Legislative Activity

The Federal Emergency Management Continuity Act of 2025 ensures that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can continue essential disaster relief operations during a government funding lapse. This act authorizes the FEMA Administrator to use existing, previously appropriated funds from the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) to maintain critical Stafford Act programs. Furthermore, necessary staff will be retained as "excepted employees" to manage these ongoing life-saving and property-protecting activities.

This resolution officially designates October 8, 2025, as Latina Equal Pay Day to highlight the significant wage disparity faced by Latina workers. It recognizes that Latinas currently earn only about 58 cents for every dollar earned by White, non-Hispanic men, resulting in substantial lifetime earnings loss. The bill calls attention to systemic factors like workplace policies and harassment that contribute to this ongoing economic injustice. Ultimately, Congress reaffirms its commitment to achieving pay equity for all women.

The Shutdown Guidance for Financial Institutions Act requires federal financial regulators to create and issue guidance for banks and lenders on how to support customers and businesses affected by a government shutdown. This guidance must encourage flexible loan adjustments and prevent unfair negative credit reporting for those experiencing income loss due to the lapse in funding. Regulators must also issue rapid alerts when a shutdown occurs and report on the effectiveness of the guidance afterward.

This bill amends federal law to officially include the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico in the regulations governing commercial motor vehicle safety. It grants these territories eligibility to issue commercial driver's licenses under federal standards. Furthermore, the legislation provides a five-year grace period during which these territories will be exempt from federal highway fund penalties related to certain commercial driver's license requirements while they work toward full compliance.

This resolution officially recognizes the significant economic and cultural importance of coffee to the United States, highlighting its role in supporting millions of jobs and contributing billions to the economy. It expresses strong support for designating September 29, 2025, as "National Coffee Day." The measure also acknowledges the complex global supply chain and domestic growers essential for meeting American demand.

The Tropical Plant Health Initiative Act establishes a dedicated federal initiative to protect vital tropical crops like coffee, bananas, and mangoes from devastating pests and diseases. This law authorizes new research and extension grants focused on developing science-based solutions for these specific agricultural threats. Furthermore, it extends the program's funding authorization through the year 2030.

This resolution strongly condemns attempts to use federal regulatory power or litigation to suppress lawful speech critical of a political party or the President. It reaffirms the fundamental importance of the First Amendment and warns that such actions resemble tactics used by authoritarian regimes. The bill urges government agencies to protect free expression and ensure accountability, not political censorship.

This House Resolution strongly condemns all forms of political violence and threats against elected officials and public figures, regardless of political affiliation. It affirms that disagreements must be resolved through peaceful and democratic means, not intimidation or force. The resolution urges law enforcement to prosecute those who commit or encourage such violence. Finally, it calls on all leaders to cease using dehumanizing rhetoric and promote civil discourse.

The Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2025 mandates that colleges receiving federal funds update their policies to explicitly prohibit and detail procedures for addressing harassment based on protected characteristics, including technology-facilitated abuse. The bill also establishes a competitive grant program, funded up to $50 million annually, to support campus efforts in harassment prevention, training, and support services. This legislation adds new requirements without superseding existing civil rights protections.

The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 mandates that the Secretary of Transportation establish a rule requiring AM broadcast radio receivers to be installed as standard equipment in new passenger motor vehicles. This requirement aims to ensure public access to AM radio signals, which are often used for emergency alerts. The bill also directs a GAO study on the effectiveness of AM radio within the national emergency alert system compared to other technologies. Finally, the Act preempts state and local laws on this matter and includes a sunset provision eight years after enactment.

The "Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act" expands Medicare coverage to include FDA-approved multi-cancer early detection screening tests starting in 2028. It defines the criteria for these tests, sets payment guidelines, and establishes age and frequency limitations for coverage. The bill ensures that existing cancer screening coverage remains unaffected and allows for waivers of limitations based on recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

The Territory Health Revitalization Act aims to strengthen health resources in U.S. territories by reserving a dedicated five percent of specific federal block grant funds for them. This legislation also removes a previous funding restriction for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and guarantees that at least two eligible grants will be awarded to organizations physically located within the territories. All provisions of this Act are set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

The Pay Our Troops Act of 2026 ensures that active duty military personnel and essential civilian support staff continue to receive their pay if Congress has not yet passed the full budget for fiscal year 2026. This act provides automatic continuing appropriations from the Treasury to prevent a lapse in military salaries due to budget delays. The funding automatically terminates once a new budget or continuing resolution is passed, or on January 1, 2027, whichever comes first.

The FAMILY Act establishes a national Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance program administered by a new office within the Social Security Administration. This program provides monthly benefits to eligible individuals who take time off for qualified caregiving reasons, including serious health conditions or victims of violence. The Act also sets forth detailed eligibility requirements, benefit calculation formulas, and job protection guarantees for employees utilizing the leave. Finally, it creates a funding mechanism to support existing state-level paid leave programs that meet federal standards.

The Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare (TRAVEL) Act of 2025 authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to assign existing physicians as traveling doctors to provide essential healthcare services in U.S. territories and possessions for up to one year. These traveling physicians will receive special relocation or retention bonuses in addition to their regular salary. Furthermore, the bill extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments until December 31, 2032.

This resolution officially honors the victims, survivors, and all those impacted by the September 11, 2001, attacks. It reaffirms the critical importance of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in maintaining national security and preparedness. Furthermore, it expresses concern over potential weakening of counterterrorism efforts and urges full support for DHS's mission to protect the homeland.

The RTCP Revitalization Act aims to significantly increase and guarantee funding for geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers through the Commodity Credit Corporation. This legislation removes previous administrative hurdles and eliminates annual payment caps for individual producers when program demand is high. The bill establishes mandatory, increasing funding levels for this support program through fiscal year 2031 and beyond.

This bill exempts federal actions related to the construction of qualifying infill housing from the environmental review requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It defines qualifying infill housing based on location, size, and successful environmental site assessments. Additionally, the legislation accelerates the required frequency for states to update their natural hazard risk assessments from every five years to every three years.

The Farm Credit Adjustment Act grants the Farm Credit Administration the option to extend mandatory examination cycles for low-risk Farm Credit System institutions from the current frequency to once every 24 months. This change provides regulatory flexibility for institutions deemed stable by the FCA. This new examination option will take effect starting October 1, 2026.

The EATS Act of 2025 significantly updates eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by removing previous restrictions that often disqualified students. This legislation explicitly includes bona fide students enrolled at least half-time in recognized educational programs as eligible participants for food assistance. These changes take effect on January 2, 2026.