insolvency proceedings. Finally, the act directs the Treasury to establish reciprocal agreements with countries that have similar payment stablecoin regulations.

The "Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act of 2025" aims to boost the consumption of nutrient-rich dairy products among SNAP recipients by establishing a grant program for states and nonprofits to provide purchase incentives. The program prioritizes projects that maximize direct incentives for dairy purchased with SNAP benefits and utilizes point-of-sale technology. Independent evaluations will assess the impact of the incentives, and the Secretary of Agriculture will report findings to Congress. The act provides \$10 million in mandatory funding per fiscal year, and authorizes appropriations of \$10 million for fiscal year 2025 and each year after.

The "Stop Comstock Act" amends several sections of title 18 of the United States Code and the Tariff Act of 1930 to address and restrict the distribution and importation of obscene materials. It removes references to "indecent" materials and those related to abortion or immoral use, focusing on the prohibition of "obscene" content. The Act revises language concerning commerce and importation to align with its objectives, updating references and definitions accordingly.

The "Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act" seeks to protect the health and safety of pregnant, lactating, and postpartum individuals in immigration detention by limiting their detention and restricting the use of restraints. It mandates pregnancy testing upon intake, generally prohibits detention unless the individual poses an immediate and serious risk, and ensures access to comprehensive healthcare services. The Act also requires detailed reporting on the detention and treatment of pregnant individuals and mandates training for DHS employees.

This resolution designates March 6, 2025, as "National Slam the Scam Day" to combat government imposter scams and other pervasive scams. It aims to raise awareness and promote education to protect individuals, especially older adults, from financial losses and identity theft. The resolution encourages reporting scams and supports the efforts of law enforcement, consumer groups, and financial institutions in preventing these scams. It also honors those who are actively fighting against government imposter scams.

The Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025 amends the National Labor Relations Act and other labor laws to strengthen protections for employees engaging in labor disputes and collective bargaining. It redefines employer and employee status, addresses unfair labor practices, streamlines collective bargaining, and increases penalties for employers who violate labor laws. The Act also updates strike/lockout notification procedures and clarifies reporting requirements for employer-employee communication. Finally, it ensures the law's provisions are severable and authorizes necessary appropriations for implementation and enforcement.

The "Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act" amends existing law to require updated threat analysis reports on the northern border every three years, starting in 2025, and updates to the Department of Homeland Security’s Northern Border Strategy every five years, starting in 2026. It also mandates classified briefings to Congress after each threat analysis and directs the development of performance measures for Air and Marine Operations. The bill stipulates that no additional funds will be allocated for its implementation.

The Child Care Workforce Act aims to improve child care quality and affordability by establishing a pilot program that provides grants to States, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations. These grants will be used to supplement the wages of child care workers, with the goal of attracting and retaining qualified staff, improving worker well-being, enhancing the quality of care, and increasing access to affordable child care options. The Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to evaluate the program's effectiveness and report to Congress. It also authorizes necessary appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and subsequent years.

The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act aims to make child care more accessible and affordable for families by expanding employer-provided child care credits, increasing tax-free dependent care assistance, and creating a refundable household and dependent care tax credit. The employer-provided child care credit is expanded by increasing the amount of qualified child care expenditures and the maximum credit amount, with special rules for small businesses. The amount excludable for dependent care assistance programs is increased from $5,000 to $7,500 (or $2,500 to $3,750). A new refundable tax credit is created for employment-related expenses paid for household services and care of qualifying individuals, with the credit amount varying based on income and the number of qualifying individuals.

The "Family Building FEHB Fairness Act" amends Title 5 of the United States Code to include comprehensive fertility treatment benefits under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. This includes procedures such as egg freezing, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, genetic testing of embryos, fertility medications, and gamete donation. These changes will take effect one year after the enactment of the Act.

The Social Security Expansion Act aims to increase Social Security benefits across the board, including increased cost-of-living adjustments, expanded eligibility for students, and a higher minimum benefit for low-income earners. To fund these expansions, the bill raises payroll taxes on earnings above $250,000 and increases taxes on investment gains. It also establishes a new "Social Security Trust Fund" to manage the program's finances.

Ethan's Law aims to reduce gun violence by promoting responsible firearm storage. It establishes a federal requirement for gun owners to securely store firearms, especially in homes with minors or individuals prohibited from owning firearms, with penalties for improper storage. The law also creates a grant program to assist states and Indian Tribes in implementing similar safe storage laws. Additionally, it expresses the sense of Congress that failing to securely store a firearm constitutes negligence and can establish legal causation for harm resulting from its discharge.

The "Protecting Our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act" establishes a "Ukrainian guest status" for individuals paroled into the U.S. under the Uniting for Ukraine program, allowing them to work in the U.S. This status begins from their initial parole date and expires 120 days after the Secretary of State determines it is safe for civilians to return to Ukraine, but can be revoked by Homeland Security if the individual poses a security risk.

The "Border Airport Fairness Act of 2025" mandates the President to designate specific primary airports near the U.S. northern or southern border as ports of entry, eliminating user fees at these locations. To qualify, these airports must be linked to a nearby land border crossing or seaport and fulfill Customs and Border Protection's established criteria for port of entry designation. This act aims to improve border access and streamline entry processes at eligible airports.

The CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act of 2025 amends the eligibility requirements for the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). This bill increases the maximum age for children eligible for medical care under CHAMPVA to the child's 26th birthday, regardless of marital status. It does not limit eligibility for children who are incapable of self-support because of a mental or physical disability.

The Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025 requires the Department of Education to consider the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when evaluating discrimination complaints under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ensuring consistent enforcement against antisemitism in federally funded programs. This bill aims to increase awareness and improve the safety of Jewish communities by codifying the use of the IHRA definition. The Act does not expand the Department of Education's authority, change harassment standards, reduce existing rights, or diminish First Amendment rights.

The United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025 seeks to enhance the defense partnership between the United States and Israel through various initiatives. This includes establishing programs to counter unmanned systems, extend anti-tunnel and counter-unmanned aerial systems cooperation, and promote collaboration in emerging technologies. The act also directs the establishment of a Defense Innovation Unit office in Israel and assesses integrated air and missile defense in the United States Central Command region. Finally, it explores Israel's potential inclusion in the national technology and industrial base.