Legislative Activity

The Fair and Open Competition Act of 2025 ensures fair competition on federally funded construction projects by prohibiting the government from requiring or penalizing bidders based on union agreements. This legislation aims to keep federal agencies neutral in labor relations while promoting cost savings and opening opportunities for all businesses. Exceptions to this neutrality rule are strictly limited to specific public health, safety, or national security emergencies.

The Stop CCP VISAs Act of 2025 prohibits the issuance of F, J, and M nonimmigrant visas to nationals of the People's Republic of China if their primary purpose for entering the U.S. is to conduct research or study. This legislation aims to safeguard American intellectual property by restricting academic and student exchange visas for Chinese nationals.

The Maintaining Cooperative Permitting Act of 2025 secures the existing state-run dredge and fill material permitting programs for Michigan, New Jersey, and Florida, preventing the EPA from unilaterally withdrawing approval for these specific programs. It establishes a 90-day transition period for Florida permitting authority and clarifies the process for approving future state programs similar to these established ones. Essentially, the bill locks in the current cooperative federalism structure for wetland permitting in these three states.

The Women's Retirement Protection Act aims to address the significant retirement savings gap disproportionately affecting women by strengthening spousal protections in defined contribution plans like 401(k)s. The bill mandates spousal consent for certain distributions and beneficiary changes to safeguard retirement assets during divorce or death. Furthermore, it establishes grant programs to boost financial literacy for women and provide direct assistance for low-income women and survivors of domestic violence to secure court-ordered retirement benefits.

The Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act amends federal student loan regulations to provide a specific deferment for medical and dental residents. This allows borrowers currently serving in an internship or residency program to pause principal payments and prevent interest accrual on their student loans during that training period.

The Sanctuary City Accountability Act establishes a new private right of action allowing U.S. citizens to sue local governments defined as "sanctuary jurisdictions" for crimes committed against them by undocumented aliens. This allows citizens to seek injunctive relief or compensatory damages in federal court if local policies obstruct federal immigration enforcement. A local government is protected from these lawsuits if its actions are mandated by state law.

The CLEAR Act of 2025 aims to enhance immigration law enforcement by empowering state and local law enforcement to assist in the investigation, apprehension, and detention of undocumented immigrants. It encourages cooperation through financial incentives, mandates information sharing between state/local agencies and federal authorities, and expands detention facilities. The Act also provides training and immunity to state and local officers and continues the Institutional Removal Program to remove criminal immigrants from prisons. Additionally, it ensures that states are reimbursed for costs associated with detaining and transporting undocumented immigrants.

The "Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act of 2025" postpones tax deadlines and waives penalties for U.S. nationals held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, including their spouses, by disregarding the period of detention when determining tax liabilities. It requires the Secretary of State and the Attorney General to identify affected individuals and inform the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary of the Treasury will establish a program for eligible individuals to apply for a refund or abatement of penalties and fines related to the "applicable period" from January 1, 2021, to the date this law is enacted. This ensures that those who have been held hostage or wrongfully detained are not penalized for their inability to meet tax obligations during their captivity.

This bill disapproves and invalidates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule regarding overdraft lending practices of very large financial institutions. The rule, found in the Federal Register, is nullified by this disapproval.

The Timely Departure Act mandates nonimmigrant visa applicants (excluding certain visa types and those from visa waiver countries) to pay a bond between $5,000 and $50,000 to ensure timely departure from the U.S. Overstaying a visa results in automatic forfeiture of the bond, ineligibility for future immigration benefits for 4 to 12 years, and prompt removal from the U.S. Asylum seekers must apply before their authorized stay expires, or they will be ineligible. The forfeited bonds will be used for immigration detention and enforcement.

The "No Tax Dollars for the United Nations Immigration Invasion Act" prohibits the U.S. government from financially contributing to the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). It also mandates a study by the Comptroller General to identify all federal assistance programs that provide funds to these organizations, detailing amounts, restrictions, and potential repayments, as well as an audit of the Department of State’s Refugee Travel Loan Program. A report summarizing the study and audit results must be submitted to Congress within 180 days of the Act's enactment.

The Veterans Readiness and Employment Transparency Act of 2025 aims to improve outreach by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for training and rehabilitation programs for veterans with service-connected disabilities by establishing a dedicated phone number and contact information on regional office websites. It also mandates monthly Q&A sessions between VA employees and school certifying officials, as well as in-person briefings at educational institutions. The Act requires the Secretary to submit an annual report on vocational rehabilitation program extensions and approve or reject extension requests within 30 days.

The "End FEMA Benefits for Illegal Immigrants Act" terminates FEMA's program that funds shelters and services for migrants, which aimed to reduce overcrowding in Customs and Border Protection facilities. It also rescinds any remaining funds allocated to FEMA from previous appropriations acts that were intended for Customs and Border Protection operations.

The SAFE Act of 2025 amends existing legislation to explicitly prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption, reinforcing protections for these animals. This bill seeks to prevent the inhumane treatment of American equines by closing loopholes that allow their slaughter and export for human consumption.

The TOTAL Care Act initiates a five-year pilot program within the TRICARE Prime program, allowing female beneficiaries to access obstetrical and gynecological care without needing a referral, including the option to select a TRICARE OBGYN provider as an additional primary care manager. Within four years, the Secretary of Defense must report to Congress on the program's impact on TRICARE Prime enrollment and costs.

The "Maintaining Investments in New Innovation Act" amends the Social Security Act's definition of "qualifying single source drug" to include advanced drugs using genetically targeted technology. This update applies to drugs that can modify gene function, potentially impacting drug pricing and access regulations under the Act.

The "Uranium for Energy Independence Act of 2025" designates uranium as a critical mineral, overriding any existing exclusions for fuel minerals. This inclusion mandates that uranium be listed as a critical mineral on the 2022 list published by the United States Geological Survey and all future lists, as required by the Energy Act of 2020.

This bill expresses support for the Iranian people's desire for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear republic, while condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, support for terrorism, and attempts to develop nuclear weapons. It affirms the right of the Iranian people to self-determination and supports continued sanctions against the current regime. The bill also calls for the protection of Iranian political refugees in Albania.

The "No American Land for Communist China Act" prohibits the President from allowing individuals or entities associated with the Chinese government from purchasing real estate near covered federal lands. Covered lands include those managed by the Departments of Interior, Defense, Agriculture (Forest Service), and Energy, as well as Indian country. This restriction applies to entities with at least 25% equity interest held by Chinese government-affiliated individuals or businesses. The Act defines "United States" broadly to include states, territories, and other U.S. possessions.

The "Access Technology Affordability Act of 2025" introduces a tax credit for blind individuals who purchase qualified access technology, such as hardware or software that converts visual information into accessible formats. The credit is capped at $2,000 per blind individual over any three consecutive tax years and will be adjusted for inflation after 2026. This credit is effective for tax years starting after December 31, 2025, and expires after December 31, 2030. It ensures that individuals cannot claim double benefits for the same expenses.