Legislative Activity

The Kids Need Lunch Act establishes universal free school lunches for all students in participating schools and creates a federal program to reimburse schools for existing unpaid meal debt. The bill also permanently prohibits schools from collecting any future unpaid lunch charges from students or families. These provisions will take effect one year after the Act is signed into law.

This bill, the "No Private Bounty Hunters for Immigration Enforcement Act," prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using private contractors for activities like skip tracing, surveillance, or location verification in civil immigration enforcement. It mandates the termination or amendment of all existing contracts that involve these practices. Furthermore, the legislation generally bans paying private entities on a per-person or bonus basis for locating individuals subject to civil immigration detainers.

The First Home Affordability Act establishes a new refundable tax credit for first-time homebuyers, generally claimed over five years, up to a maximum of \$25,000. The credit amount is subject to phase-outs based on the buyer's income and the home's purchase price relative to local area medians. Special provisions allow certain essential workers (teachers, childcare workers, and first responders) to receive the full credit immediately, and taxpayers have the option to transfer the credit directly to their mortgage lender at closing.

The Kids Before Cuts Act prohibits the federal government from freezing or withholding funds intended for critical social services, including the TANF, SSBG, and Child Care Development Block Grant programs. This measure ensures that funds appropriated by Congress for child care and social services reach the states as intended. The Act specifically targets recent actions that froze billions in funding designated for supporting families and children.

The No Occupation of Venezuela Act of 2026 (NOVA Act) strictly prohibits the use of U.S. Federal funds to support any form of U.S. military occupation, control, or administration over Venezuela. This ban includes funding for military deployments intended to assert sovereignty or control over Venezuelan territory or resources. The Act carves out narrow exceptions allowing for the acquisition or use of property for U.S. diplomatic or consular establishments, provided the Venezuelan government approves. Importantly, this legislation does not affect existing laws governing the provision of emergency humanitarian aid.

The Investing in American Workers Act establishes a new tax credit for employers who invest in qualifying job training for their non-highly paid employees. This credit is calculated based on the amount by which current training expenses exceed the average of the past three years' inflation-adjusted training costs. Eligible training must lead to a recognized postsecondary credential, and small businesses may elect to apply the credit against payroll taxes instead of income tax.

The SAFE LiDAR Act prohibits the use of covered foreign adversary LiDAR technology by U.S. critical infrastructure operators and the Federal Government, with phased implementation timelines. It also bans certain business partnerships with foreign adversary LiDAR companies to prevent espionage and supply chain compromise. The Secretary of Commerce is granted authority to issue waivers and manage a transition assistance program for impacted users. This legislation aims to secure critical technologies against national security threats posed by specified foreign adversaries.

This Act mandates the Director of National Intelligence to report on oil and ballistic missile-related transactions between China and Iran, detailing circumvention tactics. Following this report, the Secretary of the Treasury must determine if China is engaged in sanctionable activities related to these transactions. The bill aims to track and restrict adversarial circumvention of existing embargoes.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 1300 East Northwest Highway in Palatine, Illinois. The facility will henceforth be known as the "Bernie Bluestein Post Office Building." This designation requires all official records and documents to use the new name.

This bill aims to reform high-skilled immigration by significantly increasing the annual H-1B visa cap. It also establishes the Promoting American Ingenuity Grant Program to strengthen STEM education and teacher retention in the U.S. Furthermore, the legislation adjusts the criteria used to define H-1B-dependent employers.

This bill, titled the Brand USA Restoration Act, appropriates \$80 million for fiscal year 2026 to the Travel Promotion Fund. These funds are intended to offset previous reductions made to the Fund by the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." This action aims to restore funding for travel promotion initiatives.

The SAFE Taps Act establishes a new federal grant program administered by the EPA to fund the complete replacement of lead, galvanized steel, and iron service lines, along with associated lead drinking water mains. This program aims to address the public health threat posed by lead contamination, especially in financially distressed communities that struggle with existing loan-based funding mechanisms. Grants will cover eligible project costs and require adherence to prevailing wage standards for all funded labor.

The **Defending International Security by Restricting Unacceptable Partnerships and Tactics Act (DISRUPT Act)** aims to counter the growing cooperation between foreign adversaries: China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The bill establishes policy to disrupt this alignment, particularly concerning defense and economic coordination, through the use of sanctions and export controls. It mandates the creation of several interagency task forces and detailed reports to assess the risks posed by this cooperation and outline U.S. strategic responses. Ultimately, the legislation seeks to strengthen deterrence and prepare the U.S. for potential simultaneous challenges from these nations.

This resolution formally recognizes the significant religious and historical importance of the festival of Diwali to Indian-American communities across the nation. Congress acknowledges Diwali as the festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains for its symbolism of knowledge, peace, and the triumph of good over evil. By passing this, the House expresses respect for the Indian diaspora and appreciates the strong partnership between the United States and India.

The **988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act of 2025** addresses the high rates of suicide risk among LGBTQ youth by strengthening specialized support through the national crisis hotline. This bill mandates that dedicated resources and services, such as a specific dialing option, must be maintained for LGBTQ individuals contacting 988. Furthermore, it requires that at least 9 percent of appropriated funds for the hotline be specifically reserved to ensure these specialized services for LGBTQ youth remain fully operational.

The Bringing Benefits Back Act of 2025 aims to repeal specific, outdated reconciliation provisions enacted under a previous budget resolution. This action effectively restores the original statutes that were previously amended by those provisions. In essence, the bill serves to undo specific legislative changes made years ago through that particular budget process.

The No Advanced Chips for the CCP Act of 2025 establishes a stringent, two-step approval process for exporting advanced AI semiconductors to China, requiring both executive branch approval and specific Congressional resolution. This process mandates a thorough national security review by multiple federal agencies before any transfer can be considered. The Act defines "advanced AI semiconductor" based on specific performance thresholds and includes a three-year sunset provision.

The Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act mandates that Members of Congress and their immediate families divest from or place specific stock holdings into qualified blind trusts to prevent conflicts of interest. The bill also establishes new civil penalties for failing to comply with existing stock trading disclosure laws (the STOCK Act). Furthermore, it requires that congressional financial disclosure forms be made publicly available online in a searchable, machine-readable format.

This House resolution expresses the strong sense of Congress opposing any pardon, commutation, or clemency for Ghislaine Maxwell. It affirms her conviction for sex trafficking and emphasizes that her continued imprisonment is necessary for justice for the survivors. The resolution serves as a formal condemnation of her heinous crimes and stands firmly with the victims.

The College Transparency Act establishes a secure, new national system for tracking student data from postsecondary institutions to improve transparency regarding enrollment, completion, costs, and post-college outcomes. This system will collect detailed, student-level data, securely matched with other federal records, to create public, aggregate reports for comparison. The law mandates strict privacy and security standards while aiming to reduce overall reporting burdens for colleges.