Legislative Activity

This resolution officially recognizes May as Jewish American Heritage Month to celebrate the significant contributions of Jewish Americans throughout U.S. history. It calls on leaders to use this month to educate the public about Jewish heritage and actively counter the current rise in antisemitism. The measure emphasizes the importance of ensuring the safety and dignity of the Jewish American community.

This resolution officially designates May 2025 as "Older Americans Month" to recognize the vital contributions of senior citizens to the nation. It highlights the growing senior population and their continued involvement in the workforce and volunteering. The bill encourages communities nationwide to celebrate older Americans and create opportunities for them to share their wisdom and remain active participants in society.

The Association Health Plans Act expands the ability for certain groups or associations of employers to band together to offer health plans under federal law (ERISA). This allows broader groups, including self-employed individuals, to qualify as a single employer for offering coverage. The bill also provides these associations with flexibility in setting premium rates based on the risk profile of each participating employer. However, these plans must still adhere to existing federal protections against discrimination based on health status or pre-existing conditions.

This bill, the Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act, establishes a new, high federal tax on the profits earned by third-party investors in lawsuits, known as litigation financing. The tax is applied at the highest individual income tax rate plus an additional 3.8 percentage points on "qualified litigation proceeds." To ensure compliance, the law mandates that parties or their attorneys withhold 50% of this tax from payments made to the funder. Importantly, while taxing the funder, the bill explicitly excludes the actual settlement proceeds received by the winning party from their gross income.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to modernize and increase transparency in the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and requires plans to publicly report detailed data on their approval, denial, and appeal rates. Furthermore, it establishes new standards to protect enrollees and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timelines for care requests.

The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 establishes a presumption that certain cancers leading to death or disability in public safety officers were caused by on-duty exposure to recognized carcinogens. This law defines specific exposure-related cancers and sets conditions, such as five years of service, for the presumption to apply. It also updates review processes for adding new cancers to the list and grants retroactive application and filing extensions for eligible past and present claims.

The PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025 updates and extends key federal efforts to combat child exploitation. This bill revises the National Strategy to focus on emerging technology trends and mandates detailed resource planning for law enforcement. It also modifies the operations of Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces, clarifying their duties, expanding partnerships, and providing liability protections for lead prioritization decisions. Finally, the Act adjusts grant funding allocations and authorizes specific funding levels through fiscal year 2028.

The Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act aims to provide financial relief by modifying tax rules for personal losses. This bill removes previous limitations on deducting personal casualty losses for disasters occurring after 2017. Additionally, it extends the deadline for taxpayers to file for refunds related to these previously suspended casualty loss deductions.

The Strong Communities Act of 2025 establishes the COPS Strong Communities Program to provide competitive grants for local law enforcement training. These funds support officers and recruits attending specialized programs, contingent upon a commitment to serve in their local community for at least four years afterward. The bill also mandates annual reporting to Congress detailing grant recipients, training plans, and officer retention rates to ensure transparency.

The Protecting First Responders from Secondary Exposure Act of 2025 updates federal law to specifically address the dangers first responders face from substances like fentanyl. This legislation ensures federal funding is available to states and agencies for purchasing necessary protective equipment and providing specialized training on handling dangerous drugs safely. The goal is to equip first responders with the tools needed to prevent accidental secondary exposure while on duty.

The Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act of 2025 permanently establishes a 7-year recovery period for the depreciation of motorsports entertainment complexes. This legislation allows owners and operators of these facilities to continue writing off building costs significantly faster than standard commercial property. By removing the previous expiration date, the bill ensures long-term tax predictability for the motorsports industry.

The Conscience Protection Act of 2025 aims to strengthen protections for healthcare entities and individuals who object to participating in specific medical procedures, such as abortion, based on moral or religious beliefs. It prohibits discrimination against providers who refuse such services and significantly bolsters enforcement mechanisms within the Department of Health and Human Services. Furthermore, the Act explicitly grants individuals and affected parties the right to file private lawsuits seeking damages when these conscience protections are violated.

This resolution officially designates the week of May 11 through May 17, 2025, as "National Police Week." It serves to honor the valor and integrity of law enforcement officers across the nation. The resolution specifically remembers the officers killed in the line of duty during 2024 and encourages the public to observe this week to show appreciation for law enforcement personnel.

The Chip Security Act mandates the implementation of security mechanisms on advanced integrated circuit products before they are exported to protect U.S. national security interests. This requires the Secretary of Commerce to ensure chips include features verifying location and reporting unauthorized use or tampering. Furthermore, the Act calls for an assessment and potential rollout of secondary security features to enhance export control compliance and prevent misuse by adversaries. The goal is to maintain the U.S. competitive edge by securing sensitive hardware sent to allies and partners.

The No Official Palestine Entry Act of 2025 restricts the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from holding any status beyond observer in United Nations agencies. This legislation also modifies the U.S. standing in the UN, prohibiting full membership and capping participation at a level above observer status. Importantly, the Act explicitly states that none of its provisions apply to Taiwan.

The Countering Corrupt Political (CCP) Influence Act requires foreign missions from designated adversarial nations to report advance notice of meetings with U.S. state and local officials, as well as visits to educational or research institutions. This measure aims to increase transparency regarding diplomatic activities within the United States. The Secretary of State must compile and report this information monthly to Congress. The requirements are set to expire five years after the Act's enactment.

The Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive framework to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry, shipbuilding capacity, and merchant marine workforce. It centralizes national maritime oversight, creates a dedicated Maritime Security Trust Fund financed partly by penalties on foreign-linked vessels, and mandates increased use of U.S.-flagged ships for government and certain commercial cargo. Ultimately, the bill aims to secure critical sealift capabilities and boost domestic maritime economic competitiveness against foreign rivals.

The Stand with Israel Act prohibits the U.S. government from contributing funds to any United Nations entity that takes action to expel, suspend, or otherwise restrict Israel's full and equal participation. This measure ensures U.S. financial support is withheld from UN bodies that discriminate against Israel.

The Veterans Opportunity Act of 2025 establishes the new Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This Administration will centralize and manage key programs related to veteran employment, education, and housing loans. The bill also creates a new Senate-confirmed position, the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition, to lead this new entity. All transfers of services must be certified to Congress as not negatively impacting veteran service quality before they can take effect.

The FIGHT Act of 2025 significantly strengthens federal prohibitions against animal fighting ventures, particularly those involving roosters, by expanding illegal activities to include attendance by minors and gambling. This bill enhances enforcement by tightening restrictions on interstate transport and advertising, while also empowering private citizens to file lawsuits to enjoin violations. Furthermore, the Act allows for the seizure of real property used to facilitate these illegal fighting activities.