Legislative Activity

The Military Spouse Hiring Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand eligibility for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). This change allows employers to claim the tax credit for hiring qualified military spouses. A qualified military spouse is defined as someone certified as being married to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The Access to Family Building Act aims to guarantee that patients can access Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) services and that healthcare providers can offer them without unreasonable interference. This legislation preempts state and local laws that impose burdens on ART services not required for similar medical procedures or that hinder access without improving safety. The Act establishes the right to access ART and provides robust legal avenues for individuals, providers, and the government to challenge and strike down restrictive regulations.

The Nationally Enhancing the Well-being of Babies through Outreach and Research Now (NEWBORN) Act establishes new pilot programs to combat high infant mortality rates across the country. These programs will provide grants, prioritizing the 50 counties with the highest rates, to develop community-specific outreach and support services for at-risk mothers. Funds can be used for everything from prenatal care coordination and smoking cessation programs to public education campaigns. The Secretary will use annual reports from grant recipients to evaluate the effectiveness of these localized efforts.

The Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2025 significantly expands Medicare coverage to include comprehensive dental, vision, and hearing services starting in 2026. This legislation outlines specific payment schedules, frequency limits, and coverage percentages for routine exams, procedures, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and hearing aids. Furthermore, the bill mandates the inclusion of an oral health professional on the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

The Insurance Fraud Accountability Act aims to significantly curb fraudulent enrollment in qualified health plans by imposing severe civil and criminal penalties on negligent or knowingly dishonest agents and brokers. It mandates new federal verification systems to confirm consumer consent and track commissions for enrollments assisted by agents. Furthermore, the bill establishes comprehensive regulations for the entire enrollment chain, requiring agents to act in consumers' best interests and mandating regular audits to ensure compliance.

The HOME Investment Partnerships Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2025 reauthorizes the HOME program for five years with increased funding levels and raises the cap on administrative expenses. It reforms affordability definitions, streamlines local eligibility requirements, and introduces a new federal loan guarantee program to finance local affordable housing projects. The bill also refines rules for Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) and includes numerous technical corrections to modernize the underlying housing law.

The Women's Retirement Protection Act aims to address the significant retirement savings gap disproportionately affecting women by strengthening spousal protections in defined contribution plans like 401(k)s. The bill mandates spousal consent for certain distributions and beneficiary changes to safeguard retirement assets during divorce or death. Furthermore, it establishes grant programs to boost financial literacy for women and provide direct assistance for low-income women and survivors of domestic violence to secure court-ordered retirement benefits.

Tyler's Law mandates a comprehensive study by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the frequency, cost, and impact of fentanyl testing in hospital emergency departments during overdose cases. Following the study, the Secretary must issue guidance on whether routine fentanyl testing should become standard practice for overdose patients. This guidance will also address staff training regarding existing drug test panels and the long-term health implications of such testing.

The American Teacher Act aims to address critical teacher shortages by establishing federal grants to help states raise the minimum annual salary for full-time teachers to \$60,000, adjusted for inflation. States must submit sustainability plans to ensure these minimums continue after the initial four-year grant period ends. The bill also provides funds for cost-of-living adjustments and a national campaign to enhance the value and diversity of the teaching profession.

The Woman on the Twenty Act of 2025 mandates that Harriet Tubman must be featured on the front of the twenty-dollar bill. This legislation sets a firm deadline, requiring that no new $20 notes can be printed without her portrait after December 31, 2028. Furthermore, the Secretary of the Treasury must publicly reveal the preliminary design for the new note by the end of 2026.

The Pay Federal Workers and Servicemembers Act ensures that essential federal civilian and military personnel required to work during a government shutdown are immediately eligible for unemployment compensation. This provision treats these "excepted" employees as if they were separated from their jobs solely for the purpose of accessing benefits without any waiting period. This change applies to funding lapses beginning on or after March 14, 2025.

The MATCH IT Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve patient safety and reduce healthcare costs by establishing national standards for accurate patient identification across health systems. This bill mandates the creation of clear definitions and minimum data sets necessary to achieve a near-perfect patient match rate. Furthermore, it introduces voluntary incentives through Medicare to encourage providers to adopt these new, higher standards for linking patient records.

The Tax Return Preparer Accountability Act of 2025 brings tax return preparers under federal regulation by establishing minimum competency standards, including exams and background checks, and expanding the Treasury Department's authority to sanction preparers. The bill also mandates the IRS to implement technology to identify and assist taxpayers facing economic hardship when they owe taxes. Furthermore, it requires the Treasury to establish and annually update information security standards for tax preparation software.

This resolution recognizes the ongoing impact of HIV/AIDS, particularly on women and girls, and supports increased awareness, prevention, and access to care and treatment. It emphasizes the need for targeted efforts to address vulnerabilities, reduce disparities, and promote youth-friendly health services. The resolution also encourages global efforts to combat discrimination and improve access to sexual and reproductive health services.

The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act updates the Highway Safety Improvement Program to prioritize safety for pedestrians and cyclists. This bill allows federal funding to cover up to 100% of the cost for projects that connect existing bike/pedestrian infrastructure or reduce risks for vulnerable road users. It also provides flexibility for states to use existing safety funds as matching money for these specific upgrades.

This Act authorizes the creation and sale of special commemorative gold and silver coins to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The coins will feature designs honoring the victims and first responders, with the phrase "Never Forget" required on at least one design. All surcharges collected from the sale of these coins will be donated to support the ongoing operations and maintenance of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. The Treasury must ensure the entire coin program results in no net cost to the Federal Government.

This bill expresses support for recognizing March 10, 2025, as "Abortion Provider Appreciation Day" to honor abortion providers and staff for their essential care, courage, and dedication. It acknowledges the increasing difficulties in accessing abortion care due to state restrictions and recognizes the critical role of abortion providers within the reproductive justice framework. The bill also affirms a commitment to the safety of abortion providers and patients' right to access care without fear, while condemning actions that limit and stigmatize abortion care.

The Medicare Home Health Accessibility Act updates Medicare rules to explicitly include the need for occupational therapy as a valid basis for qualifying for home health services under both Part A and Part B. This change ensures that occupational therapy is treated equally alongside physical and speech therapy when determining eligibility for in-home care. These new provisions will take effect for services provided on or after January 1, 2026.

The Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2025 establishes a new Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program to provide eligible veterans and former service members with secure, U.S.-made firearm storage lockboxes or vouchers. This initiative aims to promote safe firearm storage as a suicide prevention measure through distribution and public awareness campaigns. The law explicitly states that participation will not affect an individual's legal right to own firearms or require any form of firearm registration.

The Protect Our Probationary Employees Act resets the probationary period for certain federal employees who were involuntarily separated between January 20, 2025, and January 20, 2029. If these employees are rehired into a similar role at the same agency, their new probationary period will be reduced by the time they already served previously. This provision is temporary and will expire on January 20, 2029.