Legislative Activity

The New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act establishes a new, voluntary program to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitats and water quality across the New York-New Jersey Watershed. This effort will be supported by a competitive matching grant program, prioritizing projects that address climate resilience and environmental justice concerns. The Act authorizes \$20 million annually from 2026 through 2031, after which the legislation will expire.

The Dennis John Benigno Traumatic Brain Injury Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 renames and updates the national TBI surveillance program, expanding data collection to focus on high-risk populations and long-term outcomes. The bill extends funding authorizations for federal TBI programs and state grant initiatives through fiscal year 2030. It also mandates a comprehensive report to Congress on TBI risk factors and requires a new study on the long-term symptoms and conditions following a brain injury.

The CCAMPIS Reauthorization Act establishes a federal grant program to help student parents remain in college by making childcare accessible. The Secretary of Education can award five-year grants to eligible colleges and universities to provide on-campus or subsidized childcare services to student parents who qualify for Pell Grants. Grantees must ensure the funded programs meet specific quality benchmarks within three years and report annually on student outcomes. The Act authorizes $500 million annually for this program from Fiscal Years 2026 through 2031.

The Protect America’s Workforce Act nullifies two specific Executive Orders related to federal labor-management programs and prohibits the use of federal funds to enforce them. Furthermore, the Act ensures that all existing collective bargaining agreements between the federal government and labor organizations remain fully in effect until their original expiration dates. This legislation solidifies current federal union contracts while removing the authority of the voided orders.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to grant Congress and the states clear authority to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures. It explicitly allows for setting reasonable spending limits and establishing public financing systems for political campaigns. The amendment also permits banning spending by corporations and other legal entities while safeguarding the freedom of the press.

The **Protecting Our Democracy Act** is a comprehensive bill designed to increase transparency, accountability, and oversight across the Executive Branch. It strengthens restrictions on presidential pardon power, closes loopholes in emoluments clauses, and enhances Congress's ability to enforce subpoenas. Furthermore, the Act bolsters whistleblower protections, tightens ethics rules for acting officials and appointees, and mandates public disclosure of presidential tax returns.

The Same Day Registration Act mandates that all states allow eligible citizens to register to vote or update their registration at the polling place on Election Day for any federal election. This ensures that individuals can register and cast their ballot simultaneously, provided the state does not already have a no-registration requirement. States must ensure registration forms are available at all polling locations, with full compliance generally required starting with the November 2026 general election.

The Fed Integrity and Independence Act of 2025 aims to safeguard the Federal Reserve's crucial role in economic stability by reinforcing its independence from political influence. This legislation explicitly prohibits current Federal Reserve officials, including Board of Governors members and Federal Reserve Bank staff and directors, from simultaneously holding any other position requiring a Presidential appointment. The core purpose is to eliminate potential conflicts of interest and ensure monetary policy decisions remain free from partisan pressures.

The Register America to Vote Act of 2025 aims to modernize and secure voter registration nationwide by establishing automatic registration systems. This includes automatically registering citizens when they turn 18 and implementing opt-out registration through state motor vehicle agencies. The Act provides federal funding to states to upgrade technology and mandates new national security and privacy standards for handling voter data.

The FAMILY Act establishes the Family and Medical Insurance Leave program, creating a new office within the Social Security Administration to manage paid benefits for qualified caregiving and serious health conditions. This law outlines eligibility requirements, a tiered formula for calculating monthly benefit payments, and protections against employer retaliation for taking leave. The Act also provides funding mechanisms for states that already have similar paid leave programs in place.

The Head Start for America's Children Act aims to strengthen early childhood education by explicitly including infants and toddlers in growth goals and emphasizing mental health support. The bill significantly increases funding authorizations, updates numerous definitions to promote inclusivity (especially for Native American and Native Hawaiian communities), and establishes new requirements for staff compensation and professional development. Furthermore, it creates several new pilot programs focused on extending operating hours, fostering partnerships with higher education, and enabling community-wide eligibility in high-poverty areas.

The Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act aims to protect Social Security from external government interference, specifically exempting it from the jurisdiction of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The bill also tightens restrictions on political appointees accessing beneficiary data, mandates that only verified deceased individuals are added to the Death Master File, and locks in current SSA office levels. Finally, it allocates significant new funding for improving customer service, modernizing technology, and establishing state and community grants to assist disability applicants.

This Senate resolution expresses a profound lack of confidence in Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing numerous actions that allegedly undermine public health, scientific integrity, and the legal duties of his office. The resolution details accusations of illegal funding cuts, mass firings of career staff, and the dismantling of key advisory committees. Therefore, the Senate declares that the Secretary should be removed from his position.

The LIFT Homebuyers Act of 2025 establishes the LIFT HOME wealth-building home loan program through the FHA and USDA to assist low-income, first-generation first-time homebuyers. The program creates a dedicated fund and structures new mortgage loans with specific fee caps, which the Treasury Department will purchase as securities. This legislation aims to expand homeownership opportunities by relying on borrower attestations for eligibility verification.

The Yes in God's Backyard Act aims to increase the supply of affordable rental housing by providing technical assistance and competitive challenge grants. These resources are specifically directed toward faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and local governments to help them overcome barriers to developing or preserving housing on their land. The bill defines affordable housing based on income limits and prioritizes assistance for projects serving extremely low-income or vulnerable populations.

This joint resolution terminates the President's declared crime emergency in the District of Columbia from August 2025. Congress asserts that the emergency is unwarranted given declining crime rates and argues against diverting local Metropolitan Police Department resources for federal tasks. The resolution effectively ends the special conditions established by the Executive Order.

The Lowering Electric Bills Act extends crucial tax credits for residential clean energy installations until 2034. It also modifies the phase-out schedule for the Clean Electricity Production and Investment Credits, tying their continuation to achieving specific emissions reduction targets or the year 2032. These changes aim to provide long-term stability for clean energy investments.

The Cloud LAB Act of 2025 establishes a pilot program to create a national network of high-tech, remotely accessible "cloud laboratories" focused on biotechnology research. This network, coordinated by the NSF Director, will generate high-quality biological data using automated experiments to train AI models and provide researchers access to advanced experimental tools. The Act mandates the creation of an advisory board to guide priorities, ensure equitable access, and establish security protocols for the data and infrastructure.

The Sustaining Our Democracy Act establishes a new federal program to provide annual funding to states specifically for improving election administration, security, and accessibility. This funding is sourced from a dedicated Trust Fund and administered by a new federal office. States must submit detailed plans outlining how they will use the money for upgrades like cybersecurity and expanded voting options, while being prohibited from using funds for voter intimidation or other prohibited activities.

The Expanding the VOTE Act clarifies existing requirements for providing voting materials in minority languages under the Voting Rights Act. It establishes a new grant program to incentivize jurisdictions to offer language assistance beyond current mandates. Furthermore, the bill addresses specific provisions for American Indian and Alaska Native languages and directs a study on lowering language assistance thresholds.