Legislative Activity

The DEATH BETS Act amends the Commodity Exchange Act to prohibit the listing or clearing of event contracts involving sensitive subjects such as terrorism, war, assassination, or an individual's death. This legislation aims to prevent the financial exploitation of tragedies by banning trading entities from offering contracts based on these harmful activities.

The SUPER BUGS Act of 2026 aims to strengthen U.S. national security by fostering international collaboration to combat emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. The bill directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and implement a global strategy for the coordinated development, commercialization, and deployment of pandemic and epidemic products. By enhancing partner countries' public health capabilities, this legislation seeks to detect and contain health threats before they reach the United States.

The VALOR Act clarifies rules regarding VA home loan funding fees for veterans with pending disability claims. It mandates that any improperly collected fee must be refunded or credited to the veteran. Furthermore, if a veteran pays the fee while a disability claim is pending and is later approved for compensation, the VA must reimburse the full fee amount.

The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act prohibits the discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastic materials into U.S. waters from industrial facilities. This requires the EPA to swiftly issue a rule banning these discharges from facilities involved in the manufacturing, use, packaging, or transport of these plastics. The prohibition will be enforced through existing permitting and regulatory systems under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

This bill, the "Passports for Purple Hearts and Medals of Honor Act," exempts recipients of the Purple Heart and Medal of Honor from paying standard U.S. passport fees. It directs the State Department to coordinate with the Department of Defense to establish verification procedures for these eligible applicants.

This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to study the feasibility of automatically certifying children in military families for free or reduced-price school meals. The study must propose a system that uses existing military data to streamline eligibility for these essential nutrition programs. Additionally, the Act modifies existing law regarding how housing allowances are treated in income calculations for school meal eligibility.

The SHIELD Act amends PURPA to establish new standards for electric utilities concerning "large load facilities" (over 75 MW). It mandates that these facilities fully cover the costs of any necessary grid upgrades to meet their demand. Furthermore, the bill prioritizes service requests from these facilities if they agree to implement demand reduction measures during peak times and meet their energy needs with zero-emission sources.

This bill prohibits the use of any federal funds to support, finance, or insure Venezuela's oil and petroleum infrastructure. It ensures taxpayer money is not used to aid the development or expansion of the Venezuelan oil sector. Furthermore, the Secretary of State must submit an annual report to Congress detailing compliance with this prohibition.

The Health Insurance Premium Fairness Act of 2025 allows eligible taxpayers to reduce the amount used to calculate their health insurance premium tax credit. This reduction is based on the total monthly Medicare premiums paid for household members, including Parts A, B, C, D, and Medigap. This adjustment aims to provide greater financial relief for families navigating both marketplace coverage and Medicare costs.

The Transition Improvement by Estimating Risk Act of 2025 (TIER Act) amends the Transition Assistance Program to require consideration of new factors when designing transition pathways. These new factors include the service member's child care needs, household employment status, duty station location, and the impact of operational tempo. This aims to create more realistic and supportive transition plans for service members.

The Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act establishes a new, increasing schedule of authorized appropriations for key Impact Aid programs through fiscal year 2031. This legislation specifically sets funding levels for federal property acquisition, basic payments to heavily impacted school districts, payments for children with disabilities, and construction activities. The goal is to gradually increase federal support for these essential educational services.

The INSPECT Act of 2025 mandates that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) place a full-time, resident inspector at every permanently shut-down commercial nuclear power plant. This inspector will oversee the decommissioning process and the transfer of spent nuclear fuel into dry storage. The resident inspector remains on site until all spent fuel has been moved into secure dry canisters.

The Fighting Fibers Act of 2025 mandates that all new washing machines sold in the U.S. starting in 2030 must include a microfiber filtration system effective at capturing particles no larger than 100 micrometers. The bill also requires clear consumer labeling regarding the filter's maintenance. Furthermore, the EPA Administrator is directed to conduct a comprehensive nationwide study on the sources, pathways, and health impacts of microfibers, reporting findings to Congress within one year of enactment.

The Uncheck the Box Act prohibits political committees from automatically enrolling donors into recurring contribution plans based on pre-checked boxes or inaction. Donors must provide explicit, affirmative consent to establish any recurring donation. Furthermore, committees accepting these funds must provide clear receipts detailing future payments and easily accessible cancellation instructions.

The NRC Office of Public Engagement and Participation Act of 2025 establishes a new office within the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dedicated to facilitating public involvement in NRC proceedings. This office will provide educational, legal, and technical assistance to the public and advocate for public interest within the agency. Furthermore, the Act authorizes the NRC to reimburse reasonable public participation costs in significant proceedings for those facing financial hardship.

The Service Member Housing Relief Act temporarily adjusts the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) calculation by lowering the temporary cap on rate increases from 20 percent to 15 percent. Additionally, the bill permanently removes an outdated provision related to the BAH calculation structure. This legislation aims to modify housing allowances for members of the uniformed services.

The Stop Child Hunger Act of 2025 expands the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) for Children program to cover periods when schools are closed or operating remotely. This ensures children receive benefits covering breakfast, lunch, and a snack for every day during these closures, starting in 2025. The bill also updates federal cost-sharing for state administrative expenses and establishes new grants to help states upgrade their data systems for the expanded program.

The Southern California Coast and Ocean Protection Act permanently prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing any new oil or gas leases within the Southern California Planning Area. This measure specifically bans all exploration, development, and production authorizations in the region defined by the September 2023 leasing program. The Act ensures long-term protection for the Southern California coast against new offshore drilling activities.

The Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act of 2025 overhauls federal coastal protection by establishing a new Coastal and Estuarine Resilience and Restoration Program focused on protecting high-value lands and restoring damaged areas, with priority given to vulnerable low-income communities. The bill also significantly expands the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, mandating the designation of at least five new sites and bolstering research efforts focused on climate change adaptation. Furthermore, it establishes new requirements for non-governmental partners and updates funding authorizations through fiscal year 2029.

This bill aims to significantly accelerate renewable energy development on public lands by raising the national production goal to 60% by 2030 and streamlining planning and permitting processes. It establishes designated "priority areas" for solar, wind, and geothermal projects while updating environmental reviews to expedite approvals. Furthermore, the legislation modifies revenue sharing for states and counties and creates a new fund dedicated to conserving and restoring natural resources impacted by these energy developments.