Legislative Activity

This bill establishes the "Golden Thirteen Congressional Gold Medal Act" to honor the Golden Thirteen, the first group of Black officers commissioned in the U.S. Navy. It directs the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to commemorate their historic achievement and service. The medal will be produced by the Secretary of the Treasury and ultimately displayed at the Smithsonian Institution.

This bill amends current law to allow commercial filmmaking and photography on the United States Capitol Grounds. The Chief of the Capitol Police can issue permits for these activities only when Congress is not in session. Any permitted activity and associated fees must align with historical practices in Union Square before its jurisdiction transfer.

This Act extends the protections of the District of Columbia Human Rights Act to employees of the D.C. Courts and the D.C. Public Defender Service. It officially designates these entities and their employees as covered employers and employees under the existing non-discrimination law. However, complaints against these entities will bypass the separate complaint procedures used for other D.C. government agencies.

The District of Columbia Transportation Funding Equality Act aims to ensure the District receives equitable federal transportation funding. This bill modifies existing formulas to include D.C. in calculations for bus grants and apportionments based on growing and high-density states. Furthermore, it explicitly makes the District eligible for competitive federal programs like the National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration grant program and the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program.

This bill establishes the Postal Facilities Security Camera Act, mandating the installation of security cameras at all United States Postal Service facilities to enhance the safety of employees, customers, and property. The Act authorizes Congress to appropriate necessary funds from the Treasury's general fund to implement this security program.

This act grants the District of Columbia the authority to set the salary for its Chief Financial Officer. The CFO's compensation must be the higher of the federal pay limit for certain senior employees or a rate established by D.C. law. Any rate set by the District cannot be reduced during the CFO's term.

This bill seeks to prevent individuals from being denied federal housing assistance solely due to state-compliant marijuana activity. It amends federal housing laws to exclude the state-legal manufacture, sale, use, or possession of marijuana from definitions of "drug-related criminal activity." Consequently, housing agencies cannot deny admission or occupancy based on such state-legal marijuana activities. The bill also requires HUD to regulate marijuana smoking in federally assisted housing similarly to tobacco smoking.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to designate a portion of the District of Columbia as an official empowerment zone. This special designation will allow the D.C. area to access existing tax benefits associated with empowerment zones. The designation does not count against the national limit for empowerment zones and takes effect after December 31, 2025.

The District of Columbia Special Elections Home Rule Act grants the District of Columbia government the authority to establish the timing and procedures for special elections. This applies to filling vacancies for local offices, including the Mayor, Attorney General, Council Chairman, and Ward and At-Large Council Members. This change allows D.C. to manage its own election schedules for these local vacancies.

This bill directs the Librarian of Congress to acquire and install a stained glass panel featuring the seal of the District of Columbia. This new panel will be placed alongside the existing stained glass panels depicting state seals overlooking the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building.

This resolution honors the service of all District of Columbia veterans and condemns the denial of voting representation in Congress and full local self-government for D.C. residents. It highlights that D.C. residents have served in every American war while being denied these fundamental democratic rights. Therefore, the resolution calls for the enactment of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act to grant the District statehood.

The Service Academies District of Columbia Equality Act amends current law regarding the service academies. This bill modifies the required years for a specific provision at the United States Military Academy and significantly increases the maximum number of midshipmen allowed at the Naval Academy and cadets at the Air Force Academy. Overall, the legislation adjusts enrollment capacities and requirements across the three major service academies.

The District of Columbia Flood Prevention Act of 2025 seeks to enhance flood prevention efforts in the District. This is achieved by amending the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to officially include the District of Columbia as a "coastal state." This designation will make the District eligible to receive crucial federal funding for coastal management and flood mitigation projects.

The District of Columbia Government Title Equality Act officially renames key leadership positions and legislative bodies within the D.C. government. This bill changes the title of the Mayor to Governor and the Council of the District of Columbia to the Legislative Assembly. It also redesignates the Council Chair as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, updating all corresponding legal references.

The Federal Government Advertising Equity Accountability Act mandates that executive agencies provide detailed breakdowns of their advertising contract expenditures in their annual budget requests, starting with fiscal year 2027. This new reporting requirement forces agencies to specify total advertising spending alongside amounts directed toward small, socially and economically disadvantaged, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses. The goal is to increase transparency regarding federal advertising investments and equity in contract awards.

This bill, the Government Accountability Office District of Columbia Home Rule Act, repeals the authority of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct mandatory audits and reviews of the District of Columbia government's operations. It removes the District from the scope of federal auditing functions performed by the GAO. The legislation also makes conforming amendments to the D.C. Home Rule Act to eliminate references to the Comptroller General and related reporting requirements.

This bill ensures the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts continue to receive funding if a new fiscal year budget has not yet been enacted. It provides interim appropriations at the previous year's rate until regular funding legislation is passed. This mechanism prevents an interruption of operations for these key commissions.

The District of Columbia Clemency Home Rule Act grants the D.C. government the authority to establish its own process for granting clemency, such as pardons or sentence commutations, for crimes committed under D.C. law. This legislation allows the District to determine which local official or body will hold these powers. The Act preserves existing clemency authority held by the President or the Mayor until D.C. enacts its own specific law on the matter.

This bill ensures the continued operation of the District of Columbia courts and related agencies by providing automatic, temporary funding if Congress has not yet enacted a full-year budget. It authorizes payments from the Treasury at the previous year's rate until a new official appropriation is passed. This measure specifically covers federal payments to the D.C. Courts, defender services, and several related justice agencies.

This resolution expresses support for designating **September 2025** as **National Campus Sexual Assault Awareness Month** to highlight the critical issue of sexual violence on college campuses. It details alarming statistics regarding assault prevalence, underreporting, and institutional failures in handling these cases. The bill aims to increase public attention on prevention, survivor support, and accountability measures within higher education.