Legislative Activity

The FALCON Act of 2025 mandates that federal employees, contractors, and grant recipients must cooperate with requests from an agency's Inspector General (IG) within 60 days. Failure to comply can result in administrative discipline for employees or adverse actions for contractors, as determined by the agency head. The IG must report any non-compliance to Congress and the relevant agency head within 30 days of determination. This legislation strengthens oversight by ensuring timely access to information for internal watchdogs.

The Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2025 significantly broadens protections against retaliation for individuals working on federal contracts, particularly those with the DoD and NASA. This legislation expands the definition of a "protected individual" to cover a wider range of contractors, subcontractors, and grantees, ensuring they can report waste, fraud, or illegal activity without fear of punishment. Furthermore, the Act explicitly voids any agreement, including arbitration clauses, that attempts to waive these newly expanded whistleblower rights.

The Safe Airspace for Americans Act mandates the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish standardized procedures for collecting, analyzing, and sharing reports regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) from aviation personnel. This legislation aims to reduce the stigma associated with reporting UAP encounters while ensuring that such reports cannot be used punitively against reporters, except in cases of criminal activity or accidents. The FAA must coordinate with defense and intelligence agencies and protect the employment and certification status of individuals who report these sightings.

This resolution recognizes the immense economic and cultural value of popular arts, including comics, gaming, and television. It highlights how these industries employ millions and inspire creativity while promoting universal values. The bill affirms the importance of supporting these art forms and ensuring fair treatment for the creators who drive them.

The Clean Shipping Act of 2025 establishes mandatory, phased-in standards to drastically reduce the carbon intensity of marine fuels used by large vessels on voyages involving U.S. ports, aiming for a 100% reduction by 2050. Additionally, the bill requires the EPA to set standards ensuring that ships docked or anchored in U.S. coastal waters achieve zero greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions by 2035, or the maximum feasible reduction if that goal proves impossible. The legislation also mandates annual public reporting on fuel usage and emissions data for compliance monitoring.

The AMMO Act modernizes federal oversight of ammunition by requiring federal licenses for all ammunition dealers and mandating background checks through NICS for transfers by licensed sellers to non-licensees. The bill also prohibits straw purchases of ammunition and establishes new federal limits on bulk ammunition sales, requiring recordkeeping and reporting for these transactions. These provisions will take effect 120 days after the date of enactment.

The Securing Help for Immigrants through Education and Legal Development (SHIELD) Act establishes a federal grant program to expand legal services for immigrants facing deportation. This initiative aims to build the necessary legal infrastructure and workforce to ensure high-quality representation, recognizing the critical impact legal counsel has on case outcomes. The Attorney General will administer competitive grants to state/local governments and nonprofits to hire, train, and retain immigration defense staff. Congress authorizes $100 million for this program for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

The CLEAR Skies Act establishes a new, temporary federal tax credit for the domestic production and sale of lead-free "qualified aviation gasoline" through the end of 2030. This legislation aims to incentivize the transition away from leaded aviation fuel by offering a per-gallon credit that phases down over time. Additionally, the bill mandates a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study to investigate the price differences between leaded and unleaded aviation fuels and assess whether the new tax credit is being passed on to consumers.

The People Over Parking Act of 2025 preempts state and local laws that mandate minimum parking requirements for new developments located within half a mile of qualifying public transit stops. This federal standard allows developers of residential, retail, commercial, or industrial projects near transit to determine the appropriate amount of parking, overriding local mandates. The goal is to encourage transit use by removing parking minimums in highly accessible areas.

This resolution of inquiry formally requests the President to transmit all documents in his possession related to the security clearances, vetting, and background checks for Elon Musk and several named members of the United States Department of Government Efficiency Service (DOGE). The House demands these unredacted records within 14 days of the resolution's adoption. This action seeks transparency regarding the clearance process for these specific individuals associated with the DOGE team.

This bill, the Hatch Act Enforcement Transparency and Accountability Act, aims to increase public oversight of how the Office of Special Counsel enforces political activity restrictions for federal employees. It mandates new, detailed reporting to Congress regarding investigations and disciplinary actions against both career and non-career appointees. Furthermore, the legislation requires the OSC to publish anonymized, demographic statistics on Hatch Act allegations on its website.

The Fair Disaster Assistance Act of 2025 prevents FEMA from sending disaster assistance denial notices to applicants before their insurance claims are fully processed. This ensures individuals are not prematurely denied assistance while awaiting insurance determinations. The Act directs FEMA to establish regulations to implement this change.

The "FLASH Act of 2025" amends the Public Health Service Act to enhance the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority's (BARDA) ability to rapidly acquire critical medical supplies and countermeasures. It broadens the scope of permissible tests and prototypes, allows follow-on production contracts, permits purchases for experimental purposes, and authorizes the acquisition of innovative commercial products and services. The Act also introduces requirements for fixed-price contracts, congressional notification for large contracts, and defines "innovative" technologies.

The "SEWER Act" aims to enhance public health emergency preparedness by expanding the National Wastewater Surveillance System to detect and monitor infectious diseases through wastewater. It authorizes funding of $150 million per year from 2026 to 2030 for these activities, while ensuring that participation from wastewater utilities and service providers remains voluntary.

The ICE Security Reform Act of 2025 separates Homeland Security Investigations from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, establishing it as a distinct entity within the Department of Homeland Security, and renames U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as U.S. Immigration Compliance Enforcement. It outlines the transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and legal authorities to ensure a seamless transition, while also maintaining the validity of existing legal documents and proceedings. The Act empowers officials to delegate duties and allows for the continued use of existing funds to support terminated programs.