Legislative Activity

The Choice in Affordable Housing Act of 2025 aims to increase landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program, particularly in high-opportunity areas, by offering incentives such as one-time payments, security deposit assistance, and landlord liaison bonuses. It also streamlines housing quality standards by accepting inspections from other housing programs and allowing pre-approval of units. Additionally, the bill mandates the use of small area fair market rents to calculate rental assistance in more metropolitan areas and modernizes the Section 8 Management Assessment Program to encourage positive landlord relationships and housing diversity for voucher holders. Finally, the Act requires an annual report on the effectiveness of the Act.

The "Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2025" mandates that the President must submit a report to Congress before taking actions to end or waive sanctions related to Iran, or before taking licensing actions that significantly alter U.S. foreign policy toward Iran. Congress then has a review period during which the President is restricted from taking the action unless Congress passes a joint resolution of approval. If Congress passes a joint resolution of disapproval, the President is prohibited from taking the proposed action. The bill also establishes procedures for the consideration of joint resolutions of approval or disapproval in both the House and Senate.

Tyler's Law mandates a study by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on fentanyl testing practices in hospital emergency departments, including frequency, costs, benefits, risks, and patient experience. Following the study, the Secretary will issue guidance on routine fentanyl testing for overdose patients, ensuring clinicians are aware of substances included in drug tests, and the potential impact on future overdose risk and general health.

The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act amends the Highway Safety Improvement Program to include projects that connect bike and pedestrian paths and reduce safety risks for vulnerable road users. It allows the federal government to cover up to 100% of the cost for these safety projects and broadens the scope of relevant safety plans to include measures for bicyclists and pedestrians. Additionally, the act permits the non-federal share of project costs to be calculated across a project, multiple projects, or a program.

The 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act directs the Treasury Secretary to produce gold and silver coins to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. The coins' designs will represent the courage and resilience of those affected, with at least one coin bearing the inscription "Never Forget." Surcharges from the sale of these coins will be donated to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance. The Act ensures that the coin production does not create any net cost to the Federal Government.

The Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act ensures that State veterans homes are reimbursed or furnished with high-cost medications for veterans in their care. A "costly medication" is defined as one where the average wholesale price for a one-month supply, plus a 3% transaction fee, exceeds 8.5% of the payment made to the State home for the veteran's care during that month. This aims to alleviate the financial burden on State homes providing essential medications to veterans.

The Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025 aims to improve compensation and working conditions for federal wildland firefighters by establishing special base rates of pay, providing incident response premium pay, and granting paid rest and recuperation leave following deployments to qualifying incidents. These changes will take effect after the expiration of previously authorized temporary salary increases for federal wildland firefighters. The Act also allows for the transfer of funds to ensure the continuation of base salary increases.

The Department of Defense PFAS Discharge Prevention Act requires the Secretary of Defense to request revisions to stormwater discharge permits for Department of Defense facilities. These revisions include quarterly monitoring of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances discharges, and implementation of best management practices or control technologies to reduce these discharges. At least 1 percent of funds authorized for remediation will be used for testing these substances in stormwater runoff at Department of Defense facilities.

The Houthi Human Rights Accountability Act mandates several reports to Congress on Houthi actions in Yemen, including indoctrination efforts, obstruction of humanitarian aid, and human rights abuses. It also requires the Secretary of State to determine if Houthi members meet the criteria for sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act and the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act for human rights violations and hostage-taking. This act aims to assess and address the impact of Houthi actions on regional stability, humanitarian aid delivery, and human rights in Yemen. The act will terminate 5 years after it is enacted.

The Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act of 2025 expresses Congressional support for Taiwan's membership in the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It directs the U.S. Governor of the IMF to advocate for Taiwan's inclusion in the IMF and states that it is U.S. policy not to discourage Taiwan from seeking membership. Additionally, the Secretary of the Treasury must report to Congress annually on efforts to promote Taiwan's participation in international financial institutions.

