Legislative Activity

The CAPE Canaveral Act would move NASA headquarters to Brevard County, Florida. The move must be completed within one year of the Act's enactment.

The "Repealing Outdated and Unilateral Tariff Authorities Act" repeals Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, eliminating the President's authority to unilaterally impose tariffs based on unfair trade practices. This change aims to restore Congressional oversight on trade policy.

The Raise the Age Act of 2025 prohibits licensed firearm dealers from selling certain semiautomatic rifles and shotguns to individuals under 21, with exceptions for active military members and law enforcement officers. It also requires purchasers of these firearms to certify they are at least 21 or a "qualified individual". Additionally, the Act mandates a report from the FBI Director on improving information-sharing protocols for the FBI's public access line.

This bill demands the President and Secretary of State to submit all records related to the strikes on the Houthis in Yemen and the disclosure of confidential information to a journalist. It seeks all documents, communications, and transcripts created after January 20, 2025, pertaining to the strikes, coordination with allies, legal justifications, and the use of Signal for war planning. The request includes materials related to the inclusion of journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal chat discussing confidential war plans and any resulting reforms or investigations. The documents must be provided to the House of Representatives within 14 days.

The Accountability for Terrorist Perpetrators of October 7th Act mandates terrorism-related sanctions on the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and associated individuals/entities due to their involvement in terrorist activities, including the October 7, 2023, attack against Israel. It requires the President to block assets and impose visa restrictions on those affiliated with the PRC, with exceptions for national security and humanitarian reasons. Additionally, the Act directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress on whether Lions Den and the PRC should be designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

This resolution recognizes the significant gender pay gap, where women earn less than men for comparable work, and highlights the economic impact this disparity has on women, families, and the nation. It also acknowledges the disproportionate effect on women of color. The resolution reaffirms the commitment to achieving equal pay and reducing the gender wage gap.

The Paycheck Fairness Act aims to strengthen and enhance enforcement of equal pay requirements by redefining "sex," modifying the "bona fide factor" defense for pay disparities, broadening the definition of "same establishment," strengthening non-retaliation protections, and enhancing penalties for employers who violate equal pay provisions. The Act also requires training programs, research, education, and outreach initiatives to eliminate pay disparities, and establishes a National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace. Additionally, the Act directs the EEOC to collect compensation data, reinstates pay equity programs, prohibits the use of wage history in determining salary, and establishes a National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force to improve compliance and enforcement of equal pay laws.

The "National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act" mandates the National Weather Service to modernize its communication system by October 1, 2027, replacing NWSChat with a commercial instant messaging service hosted on a public cloud. This upgrade aims to enhance user experience, accommodate growth, and improve performance. The Act allocates up to $3,000,000 annually from 2026 to 2029, using existing National Weather Service funds for the project.

The "BIRD Energy and US-Israel Energy Center Reauthorization Act of 2025" expands and reauthorizes energy cooperation between the U.S. and Israel through 2035. It increases funding for cooperative research and the Energy Center, and broadens the scope of cooperation to include areas like hydrogen, fusion energy, and cybersecurity. This aims to foster innovation, enhance energy security, and promote economic benefits for both nations.

The National Strategy for School Security Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, to develop a national strategy to protect schools from terrorist threats. This strategy will detail federal programs, spending, and activities related to school security, identify vulnerabilities, and set goals to address these vulnerabilities. The strategy will be submitted to specific committees in the House and Senate within one year of enactment and updated annually through 2033, if needed. The strategy aims to streamline efforts, consider existing evaluations, and avoid duplicating work related to school security against terrorism.

The Major Richard Star Act allows eligible combat-disabled veterans to receive both their retirement pay and disability compensation. This eliminates the previous offset that reduced retirement pay for those receiving disability compensation. The changes apply to payments beginning the month after enactment.

The "Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2025" mandates that the President must submit a report to Congress before taking actions to end or waive sanctions related to Iran, or before taking licensing actions that significantly alter U.S. foreign policy toward Iran. Congress then has a review period during which the President is restricted from taking the action unless Congress passes a joint resolution of approval. If Congress passes a joint resolution of disapproval, the President is prohibited from taking the proposed action. The bill also establishes procedures for the consideration of joint resolutions of approval or disapproval in both the House and Senate.

The American Teacher Act aims to address teacher shortages and improve teacher compensation by establishing grants for states to increase teacher salaries, with the goal of ensuring a minimum annual salary of $60,000 for full-time teachers at qualifying schools, adjusted for inflation. The Act also allows for a national campaign to raise awareness of the value of the teaching profession and clarifies that the Act does not alter existing employee rights or agreements. Finally, the Act defines key terms and authorizes necessary appropriations for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to implement the grants and awareness campaign.

The "Affordable Loans for Students Act" sets the interest rate for existing eligible federal student loans to 2.0 percent, either through modification or refinancing, and sets the interest rate for new federal student loans disbursed after the bill's enactment to 2.0 percent. The bill requires the Secretary of Education to establish a program to modify existing federal student loans held by the Secretary to a 2.0 percent interest rate and refinance other eligible federal student loans into Federal Direct Consolidation Loans at a 2.0 percent interest rate, without automatically extending the repayment period. It also mandates an annual report to Congress detailing the number of borrowers affected and their repayment status.

This bill denounces Cuba's human trafficking and forced labor practices within its medical export program, citing exploitation of Cuban medical personnel in third-world countries. It urges foreign governments to ensure fair labor practices, pay workers directly, and calls for visa revocations for officials involved in these schemes, while also urging agreement signatories to meet obligations that ensure international standards. The bill references the State Department's findings on Cuba's non-compliance with trafficking elimination standards and the regime's substantial profits from this program.

The Congressional Trade Authority Act of 2025 amends Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, redefining national security and shifting the investigation of import threats to the Secretary of Defense. It mandates congressional approval for presidential actions adjusting imports based on national security concerns, requiring a joint resolution of approval within 60 days. The Act also establishes a process for businesses to request exclusions from import restrictions and includes a sunset provision for presidential actions, requiring reevaluation and potential renewal after three years. Finally, the Act requires rates of duty to revert to their pre-modification rate 75 days after the enactment of this Act.

The "Do No Harm Act" amends the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to ensure religious freedom is not used to justify discrimination or harm. It clarifies that the Act does not override federal laws protecting against discrimination, ensuring equal opportunity, or safeguarding access to healthcare and other essential services. This amendment confirms that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act applies only when the government is a party in a judicial proceeding.

The James Earl Jones Congressional Gold Medal Act directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to James Earl Jones, honoring his contributions to the United States and his work promoting inclusion in film and theatre. The Secretary of the Treasury will create the gold medal, and bronze duplicates will be made available for sale to the public.

The HIRE CREDIT Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to include "displaced disaster victims" in the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program. A "displaced disaster victim" is defined as someone whose residence or employment location within a qualified disaster zone became inoperable due to a major disaster, and who is currently unemployed. This provision applies to individuals hired within one year after the disaster's incident period, starting on or after January 1, 2024, aiming to incentivize employment in communities recovering from emergencies. The act also includes transition rules for disasters where the incident period ended before the enactment of the Act.

This bill, the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025, seeks to amend the National Labor Relations Act and other labor laws to strengthen protections for workers' rights to organize and collectively bargain. It aims to modernize labor regulations by clarifying definitions, addressing unfair labor practices, enhancing enforcement, and increasing transparency in labor-management relations. The bill introduces measures such as electronic voting in union elections, strengthens whistleblower protections, and mandates studies on collective bargaining practices. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure fair treatment of workers and promote equitable labor practices.