Legislative Activity

The Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act provides a framework for Puerto Rico to transition from its current block grant system to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This legislation ensures equitable access to nutrition assistance by adjusting food plan costs to reflect local economic conditions and establishing a structured, multi-year transition process.

The Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers' Benefit Program Expansion Act of 2026 improves the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program by establishing strict processing deadlines, creating a new benefit for permanent partial disabilities, and mandating expedited claims for those certified by the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund or World Trade Center Health Program. The bill also enhances program transparency through increased outreach, mandatory audits, and the implementation of key GAO recommendations to ensure timely support for public safety officers and their families.

This Act mandates that federal agencies translate critical gun violence prevention materials into priority languages and ensure cultural competency through community review. It prioritizes grant funding for outreach to Limited English Proficient (LEP) populations and establishes national public awareness campaigns by the DOJ and HHS focused on increasing language access to safety strategies. The goal is to ensure all individuals, regardless of primary language, can access vital information regarding firearm safety and prevention orders.

The Fair Legal Access Grants Act establishes a new grant program to provide legal assistance and resources for individuals seeking Extreme Risk Protection Orders. This funding will help petitioners access lawyers, translation services, and educational resources regarding the order process. Additionally, the bill shields individuals who file these protective orders in good faith from being sued in federal court.

This concurrent resolution commemorates the 15th anniversary of the tragic January 8, 2011, Tucson, Arizona, shooting. It honors the six individuals who lost their lives and recognizes the survivors, including former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. The resolution reaffirms the importance of civility in democracy and Congress's dedication to preventing gun violence.

The Strengthening America’s Turning Point Act officially renames the Saratoga National Historical Park to the Saratoga National Battlefield Park. This change ensures all federal documents and references use the new official title moving forward.

The Stop Underrides Act 2.0 mandates the Department of Transportation to establish new federal safety standards requiring all new commercial motor vehicles to be equipped with comprehensive front, rear, and side underride protection systems. This legislation aims to drastically reduce preventable deaths and injuries from underride crashes involving passenger vehicles and vulnerable road users. The bill also reconvenes the Advisory Committee on Underride Protection and requires new studies and public reporting on crash data and prevention effectiveness.

This bill seeks to reauthorize the West Valley Demonstration Project by significantly increasing its authorized funding. Specifically, it raises the annual funding level from \$75 million to \$150 million. This increased funding is authorized for the fiscal years 2027 through 2037.

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 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 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 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.