Legislative Activity

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 targets the increasing threat posed by organized theft groups impacting retail and the national supply chain. This bill strengthens federal law by expanding money laundering statutes and lowering thresholds for property crimes related to theft. Crucially, it establishes a new federal coordination center within Homeland Security Investigations to align efforts across all levels of law enforcement and the private sector to combat these cross-jurisdictional crimes.

This bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to temporarily exclude certain False Claims Act recoveries from being deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. It also mandates a comprehensive audit by the Department of Justice Inspector General on the Fund's sustainability and the impact of recent legislative changes. The resulting report will provide recommendations for improving the Fund's effectiveness and oversight.

This resolution condemns the People's Republic of China's coercive military and economic actions against Japan following statements regarding Taiwan. It reaffirms the strong U.S.-Japan alliance and commitment to regional stability. Furthermore, the bill calls on the PRC to cease its pressure tactics and urges the U.S. to work with allies to counter such coercion in the Indo-Pacific.

The Reliable Power Act mandates annual long-term reliability assessments by the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to proactively identify risks of power shortages. If a "generation inadequacy" is found, it triggers a review process for certain federal agency regulations that affect power generation resources. This ensures federal agencies must address and respond to FERC's recommendations on how their proposed rules might impact the reliability of the bulk-power system before finalizing those actions.

The Whistleblower Protection Act of 2025 expands existing federal whistleblower safeguards to cover nearly all contracts, grants, and agreements funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This ensures that individuals reporting wrongdoing on HUD-funded projects receive standard federal whistleblower protections. These protections apply retroactively to existing agreements.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and financial processors from creating or requiring special merchant category codes specifically for firearm retailers. This legislation aims to prevent the singling out of businesses that sell firearms, ammunition, or related components through transaction coding. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcement and reporting annually to Congress on the law's implementation.

The Tailoring and Indexing Enhanced Regulations Act of 2025 (TIER Act) significantly raises the asset thresholds that subject financial institutions to enhanced supervision under various banking laws. It adjusts current dollar thresholds based on historical GDP growth to reflect current economic realities. Furthermore, the bill mandates future, automatic five-year adjustments to these thresholds based on subsequent U.S. GDP growth to ensure regulations remain appropriately scaled.

The Essential Caregivers Act of 2025 protects the rights of residents in long-term care facilities to designate an essential caregiver who can provide support and companionship. This legislation ensures that these caregivers maintain in-person access to residents even during public health emergencies when general visitation is restricted. By establishing clear protocols and an appeals process, the bill aims to prevent the harmful effects of isolation and ensure residents continue to receive vital care and advocacy.

The Professional Student Degree Act seeks to amend the Higher Education Act by formally defining what constitutes a "professional degree" for student loan purposes. This definition specifies degrees that prepare students to immediately begin practicing in a profession and require a skill level beyond a standard bachelor's degree. The bill explicitly lists numerous professional degrees, such as Law, Medicine, and specialized health fields, under this new classification.

This bill, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, officially authorizes Congress to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. The medals will be struck by the Treasury and permanently displayed at specific national sports museums. The Act also permits the sale of duplicate bronze medals to cover production costs.

This bill, the "Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act," aims to stop improper government payments by improving how the Social Security Administration shares death data with the federal Do Not Pay system. It mandates the SSA to provide death information to prevent and recover mistaken benefit payments. The legislation also establishes a clear standard for recording deaths and requires notifying agencies if an individual is incorrectly listed as deceased.

This bill officially designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 521 Thorn Street in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, as the "Mary Elizabeth Bettie Cole Post Office Building." This change ensures all future federal references use the newly established name for the building.

The HELP Copays Act requires that financial assistance provided by non-profit organizations and drug manufacturers must count toward a patient's deductible, copayments, and out-of-pocket maximums for prescription drugs. This change ensures that patient assistance dollars directly reduce the amount a patient must pay before their coverage fully kicks in. The legislation specifically applies to specialty drugs and those subject to utilization management. These provisions will take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act of 2025 aims to limit the financial burden of federal regulations on small businesses by requiring the SBA to track and cap its own rulemaking costs. It also mandates annual reporting to Congress detailing the regulatory costs imposed on small businesses by all other federal agencies. Additionally, this bill establishes a one-time $1,000 payment for eligible U.S. citizens and qualified aliens, funded by a transfer from the Treasury's general fund.

The Energy Choice Act places federal restrictions on state and local governments, preventing them from enacting regulations that prohibit or limit energy service based on its type or source. This means local governments cannot ban or restrict access to energy services sold in interstate commerce. The legislation aims to ensure consistent access to various energy sources across jurisdictions.

The Expanding WKSI Eligibility Act creates a new, alternative pathway for companies to qualify as a "well-known seasoned issuer" (WKSI) by lowering the public market value threshold to \$400 million, while removing the existing worldwide market value requirement. Additionally, the bill mandates that the SEC annually report on the number of WKSI-related applications that are withdrawn. This aims to streamline the process for certain issuers to benefit from WKSI status.

The HUD Transparency Act of 2025 mandates that the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provide annual testimony to Congress. This testimony must detail the OIG's efforts to combat fraud, waste, and abuse, and assess HUD's efficiency and resource needs. The goal is to enhance public accountability and oversight of HUD programs.

The Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act focuses primarily on improving pediatric drug development and ensuring patient access to necessary treatments. This legislation mandates new research requirements for molecularly targeted pediatric cancer drugs, strengthens FDA enforcement of pediatric study completion, and extends incentives for developing drugs for rare pediatric diseases. Additionally, the bill updates organ transplant network functions and establishes an Abraham Accords Office within the FDA to enhance international regulatory cooperation.

The Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act establishes a new Small Business Administration (SBA) loan guarantee program to help U.S.-based small manufacturers finance equipment, facilities, and workforce training. The bill specifically defines eligible small manufacturers as those whose primary business is in manufacturing sectors 31, 32, or 33 and have all production facilities located domestically. Additionally, it increases the maximum loan limits available to these small manufacturers across several existing SBA loan programs.

This act grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) exclusive authority to approve or deny applications for natural gas and LNG export/import facilities, mandating that such actions be considered consistent with the public interest. The legislation clarifies that it does not limit the President's existing authority to impose sanctions through trade restrictions.