Legislative Activity

This Act prohibits discrimination against individuals based on disability or age in federal jury service. It amends federal law to ensure qualified individuals are not excluded from juries solely due to a disability if reasonable accommodations can be made. The bill removes outdated standards that allowed exclusion based on general infirmity.

The Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2025 establishes federal grant programs to fund community-based networks focused on mental health prevention using a public health approach. These grants will support organizations in planning and implementing programs that strengthen local protective factors and address risk factors for mental health challenges. A minimum of twenty percent of the funding is specifically set aside for programs operating in rural areas. The goal is to build comprehensive, culturally appropriate resilience strategies across diverse community sectors.

The Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act establishes a new federal funding stream to mandate that states set and meet minimum living wage standards for all school paraprofessionals and support staff. This legislation sets baseline minimum salaries and hourly wages, which increase with experience and are adjusted for inflation after 2030. States must apply for funding and create a four-year plan to ensure all local districts comply with these new pay requirements, using federal funds to supplement, not supplant, existing local education budgets.

The Investing in Children Before Missiles (ICBM) Act pauses the costly and delayed Sentinel missile program due to significant cost overruns. This legislation redirects unspent funds earmarked for Sentinel and related warhead modifications directly to the Department of Education to support low-income students. Furthermore, the bill mandates an independent study on extending the life of the existing Minuteman III missiles until at least 2050, while also analyzing strategic alternatives.

The Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act establishes a new federal grant program to help states recruit and retain paraprofessionals in public schools. Funds are distributed to states based on Title I allocations and must be used for state administration or competitive subgrants to local entities. Subgrants must support activities like mentoring, professional development, credentialing assistance, or wage increases, with priority given to entities serving high-poverty areas. States must report annually on wage changes and program effectiveness.

The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act of 2025 establishes the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity within HHS to coordinate federal efforts against climate-related health threats. This Act mandates the creation of a National Strategic Action Plan to prepare public health and healthcare systems, especially for vulnerable communities. It also establishes a permanent scientific advisory board and requires expert reports to guide strategy and assess preparedness.

The Ensuring Safe and Toxic-Free Foods Act of 2025 overhauls the process for determining if substances used in food are "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS), requiring manufacturers to provide extensive new safety data for current and future ingredients. This legislation mandates that the FDA review existing GRAS determinations and establishes a periodic safety reassessment program for all approved food chemicals based on modern scientific standards. Ultimately, the bill aims to strengthen public health protections by ensuring that all substances in the food supply meet rigorous, transparent safety criteria.

This resolution urges the United States to take the lead in a global effort to halt and reverse the nuclear arms race. It calls on the President to prioritize negotiations with all nuclear-armed states to reduce arsenals and adopt a "no first use" policy. Furthermore, the bill demands significant domestic changes, including ending "hair-trigger" alert postures and investing in cleanup and support for affected communities. Ultimately, it advocates for verifiable steps toward a nuclear-weapon-free world.

The Expanding the Surety Bond Program Act of 2025 significantly increases the maximum contract guarantee limit under the Surety Bond Program from $\$6.5$ million to $\$20$ million to support larger small business projects. The Act also establishes a new administrative cap, limiting the Small Business Administration's (SBA) use of program funds for overhead and management costs to 5 percent annually. These changes aim to enhance the program's capacity to assist small businesses with major contract bonding needs.

The State-Based Universal Health Care Act of 2025 allows individual states to apply for a federal waiver to create their own comprehensive universal health care systems. To receive this waiver, a state must commit to covering at least 95% of its residents within five years while ensuring the plan is budget-neutral for the federal government. If approved, the state can opt out of major federal health programs like the ACA and Medicare, receiving equivalent federal funding to administer its tailored system. The law mandates that these state plans must maintain coverage comprehensiveness and affordability relative to the replaced federal programs.

This resolution recognizes that climate change is a growing public health crisis in the United States, causing increased illness, mental health strain, and disproportionate harm to vulnerable populations. It calls for coordinated federal action, primarily through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to bolster the healthcare sector's climate readiness and ensure equitable distribution of resources. The bill also directs agencies to improve data sharing, restore key climate and equity offices, and mandates the Department of Labor to establish strong worker heat protection standards.

The Save Our Staff Act of 2025 (SOS Act) prohibits layoffs within key Small Business Administration (SBA) offices that provide essential services like training, loan oversight, and disaster relief. Furthermore, this Act mandates the immediate rehiring of any SBA employees laid off due to reductions in force between January 20, 2025, and the date of enactment. Rehired staff will receive their former positions, pay, and full back pay for the period they were unemployed.

The GLOBE Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive U.S. policy to promote and protect the human rights of LGBTQI people globally. It mandates increased State Department reporting on international abuses, implements sanctions against foreign individuals responsible for such violations, and directs foreign assistance to support LGBTQI rights defenders. Furthermore, the Act reforms immigration procedures to better protect LGBTQI asylum seekers and ensures non-discrimination for LGBTQI U.S. citizens serving abroad.

The LGBTQ+ Panic Defense Prohibition Act of 2025 bans the use of a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity as a justification or mitigation for committing a violent crime in federal court. This legislation aims to eliminate "panic defenses" that wrongly suggest a person's identity can excuse criminal behavior. The bill also mandates an annual report from the Attorney General detailing federal prosecutions of bias-motivated crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals.

The 3D Printed Gun Safety Act of 2025 aims to prevent the proliferation of untraceable firearms manufactured using 3D printing technology. This legislation makes it illegal to intentionally distribute digital files or instructions online that can program a device to manufacture a complete firearm or key firearm components. The goal is to preserve existing gun tracing capabilities and enhance public safety against the threat of ghost guns.

The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act amends the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 to modernize regulations around online data collection, use, and deletion for children and teens. It expands the definition of personal information, requires verifiable consent for data collection and usage, and prohibits individual-specific advertising to children and teens. The Act also mandates FTC reports on mobile app oversight and enforcement, a GAO study on teens' privacy using financial technology, and includes a severability clause.

The NRC Office of Public Engagement and Participation Act of 2025 establishes a new, independent office within the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) dedicated to enhancing public involvement in safety proceedings. This office will support public advocates, provide educational guidance, and coordinate financial assistance through a newly created Intervenor Trust Fund. The goal is to ensure that individuals and groups can effectively contribute to NRC decision-making by covering costs associated with participation, provided their input offers a substantial contribution to public health and safety.

The Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act of 2025 significantly increases federal oversight and penalties for licensed firearms dealers. This bill allows for more frequent compliance inspections, raises maximum prison sentences for license violations, and grants the Attorney General new authority to deny licenses based on public safety concerns. Furthermore, it mandates stricter recordkeeping enforcement and requires the ATF to report on the implementation of these new measures.

This bill directs the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to investigate how domestic terrorists and violent extremists procure firearms and accessories through the financial system. FinCEN must consult with the FBI and ATF before requesting relevant transaction information from financial institutions. The resulting advisory report will detail suspicious procurement activities or explain why sufficient data could not be obtained.

The Making America Safe and Secure Act of 2025 (MASS Act) establishes a federal grant program to incentivize states to create comprehensive, federally-aligned licensing systems for firearms purchasers and dealers. This system requires thorough background checks, safety training for new licensees, and the implementation of extreme risk protection orders. States accepting funds must ensure licensees are deemed suitable and that all firearms are securely stored.