Legislative Activity

This bill recognizes May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the significant contributions of these communities to the history and diversity of the United States. It acknowledges key milestones and the ongoing importance of these groups in various sectors, while also addressing historical discrimination and recent legislative efforts to combat hate crimes.

This bill recognizes the impact of menstrual stigma on women, girls, and people who menstruate, and supports the designation of May as "National Menstrual Health Awareness Month." It emphasizes that menstrual health is a crucial aspect of overall health and human dignity, affecting access to education, work, and freedom from discrimination. The bill aims to normalize menstruation, improve education and care, and increase access to resources, thereby promoting gender equity and equality. It also seeks to address disparities in women's health research and promote better understanding and management of menstrual health conditions.

The "Fresh Start Act of 2025" amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, allowing grant funds to implement state laws that automatically expunge or seal criminal records, even if fees or fines are outstanding. States receiving these grants must report data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender to the Attorney General on expungement eligibility, completed expungements, and pending applications. The Attorney General is then required to publish an annual public report based on the data received from the states.

Anna's Law of 2025 aims to improve the handling of sexual assault cases by expanding trauma-informed training for law enforcement and emergency medical personnel. The law establishes a grant program to support evidence-based, victim-centered training that increases understanding of trauma's impact and promotes trauma-informed responses. This training includes strategies for avoiding re-traumatization and is required for both new recruits and current professionals, with the goal of enhancing support and outcomes for survivors. The Secretary will maintain a list of qualified trainers and report annually to Congress on the program's effectiveness.

The Arctic Refuge Protection Act seeks to reinstate protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by repealing the 2017 law that opened the area to oil and gas development. It further designates approximately 1.5 million acres of the Refuge as wilderness, ensuring its preservation under the National Wilderness Preservation System. This area will be managed by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with the Wilderness Act.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury selection. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act seeks to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals and women across various sectors.

The "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act" authorizes the presentation of three Congressional Gold Medals to honor the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. These medals will be given to the Lake Placid Olympic Center, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, and the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum for public display. The Act also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to fund the medal production.

This resolution expresses support for honoring Earth Day and its role in promoting environmental awareness and action. It recognizes the historical impact of Earth Day on environmental protection and highlights ongoing challenges like climate change. The resolution urges continued action, referencing recent legislation and emphasizing the need to address environmental injustices and promote environmental literacy. It also encourages the President to issue a proclamation recognizing Earth Day and urges Americans to observe it through various environmental activities.

This bill supports the designation of April 11-17, 2025, as "Black Maternal Health Week" to raise awareness about the maternal health crisis affecting Black women and birthing people in the U.S. It recognizes the unacceptable disparities in maternal mortality rates, where Black women are significantly more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. The bill urges Congress to address systemic racism and promote equitable access to resources, healthcare, and comprehensive maternal health programs for the Black community, while also supporting policies like the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. It aims to amplify Black voices, invest in community-led solutions, and increase funding for Black-led organizations and perinatal professionals.

The "Reconciliation in Place Names Act" establishes a committee to review and propose renaming geographic features and federal land units with offensive names, such as those containing racial slurs or honoring individuals with discriminatory views. This committee will solicit proposals from various groups, including Indian Tribes and the public, and recommend name changes to the Board on Geographic Names and Congress. The Board is generally required to approve the committee's proposals, and the Act aims to create a more equitable and just naming system that reflects the cultural diversity of the United States.

The "Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2025" makes the adoption tax credit refundable, allowing more families to benefit from it. It redesignates the adoption tax credit from section 23 to 36C within the Internal Revenue Code. The bill also allows excess credit from the previous tax year under the old section to be added to the credit allowed under the new section for the first applicable tax year. These changes will apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The California Clean Coast Act of 2025 permanently prohibits any new oil and gas leasing activities in federal waters off the coast of California. This amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act aims to protect California's coastal environment and economy. Existing leases issued before the enactment of this law are not affected.

The Uyghur Policy Act of 2025 expresses the sense of Congress regarding China's treatment of Uyghurs and other minorities, and it outlines several actions for the U.S. government to take, including coordinating with allies, supporting human rights advocates, and ensuring access to language training for Foreign Service officers. The Act requires the Secretary of State to develop strategies to address human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, advocate for access to detention facilities, and promote the release of prisoners detained for their ethnic or religious identities. It also directs the President to advocate for Uyghur rights within the United Nations.

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 Iran's energy sector and those who provide financial support for its destabilizing activities. It mandates sanctions on foreign entities involved in processing, exporting, or selling Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemicals, while also establishing an interagency working group to coordinate and enforce these sanctions. The Act also amends existing legislation to require the identification of individuals involved in sanctionable activities or sanctions evasion related to Iranian oil and gas sales.

The American Family Act establishes a refundable child tax credit with monthly advance payments, providing up to $300 per month per child, and creates a $500 tax credit for other dependents. The amount of the credit is reduced based on the taxpayer's income, with initial reductions starting at $150,000 for joint returns. The IRS will make monthly advance payments and establish an online portal for taxpayers to manage their payments and provide necessary information. This act terminates the existing annual child tax credit after 2024 and aims to provide regular financial support to families.

The "Remote Access Security Act" amends the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to regulate remote access to items under U.S. jurisdiction by foreign persons. This bill expands export control regulations to include remote access, defining it as access to controlled items by a foreign person via network connection from a different physical location. It broadens the scope of activities, documents, and enforcement measures related to export control to include remote access, aiming to protect national security and foreign policy interests.

The Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2025 requires the State Department to report on links between Haitian political and economic elites and criminal gangs, and it mandates sanctions on foreign individuals identified as being involved in this collusion. The President can block transactions, deny visas, and revoke existing visas of those sanctioned, with exceptions for humanitarian aid and national interest waivers. This act aims to address how collusion between elites and gangs threatens the Haitian people and U.S. interests, but will terminate 5 years after enactment.

The "Raise the Wage Act of 2025" aims to increase the federal minimum wage to $17.00 per hour over five years, after which it will be annually adjusted based on the median hourly wage of all employees. The bill also gradually raises the minimum wage for tipped employees until it matches the standard minimum wage, while ensuring they retain all tips. Additionally, it increases and then eliminates the subminimum wage for newly hired employees under 20 and individuals with disabilities, promoting fair wages for all workers.

This bill terminates the national emergency declared by the President in Executive Order 14257 on April 2, 2025. The termination is enacted as per section 202 of the National Emergencies Act.

The "Tax Fairness for Workers Act" permits employees to deduct union dues and other employee business expenses above-the-line, bypassing previous deduction limitations. This change is achieved by amending sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, specifically 62(a)(1) and 67(g). These amendments will be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.