Legislative Activity

The FIGHT Act of 2025 significantly strengthens federal prohibitions against animal fighting ventures, specifically targeting the sponsorship, exhibition, and gambling associated with these events. This legislation clarifies the definition of a rooster for legal purposes and bans the interstate transport of roosters for fighting. Furthermore, it empowers private citizens to file lawsuits against violators, allowing for civil penalties and the potential seizure of property used to facilitate illegal animal fighting.

This bill prohibits non-U.S. citizens from voting in any election in the District of Columbia. It also repeals the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022, effectively reverting D.C. voting eligibility rules to their pre-2022 status.

The Telemental Health Care Access Act of 2025 updates Medicare rules to ensure comprehensive coverage for mental and behavioral health services delivered via telehealth. This legislation clarifies and expands the scope of telehealth coverage under Medicare for these essential services. Furthermore, it removes previous restrictions, making the expanded coverage effective retroactively to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

The Supporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act mandates that essential health benefits under the ACA must comprehensively cover prenatal, childbirth, neonatal, perinatal, and postpartum care for one full year. This legislation explicitly bans all cost-sharing, including copays and deductibles, for these essential maternity and newborn health services. The bill ensures robust coverage, including specific requirements like mandatory ultrasounds and mental health services for new parents.

The Do or Dye Act mandates the removal of specific artificial color additives from the U.S. food supply. Starting in late 2025, "qualified color additives" will be banned from food, followed by a ban on "covered color additives" like Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 5 by the end of 2026. Foods containing these prohibited colors after the respective deadlines will be deemed adulterated under federal law.

The Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act mandates that colleges and universities must prominently display essential mental health and suicide prevention contact information on student ID cards or official websites. This includes the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and the campus mental health center. These requirements take effect one year after the Act is signed into law.

The Barriers to Suicide Act of 2025 establishes a new grant program through the Department of Transportation to fund the installation of suicide deterrents like nets and barriers at high-risk locations such as bridges and rail stations. The bill also amends existing law to explicitly allow National Highway System funds to be used for these safety barriers on bridges. Finally, it mandates a study on the effectiveness of suicide prevention measures for structures other than bridges.

The Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act establishes a new federal excise tax on proceeds received from third-party litigation financing agreements. This tax is calculated at the highest income tax rate plus an additional 3.8 percentage points, applied annually to the proceeds received by a "covered party." The bill also institutes specific withholding requirements on payments made to financiers and reclassifies litigation funding proceeds to ensure this new tax structure is applied.

The When Minutes Count for Emergency Medical Patients Act establishes a demonstration project to provide supplemental Medicare payments to ambulance services for stocking and using critical life-saving medications and blood products during severe emergencies. The bill also mandates a comprehensive report from MedPAC analyzing Medicare payments for EMS professionals and medical directors, alongside requiring HHS to issue guidance aimed at reducing excessive wait times for EMS crews handing off patients at hospitals. Overall, the legislation seeks to improve emergency care quality and supply chain reliability for essential medical resources.

The FAIR Leave Act eliminates specific time limitations on the combined family and medical leave that spouses working for the same employer can take under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This change removes restrictions on how much leave married couples can jointly use for purposes like caring for a new child or a seriously ill family member.

The Public Safety Retirees Healthcare Protection Act of 2025 aims to increase the amount of tax-free income public safety officers can receive from their government retirement plans to cover healthcare costs. Specifically, this bill doubles the current annual exclusion limit from $\$3,000$ to $\$6,000$. This increased tax benefit will apply to distributions taken in tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to help law enforcement officers secure childcare during non-traditional hours. Administered by HHS, these competitive grants will fund local agencies to offer subsidies, start new facilities, or cover operational costs for officers. The program requires state agencies to apply and secure matching funds, with a sunset date of September 30, 2030.

The Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act expands the definition of "law enforcement officer" for federal retirement purposes under both the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). This change adds specific IRS, Postal Inspection Service, and VA police roles to those eligible for enhanced retirement benefits. The bill also establishes procedures for current officers to elect to have their prior service counted under these new definitions, which may require a payment from the employee and their employing agency.

The American Ownership and Resilience Act establishes an Ownership Investment Facility within the Department of Commerce to provide government-backed leverage to investment companies. This facility is designed to encourage capital investments that support the sale of businesses to Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) or worker-owned cooperatives. The bill sets strict oversight, fairness, and control requirements for these employee-centric transactions while establishing licensing and capital standards for the participating investment companies.

Violet's Law mandates that federal research facilities establish procedures to place retired research animals, including dogs, cats, and primates, into new homes. These facilities must adhere to the Animal Welfare Act standards and ensure animals are certified healthy by a veterinarian before adoption. Eligible placements include registered animal rescue organizations, sanctuaries, shelters, or private individuals.

The Community Services Block Grant Improvement Act of 2025 aims to strengthen federal efforts to combat poverty by updating the core goals and operational rules of the Community Services Block Grant program. The bill revises definitions, sets a specific annual funding authorization through Fiscal Year 2032, and tightens requirements for state plans and local agency governance, including mandating tripartite boards. Ultimately, these changes seek to ensure grant funds are effectively used by local entities to promote the self-sufficiency of low-income individuals and families.

The Honoring our K9 Heroes Act establishes a new grant program administered by the Department of Homeland Security to help cover medical expenses for retired Federal working dogs. Eligible non-profit organizations with a history of supporting these retired K9s can apply for funding. This initiative is authorized with $1 million annually from Fiscal Year 2026 through 2030 to support dogs living with their former handlers.

The Improving Diaper Affordability Act of 2025 addresses the significant financial burden and health risks associated with diaper need for American families. This bill makes diapers a qualified expense for tax-advantaged accounts like HSAs, FSAs, and HRAs, effectively lowering the cost through pre-tax dollars. Additionally, it prohibits state and local governments from imposing retail sales or use taxes on the purchase of diapers. These measures aim to increase access to this essential item for low-income households.

The More Paid Leave for More Americans Act aims to enhance paid family leave by establishing a federal grant program to support and improve existing state-level paid leave laws. It also creates the Interstate Paid Leave Action Network (IPLAN) to encourage states to standardize definitions, administration, and benefit coordination across state lines. This dual approach seeks to increase the quality of benefits for workers while simplifying compliance for employers operating in multiple states.

The Drone Espionage Act updates federal law to specifically prohibit the unauthorized taking or transmission of **video** of national defense information. This amendment modernizes existing statutes, ensuring that capturing sensitive material via video is treated the same as capturing it via photographs or negatives. The bill aims to strengthen protections against the illicit sharing of defense secrets using modern recording technology.