Legislative Activity

The TAP Promotion Act mandates a standardized, one-hour presentation on available VA benefits during mandatory preseparation counseling for service members. This presentation must be developed and approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in consultation with recognized Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs). The goal is to ensure separating service members are fully informed of their entitlements and how VSOs can assist with filing claims.

The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act aims to improve access to affordable child care by expanding employer-provided child care credits, increasing tax-free dependent care assistance, and creating a refundable household and dependent care tax credit. The employer provided child care credit is increased from 25% to 50% of qualified expenses, and the maximum credit amount is raised from $150,000 to $500,000. The amount of tax-free employer-provided dependent care assistance is increased from $5,000 to $7,500. A new tax credit is created for employment-related expenses paid for household and dependent care, with the applicable percentage starting at 50% and decreasing based on income, and the maximum creditable expenses are $5,000 for one qualifying individual and $8,000 for two or more.

The Safe Schools Improvement Act aims to reduce bullying and harassment in schools by requiring states to establish policies prohibiting such conduct based on various characteristics, including race, sex, religion, and disability. It mandates annual notifications, data collection on incidents, biennial evaluations of programs, and regular reports to Congress to ensure accountability and effectiveness. This act does not infringe on existing nondiscrimination laws or freedom of speech but seeks to create a safer, more inclusive learning environment for all students.

The Aviation Workforce Development Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow expenses for aviation maintenance and commercial pilot courses to be considered qualified higher education expenses for qualified tuition programs. This change applies to distributions made after the enactment of this law, aiming to support workforce development in the aviation sector.

The Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act directs the Department of Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar coins in 2027 to commemorate the life and legacy of Roberto Clemente. The coins' designs will represent Clemente's life, including his baseball achievements and humanitarian work. Surcharges from the coin sales will benefit the Roberto Clemente Foundation, supporting their educational programs, youth sports initiatives, disaster relief efforts, and historic preservation projects. The Act ensures that the coin program will not incur any net cost to the United States government.

The PAST Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the Horse Protection Act to combat the painful practice of soring in specific horse breeds. This bill increases penalties for violations, establishes stricter licensing and oversight for inspectors, and explicitly bans the use of "action devices" designed to cause unnatural gaits. The legislation aims to enhance enforcement, ensure fairer competition, and hold violators accountable through increased fines and disqualifications.

The Humane Cosmetics Act of 2025 bans cosmetic animal testing in the U.S. and restricts the use of animal testing data for cosmetic safety, with certain exceptions. It authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to impose civil penalties for non-compliance and preempts states from enacting conflicting regulations. The Act defines key terms related to cosmetic animal testing and cosmetics.

The GUARD VA Benefits Act establishes criminal penalties for individuals who charge veterans unauthorized fees for assisting with claims for benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This legislation amends existing law to prohibit soliciting, contracting for, or receiving compensation for preparing or prosecuting VA benefit claims, except where explicitly authorized by other statutes.

This bill officially redesignates the site currently known as the Robert E. Lee Memorial as the "Arlington House National Historic Site." It mandates that all official U.S. records, maps, and documents be updated to reflect this new name and repeals the previous joint resolutions that established the former designation.

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.

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 Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act establishes a grant program to expand commercial truck parking and improve safety. The program provides funds to states, local governments, and tribal entities for projects that increase parking availability, improve existing facilities, and use technology to manage parking. The Act also requires a biennial report to Congress on the availability of truck parking and the effectiveness of funded projects. It authorizes $151 million per fiscal year from 2025 through 2029 for these initiatives.

This resolution condemns the Iranian regime for its ongoing human rights abuses, state-sponsored terrorism, and regional instability. It expresses strong support for the Iranian people's struggle for a democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic. Furthermore, the bill advocates for international accountability for the regime's crimes and calls for the protection of Iranian political refugees.

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 Postal Employee Appeal Rights Amendment Act of 2025 updates which non-unionized Postal Service employees can appeal certain employment decisions to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Specifically, it grants this appeal right to supervisory, professional, technical, clerical, administrative, or managerial employees under the Executive and Administrative Schedule who are not covered by a collective bargaining unit. This legislation clarifies the scope of appeal rights for certain non-bargaining unit personnel within the Postal Service.

The "DOC Access Act of 2025" aims to enhance health care coverage under vision and dental plans by ensuring fair payment practices, protecting doctors' choices in labs and suppliers, and respecting state laws. It allows optometrists and dentists to charge their standard rate for non-covered services if the plan's payment is unreasonable, while ensuring they can only charge the contracted rate for dental cleanings. The bill also gives doctors more control over agreement extensions with limited benefit plans and allows them to opt out of certain provisions. Ultimately, this act seeks to balance federal guidelines with state oversight in regulating health insurance issuers and dental or vision benefit plans.

The Federal Retirement Fairness Act amends title 5 of the United States Code, allowing civilian service in a temporary position after December 31, 1988, to be creditable under the Federal Employees Retirement System. This change applies to current employees and Members of the United States Postal Service, and requires the Office of Personnel Management to notify eligible individuals and issue implementing regulations.

The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act aims to strengthen U.S. trade laws by addressing unfair subsidies, currency undervaluation, duty evasion, and circumvention of trade remedies. It refines the process for handling successive trade investigations, ensuring that the International Trade Commission considers prior findings and assesses cumulative effects on domestic industries. The act also empowers authorities to counteract cost distortions in foreign countries and prevent importers from avoiding duties. Additionally, it includes provisions related to trade with Canada and Mexico and sets effective dates for new regulations.

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.