Legislative Activity

The Main Street Act is comprehensive legislation designed to foster a more competitive and accessible banking environment by reducing regulatory burdens on community banks and credit unions. The bill streamlines application processes, modernizes supervision standards, and enhances transparency across federal financial agencies to encourage local lending and economic growth. Additionally, it promotes innovation and financial stability by facilitating bank-fintech partnerships and improving the tools available for managing liquidity and bank resolutions.

The **21st Century ROAD to Housing Act** is a comprehensive bill designed to significantly increase housing supply, improve affordability, and modernize federal housing programs. It tackles issues from streamlining construction regulations and incentivizing local zoning reform to restricting large corporate home purchases and enhancing financing for manufactured homes. Ultimately, the Act aims to create more pathways to homeownership and ensure safer, more stable rental conditions across the country.

This Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the Scipio A. Jones House in Little Rock, Arkansas. The study will evaluate the site's national significance and determine the best methods for its preservation and interpretation. Importantly, the study must exclude any recommendation involving federal acquisition of the property. The Secretary must report findings and recommendations to Congress within three years of funding.

The Community Bank Deposit Access Act of 2025 creates a limited exception to brokered deposit rules for certain "custodial deposits" held at eligible community banks (under $10 billion in assets). This exception allows these banks to treat these specific fiduciary deposits as non-brokered, up to 20% of total liabilities. The bill also imposes an interest rate cap on these deposits if an eligible institution falls below well-capitalized status.

The **21st Century ROAD to Housing Act** is a comprehensive bill aimed at increasing housing supply, improving affordability, and modernizing federal housing finance and oversight. It introduces numerous pilot programs and voluntary guides to encourage zoning reform, streamlines environmental reviews, updates rules for manufactured housing, and strengthens accountability for federal housing agencies. Ultimately, the Act seeks to reduce regulatory burdens and expand access to homeownership and stable rentals for low- and moderate-income Americans.

This Act establishes "AI Innovation Labs" within major financial regulatory agencies to allow regulated entities to test innovative financial products using artificial intelligence. Companies can apply for temporary waivers or modifications to existing regulations in exchange for following an approved alternative compliance strategy. The goal is to foster AI innovation in finance while ensuring consumer protection, market stability, and managing associated risks. Agencies must review applications within 120 days and submit annual reports on project outcomes.

The Price Stability Act of 2026 fundamentally alters the Federal Reserve's mission by removing the mandate to pursue maximum employment. This legislation restructures the Federal Reserve's statutory goal to focus exclusively on maintaining stable prices.

The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act authorizes competitive grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and similar institutions for long-term facility improvements, technology upgrades, and infrastructure modernization. Priority for these grants will be given to institutions demonstrating the greatest need, limited fundraising ability, and high percentages of Pell Grant recipients. The bill also mandates immediate forgiveness for certain outstanding balances on existing HBCU Capital Financing Program loans. Finally, it requires comprehensive reporting and studies to assess the program's impact and future funding needs.

The PROTECT Act mandates the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop and regularly update best practice guidance for safeguarding personally identifiable information (PII). This guidance must be distributed to federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as relevant private sector organizations. Furthermore, it must outline steps personnel can take to protect their own safety regarding their PII.

The Small LENDER Act modifies how financial institutions collect and report demographic data from small business loan applicants under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. It mandates written notice to applicants, limits data gathering to self-reporting, and delays enforcement until at least June 1, 2033. The bill also introduces exemptions for smaller financial institutions and narrows the definition of a "small business."

The HBCU Research Capacity Act aims to significantly increase federal research funding and infrastructure at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). It mandates the creation of a centralized Federal Clearinghouse to connect HBCUs with grant opportunities and best practices. The bill also requires federal agencies to develop strategies and report annually on concrete actions taken to boost HBCU participation in research and development.

This act mandates that the Commissioner of Social Security regularly advertise the Ticket to Work program to all disabled beneficiaries. Information must be sent to every eligible beneficiary within one year of the law's enactment, and then every six months thereafter. This ensures disabled beneficiaries are consistently informed about available employment support programs.

This bill updates the national strategy to counter the production and trafficking of Captagon and other amphetamine-type stimulants in the Middle East following the fall of the Assad regime. It mandates a comprehensive, unclassified assessment of shifting drug patterns across the U.S. Central Command area. The strategy must detail interdiction efforts, partner nation capacity, and recommendations to dismantle these destabilizing narcotics networks.

This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a specific 0.81-acre parcel of Forest Service property in Perryville, Arkansas, to Perry County upon request. The transfer is free of charge, provided the county covers all associated costs and agrees to use the land exclusively for public purposes. If the land is no longer used for public benefit, the Secretary retains the discretion to reclaim ownership.

The Helping Individuals Rejoin Employment (HIRE) Act extends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for five years, making it available for wages paid to qualified employees hired before January 1, 2031. This legislation also expands the credit by adding qualified Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries as a new eligible hiring group. These modifications aim to incentivize businesses to hire individuals facing employment barriers.

This resolution expresses the strong concern of Congress regarding the urgent threats and severe restrictions on religious freedom facing Coptic Christians in Egypt. It highlights issues including unfair arrests, violence, and the abduction of women and girls, urging the Egyptian government to ensure equal rights and end impunity for attacks. While acknowledging the vital U.S.-Egypt partnership on security, the bill stresses that protecting human rights is essential to that relationship.

The Taiwan and American Space Assistance Act of 2025 directs NASA and NOAA to expand civilian space cooperation with Taiwan. This legislation mandates the initiation of discussions to collaborate on non-military space activities, including satellite programs and weather monitoring. The relevant agencies must report annually to Congress for five years on the progress and scope of this partnership.

This resolution expresses the strong belief of Congress in the fundamental human right to religious freedom globally. It urges the U.S. to maintain diplomatic engagement with nations that severely restrict these freedoms to promote both societal prosperity and stable partnerships. The bill specifically highlights countries flagged for serious religious freedom violations and affirms the U.S. commitment to leading international efforts on this issue.

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets, primarily focusing on defining and regulating "digital commodities" under the CFTC and SEC. It creates registration pathways for exchanges and intermediaries, clarifies rules for asset sales, protects individual self-custody rights, and explicitly prohibits the Federal Reserve from issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Overall, the bill aims to bring clarity and consumer safeguards to the digital asset market while encouraging technological innovation.

The Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of State to designate foreign countries as "State Sponsors of Unlawful or Wrongful Detention" if they illegally hold U.S. citizens. This designation triggers mandatory reviews of diplomatic and legal tools to deter such actions. Furthermore, Congress must approve these designations for them to remain in effect beyond six months.