Legislative Activity

The "Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025" amends the Energy Act of 2020 to include critical materials in the definition of critical minerals. This bill requires the Secretary to update the list of critical minerals within 45 days of determining a non-fuel mineral, element, substance, or material to be a critical material.

The "Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2025" modifies tax deductions for performing artists by adjusting the income threshold for deduction phaseouts, clarifying deductible expenses to include commissions, and increasing the threshold for nominal employers. The adjusted gross income (AGI) threshold is $100,000, and the nominal employer threshold is $500. Both amounts will be adjusted for inflation after 2025. This ensures fair tax treatment and helps offset professional expenses.

The WaterSMART Access for Tribes Act amends the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. It authorizes the Secretary to reduce or waive cost-sharing requirements for infrastructure projects with Indian Tribes if those requirements would create financial hardship for the Tribe. This change aims to ease the financial burden on Tribes participating in water management improvements.

The 911 SAVES Act mandates the Office of Management and Budget to reclassify public safety telecommunicators as a protective service occupation within the Standard Occupational Classification system. This change recognizes the critical and often stressful role these professionals play in emergency response and aligns their classification with the lifesaving work they perform. The reclassification aims to correct an inaccurate representation and better align the Standard Occupational Classification with related classification systems.

This bill recognizes the 96th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birth and reaffirms his teachings on diversity, tolerance, and civil rights. It condemns hate, discrimination, and prejudice against minority groups and individuals based on gender or sexual orientation. The bill honors Dr. King's legacy and calls for upholding his values of justice, equality, and peace.

The Young Americans Financial Literacy Act addresses the widespread need for improved financial education among young people aged 8 to 24. This bill authorizes funding for competitive grants to establish Centers of Excellence focused on developing and implementing research-backed financial literacy programs. These centers will create educational materials, train educators, and specifically target issues like student debt management for young adults. The goal is to improve financial well-being and stability through targeted, measurable educational interventions.

The "No Tax on Tips Act" allows an above-the-line tax deduction for up to $25,000 in qualified tips for workers in traditionally tipped occupations, excluding higher-income earners. It also extends the employer social security tax credit to include beauty service establishments, aiming to reduce the tax burden on tipped workers and incentivize accurate tip reporting. This goes into effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The Food Deserts Act establishes a grant program providing funds to states to create revolving loan funds for grocery stores in underserved communities. These funds will offer loans to establish new grocery stores or support existing ones, emphasizing the availability of healthful foods at affordable prices. States will prioritize entities that hire locally, offer nutritional education, and source food from local farms. The Act allocates $150 million for fiscal year 2026 to carry out these provisions.

The "Ensuring Military Readiness Not Discrimination Act" prohibits gender discrimination in the Armed Forces. Service eligibility must focus on an individual's ability to meet occupational requirements, without considering race, color, national origin, religion, or sex. The bill requires equal opportunity for all members, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, or sex.

The Veterans Member Business Loan Act amends the Federal Credit Union Act to include loans to veterans as member business loans. The term "veteran" will be defined according to title 38, section 101 of the U.S. Code. This change aims to support veteran entrepreneurship by increasing their access to capital through credit unions. The changes will be effective six months after the enactment of this Act.

The Muhammad Ali Congressional Gold Medal Act authorizes the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to Muhammad Ali posthumously, in recognition of his achievements as an athlete, civil rights champion, and humanitarian. Following the presentation, the medal will be given to his wife, Lonnie Ali. The Act also permits the creation and sale of bronze duplicates of the gold medal to cover production costs, with proceeds deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

The United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act aims to reduce double taxation and encourage economic activity between the U.S. and Taiwan by lowering tax rates on certain income for Taiwanese residents and businesses in the U.S., contingent upon Taiwan offering reciprocal benefits to U.S. individuals and companies. Additionally, the United States-Taiwan Tax Agreement Authorization Act outlines the process for establishing a tax agreement with Taiwan, ensuring congressional oversight and adherence to existing U.S. tax laws, to further reduce double taxation.

The Prevent Tariff Abuse Act amends the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to limit the President's power, preventing them from imposing import duties, tariff-rate quotas, or other quotas on goods entering the United States under the authority of that act.

The Nuclear Waste Informed Consent Act requires the Secretary to get consent-based agreements from the Governor of the state, affected local governments and Indian tribes, and any neighboring local government through which nuclear waste will be transported before using funds from the Nuclear Waste Fund for repository activities. These agreements must be written, signed, and binding, and can only be changed with the consent of all parties.

The "Rosie the Riveter Commemorative Coin Act" directs the Department of Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar coins in 2028 to honor the women who contributed to the World War II Home Front. The coin designs will represent the legacy of these women, with input from the Rosie the Riveter Trust, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. Surcharges from the coin sales will go to the Rosie the Riveter Trust to support the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and educational programs. This act ensures that the coin minting incurs no net cost to the government and recognizes the invaluable contributions of women during WWII.

The TRUST in Congress Act mandates that members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children place covered investments, such as securities and commodities, into qualified blind trusts within a specified timeframe. These trusts must remain in place until 180 days after the member leaves office, ensuring that investment decisions are made without the member's knowledge or influence. Members must certify their compliance or declare the absence of covered investments, with these certifications being made public. An exception is provided for spouses or dependent children whose primary income is derived from a covered investment.

The Goldie's Act seeks to strengthen the USDA's enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by mandating annual inspections, requiring humane treatment of suffering animals, and imposing significant penalties for violations. It ensures transparency through mandated sharing of violation records and sets firm guidelines for determining penalties based on the severity and frequency of violations. The Act also enables legal action to recover unpaid penalties and penalizes the disobedience of "cease and desist" orders.

The "Health Care Affordability Act of 2025" expands eligibility for health insurance tax credits by removing the income cap, allowing more individuals and families to qualify for financial assistance. The bill adjusts the premium tax credit calculation, providing a sliding scale based on income to ensure affordability. These changes will apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act" aims to support the National Law Enforcement Museum's programs for community outreach, public education, and officer safety and wellness through grants to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The act authorizes \$6,000,000 to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior for each of the first 7 fiscal years after the law is enacted. It requires annual progress reports to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of funds. The Act allows the Secretary to use funds to continue activities the National Law Enforcement Museum was already doing when this law was enacted.

The "Improving Menopause Care for Veterans Act of 2025" directs the Comptroller General to study and report on the menopause care services provided to veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The report will assess various aspects of VA's menopause care, including access, quality, training, and research. Following the report, the VA Secretary must submit a strategic plan to Congress detailing how the VA will implement the report's recommendations to improve menopause care for veterans.