Legislative Activity

The Hidden Foster Care Transparency Act mandates that states track and report detailed data on informal child separations from their parents that occur without formal court oversight or official state custody. This legislation defines these situations as "hidden foster care arrangements" and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to compile an annual public report summarizing this data. The goal is to bring transparency to these arrangements, which often include safety planning or kinship diversion, to better understand how children are being moved outside the formal child welfare system.

The Tax Court Improvement Act modifies the Internal Revenue Code to enhance the efficiency and fairness of U.S. Tax Court proceedings. Key changes include granting judges expanded subpoena power to facilitate pre-hearing settlements and allowing Special Trial Judges to hear more cases with party consent. Furthermore, the Act applies federal conflict-of-interest standards to Tax Court judges and clarifies the court's authority to extend filing deadlines in deficiency cases based on equitable principles.

The Tariff Revenue Used to Secure Tomorrow (TRUST) Act establishes a dedicated Tariff Trust Fund within the U.S. Treasury. This fund will receive excess tariff revenue collected in any fiscal year immediately following two consecutive years of budget deficits, starting in fiscal year 2026. All money deposited into this fund must be exclusively used for reducing the national deficit.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the federal government to balance its budget over time, meaning spending must generally match receipts, excluding borrowing. Congress would have ten years after ratification to achieve this balance. The amendment allows for exceptions during declared emergencies, provided a two-thirds majority in both chambers approves the extra spending.

The Rural Weather Monitoring Systems Act mandates a comprehensive study by the Comptroller General on the current capabilities and limitations of weather monitoring in rural areas. This report will assess resource availability, identify underserved locations, and detail the obstacles rural communities face in establishing or upgrading their weather systems. The goal is to determine the necessity of improved weather monitoring infrastructure across the countryside.

The Visa Overstays Penalties Act significantly increases penalties for individuals who enter the country illegally or overstay their authorized visas. This legislation establishes a new violation specifically targeting nonimmigrant visa holders who remain in the U.S. for more than 10 days past their authorized status. Consequences include increased criminal penalties, up to two years in jail for repeat offenses, and substantial civil fines ranging from $\$500$ to $\$1,000$ per violation.

The Strong Communities Act of 2025 establishes a new grant program allowing the Attorney General to fund specialized law enforcement training for local officers and recruits. Recipients of this funding must commit to serving in their local community for at least four years following their training. The Act also mandates annual transparency reports to Congress detailing grant recipients, training plans, and the retention rates of officers who complete the funded programs.

The No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act prohibits the State Department and USAID from funding any program or contract that knowingly involves goods or merchandise produced in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Exceptions require written assurances from partners guaranteeing no XUAR goods are used and prior notification to key Congressional committees. The Secretary of State must also submit annual reports detailing enforcement challenges and violations.

The PREVAIL Act aims to strengthen American innovation and economic leadership by reforming patent review processes and enhancing patent protections. It updates rules for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) to ensure fairness and prevent procedural abuse in patent challenges. Furthermore, the bill secures USPTO funding by eliminating fee diversion and expands support for small businesses and universities within the patent system.

The No Tax on Overtime Act creates a new federal income tax deduction for qualified overtime pay earned by workers. This exclusion is capped at 300 hours of overtime service per year, with the benefit phasing out for higher earners. Employers will be required to report this tax-free compensation on W-2 forms, and the changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

This Act mandates the orderly shutdown of the Department of Education by October 1, 2026, transferring its functions to various other federal agencies, including a newly established Office of Education within HHS. The primary goal is to return control of education policy and administration to state and local authorities. The bill also terminates the authority for new Federal Direct PLUS Loans after that date and sets an expiration for certain Title I education funding streams in 2036.

The Building Youth Workforce Skills Act amends existing law to allow local areas to use designated youth workforce funds to pay for training services for eligible in-school and out-of-school youth through individual training accounts. This change standardizes how young people can access training, aligning their options with those available to adults and dislocated workers.

The RESTORE Patent Rights Act of 2025 aims to strengthen patent protection for inventors by making it easier to obtain injunctions against patent infringers. The act establishes a legal presumption that patent holders are entitled to a permanent injunction when their patents are infringed upon. This reverses a recent trend of court decisions that have made it more difficult for patent owners to stop ongoing infringement. The bill seeks to encourage innovation, especially among individual inventors, universities, startups, and small businesses.

The "Border Security Investment Act" introduces a 37% fee on certain international money transfers to fund border security measures. Half of the revenue generated will reimburse border states for security-related expenses. The other half will fund technology, physical barriers, and personnel along the U.S.-Mexico border. Any funds exceeding $50 billion in either trust will be used to reduce the federal deficit.