Legislative Activity

The ECCHO Act establishes a new federal crime for intentionally coercing a minor under 18 to commit harmful acts, including self-harm, violence against others or animals, arson, or specific online offenses like swatting. This legislation defines coercion broadly to include manipulation, threats, and intimidation used to force a child into these prohibited actions. Penalties vary based on the severity of the coerced act, with life imprisonment possible for coercing suicide or homicide. The Act also updates existing federal laws to incorporate this new offense and ensure comprehensive enforcement.

This bill, the AGRITOURISM Act, establishes an Agritourism Advisor within the USDA to promote and encourage agritourism activities nationwide. It recognizes the significant financial, educational, and cultural benefits that agritourism provides to rural communities and their agricultural enterprises. The Advisor will coordinate efforts within the USDA and with external partners to share best practices and improve access to federal resources for these businesses.

The SAFE Act directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and update federal sentencing guidelines for offenses involving child sexual abuse material. This update must account for the actual harm to victims, modern technology, and the spectrum of offender culpability. The Commission is required to develop new guidelines that specifically address factors like the use of multiple online channels, involvement in prohibited sexual conduct against a child, and the impact on the victim. Importantly, the Act prohibits lowering the existing base offense level for these crimes.

This bill authorizes $74 million in U.S. funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Congress finds that UNFPA is essential for global sexual and reproductive health, preventing maternal deaths, and combating gender-based violence worldwide. The legislation affirms that supporting UNFPA is a strategic U.S. foreign policy priority that advances global health and stability.

The One Fair Price Act of 2025 prohibits businesses from charging different prices to different customers for the same product or service if that price difference is based on surveillance data. This aims to ensure fair pricing by banning personalized pricing informed by customer tracking, with specific exceptions for cost-based differences or bona fide group discounts. Violations are enforceable by the FTC, State Attorneys General, and individuals through civil lawsuits seeking damages. The Act also explicitly applies this prohibition to air carriers and ticket agents.

This resolution strongly condemns white supremacy, hate, and antisemitism, specifically targeting the promotion of these dangerous ideologies by Nick Fuentes. It further condemns Tucker Carlson and Kevin Roberts for platforming and defending Fuentes's documented antisemitic and Holocaust-denying statements. The resolution affirms the nation's commitment to fighting antisemitism and urges all leaders to reject these hateful views.

The Deter Obnoxious, Nefarious, and Outrageous Telephone Calls Act of 2025, or the DO NOT Call Act, establishes new criminal penalties for willfully violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This legislation significantly increases the severity of penalties for repeat offenders or those involved in large-scale robocalling operations. Additionally, the bill doubles the existing civil fines for providing inaccurate caller ID information.

This resolution celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and recognizes its transformative impact on ensuring a free, appropriate public education for children with disabilities. It honors the millions who have benefited from IDEA and reaffirms commitment to its principles. *Note: The provided text also includes details about a separate "Housing for All" program, which is not addressed in this summary as the primary focus of the resolution appears to be IDEA.*

The Restoring Patient Protections and Affordability Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the Affordable Care Act marketplaces by extending financial assistance and lengthening enrollment periods to keep coverage affordable. It also increases transparency by requiring insurers to notify enrollees of key coverage changes and establishes new rules to simplify enrollment and stabilize market costs. Overall, the bill seeks to increase health insurance accessibility and provide greater financial predictability for consumers.

This resolution strongly condemns the Government of Iran for its ongoing, state-sponsored persecution of the Baha'i religious minority. It highlights decades of systematic human rights abuses, including imprisonment, job discrimination, and violence against Baha'is. The resolution urges the Iranian government to immediately release all religious prisoners and reverse discriminatory policies. Furthermore, it calls on the U.S. President and Secretary of State to condemn these actions and utilize existing authorities to impose sanctions on responsible Iranian officials.

This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from any hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been explicitly authorized by Congress. It affirms Congress's constitutional authority to declare war and mandates expedited procedures for considering this measure. The resolution ensures that any ongoing military action against Venezuela ceases unless Congress provides a specific authorization for the use of force.

The Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025 enhances the FDA's authority to require pediatric investigations for new molecularly targeted cancer drugs. It also extends the priority review voucher program designed to incentivize the development of treatments for rare pediatric diseases until September 2030. Furthermore, the bill mandates studies to assess the effectiveness of these new drug investigation requirements and the existing voucher program.

The DINE Act, or Disease Intervention through Nutrition Education Act, aims to integrate "food is medicine" and food-based interventions into services for older adults under the Older Americans Act. This legislation mandates screening and referrals for federal and non-federal food-based programs during routine health assessments. It also encourages states to use innovative nutrition delivery systems, such as produce prescriptions, to improve health outcomes for seniors.

The Ending Forced Arbitration of Race Discrimination Act of 2025 invalidates predispute arbitration agreements and joint-action waivers for claims involving race discrimination. This means individuals alleging race discrimination can choose to pursue their claims in court rather than being forced into private arbitration. Federal law will determine the applicability of this rule, and courts, not arbitrators, will decide if the chapter applies to any given agreement.

The Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine (Healthy MOM) Act aims to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes by ensuring comprehensive and affordable maternity coverage. It establishes special enrollment periods for pregnant individuals across various health plans, including employer-sponsored and exchange plans. Furthermore, the bill mandates that dependent coverage must include maternity care and makes 12 months of continuous postpartum coverage mandatory under Medicaid and CHIP.

The Surviving Widow(er) Income Fair Treatment Act (SWIFT Act) of 2025 aims to significantly improve Social Security benefits for surviving spouses and divorced spouses. It removes the age restriction for disabled survivors to receive full benefits and introduces new incentives for delaying the claiming of survivor benefits. Furthermore, the bill raises the age limit for a child to qualify a parent for child-in-care benefits from 16 to 18. These major changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

The Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025 aims to strengthen domestic food security by repealing specific sections of a previous law (Public Law 11921). This repeal effectively reinstates the original statutes that were previously altered by those sections.

The Disarm Hate Act prohibits individuals convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, or those who received an enhanced sentence for a misdemeanor motivated by hate or bias, from purchasing or possessing firearms. This legislation specifically targets convictions involving threats or physical force motivated by bias against protected characteristics. It also makes it illegal for others to transfer firearms to these prohibited persons.

The Respite CARE Act amends the Older Americans Act to establish grants for eligible organizations to create or expand integrated caregiver support services. These grants fund programs that combine respite care with other supportive services for family caregivers. Funds must ensure accessibility through technology, translation, and appropriate formats.

The FINANCE Act establishes a new grant program to provide essential financial planning services specifically for family caregivers under the Older Americans Act. This program aims to support those who informally care for older adults or individuals with Alzheimer's or related disorders. Eligible entities will receive funding to offer comprehensive guidance on benefits, budgeting, long-term care costs, and legal planning resources. The services must be delivered in an accessible manner, accommodating diverse needs including language and technology barriers.