Legislative Activity

The CONSENT Act establishes a federal civil remedy for individuals who receive unsolicited intimate visual depictions transmitted without their consent. This allows recipients to sue senders who knowingly or recklessly transmit such images or videos across state commerce. Successful plaintiffs can recover damages and injunctive relief, while the bill includes safeguards for minors and First Amendment rights.

The Medicaid Financing Clarification Act of 2026 explicitly confirms that public funds provided by local government entities, such as counties and cities, can be counted toward a state's required matching contribution for Medicaid. This legislation clarifies the definition of "public funds" to ensure transparency and consistency in how states meet their financial obligations under the Medicaid program.

This resolution strongly opposes foreign digital services taxes (DSTs) that unfairly target and discriminate against U.S. companies by taxing gross revenue rather than income. It supports U.S. government action, including trade tools like Section 301 investigations, to counter these discriminatory measures. The bill calls on other nations to repeal existing DSTs and work toward fair, consensus-based international tax solutions through the OECD.

The "Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act of 2025" aims to combat trade-related crimes by establishing a specialized task force within the Department of Justice, enhancing the investigation and prosecution of illegal activities related to imports and exports. It mandates the Attorney General to develop partnerships, provide training, and submit annual reports to Congress on the progress and financial needs in addressing these crimes. The act allocates \$20 million for fiscal year 2026 to support these efforts, with a focus on bolstering the Criminal Division's capacity to prosecute trade-related offenses.

The Precious Metals Parity Act amends tax law to allow Regulated Investment Companies (RICs), such as mutual funds, to include income derived from certain physical precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium as qualifying income. This change expands the types of assets that RICs can hold while maintaining their favorable tax status.

The Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting January 1, 2026. This coverage is specifically for testing or treatment related to COVID-19, the flu, RSV, strep throat, or during a declared public health emergency. The bill outlines payment structures, generally covering 80% of the cost, and prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative gold and silver coins marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The coins will honor the victims, first responders, and survivors, with designs selected in consultation with the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. All surcharges from the sale of these coins will be paid directly to the Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance.

The NO FAKES Act of 2026 establishes a federal property right for individuals, living or deceased, to control the use of their voice or visual likeness in unauthorized, highly realistic digital replicas. This law outlines specific licensing requirements, post-mortem rights, and creates civil liability for unauthorized creation or distribution of these digital likenesses. It also implements a notice-and-takedown system for online service providers to manage infringing user-uploaded content.

This bill, the "No Tax on Border Patrol Agent Overtime Act," amends the Internal Revenue Code to redefine "qualified overtime compensation" specifically for Border Patrol agents. This change ensures that certain overtime pay received by these agents is treated favorably for tax purposes. The legislation aims to exclude specific forms of overtime and premium pay from taxation.

The Title IX Clarification Act of 2026 amends Title IX to explicitly define "sex," "female," and "male" based on an individual's biologically determined sex and reproductive system. This legislation clarifies the scope of sex-based protections under federal education law. The changes take effect immediately upon enactment.

The AI PLAN Act mandates the creation of a unified federal strategy to defend against financial crimes and threats posed by artificial intelligence. Key agencies must annually report to Congress on current defenses, available tools, and necessary resources to combat AI-driven risks like deepfakes and fraud. Following this report, the agencies must provide specific legislative recommendations and best practices for businesses and government entities.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 aims to combat sophisticated, cross-jurisdictional organized retail and supply chain theft. It achieves this by strengthening federal laws regarding money laundering and stolen property offenses, including lowering monetary thresholds for prosecution. Furthermore, the bill establishes a dedicated Center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal, state, and local enforcement efforts against these criminal organizations.

This resolution honors mothers and recognizes the significance of motherhood in raising the next generation, coinciding with Mother's Day. It affirms that mothers are, by definition, women, while also acknowledging the roles of stepmothers, adopted mothers, and single mothers. The bill expresses concern over recent challenges to the definition of "mother" and encourages the public to celebrate the women who bring life into the world.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act requires companies listing securities on U.S. exchanges to disclose their supply chain links to goods produced using forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). This mandates detailed public reporting, independent verification of sourcing documentation, and penalties for noncompliance. These disclosure requirements are set to be repealed after eight years or sooner if the President certifies that China has ended human rights abuses in the region.

This Act strengthens national security by expanding the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review of real estate transactions involving foreign adversaries. It specifically targets purchases of farmland and property near sensitive national security sites. The legislation introduces a presumption that such "elevated risk" transactions pose unresolvable risks, placing a high burden on CFIUS to prove otherwise. Furthermore, it mandates consideration of U.S. food security during transaction reviews and ensures state laws restricting foreign adversary land ownership remain in effect.

The Foster Youth Postsecondary Education Access and Success Act aims to significantly boost educational opportunities for youth who are or have been in foster care. This bill increases the annual Education and Training Voucher (ETV) amount from \$5,000 to \$12,000 per year. It also mandates that states simplify the application process and actively inform eligible youth about these crucial education benefits.

The Fuel and Strengthen the American Refinery Act of 2026 (Fuel STAR Act) reforms the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by limiting non-advanced renewable fuel volumes and establishing new criteria for small refinery exemptions. The bill also permits the year-round sale of E15 gasoline by adjusting volatility standards. These changes aim to modify biofuel blending requirements and support domestic refining operations.

The Save America’s Family Forests Act of 2026 aims to encourage forest restoration through tax incentives. It significantly increases the immediate deduction limit for standard reforestation expenses and introduces a new, substantial deduction for reforestation costs following a qualified natural disaster. These provisions are designed to support landowners by making forest recovery more financially feasible, with adjustments for inflation built in for future years.

This bill amends federal law to reclassify clergy and religious workers as employees for Social Security and Medicare tax purposes, requiring churches to withhold these taxes. It also repeals the existing religious exemption that allows clergy to opt out of Social Security coverage. Furthermore, the Act establishes a process for currently exempt clergy to revoke their exemption and mandates the IRS to report on informing these workers of their new options.

The IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act aims to strengthen protections and streamline processes for IRS whistleblowers. Key provisions include establishing a *de novo* review standard for award disputes in Tax Court and allowing whistleblowers to maintain anonymity during court proceedings. The bill also mandates interest payments on awards that are significantly delayed by the IRS.