Legislative Activity

The SAFE Act of 2025 amends existing legislation to explicitly prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption, reinforcing protections for these animals. This bill seeks to prevent the inhumane treatment of American equines by closing loopholes that allow their slaughter and export for human consumption.

The "Keep Americans Safe Act" aims to regulate large capacity ammunition feeding devices by making it illegal to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess magazines holding more than 15 rounds, with exceptions for law enforcement, government entities, and devices lawfully possessed before the law's enactment. It also permits the use of Byrne grants for buy-back programs of these devices and mandates that newly manufactured devices be marked with identifying information. Violators of this Act will face penalties under existing provisions of Title 18 of the U.S. Code.

This bill recognizes the seriousness of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder affecting millions of women, and supports the designation of September as "PCOS Awareness Month" to promote education, research, and improved care for those affected. It aims to address the underdiagnosis of PCOS and its links to other serious health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, while advocating for increased awareness and support for women and girls with PCOS.

The American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 provides a pathway to permanent residency for eligible individuals who entered the United States as children and those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). Title I, the Dream Act of 2025, establishes conditional permanent residency for eligible individuals who entered the U.S. as children. Title II, the American Promise Act of 2025, allows the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to grant permanent resident status to eligible individuals from TPS or DED countries. Title III outlines general provisions, such as background checks, application processes, and fee exemptions, applicable to all seeking to adjust their status under this Act.

Ethan's Law establishes federal requirements for the secure storage of firearms to prevent unauthorized access by minors and prohibited persons, making improper storage a civil violation with escalating penalties if injury or death results. The bill also creates a federal grant program to incentivize states and Tribes to adopt matching safe storage laws. Furthermore, Congress declares that failing to comply with these storage requirements constitutes negligence and may be considered the direct cause of resulting firearm injuries.

The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act of 2025 aims to protect vulnerable communities by creating an Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice, defining key environmental justice terms, and establishing a grant program to aid state, local, and tribal governments in enforcing environmental laws. The Office of Environmental Justice will be responsible for developing environmental justice strategies, coordinating related matters, and promoting public participation. A Senior Advisory Council will also be created to advise on environmental justice matters and recommend policies. The grant program will provide funding for training, staffing, and community engagement to help address disproportionate environmental and health impacts on low-income, Tribal, and Indigenous communities.

The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act extends the Conrad State 30 program, which allows foreign physicians to work in underserved areas of the U.S. in exchange for a waiver of certain visa requirements. It modifies requirements for foreign physicians seeking waivers, including employment protections, state waiver limits, and contract requirements. The bill also increases the number of waivers available to states and modifies immigration procedures for physicians, including allowing "dual intent" for medical graduates and clarifying national interest waivers. Finally, it requires an annual report on the Conrad State 30 J1 Visa Waiver Program.

The "Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2025" ensures Medicare beneficiaries can continue receiving uninterrupted physical therapy services. It allows physical therapists to utilize temporary staffing arrangements, known as "locum tenens," when the regular therapist is temporarily unavailable. This ensures Medicare payments for services provided by qualified substitute physical therapists, maintaining consistent care for patients.

The "Accelerating Kids Access to Care Act of 2025" streamlines the enrollment process for out-of-state healthcare providers in Medicaid and CHIP, ensuring children under 21 have access to care from eligible providers across state lines. By reducing administrative burdens and unnecessary screening requirements, the Act aims to improve healthcare access for children while maintaining necessary safeguards against fraud and abuse. Participating providers will be enrolled for a 5-year period, and the changes will take effect three years after the Act's enactment.

The MODERN WIC Act of 2025 aims to modernize the WIC program by expanding options for remote certification appointments, including telephone and video calls, and allowing for remote delivery of food benefits. It requires state agencies to offer various formats for certification appointments, ensuring accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The Act also mandates a report to Congress on the use of remote technologies in WIC, focusing on their impact and best practices.

