Legislative Activity

The Safer Supervision Act of 2025 aims to reform federal supervised release by requiring individualized assessments for imposing supervision and establishing a presumption for early termination when defendants meet certain compliance and public safety criteria. The bill also addresses workload concerns by mandating a proposal for law enforcement availability pay for probation officers and allowing prisoners without imposed supervision to apply earned time credits for early release. Finally, it directs the GAO to study the federal supervision and reentry system.

The FLIGHT Act mandates that major airlines promptly notify passengers via email or text message when a domestic or international flight faces a departure or taxi delay of 15 minutes or more. Airlines must provide updates every 15 minutes, including the new estimated departure and arrival times. This new federal requirement ensures travelers are kept informed about significant flight delays.

The Enduring Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act makes a key change to federal criminal law by permanently extending the \$5,000 special assessment fee charged to non-indigent individuals convicted of certain offenses. This fee, which was previously set to expire in 2025, will now continue indefinitely. The revenue generated supports victims of trafficking.

The Cutting LNG Bunkering Red Tape Act clarifies that transferring Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to a ship for marine fuel is generally not considered an "export" under the Natural Gas Act. This exemption applies regardless of the vessel's flag, provided the refueling occurs within U.S. waters. The bill aims to streamline the process for using LNG as ship fuel within the United States.

The Supporting Military Voters Act mandates that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a comprehensive review of how effectively the government supports voting access for absent uniformed services members and their families. This review will analyze current ballot delivery and counting processes under existing law. Furthermore, the GAO must study actionable steps the military departments can take to improve voter registration assistance for service members. The final report detailing these findings and recommendations is due by September 30, 2027.

The CBP SPACE Act grants U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the authority to adjust merchandise processing fees to fund capital costs for seaport infrastructure and equipment. It also prohibits CBP from requiring seaports to provide or maintain administrative or recreational facilities for its staff. Finally, the bill mandates that CBP submit an annual report detailing the collection and use of these fees for seaport improvements.

This bill significantly strengthens the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016 by explicitly blocking time-based and procedural defenses that have previously prevented claims for Nazi-looted art from being heard on their merits. The changes ensure that courts must now focus on whether the art was actually stolen, regardless of when the claim is brought or the citizenship of the original owner. These improvements apply immediately to both pending and future lawsuits seeking the return of art expropriated during the Nazi era.

The SALONS Stories Act incentivizes states to train cosmetologists and barbers on recognizing and responding to domestic violence. States that mandate this specialized training for licensing become eligible for a grant increase of up to 10% on existing federal crime control funds. This funding boost is available for a maximum of three years to support these vital community-based prevention efforts.

The Reimbursements for Immigration Partnerships with Police to allow Local Enforcement Act of 2025 (RIPPLE Act) authorizes the Attorney General to reimburse state and local governments for the costs associated with performing federal immigration enforcement functions. This reimbursement specifically covers employee wages, including overtime compensation, incurred under official partnership agreements. The Act aims to financially support local law enforcement agencies that assist in federal immigration duties.

This bill expresses the disapproval of Congress regarding the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) recently submitted "Negative Option Rule." By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this legislation prevents the FTC's new rule concerning automatic subscription renewals from taking effect. Consequently, the existing regulations governing negative option sales will remain in place.

This resolution strongly condemns former FBI Director James Comey for a social media post interpreted as inciting violence against President Donald J. Trump during his overseas trip. Congress demands that federal authorities investigate Comey's actions and permanently bar him from any future federal employment. The measure asserts that political violence incitement by former high-ranking officials is unacceptable and threatens national security.

The Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act focuses on strengthening penalties for introducing prohibited items, specifically phones, into prisons. It mandates the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to review and update policies concerning prohibited objects to enhance the safety of inmates and staff. This legislation aims to curb contraband flow within correctional facilities.

The Fresh Start Act of 2025 incentivizes states to adopt automatic criminal record expungement laws by tying them to federal gun violence prevention grants. This legislation requires states receiving these funds to automatically clear or seal eligible criminal records without requiring individual action or payment of outstanding fees. Recipients must also annually report detailed data on the process, broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender, which the Attorney General will then make public.

The Canadian Snowbird Act creates a special visitor status for qualifying Canadian retirees, allowing them to stay in the U.S. for up to 240 days per year while maintaining their Canadian residency. This legislation also ensures that these Canadian visitors are treated as non-resident aliens for U.S. tax purposes, preventing them from being taxed like U.S. residents. The bill aims to simplify entry and tax obligations for long-term seasonal visitors from Canada.

The Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act of 2025 strengthens federal law to explicitly prohibit the destruction of broadband internet access service facilities. This update broadens protection beyond defense-related infrastructure to cover any privately or publicly operated broadband service. The Act provides a clear definition of what constitutes broadband internet access service under federal protection.

The DHS Intelligence and Analysis Oversight and Transparency Act mandates annual audits of the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis's information systems and bulk data. It requires the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis to conduct these audits and notify Congress when new bulk data sets are analyzed or used. The Act also requires a report to Congress after each audit and a review by the Comptroller General within four years.

The OPIOIDS Act aims to improve data collection and monitoring of opioid-related overdoses by providing grants to states and localities for enhanced toxicology testing, data sharing, and training for law enforcement. It also supports local law enforcement and forensic labs in high-overdose areas with training and resources for identifying overdoses, tracing drugs, and investigating overdose deaths. Additionally, the act seeks to standardize drug data reporting and ensure dedicated funding for fentanyl profiling within the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The "Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act" aims to address and prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault against Bureau of Prisons staff by incarcerated individuals. It mandates a comprehensive review and analysis by the Inspector General of the incidence and effects of such acts, including current punishment practices. Following the review, the Attorney General is directed to establish national standards for preventing, reducing, and punishing sexual harassment and sexual assault in prisons.

The READY Accounts Act establishes Residential Emergency Asset-accumulation Deferred Taxation Yield (READY) accounts, which allow individuals to deduct up to $4,500 annually for contributions used for qualified home disaster mitigation and recovery expenses. These accounts offer tax benefits, including tax-exempt status and exclusion of qualified distributions from gross income, while non-qualified distributions are subject to taxation and potential penalties. The bill also outlines rules for rollovers, divorce-related transfers, treatment upon the beneficiary's death, and reporting requirements. This act amends the Internal Revenue Code to coordinate READY accounts with existing tax provisions and takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.