Legislative Activity

The "Holding Child Predators Accountable Act" amends Title 18 to increase penalties for child pornography offenses. This bill raises the punishment for possession, exploitation, or creation of child pornography to include potential fines, death, or life imprisonment.

The Justice for Jocelyn Act aims to limit participation in Alternatives to Detention programs, mandating GPS tracking and curfew requirements for aliens in the program. It requires that all detention beds are full and no other detention options are available before an alien can participate in alternative programs. The Act also mandates the removal of aliens who fail to comply with release orders and ensures that if any part of the Act is found unconstitutional, the remaining parts will still be valid.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 107 North Hoyne Avenue in Fritch, Texas, as the "Chief Zeb Smith Post Office." Any reference to this facility will now refer to it as the Chief Zeb Smith Post Office.

The Legal Workforce Act mandates employers to verify employees' work eligibility through a federal verification system, requires the use of secure identity authentication technologies, and increases penalties for hiring unauthorized workers. It establishes a federal employment eligibility verification system, preempts state laws on employment eligibility verification, and protects employers from liability if they act in good faith based on the system's information. The Act also includes measures to prevent fraud and misuse of documents and Social Security numbers, and requires audits to identify unauthorized workers.

This bill renames the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Lubbock, Texas, to the "General Bernie Mittemeyer VA Clinic". All official references to the clinic will reflect this new name.

The "Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act of 2025" amends federal law to criminalize the act of "swatting," where false information is reported to trigger an emergency response. Those who commit swatting would face increased penalties, including fines and imprisonment, especially if serious bodily injury or death results. Additionally, individuals who engage in swatting would be liable for the costs incurred by emergency responders due to the false report.

The Laken Riley Act mandates the detention of illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting. It empowers state attorneys general to sue the Department of Homeland Security or the Secretary of State for failing to enforce immigration laws, including those related to detention and removal. The bill defines grounds for legal action and requires expedited court proceedings.

The "Abolish the ATF Act" eliminates the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This would effectively end the ATF's regulatory and enforcement powers over alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives.

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to limit the number of terms a member of Congress can serve. Representatives would be limited to 3 terms and Senators to 2 terms, with specific rules for partial terms. Terms served before the amendment's ratification would not be counted. The amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states within seven years to be valid.

The "Equal Representation Act" mandates the inclusion of a citizenship status question on the 2030 census and all future censuses. It requires the Secretary to report the number of citizens and non-citizens in each state. It also changes the way congressional districts are calculated by excluding non-citizens from the population count used for apportionment.

The "Ending Catch and Release Act of 2025" amends immigration law to mandate the detention of asylum seekers and other inadmissible individuals, preventing their release into the U.S. while awaiting proceedings. It also raises the standard of proof for asylum eligibility and requires the return of asylum seekers arriving from contiguous territories to those territories. The bill aims to expedite the removal process, mandating removal within 72 hours and prohibiting parole or release into the U.S.

The FIND Act prohibits federal agencies from contracting with entities that discriminate against the firearm and ammunition industry. It requires federal contractors to certify they do not discriminate against firearm entities and prohibits them from awarding subcontracts to entities that do not provide a similar certification. Violations of these clauses will result in contract termination. The act defines "discriminate" as making judgments or refusing/limiting services based on biased criteria, rather than case-by-case evaluations, empirical data, financial risk, or legal non-compliance.

The "Stopping Border Surges Act" aims to reform immigration laws related to unaccompanied alien children and the asylum process. It changes how unaccompanied children and families are processed, focusing on detention standards and eligibility for special immigrant status. The act also modifies asylum procedures, affecting credible fear interviews, application jurisdiction, and penalties for fraud, with the goal of streamlining the system and deterring abuse.

The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025 aims to increase Congressional oversight of federal regulations by requiring Congressional approval for any "major rule" (defined as having an economic impact of at least $100 million) before it can take effect. The Act also mandates federal agencies to publish detailed information supporting a rule and requires the Comptroller General to report on each major rule. It also directs the Comptroller General to study and determine the number of rules in effect, the number of major rules in effect, and the total estimated economic cost of all these rules and submit a report to Congress with the study's findings within one year of the Act's enactment.