Legislative Activity

The USS Frank E. Evans Act mandates the Secretary of Defense to add the names of the 74 crew members lost when the USS Frank E. Evans sank on June 3, 1969, to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. This action must be completed within one year of the Act becoming law. The Secretary is required to consult with relevant authorities regarding space on the Memorial Wall for these additions.

The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 ensures that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) continue to operate without interruption in fiscal year 2026 if standard appropriations are delayed. If funding lapses, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to use funds from the Treasury to provide benefits and reimburse state agencies. This special funding remains in effect until full appropriations are enacted or until September 30, 2026.

This resolution designates October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month to highlight the widespread and devastating impact of intimate partner violence across all demographics. It recognizes the urgent need to eliminate domestic violence and supports increased funding for intervention and prevention programs. The resolution underscores the severe physical, emotional, and economic toll this abuse takes on individuals, families, and communities.

The American Energy Independence and Affordability Act is a comprehensive bill designed to lower energy costs by extending and adjusting key tax incentives across energy production, efficiency, and clean vehicle adoption. It stabilizes support for renewable energy manufacturing, extends deadlines for energy-efficient building credits, and ensures consumer incentives for electric vehicles remain available through 2032. Overall, the legislation aims to provide long-term certainty for energy investments and consumer adoption of cleaner technologies.

The Feed the Community Act amends tax law to encourage charitable donations of essential food service equipment, such as refrigerators, transport vehicles, and preparation tools. This bill expands the definition of eligible donated property beyond just food inventory to include functional food storage, transport, and meal preparation equipment. Donors can elect to limit the reduction in their charitable deduction for these specific donations, subject to certain dollar limits for transport and preparation equipment. These changes are set to take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

This resolution is an official request from the House of Representatives demanding the President promptly transmit specific documents related to government communications during a funding lapse. Congress seeks records detailing directives from the OMB and messaging used by agencies like HUD and Education that explicitly blamed political opponents for a potential shutdown. The inquiry also requires information on whether these communications potentially violated federal rules regarding political activity by government employees.

This resolution is an official request demanding the President transmit specific, unredacted documents to the House of Representatives within 14 days. Congress is seeking all communications and records related to potential furloughs, layoffs, or the withholding of pay for federal employees due to a funding lapse beginning October 1, 2025. The request specifically targets documents concerning legal opinions that might undermine the requirement to pay furloughed workers after appropriations resume.

The Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025 ensures that employees of federal contractors are compensated for losses incurred due to government funding lapses or shutdowns. It requires federal agencies to adjust existing contracts to cover reasonable costs associated with furloughs, pay cuts, or mandatory leave taken by contractor employees. The bill appropriates necessary funds to cover these contract price adjustments and mandates public reporting on the compensation provided.

The Child Care for Every Community Act establishes a national framework to guarantee universal access to high-quality, regulated child care and early learning programs for every young child. It mandates federal standards for quality, ensures child care staff receive pay comparable to K-12 employees, and requires local coordination with school systems. Furthermore, the bill protects existing state funding levels and caps family fees based on income.

The No Shame at School Act of 2025 mandates that schools must stop shaming students over unpaid meal debt by prohibiting overt identification or segregation of students who owe fees. This law requires local agencies to actively pursue free meal certification for students with outstanding balances and prevents schools from taking food away after it has been served. Furthermore, it establishes strict rules for debt collection, forbidding communication directed at the child and banning the use of third-party debt collectors.

This bill prohibits federal agencies from removing civil service employees during any lapse in discretionary appropriations, commonly known as a government shutdown. If an employee is terminated in violation of this rule during a shutdown, they will have the option to be reinstated with full back pay once funding resumes. This measure aims to protect federal workers from job loss caused by budget impasses.

The Emergency Responder Protection Act establishes a 1,000-foot protected zone around emergency response locations, severely restricting immigration enforcement activities near disaster sites and aid centers. Immigration officers generally cannot conduct enforcement actions within this zone unless facing exigent circumstances, such as imminent risk of death or violence. The bill mandates strict operational rules, annual training for officers, and detailed reporting requirements to the DHS Inspector General and Congress regarding any enforcement actions taken near these protected areas. Violations of this rule may result in the termination of removal proceedings and the inadmissibility of evidence gathered.

The Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2025 establishes a new federal program to provide comprehensive, trauma-informed mental health services and supports in schools through grants and contracts. These funds will support partnerships to implement awareness campaigns, staff training on trauma and suicide risk, and direct student and family treatment. The Secretary must ensure equitable distribution of funding, which is capped at \$2 million per award, with Congress authorized to appropriate \$300 million annually for the initial years.

This resolution strongly condemns attempts to use federal regulatory power or litigation to suppress lawful speech critical of a political party or the President. It reaffirms the fundamental importance of the First Amendment and warns that such actions resemble tactics used by authoritarian regimes. The bill urges government agencies to protect free expression and ensure accountability, not political censorship.

The Redistricting Reform Act of 2025 fundamentally overhauls congressional map-drawing by mandating the use of independent, non-partisan commissions in every state. This legislation establishes strict, prioritized criteria for map creation, explicitly banning partisan manipulation and requiring maps to prioritize community representation over political advantage. Furthermore, it sets firm deadlines for map enactment and establishes clear federal court procedures to intervene if states fail to adopt a lawful plan. Overall, the bill aims to ensure fairer congressional representation by removing map-drawing authority from state legislatures.

This resolution officially recognizes the vital role of the Latino community in outdoor recreation and natural resource protection across the United States. It expresses support for designating the third week of September as "Latino Conservation Week" to celebrate their ongoing commitment to conservation. The bill highlights the importance of ensuring equitable access to nature for all communities.

This House Resolution strongly condemns all forms of political violence and threats against elected officials and public figures, regardless of political affiliation. It affirms that disagreements must be resolved through peaceful and democratic means, not intimidation or force. The resolution urges law enforcement to prosecute those who commit or encourage such violence. Finally, it calls on all leaders to cease using dehumanizing rhetoric and promote civil discourse.

The Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2025 mandates that colleges receiving federal funds update their policies to explicitly prohibit and detail procedures for addressing harassment based on protected characteristics, including technology-facilitated abuse. The bill also establishes a competitive grant program, funded up to $50 million annually, to support campus efforts in harassment prevention, training, and support services. This legislation adds new requirements without superseding existing civil rights protections.

The Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act establishes a new federal grant program to help states recruit and retain school paraprofessionals. Funds will be distributed to states based on their existing Title I allocations to support local districts. States must use these competitive subgrants to improve paraprofessional wages, offer professional development, and support credentialing, prioritizing high-need and rural schools. The law requires annual reporting on compensation improvements and retention efforts.

The Safe Streets for All Reauthorization and Improvement Act modifies the existing Safe Streets and Roads for All program. This legislation mandates that at least 20% of available funds must be dedicated to planning grants annually, replacing previous requirements. Additionally, it increases the total funding pool for the program by an extra \$5 billion for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.