Legislative Activity

The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2025 significantly updates federal efforts to combat harmful algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia across all U.S. waters, including freshwater systems. The bill expands the scope of the interagency Task Force, mandates the creation of a five-year national Action Strategy for HABs, and enhances monitoring and forecasting capabilities. It also clarifies agency roles, assigning EPA new duties for freshwater blooms while tasking NOAA with marine and Great Lakes response, and establishes a new incubator program for control technologies.

The Children Harmed by AI Technology (CHAT) Act mandates strict age verification and parental consent for minors accessing companion AI chatbots, which are defined as AI designed for emotional support. Covered entities must monitor these chats for suicidal ideation and sexually explicit content, immediately notifying parents and providing crisis resources when necessary. Furthermore, companies must clearly disclose to users that they are interacting with an AI, not a human, at the start of and periodically during every chat session.

The Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act prohibits the Attorney General from awarding federal crime-fighting grants to state or local governments that limit the use of cash bail for individuals charged with serious violent offenses or crimes that promote public disorder. This measure aims to ensure that jurisdictions maintain strict bail policies for those accused of dangerous crimes. The restriction applies to grants starting the first full fiscal year after the Act's enactment.

The Ending Cashless Bail in Our Nation’s Capital Act prohibits the District of Columbia from banning cash bail. This legislation mandates that D.C. must allow cash bail when necessary to ensure public safety, particularly for defendants charged with specific offenses or repeat offenders. Additionally, it requires D.C. to presume that individuals charged with violent crimes should be detained before trial.

The CLEAN DC Act, officially the Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC Act, seeks to completely repeal the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. This action effectively nullifies all changes made by the 2022 Act, restoring the previous legal standards regarding policing and justice in DC.

This resolution solemnly marks the one-year anniversary of the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump. It condemns the multiple attempts against his life and other political officials, while honoring the victims and first responders involved in the July 2024 shooting. The measure further calls for an end to the incitement of political violence that threatens the democratic process.

This bill, the PELOSI Act, prohibits Members of Congress and their spouses from owning or trading most individual stocks and similar investments while in office. Members must divest prohibited assets within 180 days of taking office or the law's enactment. Violations result in disgorgement of profits and potential civil fines assessed by ethics committees, whose compliance certifications must be made public.

The Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 aims to increase transparency in federal spending by expanding reporting requirements for "other transaction agreements" on USAspending.gov. The bill mandates the automatic submission of this agreement data and requires annual public reports detailing any federal spending data that remains unreported. Furthermore, it strengthens accountability by requiring agency Inspector Generals to submit public reports and establishing standards for the completeness and accuracy of all posted federal funding information.

The Federal Firefighters Families First Act aims to improve compensation and retirement benefits for federal firefighters to ensure pay equity and improve recruitment and retention. This legislation updates pay calculation formulas and mandates that overtime hours be included when determining retirement annuities. Furthermore, the Act establishes a maximum average workweek for federal firefighters, not to exceed 60 hours.

The Community Investment and Prosperity Act amends federal banking laws to increase investment limits for national banks and Federal Reserve Banks. Specifically, this legislation raises the applicable investment threshold from 15% to 20%. This change is intended to promote public welfare through increased investment capacity.

This bill amends the Dayton Aviation Heritage Preservation Act of 1992 to adjust the boundary of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. Specifically, it authorizes the addition of approximately one acre of land to the park's official boundaries in Dayton, Ohio. This adjustment incorporates a specifically mapped parcel into the historical park.

The Business of Insurance Regulatory Reform Act of 2025 clarifies and limits the authority of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) over entities already regulated by state insurance authorities. This bill specifically restricts the CFPB's ability to enforce federal consumer protection rules against state-regulated insurers operating within the business of insurance. The legislation ensures that state insurance regulators maintain primary oversight for these entities.

The Accelerating Home Building Act of 2025 aims to combat the national housing shortage by streamlining the construction of new homes. This bill establishes a grant program to fund local entities in creating and pre-reviewing standardized building designs for smaller, mixed-income housing projects. By using these pre-approved plans, the goal is to significantly speed up local permitting and approval processes, making housing development faster and more predictable. The program prioritizes areas with high needs and ensures a portion of funding is reserved for rural communities.

The GENIUS Act establishes a comprehensive federal framework for the issuance and management of "payment stablecoins" in the United States. It mandates strict reserve requirements, capital standards, and regulatory oversight for approved issuers to ensure consumer protection and financial stability. The bill also clarifies the legal status of these stablecoins, explicitly stating they are not securities or commodities, while setting penalties for non-compliance.

The Patients Deserve Price Tags Act aims to drastically increase healthcare price transparency across the board. It mandates that hospitals, diagnostic labs, and ambulatory surgical centers publicly disclose detailed negotiated rates, cash prices, and gross charges in standardized formats. Furthermore, the bill strengthens requirements for health plans to provide consumers with real-time cost estimates and mandates itemized billing for patients after receiving care. These measures are backed by new compliance checks and significant daily penalties for non-compliance.

The Constitutional Citizenship Clarification Act of 2025 seeks to amend federal law regarding birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment. It codifies existing exceptions, stating that automatic citizenship does not apply to children born in the U.S. to parents who are unlawfully present, present solely for diplomatic purposes, or engaged in hostile operations. This legislation aims to clarify that U.S. citizenship at birth is contingent upon allegiance, not solely physical location.

The PART Act aims to combat catalytic converter theft by mandating new federal standards for permanently marking these devices on all new vehicles. It establishes a grant program to fund the visible stamping of identification numbers onto existing converters to deter theft. Furthermore, the bill strengthens tracking requirements for sellers of used converters and introduces new federal criminal penalties for theft and trafficking of these components.

The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2025 establishes a new federal process for trafficking survivors to seek the expungement of arrest records or the vacation of certain criminal convictions resulting from their victimization. It also creates a specific "duress" defense for defendants charged with serious federal crimes if they committed the offense while being trafficked. Furthermore, the bill mandates reporting on the use of these new relief mechanisms and clarifies that federal grants for legal aid can be used for post-conviction representation.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of a recent rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) concerning the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this measure nullifies the specific OCC regulation regarding bank mergers. If enacted, the disapproved rule will have no legal force or effect.

This concurrent resolution expresses Congress's strong support and deep appreciation for America's law enforcement professionals. It recognizes the increasing dangers, high trauma exposure, and current staffing shortages facing officers nationwide. The resolution calls for enhanced safety measures, better resources, increased penalties for assaulting officers, and improved mental health support for law enforcement personnel. Ultimately, it urges all levels of government to provide the necessary support for officers to effectively protect their communities.