Legislative Activity

The Abolish Super PACs Act seeks to curb the influence of large, unlimited political donations by imposing new contribution limits on independent expenditure committees (Super PACs). Congress finds that uncapped spending has led to the appearance of corruption and damaged public trust in elections. This legislation aims to reduce the potential for corrupt deals and restore faith in the fairness of federal campaigns.

The Paycheck Fairness Act significantly strengthens federal equal pay protections by broadening definitions of sex discrimination, tightening employer defenses against pay disparities, and increasing penalties for violations. It also prohibits employers from using salary history in hiring decisions and mandates new data collection by the EEOC to better enforce anti-discrimination laws. Furthermore, the bill establishes new training and outreach programs to combat systemic wage bias.

This resolution formally recognizes the significant and persistent wage gap between men and women in the United States, highlighting statistics that show women earn substantially less. It serves as a strong public statement reaffirming Congress's commitment to achieving pay equity. The measure does not enact new laws but emphasizes the economic harm caused by unequal pay for women and their families.

The Pakistan Democracy Act establishes a U.S. policy to support democracy, free elections, and the rule of law in Pakistan. It mandates sanctions against General Asim Munir unless specific democratic benchmarks are met, such as the end of military rule and the release of political detainees. Furthermore, the Act authorizes visa bans against Pakistani officials knowingly involved in undermining democracy or persecuting political detainees. The President retains limited waiver authority for these sanctions under specific national interest conditions.

This bill officially ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment, declaring it a valid part of the U.S. Constitution. It specifically removes any previously imposed deadlines for state ratification. If three-fourths of the states have approved the amendment, this law confirms its official status regardless of past time constraints.

The Puppy Protection Act of 2025 significantly increases humane treatment standards for dog dealers under the Animal Welfare Act. This legislation mandates specific minimum space requirements, daily exercise access, and mandatory socialization for housed dogs. Furthermore, it establishes strict limits on female dog breeding frequency and age, alongside enhanced veterinary care protocols.

This bill affirms the House of Representatives' belief that every person has the right to emergency health care, including abortion care. It argues that abortion restrictions endanger lives, force doctors to make impossible choices, and disproportionately harm people of color, low-income individuals, and LGBTQI individuals. The bill emphasizes that delays in emergency care due to abortion bans can lead to life-threatening situations and that everyone, including pregnant individuals, should have access to necessary medical care without discrimination.

The Feed Hungry Veterans Act of 2025 expands eligibility for certain food assistance benefits for veterans. It updates the criteria for veterans based on service-connected disability ratings and adds specific categories of disabled or pensioned veterans who will now qualify. These changes are scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2030.

The Protect Our Watchdogs Act of 2025 establishes a "for cause" removal standard for Inspectors General (IGs). This legislation mandates that the President must provide specific, documented reasons—such as documented neglect of duty or gross mismanagement—to remove or transfer an Inspector General. The bill aims to strengthen the independence and tenure of IGs by limiting arbitrary dismissals.

The Keep the Watchdogs Running Act ensures that Inspectors General (IGs) can continue essential oversight functions even during a lapse in government appropriations. This legislation allows IGs to use existing funding levels to maintain operations and monitor any government activities that remain active despite a budget shortfall. Essentially, it prevents critical watchdog functions from being halted when Congress fails to pass a new budget.

The No Round Up Act primarily repeals the outdated Alien Registration Act of 1940 and related provisions within the Immigration and Nationality Act. This action eliminates the requirement for aliens to register and be fingerprinted. The bill focuses on cleaning up obsolete registration rules and associated penalties.

The Major Richard Star Act ensures that military retirees with combat-related disabilities can receive both their military retirement pay and VA disability compensation concurrently without reduction. This law removes previous restrictions that caused military retirement pay to be offset by VA disability payments for these specific cases. The changes take effect on the first day of the month following the Act's enactment.

This bill establishes a 23-member Commission tasked with studying the feasibility and planning for the creation of a National Museum of Irish American History in Washington, D.C. The Commission must develop comprehensive plans for the museum's establishment, operation, and governance, including a strategy to fund it without relying on future federal tax dollars for maintenance. The Commission is authorized specific funding for two fiscal years and will terminate 30 days after submitting its final required reports to Congress and the President.

The Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2025 significantly expands Medicare coverage to include comprehensive dental, vision, and hearing services starting in 2026. This legislation outlines specific payment schedules, frequency limits, and coverage percentages for routine exams, procedures, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and hearing aids. Furthermore, the bill mandates the inclusion of an oral health professional on the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

This bill expresses the House of Representatives' support for the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program, the William D. Clarke, Sr. Diplomatic Security Fellowship, and the Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship Program. It recognizes the importance of these programs in diversifying the workforce of U.S. foreign affairs agencies and building a strong, diverse national security workforce. The bill emphasizes that these fellowships address the underrepresentation of various groups and that the Secretary of State and Administrator of USAID must consult with Congress before modifying these programs.

The Military Spouse Hiring Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand eligibility for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). This change allows employers to claim the tax credit for hiring qualified military spouses. A qualified military spouse is defined as someone certified as being married to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The Women's Retirement Protection Act aims to address the significant retirement savings gap disproportionately affecting women by strengthening spousal protections in defined contribution plans like 401(k)s. The bill mandates spousal consent for certain distributions and beneficiary changes to safeguard retirement assets during divorce or death. Furthermore, it establishes grant programs to boost financial literacy for women and provide direct assistance for low-income women and survivors of domestic violence to secure court-ordered retirement benefits.

The Caring for Survivors Act of 2025 aims to increase financial support for surviving spouses of veterans. This bill raises the monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payment rate for surviving spouses. Additionally, it lowers the required duration of total disability rating before death from ten years to five years for survivors to qualify for certain DIC benefits. If the disability period was between five and ten years, the benefit amount will be proportionally adjusted.

This bill condemns the House Republican Conference for a xenophobic social media post questioning Congressman Adriano Espaillat's immigration status and patriotism. It specifically condemns the House Republican leadership team for allowing the false statement that questioned Congressman Espaillat's citizenship.

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act aims to improve support for individuals diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. This bill eliminates the standard waiting period for receiving Social Security disability insurance benefits and waives the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage. These changes ensure immediate access to crucial financial and healthcare support upon diagnosis.