Legislative Activity

This bill designates May 5-9, 2025, as "Teacher Appreciation Week," recognizing the contributions of public school teachers and their support for various educational initiatives. It acknowledges teachers' dedication to improving education through innovative methods and emphasizes the importance of their involvement in shaping education policies. The bill encourages leaders to engage with teachers, ensuring their insights are included in classroom policies.

The BASIC ACT, or "Building Advanced Semiconductors Investment Credit Act," increases the advanced manufacturing investment credit from 25% to 35%. It also extends the credit period, changing the expiration date from December 31, 2026, to December 31, 2030. These changes are effective for property placed in service after the enactment of this act.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 216 Cumberland Street in Rochester, New York, as the "Minister Franklin Florence Memorial Post Office". It ensures that all references to this facility in any legal or official documents of the United States will now reflect this new designation.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 80 Prospect Street in Avon, New York, as the "Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz Memorial Post Office Building." Any reference to this facility will now refer to it as the Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz Memorial Post Office Building.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury selection. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act seeks to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals and women across various sectors.

This bill requests the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit documents to the House of Representatives regarding potential changes to the Administration for Community Living. The requested documents pertain to potential elimination, staff reductions, changes in responsibilities, dismissal of career staff, and grant terminations within the Administration for Community Living. The aim is to provide oversight regarding the sufficiency of staff to enforce laws and the impact of the "HHS Announces Transformation to Make America Healthy Again" communication. The requested documents must be submitted within 14 days of the resolution's adoption.

The Deafblind DATA Act requires the Director of the Bureau of the Census to submit a report to Congress on the feasibility of publishing a table and expanding data collection on individuals with combined hearing and vision loss in the American Community Survey. Starting in 2026, the Director must publish a table annually summarizing American Community Survey respondents who identify as both deaf and blind, including demographic and socioeconomic data, sorted by state. The Director must ensure that no personally identifiable information is published.

The Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act aims to improve the Child and Adult Care Food Program by refining eligibility criteria, streamlining the serious deficiency process, and authorizing reimbursements for additional meals or snacks in certain childcare settings. It mandates a review of the serious deficiency process, emphasizing fairness and consistency, and requires the establishment of an advisory committee focused on reducing unnecessary paperwork for program participants. Additionally, the Act adjusts reimbursement calculations and promotes the use of technology to modernize and simplify program administration, ultimately supporting working families and enhancing the economic viability of childcare programs.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 aims to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and countering its support for terrorism by imposing sanctions on those involved in Iran's energy sector and those who provide financial support for its destabilizing activities. It mandates sanctions on foreign entities involved in processing, exporting, or selling Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemicals, while also establishing an interagency working group to coordinate and enforce these sanctions. The Act also amends existing legislation to require the identification of individuals involved in sanctionable activities or sanctions evasion related to Iranian oil and gas sales.

This bill requests the President and Secretary of Education to provide the House of Representatives with all documents and communications relating to the closure of the Department of Education, workforce reductions, and the impact of downsizing on the department's ability to enforce federal education laws. The request includes all records pertaining to the Secretary of Education's March 3, 2025, communication to staff, "Our Department's Final Mission," and any presidential executive order directing the department's closure. All documents must be submitted to the House within 14 days of the resolution's adoption.

The Infrastructure Project Acceleration Act aims to expedite the approval process for large-scale manufacturing projects in the U.S. by exempting "priority manufacturing projects" from certain environmental regulations and limiting judicial review. It prioritizes state and tribal environmental reviews, and designates the D.C. Circuit Court as the sole venue for legal challenges to the Act. This bill intends to streamline the development of significant manufacturing facilities while reducing potential delays from environmental concerns and lawsuits.

The American Family Act establishes a refundable child tax credit with monthly advance payments, providing up to $300 per month per child, and creates a $500 tax credit for other dependents. The amount of the credit is reduced based on the taxpayer's income, with initial reductions starting at $150,000 for joint returns. The IRS will make monthly advance payments and establish an online portal for taxpayers to manage their payments and provide necessary information. This act terminates the existing annual child tax credit after 2024 and aims to provide regular financial support to families.

This bill terminates the national emergency declared by the President in Executive Order 14257 on April 2, 2025. The termination is enacted as per section 202 of the National Emergencies Act.

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees and supervisory employees. It requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine if state laws substantially provide these rights; if not, the Authority will administer collective bargaining procedures in those states. The act outlines specific rights and procedures, including the right to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activities, while also addressing enforcement and exceptions. This law aims to ensure that public service workers have the ability to negotiate for fair wages, hours, and working conditions.

The "Raise the Wage Act of 2025" aims to increase the federal minimum wage to $17.00 per hour over five years, after which it will be annually adjusted based on the median hourly wage of all employees. The bill also gradually raises the minimum wage for tipped employees until it matches the standard minimum wage, while ensuring they retain all tips. Additionally, it increases and then eliminates the subminimum wage for newly hired employees under 20 and individuals with disabilities, promoting fair wages for all workers.

The "VA Funding and Workforce Protection Act" aims to protect the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) funding by limiting the transfer or deferral of funds without explicit congressional approval. It also safeguards VA personnel by exempting the VA from hiring freezes, requiring reinstatement of certain removed veterans, and placing restrictions on the removal of probationary employees. Additionally, the Act mandates regular reporting to Congress on personnel actions and compliance with the Act's provisions.

The "Tax Fairness for Workers Act" permits employees to deduct union dues and other employee business expenses above-the-line, bypassing previous deduction limitations. This change is achieved by amending sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, specifically 62(a)(1) and 67(g). These amendments will be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The "No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act" aims to eliminate tax deductions for employer expenses used to influence employees' decisions regarding unionizing and collective bargaining. It defines "labor organization activity" broadly, encompassing elections, disputes, and collective actions. The bill mandates detailed reporting of such activities, with significant penalties for non-compliance, and directs the Treasury Secretary to issue implementing guidance. This would apply to expenses incurred more than 240 days after the bill's enactment.

The IDEA Full Funding Act aims to increase federal funding for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) from fiscal year 2026 through 2035 and subsequent years. It authorizes and appropriates specific funding levels for IDEA, excluding section 619, with increasing amounts each year. The funding is determined by both a set dollar amount and a percentage based on the number of children with disabilities and average per-pupil expenditure, whichever is greater. The bill also mandates that the increased funding adhere to "cut-as-you-go" rules, ensuring fiscal responsibility.

The "Protecting Options for Seniors Act of 2025" addresses inconsistencies in Medicare Advantage (MA) plan payments due to hospital wage index reclassifications. Starting in 2026, the Act increases the national per capita MA growth percentage for areas with significant hospital wage index increases, ensuring fair payments to hospitals and maintaining benchmark neutrality. The Act also mandates the separate computation and publication of total payments made to each area hospital under Medicare Parts A and B, promoting transparency.