Legislative Activity

The "Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2025" expands Medicare access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs. It allows these programs to be offered in physician's offices and permits physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to oversee exercise within these programs, in addition to physicians. These changes aim to increase patient access to these vital rehabilitation services.

This resolution designates the week of February 24-28, 2025, as "Public Schools Week," to recognize the importance of public education. It expresses Congress's support for strengthening public schools through various measures, including empowering educators, supporting student well-being, and promoting equal opportunities. The resolution emphasizes the vital roles of educators, parents, and community stakeholders in ensuring every child has access to a high-quality education. It also acknowledges the importance of federal funding in supporting public schools.

The "Protecting Our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act" establishes a "Ukrainian guest status" for individuals paroled into the U.S. under the Uniting for Ukraine program, allowing them to work in the U.S. This status begins from their initial parole date and expires 120 days after the Secretary of State determines it is safe for civilians to return to Ukraine, but can be revoked by Homeland Security if the individual poses a security risk.

The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act enhances U.S. trade laws to counteract unfair trade practices by foreign countries. It strengthens the ability of the International Trade Commission to address successive instances of unfair trade, expands countervailing duty authority, and prevents duty evasion. The Act also counters currency undervaluation and sets clear guidelines for implementation and applicability.

This resolution supports designating February 15-22, 2025, as National FFA Week, celebrating the National FFA Organization's role in developing future leaders through agricultural education. It also recognizes the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America and the 75th anniversary of the Future Farmers of America federal charter.

This resolution designates March 7, 2025, as "National Speech and Debate Education Day" to recognize the importance of speech and debate in education. It highlights the role of educators in developing crucial communication, critical thinking, and collaboration skills. The resolution encourages schools, businesses, and communities to celebrate and promote speech and debate education.

The ENABLE Act permanently extends provisions that allow for increased contributions to ABLE accounts and rollovers from 529 education savings accounts, providing ongoing financial benefits for individuals with disabilities. It amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to remove the expiration date for increased contributions and ensures the continuation of rollovers from 529 programs to ABLE programs indefinitely. The act also modifies retirement savings contribution definitions and repeals a paragraph from the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 to align with these changes. These amendments are effective for taxable years ending after the enactment date of this act and for distributions made after this enactment.

The Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act of 2025 amends Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 4001, to prohibit the detention of individuals in the United States based solely on protected characteristics. Protected characteristics include race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and any additional characteristic the Attorney General specifies. The Attorney General cannot remove any of the characteristics already listed (race through disability).

This resolution commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima, recognizing the valor and sacrifice of the U.S. service members involved. It acknowledges the battle's significance in securing victory in the Pacific during World War II and honors the reconciliation between the United States and Japan. The resolution also encourages Americans to remember and honor the veterans of Iwo Jima.

The EAGLES Act of 2025 would reauthorize and expand the National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) within the Department of Homeland Security. The NTAC would be responsible for training, consultation, research, and information sharing related to threat assessment and targeted violence prevention, with a new focus on school violence prevention. The bill authorizes \$10,000,000 annually from 2026-2030 for these activities and requires a report to Congress on its implementation. The goal of the act is to standardize threat assessments and proactively prevent targeted violence through early intervention and support.

The "Office of Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2025" establishes an Office of Gun Violence Prevention within the Department of Justice, led by a Director, to coordinate and improve gun violence prevention programs and policies. The Director will evaluate and modernize laws, recommend evidence-based strategies to Congress and the President, improve data collection and research, educate the public, assist affected communities, and coordinate with other agencies. An advisory council will be convened, including a diverse group of experts and individuals affected by gun violence, to advise the Director. The Act authorizes necessary appropriations to support these activities.

The Presidential Audit and Tax Transparency Act mandates the IRS to audit and publicly disclose the income tax returns of the President, their spouse, and any entities they control, including corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts. It also requires Presidents and major-party Presidential nominees to disclose their tax returns for the three most recent taxable years, making them publicly available through the Office of Government Ethics or the Federal Election Commission. This ensures transparency and accountability regarding the financial affairs of the nation's highest officeholders and candidates.

The "First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act" authorizes the creation of a Congressional Gold Medal to collectively honor the First Rhode Island Regiment for their heroic service during the Revolutionary War. This regiment, one of the first racially integrated units in American history, was composed of African American, Indigenous, and mixed-race soldiers. The gold medal will be presented to the Rhode Island State Library for public display and research, with the hope that it will also be exhibited at other locations associated with the Regiment. The Act also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates of the medal to support the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

This resolution expresses gratitude to the various groups and individuals involved in ensuring the success of the Presidential Inauguration, including the Joint Congressional Committee, Architect of the Capitol, law enforcement, emergency personnel, and volunteers. It recognizes their hard work, professionalism, and adaptability in overcoming challenges to maintain safety and security. The resolution also thanks the families of those involved for their support and encourages Americans to acknowledge their vital role in the inauguration's success.

The "Age 21 Act" aims to regulate firearm sales and possession by individuals under 21 years of age. It defines specific types of firearms, including "semiautomatic assault weapons," and prohibits licensed dealers from selling these firearms or large capacity ammunition feeding devices to individuals under 21. The act also restricts the possession of handguns, semiautomatic assault weapons, and related ammunition by those under 21, with certain exceptions for activities like employment, military service, or self-defense.

The "Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025" amends the Clean Air Act, modifying the process for ethanol waivers and Reid Vapor Pressure limitations, allowing for higher ethanol blends during high ozone season. It also permits small refineries to reclaim certain retired credits from 2016-2018 for future use, under specific conditions related to prior exemption petitions.

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 logistical transactions of Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemical products. It mandates the President to block the property of sanctioned individuals and entities within the U.S. and deny them U.S. visas, with potential waivers based on national interest. The Act also establishes an Interagency Working Group to coordinate and enhance the enforcement of sanctions against Iran, and encourages the formation of a multilateral contact group with similar countries to coordinate international enforcement of sanctions against Iran. Finally, the Act amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to include identifying individuals or entities involved in activities that violate or evade sanctions under the Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025.

The "Combating Illicit Xylazine Act" aims to combat the misuse of xylazine by classifying it as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act, mandating its tracking, and directing the Sentencing Commission to review penalties for related offenses. It also requires reports to Congress on the prevalence, trafficking, and misuse of illicit xylazine. The bill includes exemptions and delayed effective dates for certain requirements to accommodate legitimate animal uses of xylazine.

The SALONS Stories Act aims to support domestic violence prevention by increasing grant funding to states that require cosmetologists and barbers to undergo training on recognizing and responding to signs of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence. This training will equip them to refer clients to resources for victims. The Attorney General can increase grants to eligible states by up to 10% for up to three years, with $5,000,000 authorized annually from 2027 through 2033 for this purpose.

The "Capping Prescription Costs Act of 2025" aims to lower prescription drug costs by setting annual cost-sharing limits. Starting in 2026, individual out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs will be capped at $2,000, and family expenses at $4,000 under qualified health plans. These limits will be adjusted annually based on the consumer price index. The act also ensures that group health plans adhere to cost-sharing limits set by the Affordable Care Act.