Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that paraprofessionals and education support staff deserve fair compensation, comprehensive benefits, and improved working conditions. It highlights the critical role these essential workers play in supporting millions of students nationwide. Ultimately, the bill calls for livable wages, job security, safe workplaces, and meaningful input into school policies for these staff members.

This resolution officially supports the goals of Financial Literacy Month by recognizing the widespread financial challenges facing American households. It highlights the urgent need for improved personal finance education due to low budgeting rates and high levels of household debt. The bill calls upon federal, state, and local entities to promote programs that enhance financial understanding and responsible money management.

This bill proposes to amend the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the federal income tax on unemployment compensation. Specifically, it would sunset the tax on unemployment benefits for all tax years beginning after December 31, 2024. This means unemployment compensation received in 2025 and future years would no longer be counted as taxable gross income.

The Safe Workplaces Act directs the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to develop non-binding guidance to help employers reduce the threat of violence in various workplaces. This process begins with a study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to inform the development of tailored recommendations. The resulting guidance must address strategies like engineering controls, work practice controls, and environmental risk factors specific to different industries.

The STOP Violence Act of 2025 authorizes $20 million in new federal grants to help public assembly facilities prepare for and defend against mass violence. This funding is specifically designated for training, technical assistance, and compensation to enhance security at places like schools, stadiums, and shopping centers. The Act clearly defines "mass violence" to include both active shooter incidents and targeted violence against specific locations or groups.

The TRICARE Equality Act aims to ensure military health coverage in Puerto Rico is administered consistently with the 50 states. This includes standardizing TRICARE Prime Area designations and expanding travel and transportation allowances for beneficiaries on the island. The bill also mandates improved coordination for sharing health data between federal and Puerto Rico health agencies.

The Federal Firearm Licensee Act significantly overhauls federal regulation of gun dealers by mandating enhanced physical security, stricter inventory tracking, and increased record-keeping requirements. The bill repeals outdated restrictions on the ATF, increases licensing fees, and establishes new regulations for online firearm transfer facilitators. Furthermore, it strengthens enforcement by increasing penalties for compliance failures and mandating more frequent inspections for high-risk dealers.

The End Gun Violence Act of 2025 prohibits the sale or transfer of firearms and ammunition to any person convicted of a "violent misdemeanor" within the preceding five years. This act establishes a specific federal definition for a violent misdemeanor, requiring that the crime involve the use or threat of physical force and meet certain procedural safeguards regarding legal representation and trial rights. The law includes conforming amendments to update federal background check systems and clarifies that it does not supersede stricter state or local firearm regulations.

The Secure Background Checks Act of 2025 updates federal law to prohibit firearm possession for individuals who fail to meet both federal and state age requirements simultaneously. It also bans possession for out-of-state purchasers who do not qualify for specific interstate transaction exceptions. The bill includes minor technical amendments to existing penalty statutes.

The Delete DOGE Act aims to completely defund and halt operations related to the government entity known as DOGE. This bill specifically prohibits the use of federal funds to implement, manage, or enforce the executive orders that established or involve DOGE entities. Furthermore, it places strict limitations on the U.S. Digital Service to prevent them from funding any new DOGE-related projects initiated after January 19, 2025.

The Defending American Diplomacy Act prohibits the Secretary of State from implementing any reorganization of the State Department without specific statutory authorization from Congress and the submission of a detailed plan. This plan must thoroughly analyze the impact on foreign policy goals, operations, and personnel. If the Secretary proceeds without authorization, specific funding restrictions against the Department of Government Efficiency and official travel for high-level appointees will take effect.

The IDEA Full Funding Act establishes mandatory, increasing funding levels for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs through fiscal year 2035. This legislation sets specific appropriation targets based on student counts and national average spending to ensure greater financial support for special education services. Furthermore, the bill requires that these new IDEA appropriations adhere to "cut-as-you-go" budget offset rules.

The Lower Drug Costs for Families Act modifies how prescription drug inflation rebates are calculated for Medicare Part B and Part D. This bill incorporates commercial market sales data into the rebate calculations for both parts. Additionally, it shifts the baseline reference years for these rebate calculations to earlier dates, starting in 2016. These changes aim to adjust the financial responsibility of manufacturers when drug prices rise faster than inflation.

This bill restricts the use of federal funds to carry out large-scale removals of employees within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Specifically, it prohibits using federal money for terminations if 3% or more of the total HHS workforce, or 3% or more of any individual sub-agency's staff, are removed within a 60-day period. This measure aims to prevent sudden, mass layoffs across the department and its major divisions.

The Capping Prescription Costs Act of 2025 establishes a hard annual limit on the amount individuals and families must pay out-of-pocket for prescription drugs under their health plans. Starting in 2026, this cap will be set at \$2,000 for individuals and \$4,000 for families, adjusting annually based on medical cost inflation. This requirement applies to both ACA marketplace plans and most employer-sponsored group health plans.

This resolution expresses support for designating the last Saturday of March 2025 as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day." The bill officially honors the service and sacrifices of all U.S. Armed Forces members who served in Vietnam between 1961 and 1975. It encourages nationwide observance to recognize their contributions and support their transition back to civilian life.

This joint resolution expresses congressional disapproval of an enhancement or upgrade to a previously planned foreign military sale of defense articles and services to the Government of Israel. Specifically, it blocks the proposed increase in the total value of the sale, which was necessitated by recent cost escalations for the equipment. The resolution effectively halts the more expensive, revised version of the defense transfer.

This resolution formally recognizes and celebrates the International Transgender Day of Visibility. Congress acknowledges the achievements of transgender individuals while highlighting the ongoing discrimination and violence they face. The resolution encourages appropriate ceremonies and activities to observe the day and celebrate the community's leadership and fight for equality.

The Hot Foods Act of 2025 removes the general federal ban on using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase hot, ready-to-eat foods. This legislation clarifies that hot foods are now eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits, while also setting a new rule that limits SNAP-participating retailers to deriving no more than 50% of their gross sales from these ready-to-eat hot items. The act updates existing statutes to reflect this expanded purchasing power for recipients.

The Arts Education for All Act aims to elevate the status and accessibility of arts education across the entire educational spectrum. It mandates evidence-based training for early childhood providers, requires states to integrate arts education into core academic planning and public reporting, and authorizes the use of the arts in juvenile and adult offender reentry programs. Furthermore, the bill directs federal research agencies to study the impact of the arts and restores arts assessment to the national testing schedule.