Legislative Activity

The LEAD Act of 2025 seeks to prohibit the use of lead ammunition on all lands and waters managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service due to documented health and environmental risks. This legislation mandates the creation of a certified list of approved nonlead ammunition alternatives for use on these federal lands. The bill establishes civil penalties for knowing violations of this new prohibition.

The Food Assurance and Security Act establishes a mandatory, interagency program to annually measure and report on food insecurity and hunger in the United States. This program requires the Census Bureau to conduct a standardized food security supplement as part of its Current Population Survey. The resulting data will be analyzed and published by the Department of Agriculture in an annual public report submitted to Congress.

This Act amends the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to streamline requirements for existing loans and establish a new, tiered cancellation schedule for newer Federal Direct Loans. Borrowers employed in public service will now receive partial loan cancellation after making 24, 48, 72, and 96 qualifying payments. Full cancellation of the remaining balance is granted after 120 qualifying payments, and the bill also simplifies the employment certification process and cancels accrued interest.

The Addressing Addiction After Disasters Act expands federal disaster assistance to explicitly include support for substance use and alcohol use issues resulting from major disasters. It broadens the scope of crisis counseling and training programs to address these needs alongside existing mental health services. Furthermore, the bill mandates FEMA to update its application processes and requires a GAO report on the program's effectiveness and compliance.

The Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act, or Healthy MOM Act, aims to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes by ensuring comprehensive maternity coverage is accessible. It establishes special enrollment periods for pregnant individuals across various health plans and mandates that dependent coverage must include maternity care. Furthermore, the bill secures continuous 12-month postpartum coverage under Medicaid and CHIP and adjusts federal employee health benefit rules regarding pregnancy.

This resolution supports the goals of Transgender Day of Remembrance by recognizing the ongoing epidemic of violence targeting transgender people, particularly transgender women of color. It memorializes the lives lost this year and highlights the systemic barriers, including discrimination and lack of healthcare access, faced by the transgender community. The bill calls for urgent action from the government to protect these lives through inclusive legislation and policies that ensure dignity and respect for all individuals.

The NOAA Data Preservation Act aims to ensure the uninterrupted storage of critical National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data sets. This legislation restricts the Secretary of Commerce from canceling cloud storage contracts unless a comprehensive plan for seamless data transition and protection is established in collaboration with NOAA. The bill focuses on maintaining continuous access to vital environmental data.

This bill, the Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act, establishes temporary economic recovery payments for eligible recipients of Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement, and Veterans benefits. It provides an additional $200 payment monthly to these individuals from January 1, 2026, through June 30, 2026. These payments are designed to be non-taxable and will not affect eligibility for other federal benefits.

The End Child Poverty Act establishes a universal monthly cash assistance program for qualifying children, administered by a new office within the Social Security Administration. This act terminates the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit after 2025, replacing them with direct child payments. Additionally, the bill introduces new refundable tax credits for taxpayers supporting adult dependents and for low-to-middle income adults and families.

The Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act aims to significantly reduce prescription drug expenses for consumers. It expands the federal drug price negotiation program to cover more drugs and extends negotiated prices to most private health insurance plans. Furthermore, the bill applies inflation rebates to the commercial market and establishes new annual out-of-pocket spending caps for prescription drugs under private insurance starting in 2027. It also sets specific, lower cost-sharing requirements for covered insulin products.

The Clean Cloud Act of 2025 addresses the rapidly increasing energy consumption of data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations. This bill mandates annual data collection on the energy use and sources for these facilities, which are currently lacking transparency. Furthermore, it establishes an emissions performance standard, imposing fees on electricity consumption that exceeds regional clean energy baselines, with collected funds supporting consumer energy cost relief and clean firm energy development.

The Servicemember Student Loan Affordability Act of 2025 extends existing protections by imposing a 6% interest rate cap on new loans servicemembers take out to consolidate or refinance pre-existing student debt during their military service. This amendment specifically targets the refinancing of prior student loans, ensuring servicemembers do not face excessive interest rates on this debt while serving. The bill clarifies that this cap only applies when the refinancing exclusively covers eligible student loans.

The Urban and Rural Diabetes Initiative Act establishes a new grant program to improve diabetes treatment access in medically underserved urban and rural areas. This funding supports eligible health providers in offering comprehensive diabetes care, including routine treatment, education, and specialized services like eye and foot care. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will award these grants, ensuring equitable distribution across both urban and rural communities.

The Revitalize Our Neighborhoods Act of 2025 establishes a competitive grant program through HUD to fund projects that eliminate blight and revitalize low-income communities. Eligible entities can apply for funds to demolish blighted structures, renovate abandoned properties, and construct or preserve affordable housing. Grantees must submit a five-year plan and contribute matching funds for eligible activities.

This bill officially recognizes the service of individuals who served in the United States Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II. It mandates the Secretary of Defense to issue an honorable discharge to eligible former nurses, thereby honoring them as veterans. This recognition primarily grants eligibility for specific burial and memorial benefits related to their service.

The Baby Bonus Act establishes a new federal program within the Social Security Administration to provide a one-time financial payment to eligible parents of newborn children, beginning in 2026. This benefit is designed to be non-taxable and protected from being counted as a resource for federal benefit programs. The legislation creates the Office of Baby Assistance to manage the application and payment process for this new benefit.

This bill, the "Ending Forced Arbitration of Race Discrimination Act of 2025," invalidates predispute arbitration agreements and joint-action waivers for disputes involving alleged race discrimination. It ensures that individuals alleging race discrimination can choose to pursue their claims in court rather than through mandatory arbitration. Federal courts will determine the applicability and enforceability of these arbitration agreements.

The End Rent Fixing Act of 2025 prohibits rental property owners from hiring coordinators or engaging in activities that involve collecting, analyzing, or recommending rental prices or terms across multiple properties. This coordinated activity is deemed an unlawful restraint of trade under existing antitrust laws. The bill grants enforcement power to the FTC, the Attorney General, and State Attorneys General, while also allowing injured persons to sue for treble damages. Furthermore, it lowers the pleading standard for civil lawsuits brought under this Act and related antitrust claims.

The AIM Act primarily focuses on eliminating numerous existing statutory restrictions and prohibitions that currently limit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in its operations. This includes removing limitations on the use and analysis of firearms trace data and allowing for the consolidation of dealer records. Furthermore, the bill removes requirements for the destruction of background check records and eases restrictions on the ATF's ability to inspect dealer inventories and deny or revoke Federal Firearms Licenses.

This bill directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program creating partnerships between military installations and qualified basic needs banks. The goal of this program is to provide essential diapers and diapering supplies to military families in need. The Secretary must also seek collaboration with the National Diaper Bank Network for technical assistance and program evaluation.