Legislative Activity

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 216 Cumberland Street in Rochester, New York, as the "Minister Franklin Florence Memorial Post Office". It ensures that all references to this facility in any legal or official documents of the United States will now reflect this new designation.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 80 Prospect Street in Avon, New York, as the "Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz Memorial Post Office Building." Any reference to this facility will now refer to it as the Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz Memorial Post Office Building.

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 "Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act" directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to adopt specific safety standards for lithium-ion batteries used in light electric vehicles, e-bikes, and personal e-mobility devices. It establishes a process for incorporating revisions to these standards and mandates a report to Congress on hazards related to lithium-ion batteries in micromobility products. These standards will be treated as consumer product safety rules.

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.

The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act of 2025 increases the amount of expenses that qualify for the child and dependent care tax credit, and adjusts the income levels at which the credit phases out. It also makes the credit refundable and indexes certain amounts to inflation. These changes are intended to make the credit more accessible and beneficial for working families.

This bill addresses the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war during the 1999 Kosovo conflict, focusing on the case of U.S. citizen Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman. It calls for accountability and justice for survivors, urging both the Kosovo and Serbian governments to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of these crimes. The bill also requests the U.S. government to strengthen its commitment to preventing gender-based violence and to support educational, research, and advocacy projects in Kosovo.

The "Small Business Energy Loan Enhancement Act" increases the maximum loan amounts for certain energy-related projects from $5.5 million to $10 million. It requires the Small Business Administration to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the industries and geographic areas receiving these loans. This act aims to provide greater financial support for small businesses investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

The WISE Act aims to strengthen protections and expand immigration benefits for non-citizen survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other crimes. It reforms the U visa program, broadens protections for battered spouses and children, limits the detention and removal of survivors, and enhances access to information and services. The bill also addresses issues related to waivers, step-children, visa caps, and naturalization requirements for survivors of abuse. Overall, the Act seeks to remove obstacles and provide timely access to immigration relief for vulnerable immigrants.

The SAVE Our Poultry Act amends existing legislation to include highly pathogenic avian influenza as a high-priority research area. It allows research grants to be used for the development of more effective poultry vaccines, to enhance biosecurity procedures, and to study the potential impact of vaccination on poultry markets.

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 "Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2025" outlaws devices that accelerate a semi-automatic firearm's firing rate or simulate machine guns. It redefines "semi-automatic firearm" and requires current owners of affected devices to register them. There are exceptions for governmental entities, and lawful transfers of registered devices are permitted.

The "Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act" aims to improve the hygienic handling of breast milk, baby formula, and related items during airport security screening. It mandates the TSA to update its guidance in consultation with maternal health organizations to minimize contamination risks and ensure hygienic standards are met during additional screenings. The Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General will audit compliance and report on screening technologies' impact on these items.

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 Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees and supervisory employees. It requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine if state laws substantially provide these rights; if not, the Authority will administer collective bargaining procedures in those states. The act outlines specific rights and procedures, including the right to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activities, while also addressing enforcement and exceptions. This law aims to ensure that public service workers have the ability to negotiate for fair wages, hours, and working conditions.

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 "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.

The "Invest to Protect Act of 2025" establishes a grant program within the Department of Justice to provide resources to local law enforcement agencies with fewer than 175 officers. These grants can be used for de-escalation training, mental health support for officers, officer recruitment and retention, and other community safety programs. The Act prioritizes a streamlined grant application process and emphasizes accountability and transparency in the use of funds, with \$50 million authorized annually from 2027 through 2031.

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.