Legislative Activity

The DEFIANCE Act of 2025 establishes a federal civil cause of action against the creation, possession with intent to share, or sharing of nonconsensual intimate digital forgeries, often known as deepfakes. This legislation updates existing law to specifically address image-based sexual abuse created through AI or digital manipulation, regardless of whether the image is labeled as fake. Victims can sue for significant statutory damages, attorney's fees, and injunctive relief to stop the spread of the harmful content. The Act ensures that this new federal standard does not preempt or limit stronger existing State or Tribal laws.

The Six Assurances to Taiwan Act codifies the historical U.S. commitments known as the Six Assurances, reinforcing the foundation of U.S. policy toward Taiwan. It explicitly states that the U.S. has not agreed to set a date for ending arms sales or to consult with Beijing on those sales. Furthermore, the Act establishes a mandatory Congressional review process before the President can pause arms sales or take actions that significantly alter the U.S. position on Taiwan's sovereignty. This legislation aims to ensure stability in the Taiwan Strait by upholding these long-standing policy guidelines.

The Insurance Data Protection Act aims to adjust federal regulatory authority over insurance data by limiting the subpoena power of the Office of Financial Research against insurance companies. It also strengthens confidentiality protections for data shared with and held by the Federal Insurance Office and other financial regulators. Furthermore, the bill mandates that financial regulators must seek existing data from other sources before directly collecting information from insurance companies, ensuring data privacy is maintained.

The Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act reinstates and removes limitations on the federal income tax deduction for personal casualty losses resulting from unexpected events like fires or floods. This legislation also extends the deadline for taxpayers to file claims for refunds related to these casualty loss deductions for past tax years. These changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2017.

The Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act extends the life of the Historic Preservation Fund through the year 2035. This legislation also increases the maximum annual funding available for the program from \$150 million to \$250 million. Essentially, this bill ensures continued and increased financial support for preserving historic sites across the nation.

This resolution strongly condemns Hamas for its premeditated and brutal terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. It details the resulting casualties and the ongoing hostage crisis, emphasizing the severe mistreatment of those held captive. The bill demands that Hamas immediately release all remaining hostages and allow them safe return.

The HEADs UP Act of 2025 aims to expand access to primary and dental healthcare for individuals with developmental disabilities. It revises federal funding criteria to specifically recognize this population as medically underserved, allowing health centers to qualify for enhanced support. The bill authorizes dedicated federal grants for health centers to establish or expand comprehensive services tailored to this community through 2030. This legislation also updates designations for Health Professional Shortage Areas to include these individuals, incentivizing increased staffing.

This bill officially renames two key locations within the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park to honor Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. Specifically, the Great Falls Scenic Overlook Trail Bridge and Overlook Park will now bear his name. This change ensures all official records and signage reflect the new designations.

The EAGLE Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to help small, local law enforcement agencies cover the costs associated with achieving or renewing official professional accreditation. This funding is specifically designated to pay for accreditation fees, on-site assessments, and related expenses from recognized organizations like CALEA. The program is funded with $10 million for Fiscal Year 2025 to support agencies with fewer than 350 employees.

The Driver Technology and Pedestrian Safety Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive study by the National Academies on how driver-controlled technology, especially touch screens, impacts serious crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists. Following the study, the Secretary of Transportation must report findings to Congress and provide actionable recommendations for reducing traffic fatalities. These recommendations must be categorized based on whether they require new legislation or can be implemented immediately by existing agencies.

The Federal Animal Research Accountability Act of 2025 mandates that entities using animals in NIH-funded research must annually report detailed data on animal use, broken down by the level of pain or distress experienced. This comprehensive information, including the number of animals bred or housed but not yet used, will be made publicly available in a searchable database by the NIH. These new transparency requirements are set to begin two years after the bill's enactment.

The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to help law enforcement officers secure childcare during non-traditional hours. Administered by HHS, these competitive grants will fund local agencies to offer subsidies, start new facilities, or cover operational costs for officers. The program requires state agencies to apply and secure matching funds, with a sunset date of September 30, 2030.

The Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act expands the definition of "law enforcement officer" for federal retirement purposes under both the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). This change adds specific IRS, Postal Inspection Service, and VA police roles to those eligible for enhanced retirement benefits. The bill also establishes procedures for current officers to elect to have their prior service counted under these new definitions, which may require a payment from the employee and their employing agency.

The Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2025 reaffirms U.S. policy condemning the illegitimate Lukashenka regime for widespread human rights abuses, fraudulent elections, and subservience to Russia. The bill updates sanctions to target complicity in supporting Russia's war and the abduction of Ukrainian children, while significantly increasing assistance for Belarusian democracy, civil society, and independent media. It also mandates new intelligence reporting on Belarus's role as a staging ground for Russian aggression.

The Quantum Sandbox for Near-Term Applications Act of 2025 establishes a new public-private partnership program managed by the Department of Commerce and NIST. This "quantum sandbox" is specifically designed to accelerate the development and testing of quantum applications that can be deployed within two years. By engaging industry, national labs, and research centers, the Act aims to quickly translate quantum innovation into tangible benefits for government and business.

The PFAS Alternatives Act aims to protect firefighters by funding research and development for next-generation turnout gear that eliminates harmful PFAS chemicals. The bill establishes grants through NIOSH to create safer, PFAS-free protective equipment and separate funding for training programs on the proper care of this new gear. Ultimately, this legislation seeks to reduce occupational illness and injury among fire and EMS personnel.

The Honoring our K9 Heroes Act establishes a new grant program administered by the Department of Homeland Security to help cover medical expenses for retired Federal working dogs. Eligible non-profit organizations with a history of supporting these retired K9s can apply for funding. This initiative is authorized with $1 million annually from Fiscal Year 2026 through 2030 to support dogs living with their former handlers.

The Uniform School Mapping Act prohibits the use of federal funds to purchase emergency response maps after fiscal year 2026 unless those maps meet strict digital, storage, and content requirements. These mandated maps must detail critical building features and be easily shareable with public safety agencies at no cost. Furthermore, the Secretary of Homeland Security must develop a strategy to ensure the federal government acquires and distributes these standardized maps for critical properties.

The Better CARE for Animals Act of 2025 significantly strengthens enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by clarifying definitions and expanding the scope of investigations. It grants the Attorney General explicit authority to file civil actions seeking penalties up to $10,000 per day, and mandates that collected fines help cover temporary animal care costs. The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Attorney General to establish a formal agreement for coordinated enforcement.

The Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act requires the FCC to create and maintain a public list of entities holding FCC authorizations or licenses that have ownership or control by entities linked to designated foreign adversaries. This process begins with an initial list based on existing reporting requirements and expands through new rulemaking to capture a broader range of potentially influenced companies. The goal is to increase transparency regarding foreign influence over critical communications infrastructure licensed by the U.S. government.