Legislative Activity

The Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act mandates that group health plans and insurance policies provide comprehensive coverage for medically necessary treatment related to congenital anomalies or birth defects affecting the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth, or jaw. This coverage must include services needed to restore normal function and appearance, including necessary dental and orthodontic support. Plans must apply cost-sharing rules no more restrictive than those for other medical benefits, excluding purely cosmetic procedures.

The VA Employee Fairness Act of 2025 modifies the collective bargaining rules for employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) by streamlining existing statutes. This act removes outdated subsections related to bargaining and renumbers the remaining relevant section. Importantly, these changes do not affect the Secretary of Veterans Affairs' existing authority regarding incentive pay or expedited hiring processes.

Violet's Law mandates that federal research facilities establish procedures to place retired research animals, including dogs, cats, and primates, into new homes. These facilities must adhere to the Animal Welfare Act standards and ensure animals are certified healthy by a veterinarian before adoption. Eligible placements include registered animal rescue organizations, sanctuaries, shelters, or private individuals.

The Captive Primate Safety Act of 2025 amends the Lacey Act to prohibit the importation, sale, breeding, and possession of most nonhuman primates across state lines. This sweeping ban includes species like monkeys and lemurs, with limited exceptions for registered research facilities and existing owners who register their animals promptly. The law establishes immediate prohibitions, even before the Secretary of the Interior finalizes all associated regulations.

The Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025 establishes a strict 20-mile flight restriction for civil helicopters around the Statue of Liberty National Monument, effective 60 days after enactment. This prohibition includes exceptions for public safety, emergency response, and essential infrastructure work. Furthermore, the bill mandates the FAA to finalize all necessary regulations to implement these new flight restrictions within 90 days.

The Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 comprehensively defines and bans the manufacture, sale, and transfer of specific semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices. The bill grandfathers existing weapons but imposes new requirements for their secure storage and mandates dealer involvement for future private transfers. It also allows federal grant money to be used by states for buy-back programs targeting these banned items.

The Improving Diaper Affordability Act of 2025 addresses the significant financial burden and health risks associated with diaper need for American families. This bill makes diapers a qualified expense for tax-advantaged accounts like HSAs, FSAs, and HRAs, effectively lowering the cost through pre-tax dollars. Additionally, it prohibits state and local governments from imposing retail sales or use taxes on the purchase of diapers. These measures aim to increase access to this essential item for low-income households.

The Better CARE for Animals Act of 2025 significantly strengthens enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by clarifying definitions and expanding the scope of investigations. It grants the Attorney General explicit authority to file civil actions seeking penalties up to $10,000 per day, and mandates that collected fines help cover temporary animal care costs. The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Attorney General to establish a formal agreement for coordinated enforcement.

The Fairness to Freedom Act of 2025 establishes a guaranteed, government-funded right to counsel for all individuals in immigration proceedings who cannot afford a lawyer. It creates an independent Office of Immigration Representation to manage and deliver this high-quality legal defense across the country. Furthermore, the bill ensures this new system is adequately funded by tying its minimum budget to the scale of federal immigration enforcement spending.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 216 Cumberland Street in Rochester, New York, as the "Minister Franklin Florence Memorial Post Office". It ensures that all references to this facility in any legal or official documents of the United States will now reflect this new designation.

The Medicare for All Act establishes a universal, nationwide health insurance program providing comprehensive coverage for all U.S. residents with no out-of-pocket costs. It fundamentally restructures healthcare financing by implementing global budgets for institutions and a new fee schedule for individuals, while phasing out existing federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid. The legislation also sets strict quality standards for providers and creates a dedicated Trust Fund to manage the system's finances.

The Arctic Refuge Protection Act officially repeals the previous law authorizing oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This legislation simultaneously designates approximately 1.56 million acres within the Refuge as protected wilderness under the National Wilderness Preservation System. The Secretary of the Interior is now required to manage this newly designated land according to strict wilderness preservation standards.

The Equality Act comprehensively expands federal civil rights protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity across key areas of American life. It amends existing laws to prohibit discrimination in public accommodations, housing, credit, employment, and federal funding. The purpose of the bill is to provide consistent, explicit, and comprehensive remedies for individuals facing bias in these essential sectors.

The Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act mandates the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to rapidly adopt key industry standards as federal safety rules for lithium-ion batteries in small electric vehicles and personal mobility devices. This legislation ensures these standards automatically update to the newest industry revisions unless the CPSC finds a revision compromises safety. Furthermore, the CPSC must report to Congress five years after enactment regarding battery hazards and compliance.

The Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act of 2025 significantly enhances historic rehabilitation tax incentives. It establishes a permanent 20% credit rate for qualified expenditures and introduces an optional 30% credit for smaller projects, which includes the ability to transfer the credit. Furthermore, the bill simplifies calculations by eliminating the requirement to reduce the property's basis when claiming the credit.

The Working for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment (WISE) Act aims to strengthen protections and streamline legal pathways for non-citizen survivors of crime and abuse, including domestic violence and trafficking. The bill reforms the U-visa program by eliminating its annual cap and speeding up work authorization for victims. It also establishes new protections against detention and deportation for victims with pending humanitarian applications and expands access to public benefits for certain lawfully present noncitizens.

The Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion Act (GOSAFE Act) prohibits the manufacture, sale, and possession of certain gas-operated semi-automatic firearms and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices (over 10 rounds). The bill establishes a formal process managed by the Attorney General and ATF to list prohibited firearms, while grandfathering existing possessions under strict transfer rules. Furthermore, it permits states to use federal Byrne grants for voluntary buy-back programs targeting these newly restricted items. Violations carry significant fines and potential prison sentences.

The Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2025 seeks to amend federal gun laws by banning devices and modifications that significantly increase the rate of fire of semiautomatic firearms, effectively treating them like machineguns. The bill specifically prohibits the manufacture, sale, or possession of such accessories and modified firearms after 120 days of enactment. Existing owners of previously modified firearms must register them under the National Firearms Act within that same timeframe to legally keep them.

The American Family Act fundamentally overhauls the Child Tax Credit by replacing the annual lump sum with a system of advance, refundable monthly payments delivered directly to families. These monthly allowances vary based on the child's age, with higher amounts provided for younger children. The bill also establishes a separate, smaller credit for other dependents and outlines procedures for annual renewal and reconciliation of advance payments when filing taxes.

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees across the nation. It requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to review state laws to ensure they substantially provide these minimum rights, including the right to organize and bargain collectively. If a state fails to meet these standards, the FLRA will administer federal labor relations rules for the uncovered employees. The Act also prohibits strikes or lockouts that would measurably disrupt emergency or public safety services.