Legislative Activity

The "No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act" prohibits the State Department and USAID from using funds on programs or contracts that utilize goods mined, produced, or manufactured in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, or by entities identified as using forced labor. The Secretary of State may authorize exceptions with partner assurances and a compliance system, and the Act requires annual reports to Congress on enforcement and violations. This act aims to prevent U.S. funds from supporting forced labor practices in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The PREVAIL Act aims to strengthen U.S. patent rights by reforming the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) procedures, modifying inter partes review (IPR) and post-grant review (PGR) processes, and ensuring the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) retains its collected fees. It seeks to protect patent holders from repetitive challenges, clarify standards for patent reviews, and promote innovation. The Act also supports small businesses and higher education institutions in navigating the patent system.

The "No Tax on Overtime Act" introduces a new tax deduction for qualified overtime compensation, capped at 300 hours per year, for individuals earning under a certain income threshold. This deduction is available to both itemizers and non-itemizers, and employers are required to report overtime compensation on Form W-2. The deduction phases out for taxpayers with higher incomes, and the provisions apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The "Orderly Liquidation of the Department of Education Act" terminates the Department of Education by October 1, 2026, and transfers its functions to other federal entities like the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Justice. It establishes an Office of Education within the Department of Health and Human Services to manage several educational programs. The Act also phases out certain federal education funding and loan programs, while allowing recipients of transferred federal funds the option to decline them.

The "Building Youth Workforce Skills Act" amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to allow local workforce areas to use allocated funds to pay for training services for in-school and out-of-school youth (ages 16-21) through individual training accounts. These accounts can be used to pay eligible training providers for services.

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.