Legislative Activity

The FBI Animal Cruelty Taskforce Act of 2025 establishes a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes Taskforce within the FBI to investigate and enforce federal laws against severe animal cruelty, such as dogfighting and crush videos. This Taskforce is also responsible for developing training materials for local law enforcement. Furthermore, it must coordinate with other federal agencies and submit annual reports to Congress detailing enforcement statistics, including charges filed and convictions secured.

The VA Loan Informed Disclosure Act of 2025 (VALID Act) aims to increase awareness of VA loan options among homebuyers. It requires lenders to include comparative information about potential VA loan terms on standard FHA disclosure forms. Furthermore, the Act mandates that the Uniform Residential Loan Application include a prominent question regarding the applicant's military service.

This resolution officially recognizes the significant and growing contributions of independent workers, freelancers, and sole proprietors to the American economy. It highlights the substantial economic impact of this sector, which provides flexibility and opportunity for millions of Americans. Furthermore, the resolution expresses concern over potential legislation that could restrict the freedom and flexibility enjoyed by these independent workers.

This Act establishes the Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism in the United States to investigate the recent surge in antisemitic incidents across the country, particularly on college campuses. The Commission will review government evidence, gather facts, and issue a comprehensive report with recommendations for legislative or administrative action. After submitting its final report to the President and Congress within one year, the Commission will terminate 120 days later.

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 Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act establishes a "safe harbor" to protect non-controlling blockchain developers and service providers from being regulated as financial institutions. This protection applies as long as they do not regularly control users' digital assets on the network. Essentially, the bill shields those who build or provide access to blockchain software unless they have the unilateral power to move user funds.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to streamline and modernize the prior authorization process within Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and significantly increases transparency regarding approval rates and decision times starting in 2027. Furthermore, it establishes new enrollee protections and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timeframes for medical services.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act supports key Eastern Mediterranean nations—Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, and Israel—as strategic partners for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The bill directs the U.S. to prioritize diplomatic engagement, energy security, and defense cooperation in the region. It also mandates several reports to Congress detailing implementation, multilateral initiatives, and potential expansions of successful U.S.-Israel partnership models to other regional allies.

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 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 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.