The "Stop Fentanyl Money Laundering Act of 2025" aims to combat fentanyl and narcotics trafficking by enhancing financial institutions' ability to detect and report money laundering activities. It authorizes the Treasury Secretary to impose special measures against financial institutions involved in illicit fentanyl financing, mandates updated advisories on identifying Chinese professional money laundering networks, and requires guidance for reporting suspicious transactions linked to transnational criminal organizations involved in narcotics trafficking. The Act also calls for a comprehensive report on lessons learned from past drug crises to inform strategies for addressing the opioid crisis.

The "Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act of 2025" aims to combat the flow of illicit fentanyl by imposing sanctions on Chinese entities and officials involved in the production and trafficking of synthetic opioids and their precursors. It broadens the definition of "foreign opioid trafficker" to include those who enable opioid trafficking through inaction and extends the period for reporting identified traffickers to Congress. The Act also requires the President to annually evaluate and report on the effectiveness of using presidential authority to address international drug trafficking, including considerations of costs, benefits, and stakeholder input. Additionally, it amends the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Trading with the Enemy Act to enhance oversight and accountability in addressing national emergencies related to international drug trafficking.

The China Financial Threat Mitigation Act of 2025 mandates the Secretary of the Treasury to produce a report assessing the financial risks China poses to the U.S. and global financial systems. This report will detail policies to safeguard U.S. financial stability, evaluate the integrity of Chinese economic data, and propose risk mitigation strategies for the U.S. government and international bodies. The report will be submitted to Congress, relevant international organizations, and made public on the Treasury's website.

The Child Care Workforce Act aims to improve child care quality and affordability by establishing a pilot program that provides grants to states, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations to increase the wages of child care workers. These grants will be used to supplement the wages of eligible child care workers, with the goal of attracting and retaining qualified professionals, enhancing their well-being, and expanding access to affordable child care options. The program will be evaluated for its effectiveness, and a report will be submitted to Congress.

The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act aims to improve access to affordable child care by expanding employer-provided child care credits, increasing tax-free dependent care assistance, and creating a refundable household and dependent care tax credit. The employer provided child care credit is increased from 25% to 50% of qualified expenses, and the maximum credit amount is raised from $150,000 to $500,000. The amount of tax-free employer-provided dependent care assistance is increased from $5,000 to $7,500. A new tax credit is created for employment-related expenses paid for household and dependent care, with the applicable percentage starting at 50% and decreasing based on income, and the maximum creditable expenses are $5,000 for one qualifying individual and $8,000 for two or more.

This bill aims to enhance security along the southern border by constructing roads, increasing access for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and allowing temporary placement of structures by border states. It also seeks to mitigate environmental damage on federal lands caused by illegal activities through initiatives focused on reducing trash, preventing wildfires, and remediating contamination. Additionally, the bill restricts housing options for non-citizens who have not been formally admitted into the country by preventing the use of federal funds to house these individuals on federally managed lands.

The Strategic Ports Reporting Act requires the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense to map and assess strategic ports, especially regarding Chinese control or investment. It mandates a report to Congress detailing the importance of these ports, potential threats, and strategies to ensure U.S. access and security, including alternatives to Chinese involvement. The Act aims to safeguard U.S. national security and economic interests related to critical maritime infrastructure.

This bill mandates the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for temporary protected status for 18 months, beginning August 3, 2025, allowing eligible Haitian nationals to live and work in the United States during that time.

The SAFE Act of 2025 amends existing legislation to explicitly prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption, reinforcing protections for these animals. This bill seeks to prevent the inhumane treatment of American equines by closing loopholes that allow their slaughter and export for human consumption.

The "Preventing Deep Fake Scams Act" establishes a task force to study and report on the use of artificial intelligence in the financial services sector. The task force will assess both the benefits and potential risks, especially regarding deep fakes and their potential use in fraud and identity theft. The goal is to develop best practices and recommend legislation or regulations to protect consumers from AI-related financial crimes.