Legislative Activity

The Public Lands in Public Hands Act prohibits the federal government from transferring ownership of publicly accessible federal lands to non-federal entities. This legislation ensures that lands currently reachable by the public remain under federal protection, with specific exceptions for authorized land exchanges and existing federal programs. It also explicitly prohibits the subdivision of land to bypass these new transfer restrictions.

The VA CPE Modernization Act updates and standardizes the reimbursement process for continuing professional education expenses for Department of Veterans Affairs health care professionals. The bill establishes a guaranteed annual reimbursement of up to $2,000 for a wide range of medical staff, including physicians, nurses, and social workers. This measure ensures that VA health care providers can maintain their professional credentials and stay current with evolving medical standards.

The Build Housing with Care Act of 2025 establishes a competitive grant program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to fund the development and renovation of facilities that co-locate affordable housing with child care services. By incentivizing these partnerships, the bill aims to expand access to both essential housing and quality child care, particularly in underserved communities. Additionally, the legislation mandates a GAO study to evaluate the current availability and affordability of child care for public housing residents.

The Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025 prohibits the use of federal funds for a first-use nuclear strike unless Congress has explicitly authorized such an action through a declaration of war. This legislation aims to establish a constitutional check on presidential authority by ensuring that the decision to initiate nuclear conflict rests with the people’s representatives. The bill maintains the President's ability to authorize retaliatory nuclear strikes in response to an existing nuclear attack.

The Close the Medigap Act of 2025 aims to improve consumer protections and transparency for Medicare supplemental insurance. The bill establishes national guaranteed-issue rights, prohibits discriminatory pricing based on health status or age, and restores access to first-dollar coverage plans. Additionally, it enhances the Medicare plan finder website and mandates new reporting requirements for broker compensation to ensure greater accountability in the Medigap market.

The Neighbors Not Enemies Act seeks to repeal the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. By eliminating these long-standing statutes, the bill aims to remove the legal framework that currently allows for the detention and deportation of non-citizens based solely on their country of origin during times of declared war.

The Assuring Medicare’s Promise Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund by redirecting revenue from the net investment income tax directly to the program. Additionally, the bill expands the scope of this tax for high-income earners by including certain trade or business income and foreign earnings in the tax base. These measures are designed to improve the long-term financial stability of Medicare starting in 2026.

The Increased TSP Access Act of 2025 aims to expand and accelerate the delivery of conservation technical assistance to farmers and ranchers by diversifying the certification process for third-party providers. The bill authorizes non-federal entities and state agencies to certify providers, streamlines credentialing for qualified professionals, and mandates fair payment rates. These reforms are designed to increase capacity, improve transparency, and ensure more efficient implementation of conservation practices nationwide.

The Saving the Civil Service Act protects the merit-based federal workforce by restricting the ability of agencies to reclassify competitive service positions into the excepted service. The bill establishes strict oversight, limits the number of positions that can be transferred, and mandates employee consent for such reclassifications. These measures ensure that federal staffing remains professional and protected from arbitrary political interference.

The Equal COLA Act amends the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) to ensure that retirees receive the full annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). This legislation eliminates current discrepancies in calculation methods, providing federal annuitants with a COLA that matches the full percentage change in the price index.

The Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2025 expands Medicare coverage to include all services legally authorized under a chiropractor’s state license, moving beyond the current restriction limited to manual spinal manipulation. This legislation aligns Medicare benefits with private insurance and other federal health programs to better reflect modern chiropractic practice. To provide these expanded services, chiropractors will be required to complete a one-time training program verified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The FAIR Act (Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act) proposes a 2026 pay adjustment for federal civilian employees. This legislation mandates a 3.3 percent increase in basic pay for both statutory and prevailing rate employees, alongside a 1 percent increase in locality pay.

The Protecting Homeowners from Disaster Act of 2025 eliminates current tax code limitations on personal casualty loss deductions. This change allows homeowners to fully deduct losses sustained from disasters, providing greater financial relief for those impacted by unexpected property damage starting in the 2025 tax year.

The Department of Education Protection Act prohibits the Department of Education from using federal funds to reorganize, decentralize, or reduce its staffing and operations. This legislation mandates that the Department must maintain the structure, authority, and functions that were in place as of January 1, 2025.

The TRUST in Congress Act requires Members of Congress, their spouses, and their dependent children to place covered financial investments into qualified blind trusts to prevent conflicts of interest. The bill establishes strict deadlines for asset transfers and mandates public certification of compliance. These measures ensure that lawmakers cannot influence or benefit from their personal investments while serving in office.

The "Proxy Voting for New Parents Resolution" allows Members of the House, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner who have recently given birth or whose spouse has given birth to designate another Member to vote on their behalf in the House, in committee, and in the Committee of the Whole for a period of 12 weeks. This proxy voting authority can begin before the birth if a doctor advises that the pregnancy presents a serious medical condition or that she is unable to travel safely. The resolution outlines specific procedures for designating, changing, and revoking proxy designations, ensuring transparency and adherence to instructions. Members whose votes are cast by proxy will not be counted for quorum purposes.

The Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 expands access to health insurance by removing the 400% federal poverty level income cap for premium tax credits. It also introduces a new sliding-scale contribution formula to ensure that insurance costs remain affordable for households across all income levels. These changes are set to take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Improving Menopause Care for Veterans Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive GAO study to evaluate the quality, accessibility, and effectiveness of menopause-related care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Following this assessment, the VA is required to develop a strategic plan to implement improvements and address gaps in care. This legislation aims to ensure veterans receive high-quality, informed support throughout all stages of menopause.

The Veterans Infertility Treatment Act of 2025 mandates that the VA provide comprehensive infertility treatments and fertility preservation services to enrolled veterans and their chosen partners. This legislation expands access to assisted reproductive technology, including IVF and gamete storage, regardless of marital status. It also provides coverage for partner travel expenses and establishes clear guidelines for consent and implementation.

The Dental Care for Veterans Act aims to improve veterans' access to dental care by integrating it more closely with other medical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill removes specific limitations and updates existing code to allow the Secretary to provide comprehensive dental care, including dentures and appliances. The implementation of these expanded benefits will be phased in over four years, prioritizing veterans based on existing eligibility criteria. Additionally, the bill makes necessary clerical updates to reflect these changes in the U.S. Code.