Legislative Activity

This concurrent resolution marks the 15th anniversary of the tragic January 8, 2011, Tucson, Arizona shooting. It honors the six lives lost and recognizes the survivors, including former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, for their courage and advocacy. The resolution also commends the community's resilience and reaffirms Congress's commitment to civility and preventing gun violence.

This bill authorizes and confirms the settlement agreement resolving the Akwesasne Mohawk land claim in New York State. It validates the terms of the compromise reached between the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and various state and local entities. Furthermore, the legislation designates specific lands owned by the Tribe within the settlement areas as Indian Country under federal law.

The PFAS Accountability Act of 2025 establishes a federal right for individuals significantly exposed to PFAS to file lawsuits against responsible manufacturers. This law allows exposed persons to seek court-ordered medical monitoring, shifting the cost of necessary health screenings to the liable parties. Furthermore, the Act aims to incentivize industry-funded research into the safety of these widely used chemicals.

The Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act of 2025 directs the EPA to establish strict water quality criteria and industry-specific effluent limitations to regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution. The bill sets firm deadlines for the EPA to finalize these standards for various industrial categories and mandates immediate monitoring requirements for certain discharges. Furthermore, it authorizes funding for grants to help publicly owned treatment works address PFAS contamination.

The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act seeks to establish comprehensive federal labor protections for domestic workers, including nannies, caregivers, and housekeepers. It mandates key standards such as overtime pay, earned sick leave, written work agreements, and fair scheduling practices. The bill also creates a standards board to recommend future workplace improvements and includes funding mechanisms to help states cover the costs of extending these protections to Medicaid-funded in-home care providers. Ultimately, this legislation aims to increase job security, predictability, and legal recourse for this historically excluded workforce.

The National Strategy for Combating Scams Act of 2025 addresses the rising threat of scams, which cost consumers billions annually and increasingly involve advanced technologies like AI. This bill mandates the FBI to establish a federal working group to develop a comprehensive National Strategy for Combating Scams. The strategy must coordinate efforts across numerous federal agencies, define "scam," and outline plans for improved reporting, prevention, and cross-border cooperation.

The Strategic Plan for Aging Act establishes a new grant program under the Older Americans Act to help states, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations develop comprehensive, multisector plans for supporting older adults and people aging with disabilities. These competitive grants will fund the creation and implementation of long-term strategic resources designed to improve health, well-being, and quality of life through coordinated cross-sector efforts. The legislation aims to guide policy and funding over a 10-year horizon by addressing 11 key aging issues, such as housing, healthcare access, and economic security.

The John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act prohibits discrimination based on religion, sex, or marital status in federally funded child welfare services. This aims to increase the number of available, stable foster and adoptive homes, particularly for LGBTQ youth and youth of color who are overrepresented in the system. The bill mandates federal guidance, cultural competency training, and the establishment of a resource center to improve safety and permanency outcomes for all children in care. Entities found in violation may face the withholding of federal payments.

The Campus Accountability and Safety Act significantly overhauls the Clery Act by mandating more detailed, transparent crime reporting, especially concerning student-involved sex crimes. It establishes new requirements for colleges to appoint trauma-informed specialists to support survivors of sexual and interpersonal violence. Furthermore, the bill requires the Department of Education to create a public website tracking campus safety enforcement actions and enhances federal grant programs to explicitly include sexual harassment as a covered crime.

The No Stock Act bans high-ranking government officials and their immediate families from holding, trading, or creating short positions in stocks, cryptocurrencies, and other conflicted financial interests while in office. Covered individuals must divest existing prohibited assets within 120 days of taking office or the law's enactment. Knowing violations will result in significant financial penalties based on the value of the illegally held asset.

The Health Access Innovation Act of 2025 establishes the Health Equity Innovation Grant Program to fund community and faith-based organizations. These grants aim to improve health outcomes for underserved populations by covering direct care costs and addressing social determinants of health. Priority will be given to groups that have demonstrated success in underserved areas, particularly those that ran access programs during past public health emergencies. The program is authorized with specific funding levels through fiscal year 2030.

The FAMILY Act establishes the Family and Medical Insurance Leave program, creating a new office within the Social Security Administration to manage paid benefits for qualified caregiving and serious health conditions. This law outlines eligibility requirements, a tiered formula for calculating monthly benefit payments, and protections against employer retaliation for taking leave. The Act also provides funding mechanisms for states that already have similar paid leave programs in place.

The Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2025 overhauls food assistance by basing benefit calculations on a new "low-cost food plan" instead of the previous "thrifty food plan." It also introduces new standard medical expense deductions for elderly or disabled households and eliminates a previous time limit restriction for certain program participants. Finally, the bill removes the cap on deductions for excess shelter expenses.

This Act establishes a one-time federal grant, ranging from $\$5$ million to $\$10$ million, to support the operations, security, and maintenance of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. To receive the funds, the eligible entity must agree to provide free admission to specific groups and submit to annual federal financial audits. The Secretary of Homeland Security awards the grant after reviewing the museum's needs and commitment to public access and education.

The Protecting Older Americans Act of 2025 invalidates pre-dispute arbitration agreements for claims of age discrimination against individuals aged 40 and older. This legislation ensures that employees alleging age discrimination can pursue their claims in court rather than being forced into arbitration based on prior agreements. Federal courts, not arbitrators, will decide if this new rule applies to a specific dispute.

The EATS Act of 2025 revises eligibility rules for students seeking Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by clarifying the definition of a "bona fide student." This legislation removes specific restrictions that previously barred many higher education students from receiving SNAP. The changes, including technical renumbering of relevant sections, will take effect on January 2, 2026.

The Department of Defense PFAS Discharge Prevention Act mandates that the Department of Defense (DOD) seek modifications to its stormwater discharge permits to include quarterly testing for PFAS chemicals. Facilities must also implement management practices to reduce these discharges unless current permits already require both actions. Furthermore, at least one percent of the DOD's annual PFAS cleanup funding must be dedicated to these monitoring and reduction efforts.

The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act of 2025 establishes a federal grant program to help law enforcement officers secure childcare during non-traditional work hours. Grants will be awarded to state agencies to fund local programs that support police families, with a focus on smaller departments. The program aims to cover startup costs, operational expenses, and direct family subsidies for off-hours care. This initiative is authorized through fiscal year 2030 and includes requirements for local financial matching and mandatory program evaluations.

The Resilient Transit Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to help public transportation agencies harden their systems against climate change impacts like floods and extreme weather. These grants will fund specific resilience improvements, such as installing flood barriers and backup power systems, with a focus on benefiting vulnerable and environmental justice communities. The bill also increases overall funding authorizations for related transit programs and mandates annual reporting on the use of these new resilience funds.

The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2025 establishes a new federal process for trafficking survivors to seek the expungement of arrest records or the vacation of certain criminal convictions resulting from their victimization. It also creates a specific "duress" defense for defendants charged with serious federal crimes if they committed the offense while being trafficked. Furthermore, the bill mandates reporting on the use of these new relief mechanisms and clarifies that federal grants for legal aid can be used for post-conviction representation.