Legislative Activity

The Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2025 amends the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination in housing based on source of income, veteran status, and military status. This expansion ensures that landlords cannot deny housing based on factors like the use of housing vouchers or military service. The Act also strengthens existing prohibitions against intimidation related to these newly protected statuses.

This constitutional amendment seeks to grant Congress and the states the authority to regulate contributions and expenditures in political campaigns. It specifically allows for the establishment of public financing systems to offset the influence of private money in elections. The amendment ensures that any regulations enacted must not infringe upon the freedom of the press.

This act, the Direct Seller and Real Estate Agent Harmonization Act, amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to clarify employment status. Specifically, it excludes direct sellers and qualified real estate agents from the definition of "employee." This change aligns labor standards with existing IRS classifications for these professions.

The **988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act of 2025** addresses the high rates of suicide risk among LGBTQ youth by strengthening specialized support through the national crisis hotline. This bill mandates that dedicated resources and services, such as a specific dialing option, must be maintained for LGBTQ individuals contacting 988. Furthermore, it requires that at least 9 percent of appropriated funds for the hotline be specifically reserved to ensure these specialized services for LGBTQ youth remain fully operational.

The Saving the American Dream Act mandates that key federal housing agencies collaborate to share research and data through a formal agreement. This legislation requires these agencies to jointly submit a comprehensive report to Congress outlining policy solutions for improving housing finance coordination, reducing mortgage costs, and addressing barriers to new home construction. The goal is to ensure federal housing policy is based on coordinated, evidence-based analysis.

The Faster Labor Contracts Act aims to expedite the negotiation of first-time union contracts, which often face lengthy delays after workers vote for representation. This bill establishes mandatory timelines, requiring parties to begin bargaining quickly and escalating disputes to mandatory mediation and binding arbitration if an agreement isn't reached within 90 days. Additionally, the law mandates a GAO study to track the average time it takes for newly certified unions to secure their initial collective bargaining agreement.

The Bipartisan Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program Expansion Act increases the federal share of grant funding for certain public safety activities from 50% to 60%. This change aims to reduce the financial burden on states for purchasing essential equipment. Additionally, the Act authorizes $60 million annually for this program from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

The FAMILY Act establishes a national Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance program administered by a new office within the Social Security Administration. This program provides monthly benefits to eligible individuals who take time off for qualified caregiving reasons, including serious health conditions or victims of violence. The Act also sets forth detailed eligibility requirements, benefit calculation formulas, and job protection guarantees for employees utilizing the leave. Finally, it creates a funding mechanism to support existing state-level paid leave programs that meet federal standards.

The FAIR Act of 2025 invalidates pre-dispute arbitration agreements and class action waivers for employment, consumer, antitrust, and civil rights claims. This law restores the right for individuals to pursue these disputes in court or through collective legal action. The provisions apply to all covered disputes arising on or after the date the Act is enacted.

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill designed to increase police accountability and transparency nationwide through federal mandates and funding incentives. It reforms standards for prosecuting civil rights violations, eliminates qualified immunity, and establishes national registries for police misconduct and use-of-force data. Furthermore, the Act bans specific dangerous police tactics like chokeholds and restricts the transfer of military equipment to local departments.

The Limit on Sweeping Executive Reorganization Act aims to restore Congress's exclusive legislative power over significant changes to the Executive Branch. It requires the President to submit a detailed impact report for any "major executive reorganization," which is then reviewed by an independent panel. Ultimately, such a reorganization cannot take effect unless Congress passes a specific joint resolution of approval. The bill also establishes employee protections and allows labor organizations or employees to sue to enforce these provisions.

This resolution expresses support for designating September 9, 2025, as "National Firearm Suicide Prevention Day." The goal is to raise awareness about the growing crisis of firearm suicides across the United States. It emphasizes that safe and secure firearm storage is a critical component of suicide prevention efforts. The resolution encourages professionals to discuss gun safety and suicide prevention with their patients.

This bill, the ESP, Paraprofessional, and Education Support Staff Family Leave Act, updates eligibility requirements for certain school employees under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). It adjusts how paraprofessionals and education support staff meet the required hours of service by using a percentage of expected monthly hours worked during the school year. Furthermore, the bill mandates clear guidelines for calculating FMLA leave entitlement for these employees to account for non-standard school schedules.

The Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025 directs the FAA to update regulations to encourage aviation workers to seek mental health support without fear of stigma. The bill mandates annual reviews of the medical clearance process and allocates funding to hire more Aviation Medical Examiners. Furthermore, it requires the FAA to implement recommendations from a recent mental health task force and launch a public awareness campaign to reduce stigma.

The HIV Prevention Now Act secures **\$2.165 billion** in dedicated funding for the CDC's National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention for Fiscal Year 2026. This appropriation is specifically earmarked to support the center's prevention programs and activities. This funding is supplemental to, and cannot be transferred from, other existing appropriations.

The PrEP and PEP are Prevention Act mandates that essential HIV prevention services, including FDA-approved medications like PrEP and PEP, must be covered at no cost to the patient across private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. This law eliminates financial barriers such as deductibles, copays, and prior authorization requirements for these preventive treatments and necessary related care. The goal is to ensure universal, barrier-free access to critical HIV prevention tools.

The Pipeline Security Act assigns the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) responsibility for securing pipeline transportation and facilities against cybersecurity, terrorism, and other threats. This legislation mandates the TSA Administrator to develop and enforce security guidelines, directives, and regulations in consultation with CISA and industry stakeholders. The Act also requires regular oversight reporting to Congress and a review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the implementation of these new security measures.

The Restore Trust in Congress Act establishes strict new rules prohibiting Members of Congress and their immediate families from owning or trading specific financial assets, referred to as "covered investments," while in office. Covered individuals must divest existing prohibited holdings within a set timeframe or face significant financial penalties, including fines and forfeiture of profits. The legislation aims to eliminate conflicts of interest arising from personal financial trading while serving in federal office.

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act seeks to federally decriminalize cannabis by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act, which will retroactively apply to past offenses. The bill establishes an Opportunity Trust Fund, financed by new cannabis taxes, to reinvest in communities harmed by prohibition. Furthermore, it mandates the expungement of non-violent federal cannabis convictions and opens up Small Business Administration (SBA) programs to legitimate cannabis businesses.

This resolution terminates the President's August 11, 2025, declaration of a crime emergency in the District of Columbia. Congress asserts that the President lacks the legal authority under the D.C. Home Rule Act to take operational control of the Metropolitan Police Department. Furthermore, the bill notes that local violent crime rates have been declining significantly.