Legislative Activity

The PEARL Act establishes a three-year pilot program for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to adopt and train dogs sourced directly from local animal shelters to serve as support canines. This initiative aims to integrate shelter dogs into CBP's existing canine teams.

This bill establishes a pilot program for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to test whether allowing canine handlers to keep their working dogs at home is effective compared to traditional central kenneling. The program must run for at least two years across various ports of entry, with handler participation being voluntary. Upon completion, CBP must report findings to Congress comparing the two methods regarding cost, performance, and animal/handler well-being, along with recommendations for future policy.

This Act amends the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) to expand access to care for injured federal workers. It formally includes Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) as recognized healthcare providers under the program. This ensures federal employees can receive necessary medical services from PAs and NPs, consistent with state practice laws.

The Autism Family Caregivers Act of 2025 establishes a new pilot program to award grants for evidence-based skills training to family caregivers of children with autism or developmental disabilities. This training aims to improve child well-being and community engagement by focusing on communication, daily living skills, and caregiver self-care. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will oversee the program, which requires grantees to establish diverse advisory committees and report annually on program effectiveness. Funding is authorized through fiscal year 2030 to support at least 25 entities across multiple states.

This resolution commemorates the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama by designating July 6, 2025, as a "Day of Compassion." It strongly reaffirms U.S. support for the human rights, religious freedom, and cultural preservation of the Tibetan people. Furthermore, the resolution asserts that the selection of the next Dalai Lama is solely the right of the Tibetan Buddhist community, rejecting any interference by the People's Republic of China.

This bill grants a Federal charter to the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals, officially recognizing it as a nonprofit veterans service organization. The organization is tasked with promoting sustainable homeownership, financial literacy, and economic opportunity for veterans and service members. It must adhere to strict operational rules, including prohibitions on political activity and the distribution of profits to members. The charter remains contingent upon the organization maintaining its tax-exempt status and compliance with California corporate law.

The FIGHT Act of 2025 significantly strengthens federal prohibitions against animal fighting ventures, specifically targeting the sponsorship, exhibition, and gambling associated with these events. This legislation clarifies the definition of a rooster for legal purposes and bans the interstate transport of roosters for fighting. Furthermore, it empowers private citizens to file lawsuits against violators, allowing for civil penalties and the potential seizure of property used to facilitate illegal animal fighting.

This resolution expresses the strong sense of the House of Representatives that Social Security must be preserved and protected. It affirms the commitment to safeguard the program for current beneficiaries who rely on its benefits. Furthermore, the resolution emphasizes the importance of ensuring the system remains sound for future generations.

The Northern Border Security and Staffing Reform Act addresses critical staffing shortages within Customs and Border Protection (CBP), particularly along the northern border. It mandates an immediate hiring push to counteract anticipated mass retirements and current personnel deficits. Furthermore, the bill updates threat analysis requirements to specifically focus on staffing projections, retirement risks, and local recruitment strategies for northern ports of entry.

The Baby Changing on Board Act mandates that Amtrak install baby changing tables in at least one restroom on every car of newly acquired covered passenger rail trains. These tables must be placed in ADA-compliant restrooms when available and clearly marked with signage. This ensures essential amenities are available for passengers with infants on applicable Amtrak services.

This bill amends federal law to allow owners of U.S.-flagged vessels and marine terminal operators to establish Capital Construction Funds. These funds can now be used for purchasing, replacing, or upgrading eligible cargo handling equipment at U.S. marine terminals. The legislation also updates definitions and establishes rules regarding fund deposits, qualified withdrawals, and prohibits the use of funds for certain automated or China-manufactured equipment.

The Energy Choice Act prevents state and local governments from enacting bans or restrictions on the type or source of energy services consumers can access. This legislation protects consumer choice across various energy sources, including natural gas, hydrogen, propane, and electricity, provided the energy is sold across state lines. Essentially, it limits local interference with energy delivery options.

The BARK Act of 2025 aims to encourage the donation of pet food and supplies during emergencies and for charitable purposes. It provides liability protection to donors and distributing organizations against lawsuits related to the condition of donated items, provided there is no gross negligence or intentional harm. This protection applies to items that appear fit for use, even if they don't meet all commercial sales standards, provided proper disclosure and reconditioning procedures are followed.

The FBI Animal Cruelty Taskforce Act of 2025 establishes a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes Taskforce within the FBI to investigate and enforce federal laws against severe animal cruelty, such as dogfighting and crush videos. This Taskforce is also responsible for developing training materials for local law enforcement. Furthermore, it must coordinate with other federal agencies and submit annual reports to Congress detailing enforcement statistics, including charges filed and convictions secured.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 298 Route 292 in Holmes, New York, as the "Sheriff Adrian 'Butch' Anderson Post Office Building." It also mandates that all references to this facility in any legal or official documents will reflect this new designation.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 86 Main Street in Haverstraw, New York as the "Paul Piperato Post Office Building." It mandates that any reference to this facility in U.S. documents or records will now refer to it by this new name.

The Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act establishes a new federal excise tax on proceeds received from third-party litigation financing agreements. This tax is calculated at the highest income tax rate plus an additional 3.8 percentage points, applied annually to the proceeds received by a "covered party." The bill also institutes specific withholding requirements on payments made to financiers and reclassifies litigation funding proceeds to ensure this new tax structure is applied.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to streamline and modernize the prior authorization process within Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and significantly increases transparency regarding approval rates and decision times starting in 2027. Furthermore, it establishes new enrollee protections and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timeframes for medical services.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act officially integrates therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists into the VA's professional staffing ranks. This legislation establishes specific qualification standards, including mandatory post-graduate training and board certification, for these roles. Furthermore, it creates dedicated pay grades for these physicists, ensuring they are properly compensated within the VA healthcare system structure. The VA must report to Congress one year after enactment on the impact of these changes.

This bill mandates comprehensive federal reporting to better understand and address violence, aggression, and wellness challenges facing law enforcement officers. It requires the Attorney General to produce detailed reports analyzing attacks on officers, potential new data collection methods for non-criminal aggressive incidents, and the state of officer mental health resources. The goal is to use this improved data to recommend better federal, state, and local responses and support systems for officers.