Legislative Activity

This bill recognizes the cultural and historical significance of Cinco de Mayo as an important date for Mexican and Mexican-American communities. It commemorates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, symbolizing the right to self-determination. The bill encourages the House of Representatives to recognize the historic struggle of the people of Mexico for independence and freedom and encourages the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

The HAVEN Act aims to expand housing access and affordability by adjusting rental payment calculations, extending funding for key housing programs, and adding "lawful source of income" as a protected category under the Fair Housing Act. It establishes a housing navigation grant program to assist families in finding suitable housing and mandates the use of small area fair market rents for the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The act also expands the Housing Choice Voucher Program by allocating additional vouchers and ensuring eligible families are entitled to assistance. Finally, it directs HUD to factor in approval speed for families and landlords under the Section 8 Management Assessment Program.

The "Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2025" establishes a grant program within the National Science Foundation (NSF) to increase the participation of women, underrepresented minorities (including LGBTQ+ individuals and those with disabilities) in STEM fields. These grants will fund various activities such as workshops, mentoring, internships, and outreach programs. The bill allocates \$15 million annually from 2026 to 2030 to support this initiative.

The "Improving Diaper Affordability Act of 2025" aims to make diapers more affordable for families by classifying them as qualified medical expenses for tax-advantaged health accounts, such as HSAs and FSAs. Additionally, the bill prohibits state and local governments from imposing sales taxes on diapers. This will reduce the financial burden on families, especially low-income households, and improve the health and well-being of babies and their parents.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury selection. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act seeks to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals and women across various sectors.

The "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act" authorizes the presentation of three Congressional Gold Medals to honor the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. These medals will be given to the Lake Placid Olympic Center, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, and the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum for public display. The Act also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to fund the medal production.

This bill expresses support for designating April as National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM). It recognizes the significant contributions of Arab Americans to the culture, economy, and identity of the United States. The bill encourages public celebration of Arab American heritage through appropriate programs and activities.

The Safer Neighborhoods Gun Buyback Act of 2025 authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to award grants to states, local governments, tribal governments, and licensed gun dealers for gun buyback programs using smart prepaid cards that cannot be used to purchase firearms or ammunition. The Act allocates funds for the buyback of firearms, requires the destruction of collected firearms and ammunition, and mandates database checks to determine if any collected firearms were used in a crime. It also establishes a criminal penalty for using smart prepaid cards to purchase firearms or ammunition. $360,000,000 is authorized for each of the fiscal years 2025 through 2027 to carry out this title.

This bill supports the designation of April 11-17, 2025, as "Black Maternal Health Week" to raise awareness about the maternal health crisis affecting Black women and birthing people in the U.S. It recognizes the unacceptable disparities in maternal mortality rates, where Black women are significantly more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. The bill urges Congress to address systemic racism and promote equitable access to resources, healthcare, and comprehensive maternal health programs for the Black community, while also supporting policies like the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. It aims to amplify Black voices, invest in community-led solutions, and increase funding for Black-led organizations and perinatal professionals.

This resolution expresses support for library staff and the essential services libraries provide, recognizing their role in connecting communities with information, resources, and social services. It emphasizes the need for adequate funding to support libraries and protect the rights of library workers. The resolution also reaffirms the public's right to access information and the importance of libraries as vital infrastructure for the future.

The "Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act" aims to improve mental health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority groups by increasing funding for research, training, and outreach programs. It directs the National Institutes of Health to study mental health disparities, promotes culturally competent healthcare practices, and requires the development of a national outreach strategy to raise awareness and improve access to mental health services within these communities. The Act authorizes increased funding for various programs and research initiatives to address mental health disparities.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 aims to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and countering its support for terrorism by imposing sanctions on those involved in Iran's energy sector and those who provide financial support for its destabilizing activities. It mandates sanctions on foreign entities involved in processing, exporting, or selling Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemicals, while also establishing an interagency working group to coordinate and enforce these sanctions. The Act also amends existing legislation to require the identification of individuals involved in sanctionable activities or sanctions evasion related to Iranian oil and gas sales.

The American Family Act establishes a refundable child tax credit with monthly advance payments, providing up to $300 per month per child, and creates a $500 tax credit for other dependents. The amount of the credit is reduced based on the taxpayer's income, with initial reductions starting at $150,000 for joint returns. The IRS will make monthly advance payments and establish an online portal for taxpayers to manage their payments and provide necessary information. This act terminates the existing annual child tax credit after 2024 and aims to provide regular financial support to families.

The Bolstering Research And Innovation Now (BRAIN) Act aims to strengthen brain tumor research and treatment development through various initiatives. This includes fostering transparency of biospecimen collections, establishing a Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network, promoting cancer clinical trial awareness, creating pilot programs for brain tumor survivor care, and directing the FDA to issue guidance that ensures brain tumor patient access to clinical trials. The Act authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to support these efforts.

The "Remote Access Security Act" amends the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to regulate remote access to items under U.S. jurisdiction by foreign persons. This bill expands export control regulations to include remote access, defining it as access to controlled items by a foreign person via network connection from a different physical location. It broadens the scope of activities, documents, and enforcement measures related to export control to include remote access, aiming to protect national security and foreign policy interests.

The ELON MUSK Act prohibits special Government employees from holding or benefiting from federal contracts or agreements. Any existing federal contracts held by these employees must be terminated upon the law's enactment. This aims to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure ethical conduct within the government.

The "Raise the Wage Act of 2025" aims to increase the federal minimum wage to $17.00 per hour over five years, after which it will be annually adjusted based on the median hourly wage of all employees. The bill also gradually raises the minimum wage for tipped employees until it matches the standard minimum wage, while ensuring they retain all tips. Additionally, it increases and then eliminates the subminimum wage for newly hired employees under 20 and individuals with disabilities, promoting fair wages for all workers.

This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow HBCU grants to be used for strengthening arts and cultural programs, including financial aid, outreach, support services, art collection preservation, and paid apprenticeships. It allows HBCUs to partner with the National Endowment for the Arts to carry out these activities. The bill aims to address underfunding in HBCU arts programs and promote diversity in the arts.

The "Community First Act" aims to reduce local jail populations and incarceration times by authorizing the Attorney General to award grants to eligible partnerships. These grants will support data analysis, strategic planning, and the implementation of various programs, including reducing cash bail, increasing pretrial services, and expanding diversion programs. Grantees must consult with local entities, analyze jail data, and meet specific incarceration reduction targets, with priority given to areas with high incarceration rates and plans to prevent jail bed increases. The Act authorizes \$20 million annually for planning grants and \$100 million annually for implementation grants from 2026 through 2030.

The DART Act of 2025 aims to reduce crime and recidivism by expanding the use of diversion and rehabilitation programs at the state and local levels through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. This act broadens the scope of the grant program to include pre-arrest diversion, specialty courts, and post-release rehabilitation programs. It also establishes a National Diversion and Rehabilitation Clearinghouse to share evidence-based practices and provide technical assistance to state and local governments, and non-profits. The act prioritizes programs that address the root causes of crime, promote trauma-informed practices, and incorporate mental health services, peer support, and restorative justice.