Legislative Activity

The Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2025 prohibits accrediting agencies from imposing political or ideological litmus tests on institutions of higher education seeking approval. This ensures that colleges are not required to support specific partisan viewpoints to maintain accreditation or access to federal student aid programs. The bill includes specific exceptions to protect the religious freedom and mission-based requirements of faith-based institutions. Finally, it limits the Secretary of Education's authority to create new, non-statutory standards for accreditation.

This resolution officially recognizes June 24th as Public Safety Awareness Day to promote citizen empowerment and effective law enforcement. It affirms the importance of community-based crime prevention and prudent public policy in creating safer neighborhoods nationwide. The bill supports strengthening police resources while emphasizing victim support and addressing quality-of-life issues. Ultimately, it calls for public engagement and policy commitments to enhance public safety across the country.

The Water Quality Criteria Development and Transparency Act mandates that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must use formal rulemaking procedures when issuing new or updated water quality standards. This ensures that all criteria are established through a transparent process. Furthermore, the Act clarifies that these newly established criteria are subject to judicial review under specific conditions.

This resolution expresses the House of Representatives' belief that active fatherhood is essential for children's development, leading to economic prosperity and educational success. It recognizes the challenges created by fatherlessness and commits to supporting policies that encourage fathers to be fully involved in their children's lives. The bill aims to promote strong two-parent homes through various community investments and policy reviews.

The Universal School Choice Act establishes a federal tax credit for individuals and corporations that donate to approved scholarship organizations for K-12 education expenses. This system is subject to a $10 billion annual national cap, with funds allocated to states based on student population metrics. Furthermore, the Act ensures that scholarships received by parents for qualified educational expenses are exempt from federal income tax and protects the autonomy of participating private and religious schools from government control.

The Outdoor Recreational Outfitting and Guiding Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to create a new exemption from federal minimum wage and overtime requirements for certain employees of outdoor recreational outfitting or guiding businesses. This exemption applies only if the business meets specific seasonal operation or revenue tests. Essentially, this bill carves out an exception for smaller, seasonal outdoor recreation employers regarding federal wage protections for their guides and outfitters.

This resolution expresses the House's support for recognizing the month of May as "Excellence in Education: Merit Day Celebration." The celebration aims to honor students, educators, and institutions advancing merit-based educational systems. By highlighting these efforts, the resolution encourages nationwide recognition of practices that drive student achievement and excellence.

The Start Applying Labor Transparency (SALT) Act updates the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to increase transparency regarding financial activities aimed at influencing employee organizing and bargaining rights. It mandates new, detailed reporting requirements for both labor organizations and labor relations consultants concerning payments made to persuade employees. The Secretary of Labor is required to issue all necessary regulations implementing these changes within six months of the Act's enactment.

The Say No to Indoctrination Act prohibits public elementary and secondary schools from teaching or advancing concepts related to "gender ideology." This new restriction amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ban specific instruction in schools.

The One Door to Work Act authorizes states and local areas to consolidate workforce development funding into five-year pilot programs to test innovative reforms under WIOA. These demonstration projects require rigorous third-party evaluation to measure improvements in employment and earnings compared to traditional services. The bill sets strict limits on the number of projects allowed and mandates that participants adhere to core accountability and service priority rules. Successful projects meeting performance benchmarks may apply for a five-year renewal.

The Mining Schools Act of 2025 establishes a competitive grant program, administered by the Secretary of Energy, to strengthen domestic mining education at specialized institutions. These grants aim to train the next generation of professionals needed for the nation's energy and mineral supply by focusing on modern extraction, critical minerals, and environmental responsibility. The Act also creates the Mining Professional Development Advisory Board to guide the grant selection process and repeals the older Mining and Mineral Resources Research Institute Act of 1984.

The Change of Ownership and Conversion Improvement Act aims to expedite the Department of Education's review of college ownership changes by implementing application and monitoring fees. This legislation establishes a guaranteed review timeline, introduces pre-transaction approval, and sets strict rules to prevent self-dealing when for-profit institutions convert to non-profit status. The Act also mandates post-conversion monitoring and requires a comprehensive GAO review five years after enactment.

The Ensuring Distance Education Act amends the Higher Education Act of 1965, modifying the 90/10 rule. This modification changes the treatment of revenue generated from distance education programs.

The Reporting on Investments in Foreign Adversaries Act, or RIFA Act, mandates that higher education institutions disclose investments linked to foreign countries or entities of concern in an annual report to the Secretary of Education. These institutions must appoint a compliance officer, and the Secretary will create a public database of these reports. Non-compliance can result in significant fines and impact eligibility for federal student aid programs.