Legislative Activity

This Act establishes a comprehensive security partnership between the United States, Israel, Greece, and the Republic of Cyprus focused on counterterrorism and maritime security in the Eastern Mediterranean. It mandates the creation of new joint training programs, formalizes interparliamentary and executive cooperation groups, and removes previous limitations on defense articles for Cyprus. The legislation also authorizes significant funding for security centers and training initiatives in Cyprus and Greece through fiscal year 2029.

The No Foreign Election Interference Act establishes significant penalties for certain tax-exempt organizations that accept funds from foreign nationals and subsequently contribute to political committees. If an organization takes foreign money and makes a "disqualified political committee contribution," it faces a penalty equal to twice the amount of that donation. Furthermore, an organization that makes more than two such prohibited contributions will permanently lose its tax-exempt status. These provisions apply to contributions made on or after January 1, 2026.

This bill, the RETIREES FIRST Act, aims to provide tax relief for seniors by significantly increasing the income thresholds at which Social Security benefits become taxable. It raises the base amount for single filers to \$34,000 and joint filers to \$68,000, with these figures set to adjust annually for inflation starting after 2025. Funding for this tax relief will be offset by rescinding an equivalent amount from non-security discretionary government spending beginning in fiscal year 2027. The legislation also ensures that Social Security and Railroad Retirement trust funds will not experience any loss of revenue due to these changes.

The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act aims to secure the U.S. supply of critical medical goods by diversifying trade relationships and reducing reliance on high-risk sources. It authorizes the President to enter into special "trusted trade partner agreements" that lower trade barriers with reliable allies. These agreements focus on regulatory cooperation, intellectual property protection, and ensuring supply chain stability during public health emergencies. The bill also establishes strict reporting and oversight mechanisms for Congress before any such agreement can take effect.

The Working Families Tax Cut Act primarily renames the "standard deduction" to the "guaranteed deduction" throughout the tax code, effective for tax years beginning after 2025. For the 2026 and 2027 tax years, the bill introduces a temporary bonus deduction ranging from \$2,000 to \$4,000, depending on filing status. This bonus is subject to inflation adjustments and begins to phase out for higher-income taxpayers.

The "Employer Participation in Repayment Act" permanently extends the tax exclusion for employer-provided student loan repayment assistance. This allows employers to contribute to their employees' student loan debt without the contribution being considered taxable income for the employee. This provision was previously set to expire before January 1, 2026, but is now a permanent part of the tax code. The change is applicable for payments made after the enactment of this law.

The Safeguard Pets, Animals, and Research Ethics Act (SPARE Act) aims to reduce and eventually eliminate animal testing in federally funded research by promoting alternative methods. It prohibits the use of federal funds for animal research with some exceptions, and establishes a fund to support the transition to non-animal testing methods. The act also requires research facilities to establish programs for releasing research animals to adoption or sanctuary and mandates public reporting and annual audits to ensure compliance. Violators may face civil penalties.

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Act authorizes the creation of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall. It ensures the museum's exhibits and programs accurately represent the diverse cultures, histories, events, and values of Hispanic and Latino communities, seeking guidance from diverse sources. The Act also mandates regular reports to Congress on the museum's efforts to meet these diversity requirements.

The "Supply Chain Security and Growth Act of 2025" introduces a 40% tax credit for investments in critical supply chain facilities located in U.S. possessions or Puerto Rico, aimed at encouraging reshoring. This credit applies to facilities manufacturing essential items like pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, aerospace equipment and artificial nanomaterials. The bill also increases the deemed credit for taxes paid to a U.S. possession from 80% to 100%. It allows taxpayers to elect to receive direct payments from the IRS for the credit or transfer the credit to unrelated parties.

The U.S. Park Police Modernization Act amends the District of Columbia Police and Firemen’s Salary Act of 1958 to adjust the pay scales for United States Park Police officers. It revises the service step schedule for officers and members of the United States Park Police and modifies service step advancements. These changes will take effect on the first day of the first pay period after the enactment of this Act.

The "Tax Relief Unleashed for Seniors by Trump Act" aims to provide tax relief to seniors by increasing the income thresholds for excluding Social Security benefits from gross income. For single individuals, the threshold is raised from $25,000 to $50,000, and for married couples filing jointly, it increases from $32,000 to $64,000. These amounts will be adjusted for inflation beginning after 2026. The changes apply to taxable years starting after December 31, 2025.

The "Bonus Tax Relief for America's Seniors Act" increases the standard tax deduction for seniors by raising it from $600 to $5,000. This change will be adjusted for inflation starting in 2026. This adjustment aims to provide additional tax relief to senior citizens. The provisions of this bill will be enacted for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "250 Years of Service and Sacrifice Commemorative Coin Act" directs the Department of Treasury to mint coins in 2028 to recognize the nation's semiquincentennial and honor 250 years of American service and sacrifice. The coins include gold, silver, and clad coins, with designs representing American service and sacrifice. Surcharges from the sale of these coins will benefit the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, supporting their programs for Gold Star families, first responders, and veterans. The Act ensures that the coin minting does not create any net cost to the government.

The "Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act" requires district attorneys in jurisdictions of 380,000+ people receiving Byrne grant funds to report annually to the Attorney General on prosecution data for specific offenses, including cases referred, declined, plea agreements, defendants with prior offenses, and bail requests. The Attorney General must then submit this data to the Judiciary Committees and publish it on a public website. This aims to increase transparency and oversight of prosecutorial decisions in large jurisdictions.

The Goldie's Act seeks to strengthen the USDA's enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by mandating annual inspections, requiring humane treatment of suffering animals, and imposing significant penalties for violations. It ensures transparency through mandated sharing of violation records and sets firm guidelines for determining penalties based on the severity and frequency of violations. The Act also enables legal action to recover unpaid penalties and penalizes the disobedience of "cease and desist" orders.

This bill amends the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 to prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from establishing or maintaining value pricing programs that include congestion or cordon pricing.

The Motorist Tax Abuse Act prohibits the Secretary from establishing or maintaining congestion pricing for the Central Business District Tolling Program in New York City. This bill effectively blocks the implementation of a congestion pricing plan in Manhattan.

The Transparency of Migration Act mandates the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services to publish weekly reports on their websites. These reports must include data on individuals unlawfully present in the United States who are apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or processed through a Department of Health and Human Services facility. The data includes daily numbers, countries of origin, ages, genders, states to which they were released, and criminal convictions, if any.

This bill lifts restrictions on defense articles, security assistance, and sales to Cyprus, aiming to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Cyprus. By removing specific subsections from existing acts, the bill eliminates previous limitations and exclusions that hindered defense cooperation. This change allows for increased security support and defense trade with Cyprus.

The HELP PETS Act prohibits federal funding to colleges and universities that conduct or fund painful research on dogs and cats. Exceptions include clinical veterinary research benefiting the animal, and studies involving service or military animals. "Painful research" refers to procedures classified as pain category D or E by the Department of Agriculture. This law aims to ensure federal funds are not used for painful experiments on pets in higher education institutions.