Legislative Activity

The Food Chemical Reassessment Act of 2025 mandates that the FDA systematically review the safety of at least ten existing food ingredients every three years, starting in 2026. This process targets substances like certain food additives, colorings, and GRAS ingredients, prioritizing those with the greatest public health concern. If a reassessment determines a substance is unsafe, the FDA is required to take regulatory action, such as repealing approvals or revoking authorizations. The Act also establishes an advisory committee to guide the FDA on reassessment standards and methods.

The Head Start for Our Future Act updates the Higher Education Act of 1965 by replacing the term "literacy training" with "child development and early learning" when describing eligible community services. This change explicitly ensures that Head Start and Early Head Start programs are recognized under this section of the law. The bill aims to better reflect the comprehensive nature of early childhood education services.

This resolution formally recognizes the significant and persistent wage disparity faced by Black women in the United States. It highlights that despite existing equal pay laws, Black women earn substantially less than their male counterparts, leading to massive lifetime earnings losses. Congress uses this measure to emphasize the urgent need to address both racial and gender discrimination to achieve true pay equity.

The Qualified to Serve Act aims to standardize and clarify medical accession standards for individuals joining the Armed Forces. It prohibits disqualification based on certain medical conditions diagnosed before age 13, provided specific conditions regarding subsequent treatment and current fitness are met. The bill also mandates formal review and national security waiver processes for medical disqualifications and requires annual reporting on disqualifications and waivers to Congress.

This resolution expresses support for designating July 10th as Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. It honors the essential and dangerous work performed by these skilled professionals, especially their heroic efforts in restoring power after major disasters. The day serves to recognize their service and remember those who have lost their lives performing this vital work.

The Expanding Access to Mental Health Services in Schools Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to increase the number of mental health professionals in high-need school districts. This funding is specifically designed to help eligible agencies recruit, hire, and retain school counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Grantees must demonstrate a plan to improve student-to-provider ratios and report annually on staffing improvements and provider retention.

This bill significantly strengthens the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016 by explicitly blocking time-based and procedural defenses that have previously prevented claims for Nazi-looted art from being heard on their merits. The changes ensure that courts must now focus on whether the art was actually stolen, regardless of when the claim is brought or the citizenship of the original owner. These improvements apply immediately to both pending and future lawsuits seeking the return of art expropriated during the Nazi era.

The GLOBE Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive U.S. strategy to champion and protect the human rights of LGBTQI people globally through diplomacy, targeted sanctions, and foreign assistance reforms. The bill mandates enhanced reporting on violence and discrimination while creating new interagency roles and funds to support international advocacy and development efforts. Furthermore, it reforms immigration law to better protect LGBTQI asylum seekers and ensures inclusive implementation of U.S. global health programs like PEPFAR.

The AMMO Act modernizes federal oversight of ammunition by requiring federal licenses for all ammunition dealers and mandating background checks through NICS for transfers by licensed sellers to non-licensees. The bill also prohibits straw purchases of ammunition and establishes new federal limits on bulk ammunition sales, requiring recordkeeping and reporting for these transactions. These provisions will take effect 120 days after the date of enactment.

This bill, the Prohibition of Medicaid Funding for Conversion Therapy Act, prohibits Medicaid plans from using federal funds to pay for conversion therapy services. Conversion therapy is defined as any paid practice aimed at changing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. This legislation ensures that taxpayer dollars do not support efforts to alter a person's core identity.

The LGBTQ+ Panic Defense Prohibition Act of 2025 bans the use of "panic defenses" in federal court, which attempt to excuse or lessen a defendant's culpability for a crime based on the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity. This legislation recognizes that these outdated defenses rely on prejudice and undermine justice for LGBTQ+ individuals. The Act also requires the Attorney General to report annually on violent federal crimes motivated by bias against LGBTQ+ people.

This resolution formally recognizes the history, achievements, and ongoing struggles of the LGBTQIA+ community in the United States. It serves as a declaration by Congress affirming that LGBTQIA+ rights are human rights and encouraging the celebration of Pride Month. The bill highlights key historical milestones, legal victories, and acknowledges the persistent challenges and violence faced by the community. Ultimately, it commits the U.S. to continuing the pursuit of full equality for all citizens.

The Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act makes it illegal for individuals released on bail or under specific court orders to purchase or possess a firearm if that order explicitly prohibits it. This legislation updates federal gun laws, including the Gun Control Act and the Brady Act, to incorporate these pretrial release restrictions into existing prohibitions for firearm dealers and background checks. Furthermore, the bill establishes a grant program to incentivize states and Tribal nations to report these specific court orders restricting firearm possession to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

The Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act modernizes the Internal Revenue Code by replacing gendered language with gender-neutral terms for all legally married couples. This sweeping update ensures consistency across tax rules regarding filing status, deductions, and credits, regardless of the spouses' genders. The bill clarifies that married couples are often treated as a single entity for specific tax purposes. Ultimately, this legislation updates terminology to reflect equal dignity for all married taxpayers.

The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 significantly expands and permanently secures access to Medicare telehealth services by eliminating outdated geographic restrictions and allowing more practitioners to offer remote care. The bill also strengthens program integrity by dedicating funds for telehealth oversight while clarifying rules around providing necessary technology to patients. Finally, it mandates the creation of tailored educational resources and public reporting to improve quality measurement and transparency in remote care delivery.

The No Secret Police Act of 2025 mandates that federal officers engaged in border security or immigration enforcement must clearly display identification, wear visible badges or uniforms, and refrain from wearing face coverings during detentions or arrests. This ensures accountability by requiring clear identification from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel. The bill also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to report on current tactical gear policies and research methods to improve officer visibility.

The EQIP Improvement Act of 2025 revises the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) by adjusting payment limits for various conservation practices, including setting a 40% cost-share cap for certain infrastructure projects. The bill also lowers a separate payment limitation from $\$450,000$ to $\$150,000$. Furthermore, it establishes a new annual reporting requirement for the Secretary of Agriculture to detail EQIP spending by practice category and producer size.

The Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act of 2025 makes technical corrections to the 2022 Camp Lejeune Justice Act to clarify standards for proving harm and venue for trials. This legislation sets specific caps on attorney fees and retroactively applies these changes to all existing and future claims filed under the original 2022 Act. The bill ensures that existing statutes of limitations for filing claims remain unchanged.

The Break the Cycle of Violence Act establishes federal frameworks within HHS and the Department of Labor to address community violence through prevention and economic opportunity. Title I creates grants for community-based violence intervention programs focused on evidence-based, trauma-responsive care, while Title II funds job training for opportunity youth in high-violence areas. Overall, the bill aims to reduce violence by investing in local services and creating pathways to employment rather than relying solely on incarceration.

This resolution expresses support for designating June 2025 as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month" and June 27, 2025, as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day." Its primary goal is to raise public awareness about the challenges of post-traumatic stress (PTS) experienced by service members and veterans. By establishing these official periods, the resolution aims to combat stigma and encourage timely treatment for these often-invisible wounds of war.