Legislative Activity

The ANCHOR Act requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) Director to develop a plan to improve cybersecurity and telecommunications for the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, including assessments of needs, costs, and opportunities for shared solutions. The plan will address network capabilities for scientific missions, cybersecurity recommendations, and a spending plan involving multiple stakeholders. The Act allows the Director to support cyberinfrastructure and cybersecurity upgrades to the fleet, and requires a progress report on the plan's implementation.

The Nucleic Acid Standards for Biosecurity Act aims to improve biosecurity in nucleic acid synthesis by establishing best practices, guidelines, and technical standards for risk management. It directs the Director to conduct research, convene a stakeholder consortium, and develop consensus priorities for synthetic nucleic acid procurement screening. The Act also requires a report to Congress summarizing the consortium's findings and authorizes appropriations for these activities.

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.

The Arctic Refuge Protection Act seeks to reinstate protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by repealing the 2017 law that opened the area to oil and gas development. It further designates approximately 1.5 million acres of the Refuge as wilderness, ensuring its preservation under the National Wilderness Preservation System. This area will be managed by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with the Wilderness Act.

The "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act" authorizes the presentation of three Congressional Gold Medals to honor the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. These medals will be given to the Lake Placid Olympic Center, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, and the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum for public display. The Act also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to fund the medal production.

The Victims of Agent Orange Act of 2025 aims to address the ongoing health and environmental damage caused by the use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. It directs the United States Agency for International Development to provide assistance for healthcare, caregiver support, housing, poverty reduction, and environmental remediation in Vietnam for those affected by Agent Orange. The Act also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to assess the health of Vietnamese Americans and establish centers to provide care and treatment for conditions related to Agent Orange exposure. Finally, the Act requires both agencies to submit quarterly reports to Congress on the implementation of the Act.

The Agent Orange Relief Act of 2025 aims to address the ongoing health consequences of Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War by expanding benefits to children of male veterans with certain birth defects, supporting public research into the health issues of those affected, and providing health assessment and assistance to Vietnamese Americans. This act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to create a plan to implement the provisions of this Act within 180 days of enactment, and implementation must be completed within 18 months of the Act's enactment. Additionally, the Act mandates quarterly reports to Congress on the progress of its implementation. The Act defines "Agent Orange" as any chemical compound that was part of an herbicide used in support of U.S. and allied military operations in Vietnam.

The "Defend American Manufacturing Act" aims to bolster American manufacturing by mandating the Department of Commerce to support manufacturing extension centers in every state and Puerto Rico. This is achieved through the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, contingent on congressional funding. The bill amends existing legislation to ensure the continuation of this program, reinforcing the commitment to supporting manufacturers nationwide.

The "Defend our Coast Act" prohibits the Secretary from issuing leases for oil or gas exploration, development, or production in the Mid-Atlantic Planning Area on the outer Continental Shelf. This act amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, specifically targeting areas defined in the 2024-2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Final Program.

The "Remote Access Security Act" amends the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to regulate remote access to items under U.S. jurisdiction by foreign persons. This bill expands export control regulations to include remote access, defining it as access to controlled items by a foreign person via network connection from a different physical location. It broadens the scope of activities, documents, and enforcement measures related to export control to include remote access, aiming to protect national security and foreign policy interests.

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.

The "Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2025" outlaws devices that accelerate a semi-automatic firearm's firing rate or simulate machine guns. It redefines "semi-automatic firearm" and requires current owners of affected devices to register them. There are exceptions for governmental entities, and lawful transfers of registered devices are permitted.

The "Middle Class Mortgage Insurance Premium Act of 2025" permanently increases the income cap for deducting mortgage insurance premiums. It raises the income limit to $200,000 (or $100,000 for those married filing separately), allowing more middle-class homeowners to benefit from this deduction. This change is effective for taxable years starting after December 31, 2025.

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.

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 Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 aims to increase affordable housing options by updating state housing credit formulas, refining tenant eligibility rules, and improving credit eligibility and determination. This includes adjusting income verification processes, modifying student occupancy rules, and protecting domestic abuse victims. The bill also focuses on Native American and rural assistance by addressing housing needs in Indian areas and streamlining income eligibility for rural projects. Additionally, it revises rules for exempt facility bonds and renames the "low-income housing tax credit" to the "affordable housing tax credit" while encouraging data sharing and discouraging discriminatory land use policies.

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 TAKE IT DOWN Act aims to combat the spread of nonconsensual intimate visual depictions, including deepfakes, online. It establishes criminal penalties for intentionally sharing such images without consent, with increased penalties for depictions involving minors. The Act also requires online platforms to create a process for users to report and request the removal of nonconsensual intimate visual depictions within 48 hours, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. It defines key terms related to consent, digital forgeries, and covered platforms, while also ensuring that the rest of the law remains valid if any part is deemed unenforceable.

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.