Legislative Activity

The Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act addresses significant delays in obtaining death certificates for veterans who die from natural causes, often due to VA medical staff delays. This bill mandates that VA medical providers must certify a veteran's death within 48 hours or allow the local medical examiner to step in. Furthermore, the VA must annually report on its compliance with this new timely certification requirement.

The Defend Girls Athletics Act mandates that elementary, secondary, and higher education institutions must certify compliance with Executive Order 14201 regarding biological fairness in women's sports to receive federal funding. This certification must be renewed annually for K-12 districts and by July 1st for colleges and universities. Failure to comply or report results in the immediate requirement to return unobligated federal funds and ineligibility for future federal financial assistance until compliance is restored.

The Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2025 prohibits accrediting agencies from imposing political or ideological litmus tests on institutions of higher education seeking approval. This ensures that colleges are not required to support specific partisan viewpoints to maintain accreditation or access to federal student aid programs. The bill includes specific exceptions to protect the religious freedom and mission-based requirements of faith-based institutions. Finally, it limits the Secretary of Education's authority to create new, non-statutory standards for accreditation.

The Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act of 2025 overhauls residential job training facilities for underserved youth run by the Interior and Agriculture Departments. It mandates specialized training programs focused on conservation and wildland firefighting, and sets annual hiring goals for program graduates into federal roles. The bill also establishes pilot programs to boost the wildland firefighting workforce and improve related federal housing using student labor.

The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act restricts the Department of Veterans Affairs from automatically sharing a veteran's information with the DOJ for national background checks solely based on the appointment of a fiduciary. This bill prohibits the VA from classifying a veteran as a "mental defective" based only on an administrative finding of incompetence or the need for a fiduciary. Furthermore, the VA must notify the Attorney General if previously shared information based on fiduciary status is no longer valid.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire approximately 132 acres of land to expand the boundaries of the Camp Nelson National Monument. Additionally, it officially changes the monument's name by removing the word "Heritage" from its title across all federal documents. This ensures the monument is consistently referred to as the Camp Nelson National Monument.

The Secure Space Act of 2025 amends existing law to prohibit the FCC from granting satellite licenses, market access, or earth station authorizations to entities that own or control companies providing "covered communications equipment or service." This measure aims to restrict access to U.S. satellite operations for specific foreign-linked entities. The FCC is required to implement the necessary rules within one year of the Act's enactment.

The Duty Drawback Clarification Act updates the U.S. tariff schedule to standardize the classification of whiskies under Chapter 22. This legislation removes an outdated whiskey classification code and requires the U.S. International Trade Commission to add new statistical tracking codes for imports. These changes will take effect 15 days after the Act is officially enacted.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 updates federal housing tax credit allocations to reflect current economic realities and boosts minimum state allotments. It reforms tenant eligibility rules to stabilize tenancy and enhance protections for vulnerable residents, including victims of abuse. The bill also provides disaster relief for property owners, increases incentives for housing the extremely low-income, and directs greater resources toward Native American and rural housing needs. Finally, it streamlines administrative processes and signals a future focus on data transparency and discouraging restrictive local zoning.

The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 imposes sweeping economic penalties on the Russian Federation in response to its aggression against Ukraine. This legislation mandates severe, immediate sanctions against key Russian officials, financial institutions, and energy sector entities, including asset freezes and trade prohibitions. Furthermore, the Act dramatically increases import duties on Russian goods and requires the President to review and reimpose these measures until Russia negotiates a lasting peace with Ukraine.

The SHORT Act aims to reform federal firearms regulations by redefining what constitutes a "firearm" for tax purposes, largely excluding antique or collector's items. It eliminates disparate federal treatment for short-barreled rifles and shotguns used lawfully and preempts state and local governments from imposing special taxes or registration requirements on these specific weapons. Furthermore, the bill mandates the destruction of certain existing federal registration and transfer records related to defined firearms.

This bill establishes the Select Committee to Defeat the Mexican Drug Cartels, a non-legislative investigative body within the House of Representatives. The committee will be composed of up to 21 members tasked with investigating the operations and networks of Mexican drug cartels and the government responses to them. While it cannot pass laws, the committee must report its findings and policy suggestions to the House and relevant committees by specific deadlines, with final reports made public by the end of 2026.

The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025 establishes a national standard for carrying concealed handguns across state lines. This act allows individuals legally permitted to carry in their home state to carry concealed in any other state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms. The law does not override private property restrictions or prohibitions on government property, but it provides protections and legal recourse for those traveling in compliance with the new federal standard.

The Fair and Open Competition Act of 2025 ensures fair competition on federally funded construction projects by prohibiting the government from requiring or penalizing bidders based on union agreements. This legislation aims to keep federal agencies neutral in labor relations while promoting cost savings and opening opportunities for all businesses. Exceptions to this neutrality rule are strictly limited to specific public health, safety, or national security emergencies.

The "Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act of 2025" increases penalties for stealing firearms from licensed dealers. It sets stricter punishments, including up to 20 years in prison, for violating laws related to firearm theft. The act also mandates minimum prison sentences of 3 years for burglaries and 5 years for robberies targeting licensed firearm businesses.

The Veterans Readiness and Employment Transparency Act of 2025 aims to improve outreach by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for training and rehabilitation programs for veterans with service-connected disabilities by establishing a dedicated phone number and contact information on regional office websites. It also mandates monthly Q&A sessions between VA employees and school certifying officials, as well as in-person briefings at educational institutions. The Act requires the Secretary to submit an annual report on vocational rehabilitation program extensions and approve or reject extension requests within 30 days.

This bill expresses support for the Iranian people's desire for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear republic, while condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, support for terrorism, and attempts to develop nuclear weapons. It affirms the right of the Iranian people to self-determination and supports continued sanctions against the current regime. The bill also calls for the protection of Iranian political refugees in Albania.

The "No American Land for Communist China Act" prohibits the President from allowing individuals or entities associated with the Chinese government from purchasing real estate near covered federal lands. Covered lands include those managed by the Departments of Interior, Defense, Agriculture (Forest Service), and Energy, as well as Indian country. This restriction applies to entities with at least 25% equity interest held by Chinese government-affiliated individuals or businesses. The Act defines "United States" broadly to include states, territories, and other U.S. possessions.

The "Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2025" adds the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for agricultural matters. It mandates CFIUS review of agricultural land transactions, particularly those involving entities from China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran, to safeguard American agriculture. This ensures scrutiny of foreign investments in agricultural land and related industries, addressing potential threats to national security. The requirements for a specific country will end if that country is removed from the list of foreign adversaries in section 791.4 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations.

The "Protect and Serve Act of 2025" creates federal offenses for intentionally causing serious injury or death to law enforcement officers because of their status as officers. It sets penalties including imprisonment and fines, with increased penalties if death results or if kidnapping or attempted killing is involved. Federal prosecution requires certification from the Attorney General, based on a request from the state or if it is in the public interest to ensure substantial justice. The act defines "law enforcement officer" and "State" for the purposes of the new offenses.