Legislative Activity

The Shielding Students from Wildfire Smoke Act directs the EPA to commission a comprehensive study on how K-12 schools and childcare facilities currently manage wildfire smoke exposure for children. This review will assess existing policies, identify gaps in protection, and recommend actionable strategies to Congress for improving safeguards, especially for resource-limited settings.

The Rural Housing Service Reform Act of 2025 aims to modernize and stabilize rural housing programs across the nation. It streamlines administrative processes, establishes permanent protections for existing affordable rental housing, and improves access to repair loans for low-income homeowners. Furthermore, the bill creates new grant opportunities for local development and mandates greater transparency and efficiency in the application review process.

The Counseling for Career Choice Act updates federal education funding to strengthen career guidance and counseling programs in schools. This legislation mandates that these programs align student options with current local workforce needs and requires counselors to provide personalized planning, financial literacy awareness, and exposure to real-world experiences like apprenticeships. Furthermore, the Act encourages strong partnerships between schools and local workforce development boards to ensure students have access to up-to-date career information and support.

The Taskforce for Recognizing and Averting Payment Scams Act (TRAPS Act) establishes a new Task Force led by the Secretary of the Treasury. This diverse group, including federal agencies, industry experts, and consumer advocates, will study evolving payment scams. The Task Force is charged with developing cross-sector prevention strategies and submitting comprehensive recommendations for new laws and improved coordination to combat these fraudulent activities.

The Growing Opportunities in Agriculture Act (GO Ag Act) establishes a new competitive grant program to fund the creation of innovative, high-quality agricultural education programs in high schools. These grants, limited to $100,000 per entity, are intended to develop new curricula, support work-based learning, and fund leadership training. Recipients must report annually on program performance, with a total authorization of $5 million through FY 2028.

The Time Off to Vote Act mandates that employers provide employees with at least two consecutive hours of paid leave to vote in federal elections. Employers retain control over when this paid leave is taken, which can include early voting periods if permitted by state law. This Act prohibits employers from penalizing employees for utilizing this required voting leave.

The Sustaining Our Democracy Act establishes a new federal program to provide annual grants to states for improving election administration, security, and accessibility, managed by a newly created Office of Democracy Advancement and Innovation. This funding is supported by a dedicated ten-year Trust Fund to ensure stable resources for election infrastructure upgrades. The bill imposes strict rules on how states can use the money, including prohibitions against purchasing insecure voting machines or restricting basic voter support. If states fail to comply, the federal Director can bypass state government to fund local election subdivisions directly.

The Affordable Housing Resident Services Act establishes a new competitive grant program managed by the Department of Health and Human Services to fund supportive services in qualified affordable housing properties. These grants will finance activities like health coordination, education, and financial stability assistance for residents, with a requirement that services remain strictly voluntary. Grantees must dedicate at least 25% of the funds to service coordinator salaries and report annually on the impact of the services provided.

The Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act mandates that Members of Congress and their immediate families divest from or place specific stock holdings into qualified blind trusts to prevent conflicts of interest. The bill also establishes new civil penalties for failing to comply with existing stock trading disclosure laws (the STOCK Act). Furthermore, it requires that congressional financial disclosure forms be made publicly available online in a searchable, machine-readable format.

The Saving the Department of the Interior's Workforce Act places a moratorium on all involuntary workforce reductions across the Department of the Interior until Congress passes the full-year budget for Fiscal Year 2026. This freeze prevents widespread layoffs or separations during this period. The only exception allowing an employee to be let go is for documented cause, such as misconduct or poor performance.

The Saving the Forest Service's Workforce Act places an immediate moratorium on involuntary layoffs and reductions in force (RIFs) at the Forest Service. This freeze will remain in effect until Congress passes the full-year funding laws for fiscal year 2026. The only exceptions for separation during this period are for documented reasons such as misconduct or poor performance.

The Wildfire Emergency Preparedness Act of 2025 aims to significantly enhance national readiness for wildfires and wildland-urban interface fires. It establishes a national training plan and grant program for structural firefighters, creates a new high-level Under Secretary for Fire Coordination within the Department of Agriculture, and boosts firefighter health and safety research. Furthermore, the Act authorizes supplemental funding for local departments to purchase protective gear and receive specialized training.

The Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act establishes a new program to support local food producers and strengthen regional food security. This initiative requires the Secretary of Agriculture to fund agreements that ensure nutritious, locally sourced food is purchased and distributed widely, prioritizing small and beginning farmers. Funds must be used to buy minimally processed local products and provide technical assistance to producers. The program is backed by mandatory funding starting in Fiscal Year 2026.

This resolution officially recognizes and supports Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day on August 21st to honor victims of overdose and combat the ongoing opioid crisis. It encourages all Americans to promote education about the dangers of illegal fentanyl and commit to healthy, drug-free lives. The bill formally backs efforts to prevent fentanyl misuse and build drug-free communities.

The Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2025 significantly improves the TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program for military dependents. This legislation eliminates the age restriction for TYA eligibility and removes the separate premium requirement for coverage. These changes aim to provide broader and simpler healthcare access for adult children of service members.

The Protected Time Off Act establishes a federal minimum standard for earned paid annual leave, requiring employers to grant employees at least one hour of paid time off for every 25 hours worked, up to 80 hours annually. This law specifies how leave is accrued, used, and rolled over, while protecting employees from retaliation for exercising these rights. It also ensures that existing state laws or agreements that provide more generous leave benefits remain in effect. Enforcement mechanisms are established, largely mirroring those under the Fair Labor Standards Act, allowing both government investigation and direct employee lawsuits.

The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act aims to eliminate the practice of paying individuals with disabilities less than the minimum wage by phasing out special wage certificates over four years. It establishes federal and state grant programs to help employers and states transition to models of competitive integrated employment, where workers earn prevailing wages alongside non-disabled peers. The bill also funds technical assistance to guide businesses through this operational shift and mandates rigorous reporting to track employment outcomes.

The Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act establishes the Healthy H2O Program to provide grants for improving drinking water quality in rural areas. These grants help eligible households and small facilities address contamination from issues like lead or PFAS by covering the costs of certified water treatment systems, installation, and testing. The program prioritizes private well owners and requires annual reporting on contamination trends and program effectiveness.

The Review Every Veterans Claim Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve the efficiency and fairness of the VA claims and appeals process. This bill prohibits the VA from denying a veteran's claim solely because they missed a medical examination and mandates comprehensive tracking and reporting on claim adjudication times. Furthermore, it introduces quality assurance programs, enhanced training for Board of Veterans' Appeals members, and new authority for the Board to aggregate related appeals.

This bill, the National Fire Academy Reporting Act, mandates that the Administrator of the National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control submit an annual report to Congress. This report must detail the courses and programs offered, including attendance breakdowns by department type and firefighter status. It also requires specific reporting on course cancellations and the allocation of financial assistance and student aid.