Legislative Activity

The Local Communities Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2025 establishes the voluntary Urban Bird Treaty Program to protect and improve bird habitats in city areas. This program directs the Secretary of the Interior to partner with local entities to restore habitats, reduce urban dangers to birds, and engage communities in conservation efforts. It also creates a competitive grant system, administered through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, to fund these local stewardship projects.

The Venezuela TPS Act of 2025 officially designates Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for an initial 18-month period. This allows eligible Venezuelan nationals who have been continuously present in the U.S. since the law's enactment to apply for TPS. The bill also outlines procedures for travel authorization and sets a $360 application fee, with provisions for fee waivers.

The Public Service Worker Protection Act expands the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) to explicitly cover all public employees, including those working for federal, state, and local governments. This change brings public sector workers under the general protections afforded by OSHA. While the expansion takes effect generally within 90 days, states without an existing OSHA plan are given a three-year transition period before federal oversight applies to their employees.

This resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon and recognizes the profound contributions of Vietnamese Americans to the United States. It honors those who fled the communist regime after April 30, 1975, and reaffirms American commitment to democracy and human rights. The bill encourages all citizens to observe this anniversary and remember the sacrifices made in the pursuit of freedom.

The Equality Act comprehensively expands federal civil rights protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity across key areas of American life. It amends existing laws to prohibit discrimination in public accommodations, housing, credit, employment, and federal funding. The purpose of the bill is to provide consistent, explicit, and comprehensive remedies for individuals facing bias in these essential sectors.

This bill reauthorizes the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection program, ensuring its continued operation to gather historical documents related to unsolved civil rights investigations. It strengthens the Civil Rights Cold Case Review Board's authority to obtain and expedite the public release of federal, state, and local records, removing previous opt-out exceptions for state and local entities. Furthermore, the legislation extends the tenure of the Review Board from seven to eleven years to complete its review process.

The Medical Manufacturing, Economic Development, and Sustainability Act of 2025 (MMEDS Act) aims to revitalize domestic medical production by offering significant tax incentives for manufacturing in designated economically distressed zones. The bill establishes a 40% tax credit on wages and expenses for medical manufacturers operating in these areas, with higher rates for facilities repatriating production or focusing on population health products. Furthermore, it expands government authority to prioritize the research, development, and stockpiling of medical countermeasures specifically designed to protect vulnerable populations during public health emergencies.

This resolution supports the designation of April 10th as "Dolores Huerta Day" to honor her legacy as a trailblazing labor and civil rights leader. It recognizes her foundational work co-founding the United Farm Workers and her lifelong fight for economic justice, workers' rights, and equality. The bill formally celebrates her accomplishments without creating new laws or programs.

This Act officially establishes the **Department of Homeland Security Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Act**. It clarifies the appointment process for the DHS Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security provide the Officer with necessary permanent staff and resources. The changes ensure the Officer has the support required to fulfill their duties within the department.

This bill provides enhanced employment protections and reinstatement options for certain Federal career employees who were serving under a probationary period following a promotion. It grants these employees standard due process rights against unfair removal while on probation. Furthermore, it allows employees removed between January 20, 2025, and the date of enactment to elect reinstatement to their former or an equivalent position with back pay. These protections generally exclude those promoted into or removed from political positions.

The American Family Act fundamentally overhauls the Child Tax Credit by replacing the annual lump sum with a system of advance, refundable monthly payments delivered directly to families. These monthly allowances vary based on the child's age, with higher amounts provided for younger children. The bill also establishes a separate, smaller credit for other dependents and outlines procedures for annual renewal and reconciliation of advance payments when filing taxes.

The Bolstering Security Against Ghost Guns Act directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a comprehensive strategy to counter threats posed by unserialized, privately made firearms, commonly known as "ghost guns." This legislation mandates specific actions across DHS components, including threat assessments on cross-border smuggling and research on preventing targeted violence involving these weapons. Furthermore, the bill requires regular reporting from the TSA on airport firearm violations and mandates intelligence sharing regarding terrorist threats linked to ghost guns.

The Rural Veterinary Workforce Act aims to encourage more veterinarians to serve in underserved rural areas by making participation in certain loan repayment or forgiveness programs more financially appealing. This bill amends the tax code to exclude amounts received through qualifying state or federal veterinary student loan repayment programs from being counted as taxable income. This tax benefit applies to amounts received for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

This resolution formally recognizes the significant heritage, culture, and vital contributions of Latinas throughout U.S. history across all sectors of American life. It celebrates their achievements while acknowledging the ongoing economic and societal disparities they continue to face. The bill calls for continued investment to help break down barriers and ensure Latinas can fully achieve their potential.

The Paycheck Fairness Act significantly strengthens federal equal pay protections by broadening definitions of sex discrimination, tightening employer defenses against pay disparities, and increasing penalties for violations. It also prohibits employers from using salary history in hiring decisions and mandates new data collection by the EEOC to better enforce anti-discrimination laws. Furthermore, the bill establishes new training and outreach programs to combat systemic wage bias.

This bill officially ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment, declaring it a valid part of the U.S. Constitution. It specifically removes any previously imposed deadlines for state ratification. If three-fourths of the states have approved the amendment, this law confirms its official status regardless of past time constraints.

The Puppy Protection Act of 2025 significantly increases humane treatment standards for dog dealers under the Animal Welfare Act. This legislation mandates specific minimum space requirements, daily exercise access, and mandatory socialization for housed dogs. Furthermore, it establishes strict limits on female dog breeding frequency and age, alongside enhanced veterinary care protocols.

The Major Richard Star Act ensures that military retirees with combat-related disabilities can receive both their military retirement pay and VA disability compensation concurrently without reduction. This law removes previous restrictions that caused military retirement pay to be offset by VA disability payments for these specific cases. The changes take effect on the first day of the month following the Act's enactment.

The Caring for Survivors Act of 2025 aims to increase financial support for surviving spouses of veterans. This bill raises the monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payment rate for surviving spouses. Additionally, it lowers the required duration of total disability rating before death from ten years to five years for survivors to qualify for certain DIC benefits. If the disability period was between five and ten years, the benefit amount will be proportionally adjusted.

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.