The "Energy Resilient Communities Act" establishes a grant program for clean energy microgrids, prioritizing projects that benefit environmental justice communities and community-owned energy systems. These grants will fund technical assistance, community outreach, and the construction of clean energy microgrids for critical infrastructure and residences. The Act emphasizes domestic production, prevailing wages, and local employment, while also requiring annual reports to Congress on the program's progress and impacts. It allocates significant funding for these initiatives over the next decade.

The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act establishes a framework for collective bargaining rights for public safety officers (law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel) at the state level. It directs the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine if states substantially protect these rights, and if not, the Authority will establish collective bargaining procedures. The Act aims to promote cooperation between public safety employers and employees while respecting existing state laws and prohibiting strikes and lockouts. This law does not override state laws that provide similar or stronger protections for public safety officers.

The Pacific Flyway Habitat Enhancement Act allows the Secretary of Agriculture to enroll additional agricultural land in conservation agreements, even if the land is not typically eligible. This is to improve wetland wildlife habitats. It also allows for seasonally flooded agricultural uses on working cropland if it helps maintain habitat for wetland-dependent species and at least one best management practice is adopted.

The "Increasing Access to Dental Insurance Act" aims to broaden access to dental coverage by enabling individuals to enroll in standalone dental plans via the Health Insurance Exchange, irrespective of their enrollment status in a qualified health plan. This expands options for individuals seeking dental insurance.

The 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025 amends the Public Health Service Act to improve the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program by expanding the types of healthcare providers who can conduct mental health evaluations, modifying provider credentialing, clarifying enrollment calculations, and extending the time frame for adding health conditions for WTC responders. The act adjusts the funding formula for fiscal years 2026 through 2090 and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the program's budget, including projected needs through 2090 and recommendations for changes to the funding formula. It also stipulates that remaining funds in the Supplemental Fund, Special Fund, and Pentagon-Shanksville Fund will revert to the Treasury.

The Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act of 2025 prohibits the imprisonment or detention of individuals based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and other categories as determined by the Attorney General. This amends Title 18 of the U.S. Code to ensure that civil liberties are protected against unlawful detention based on these characteristics. The Attorney General has the authority to add characteristics to the list, but not remove any.

The "Office of Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2025" establishes an Office of Gun Violence Prevention within the Department of Justice, led by a Director appointed by the Attorney General, to coordinate gun violence prevention efforts, evaluate related laws and programs, and recommend evidence-based policies to Congress and the President. The Director will also convene an advisory council comprising various officials and at least 12 additional individuals representing gun violence survivors, community violence intervention service providers, and other relevant groups. The Office will also assist communities affected by gun violence with crisis response activities, such as providing access to mental health services and suicide prevention resources. Finally, the act authorizes the appropriation of necessary funds to carry out the provisions of the bill.

The Vehicle Energy Performance Act of 2025 incentivizes the purchase of high-energy performance vehicles through a tax credit based on exceeding the median energy performance of the previous model year, while disincentivizing the purchase of low-energy performance vehicles through a fee on manufacturers. It also refines fuel economy testing and labeling for dual-fueled vehicles to reflect real-world usage. The tax credit is capped at \$5,000, and the low energy performance fee starts in model year 2029.

This proposed constitutional amendment clarifies that constitutional rights are exclusively for natural persons, not corporations or other artificial entities, which can be regulated by the people. It aims to ensure equal access to the political process by allowing regulation of campaign finance, stating that spending money to influence elections is not protected speech. The amendment also explicitly protects the freedom of the press.

The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 expands public safety officer benefits to include deaths and disabilities caused by exposure-related cancers, presuming that certain cancers diagnosed within 15 years of service are line-of-duty injuries if the officer served for at least 5 years. It defines "exposure-related cancer" and allows for updates to the list based on medical evidence, while also permitting individuals to petition for additions. The Act also clarifies "line of duty action" and applies retroactively to claims dating back to January 1, 2020, with a three-year window for filing claims based on these amendments.