Legislative Activity

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 targets the increasing threat posed by organized theft groups impacting retail and the national supply chain. This bill strengthens federal law by expanding money laundering statutes and lowering thresholds for property crimes related to theft. Crucially, it establishes a new federal coordination center within Homeland Security Investigations to align efforts across all levels of law enforcement and the private sector to combat these cross-jurisdictional crimes.

This resolution expresses strong support for the Iranian people protesting for freedom, democracy, and basic human rights against the repressive Islamic Republic. It condemns the regime's brutal crackdown on demonstrators and demands an end to violence and the release of political prisoners. Furthermore, it urges the U.S. government to work with allies to deter further lethal violence against protesters.

This bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to temporarily exclude certain False Claims Act recoveries from being deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. It also mandates a comprehensive audit by the Department of Justice Inspector General on the Fund's sustainability and the impact of recent legislative changes. The resulting report will provide recommendations for improving the Fund's effectiveness and oversight.

The Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New Devices (STAND) Act mandates an annual preventative health evaluation for veterans with spinal cord injuries or disorders. This comprehensive assessment will cover risks, pain management, nutrition, and the need for advanced assistive technologies, including neuromodulation devices. The VA is required to consult with specialists and manufacturers when developing implementation guidelines. Furthermore, the Secretary must report biennially to Congress on the utilization and outcomes of these evaluations and assistive technologies.

The AI OVERWATCH Act establishes strict new licensing requirements for exporting advanced integrated circuits to designated countries of concern, including China and Russia. This legislation mandates detailed national security certifications to Congress before any license can be approved for these high-performance technologies. Furthermore, the bill creates an exemption process for trusted U.S. companies while terminating existing licenses for these sensitive exports.

The Tailoring and Indexing Enhanced Regulations Act of 2025 (TIER Act) significantly raises the asset thresholds that subject financial institutions to enhanced supervision under various banking laws. It adjusts current dollar thresholds based on historical GDP growth to reflect current economic realities. Furthermore, the bill mandates future, automatic five-year adjustments to these thresholds based on subsequent U.S. GDP growth to ensure regulations remain appropriately scaled.

The Community Bank Representation Act establishes a dedicated community bank member on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. This member will focus on the supervision and regulation of smaller banking organizations, specifically those under a specified asset threshold. The Act also mandates regular Congressional testimony regarding these efforts and requires the asset threshold to be adjusted annually based on GDP growth.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and financial processors from creating or requiring special merchant category codes specifically for firearm retailers. This legislation aims to prevent the singling out of businesses that sell firearms, ammunition, or related components through transaction coding. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcement and reporting annually to Congress on the law's implementation.

The Campus Housing Affordability Act removes existing federal prohibitions that prevent students from receiving housing assistance. This legislation allows eligible students living in institutional housing to receive tenant-based rental assistance without that aid counting against their eligibility for federal student financial aid or other benefits. The bill grants the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development the authority to waive certain requirements to facilitate this assistance.

This bill authorizes the distinguished Iowa National Guard Sergeants Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and William Nathaniel Howard to lie in state in the Capitol rotunda. The President pro tempore and the Speaker of the House will set the date for this honor.

This bill, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, officially authorizes Congress to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. The medals will be struck by the Treasury and permanently displayed at specific national sports museums. The Act also permits the sale of duplicate bronze medals to cover production costs.

The Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act of 2025 ensures that veterans whose benefits are misused by a fiduciary will have those funds promptly reissued by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill mandates the VA to make a good faith effort to recover the misused funds from the fiduciary after reimbursing the veteran. Furthermore, it establishes procedures for payment if the veteran dies before reimbursement and requires the VA to assess potential negligence in benefit oversight.

The Temporary Family Visitation Act establishes a new nonimmigrant visa category specifically for relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to visit the United States for family purposes. This visa limits stays to a maximum of 90 days per calendar year and requires financial support, medical insurance, and a sworn declaration of intent to depart. Individuals admitted under this category are prohibited from changing their status while in the U.S.

The FAIR Vets Act modernizes federal contracting by significantly increasing the dollar thresholds for sole-source contracts awarded to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. This change raises the maximum contract value for both manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors. The goal is to improve access to federal contracts for these veteran-owned businesses.

The Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act of 2025 significantly increases funding authorization for the Weatherization Assistance Program through 2030. This bill also raises the maximum average cost allowed for weatherizing a single home from $6,500 to $12,000. Finally, it mandates that the Department of Energy's annual readiness report to Congress include details on how enhancement efforts impact program eligibility.

The Farm Transitions Act of 2025 updates the Commission on Farm TransitionsNeeds for 2050, requiring its swift establishment by the Secretary of Agriculture. This Commission will study and recommend policy solutions regarding credit, training, land succession, and barriers faced by underserved farmers during farm transitions. The final report is due within two years of enactment, with funding authorized through FY 2029.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 1019 Avenue H in Fort Madison, Iowa. The facility will now be known as the "Martin L. Graber Post Office." This designation requires all official records and documents to use the new name.

The Veteran Education Empowerment Act establishes a grant program to help colleges and universities create and operate dedicated Student Veteran Centers. These centers will serve as centralized hubs to coordinate academic support, transition services, and community building for student veterans. The bill authorizes funding for these grants, which can be used for establishing and operating the centers, with specific reporting requirements to track effectiveness.

The Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act focuses primarily on improving pediatric drug development and ensuring patient access to necessary treatments. This legislation mandates new research requirements for molecularly targeted pediatric cancer drugs, strengthens FDA enforcement of pediatric study completion, and extends incentives for developing drugs for rare pediatric diseases. Additionally, the bill updates organ transplant network functions and establishes an Abraham Accords Office within the FDA to enhance international regulatory cooperation.

This resolution supports designating November 2025 as "National Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month." The goal is to increase public awareness regarding the severe challenges faced by children and youth experiencing homelessness. This heightened awareness aims to encourage greater support for effective programs designed to help these vulnerable individuals. The measure commends the ongoing efforts of various groups working to prevent and address youth homelessness.