Legislative Activity

The Undersea Cable Protection Act of 2025 streamlines the installation and operation of undersea fiber optic cables in national marine sanctuaries. It prevents the Secretary of Commerce from imposing duplicative permitting requirements if federal or state authorization is already secured. Additionally, the bill removes previous restrictions on the types of activities that can be covered by sanctuary special use permits.

The Recycled Materials Attribution Act of 2026 establishes national standards for making recycled content claims in commerce. This bill recognizes mass balance accounting as an acceptable method for substantiating these claims, provided it adheres to a third-party certification system. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with updating its Green Guides to reflect these standards and will enforce prohibitions against misleading recycled content claims. Furthermore, the Act preempts state and local regulations concerning the enforcement of these federal standards.

This bill establishes the Department of Homeland Security Intelligence and Analysis Training Act to mandate formalized and standardized training for all employees in the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A). It requires specific entry-level, analyst, and open source collection training, alongside the development of advanced professional development opportunities. The Act also mandates tracking completion and requires regular reporting to Congress on the implementation and effectiveness of these new curricula.

This bill, the "Passports for Purple Hearts and Medals of Honor Act," exempts recipients of the Purple Heart and Medal of Honor from paying standard U.S. passport fees. It directs the State Department to coordinate with the Department of Defense to establish verification procedures for these eligible applicants.

The Incentivize Savings Act mandates how federal agencies must handle unspent appropriations by dedicating the majority to debt reduction and allowing a portion for employee retention bonuses. This legislation also restricts future budget requests to only account for inflation unless the agency fully spends its prior allocation. Ultimately, the bill aims to encourage fiscal responsibility by linking unspent funds to debt reduction and limiting budget growth.

The Make Elections Great Again Act establishes new federal standards for voter identification, citizenship verification for registration, and statewide voter list maintenance for federal elections. It also standardizes election administration by mandating paper ballots, banning ranked-choice voting, and implementing strict new rules for requesting and returning mail-in ballots. The bill aims to increase election integrity through enhanced documentation and procedural uniformity across states.

The AI for Secure Networks Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to study the impact of artificial intelligence on telecommunications network security. This study will examine how AI can enhance network security, resiliency, and efficiency, including its application with Open RAN and virtualized technologies. The resulting report, submitted to Congress, will detail findings and may include legislative recommendations.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE America Act) mandates that individuals must provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. It also establishes a federal requirement for voters to present a photo ID indicating U.S. citizenship when casting a ballot in federal elections. The bill outlines specific acceptable forms of proof and requires states to implement verification programs to ensure only citizens are registered and voting.

The Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act establishes a Department of Energy program to enhance the physical security and cybersecurity of natural gas pipelines and LNG facilities. This program will focus on improving coordination, leading incident response, developing new technologies, and providing workforce training. The Act ensures that existing security authorities of other federal agencies remain in place.

The Buying American Cotton Act of 2026 establishes the Domestic Cotton Consumption Credit to incentivize the use of U.S.-grown cotton in products sold domestically. This new business tax credit is calculated based on the volume of U.S. cotton used, the market price, and where the product was processed. The bill mandates digital tracing to verify the supply chain and offers significantly increased credit multipliers for products containing U.S.-made cotton yarn or fabric.

The PRESS Act establishes a new federal crime for manufacturing or distributing equipment used to make illegal drugs if that equipment is intended for substances that will be unlawfully imported into the United States. This legislation amends the Controlled Substances Act to create specific prison sentences for these supply chain offenses. The Act also directs the Sentencing Commission to update federal guidelines to reflect these new penalties.

This bill aims to streamline the New Source Review (NSR) permitting process for industrial facilities under the Clean Air Act by setting strict deadlines and consolidating permit requirements. It revises the definition of a "modification" to focus on actual hourly emission rate increases and excludes certain efficiency, safety, or reliability projects from triggering new reviews. Furthermore, the legislation narrows the definition of "construction" to primarily mean the physical building of emissions units, limiting when preconstruction review requirements apply.

The Military Occupancy Living Defense (MOLD) Act establishes mandatory minimum health and safety standards for privatized military housing to combat hazardous conditions like mold. It institutes rigorous independent inspection protocols, requires standardized reporting on housing quality, and holds contractors financially accountable for remediation and tenant relocation costs. This legislation aims to improve habitability, protect service members' health, and enhance military readiness.

The **Clean Air and Economic Advancement Reform Act (CLEAR Act)** adjusts EPA timelines for reviewing air quality standards, shifting them to a 10-year cycle and allowing states more flexibility in developing compliance plans. The bill updates the definition of "exceptional events" to better account for wildfire mitigation activities and limits penalties when pollution spikes are demonstrably beyond a state's control. Finally, it modifies the makeup of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee to increase state representation and requires new impact assessments before setting air quality standards.

This resolution commends President Trump and U.S. forces for the successful "Operation Absolute Resolve," which apprehended fugitive Nicolás Maduro and dismantled the command structure of the Cartel de los Soles. It recognizes the operation as a critical step against state-sponsored narcoterrorism that fuels the U.S. drug crisis. Furthermore, the bill reaffirms the Monroe Doctrine and supports a democratic transition in Venezuela.

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.

This resolution strongly condemns the authoritarian regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and commends President Trump for taking decisive action against him. It specifically denounces recent statements by Democratic Members of Congress that opposed Maduro's arrest, noting these statements contradict prior legislation they introduced condemning the regime. The resolution affirms the long-held belief by a broad coalition in the House that Maduro poses a threat to U.S. national security.

The Duty Status Reform Act aims to modernize and streamline the process for determining and managing duty status for federal employees. This legislation seeks to clarify existing regulations and ensure fair and consistent application of duty status rules across government agencies.

The China AI Threat Assessment Act mandates the Director of National Intelligence to produce a comprehensive National Intelligence Estimate on artificial intelligence systems developed by China. This report must analyze the risks these systems pose to U.S. national security and democratic institutions, including potential biases and uses for surveillance or foreign influence. The resulting assessment will inform U.S. strategy for monitoring and countering harmful Chinese AI technology.

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.