Legislative Activity

The Reconciliation in Place Names Act establishes a formal, public process for reviewing and replacing offensive place names across the United States. It creates an Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names, composed of diverse experts and tribal representatives, to gather and propose new names for geographic features and federal land units. The Board on Geographic Names must then review these proposals, approving them unless a compelling reason exists not to, thereby promoting names that reflect fairness and respect for all Americans.

The **Protecting Our Democracy Act** is a comprehensive bill designed to increase transparency, accountability, and oversight across the Executive Branch. It strengthens restrictions on presidential pardon power, closes loopholes in emoluments clauses, and enhances Congress's ability to enforce subpoenas. Furthermore, the Act bolsters whistleblower protections, tightens ethics rules for acting officials and appointees, and mandates public disclosure of presidential tax returns.

The Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2025 amends the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination in housing based on source of income, veteran status, or military status. This expansion broadens protections to cover lawful income sources, including housing vouchers and various benefits, alongside military service. The Act ensures these new protected classes are covered across all aspects of the housing transaction, from advertising to rental agreements.

The Protect America’s Workforce Act nullifies two specific Executive Orders related to federal labor-management programs and prohibits the use of federal funds to enforce them. Furthermore, the Act ensures that all existing collective bargaining agreements between the federal government and labor organizations remain fully in effect until their original expiration dates. This legislation solidifies current federal union contracts while removing the authority of the voided orders.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to grant Congress and the states clear authority to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures. It explicitly allows for setting reasonable spending limits and establishing public financing systems for political campaigns. The amendment also permits banning spending by corporations and other legal entities while safeguarding the freedom of the press.

This resolution officially recognizes and supports the goals of National Forensic Science Week, scheduled for September 14–20, 2025. It highlights the vital role forensic science plays in ensuring justice by providing objective scientific conclusions in legal cases. The bill encourages forensic providers, policymakers, and the public to acknowledge the contributions of forensic professionals and understand the needs of these critical scientific services.

The Health Access Innovation Act of 2025 establishes the Health Equity Innovation Grant Program to fund community and faith-based organizations. These grants aim to improve health outcomes for underserved populations by covering direct care costs and addressing social determinants of health. Priority will be given to groups that have demonstrated success in underserved areas, particularly those that ran access programs during past public health emergencies. The program is authorized with specific funding levels through fiscal year 2030.

The Register America to Vote Act of 2025 aims to modernize and secure voter registration nationwide by establishing automatic registration systems. This includes automatically registering citizens when they turn 18 and implementing opt-out registration through state motor vehicle agencies. The Act provides federal funding to states to upgrade technology and mandates new national security and privacy standards for handling voter data.

This resolution officially designates September 2025 as National Voting Rights Month to highlight ongoing threats to ballot access and encourage civic engagement. It urges Congress to pass legislation strengthening voting protections, like the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Furthermore, the resolution encourages educational outreach to inform citizens about registration and the history of voting rights in America.

The Head Start for America's Children Act aims to strengthen early childhood education by explicitly including infants and toddlers in growth goals and emphasizing mental health support. The bill significantly increases funding authorizations, updates numerous definitions to promote inclusivity (especially for Native American and Native Hawaiian communities), and establishes new requirements for staff compensation and professional development. Furthermore, it creates several new pilot programs focused on extending operating hours, fostering partnerships with higher education, and enabling community-wide eligibility in high-poverty areas.

The Same Day Registration Act mandates that all states allow eligible citizens to register to vote or update their registration at the polling place on Election Day for any federal election. This ensures that individuals can register and cast their ballot simultaneously, provided the state does not already have a no-registration requirement. States must ensure registration forms are available at all polling locations, with full compliance generally required starting with the November 2026 general election.

This resolution expresses support for designating November 16, 2025, as "National Warrior Call Day" to combat isolation and suicide among service members and veterans. It encourages all Americans to reach out and connect with those who have served to strengthen vital support structures. The day aims to foster peer-to-peer connection as a critical step in addressing the mental health challenges faced by our military community.

The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2025 immediately bans the manufacture, processing, use, and distribution of commercial asbestos and products containing it under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This comprehensive ban includes specific definitions for commercial asbestos and outlines limited exceptions for existing installed materials and disposal. The bill provides a temporary exemption for chlor-alkali plants until 2030 and allows for narrowly defined, time-limited national security exemptions granted by the President.

The FAMILY Act establishes the Family and Medical Insurance Leave program, creating a new office within the Social Security Administration to manage paid benefits for qualified caregiving and serious health conditions. This law outlines eligibility requirements, a tiered formula for calculating monthly benefit payments, and protections against employer retaliation for taking leave. The Act also provides funding mechanisms for states that already have similar paid leave programs in place.

The Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act invalidates pre-dispute agreements that force individuals into private arbitration for employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights claims. This legislation protects the right of individuals and groups to pursue legal action in court rather than being compelled into private arbitration before a dispute arises. It ensures that courts, not arbitrators, decide if this new law applies to a specific agreement. The Act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

This resolution officially recognizes September 16, 2025, as National Voter Registration Day. It encourages all eligible citizens to register to vote, verify their registration information, and participate in upcoming elections.

This resolution officially recognizes suicide as a serious and preventable public health crisis impacting the nation, highlighting its significant role as a leading cause of death, especially among young people. It expresses strong support for designating September as National Suicide Prevention Month to raise awareness. Furthermore, the resolution advocates for prioritizing suicide prevention efforts and improving access to high-quality mental health and substance use disorder services.

This Act officially establishes the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 to honor the life and groundbreaking civil rights achievements of the late legal pioneer. The bill authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to her family in recognition of her service, including her role in *Brown v. Board of Education*. Furthermore, it permits the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the medal to cover production costs.

The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2025 significantly updates federal efforts to combat harmful algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia across all U.S. waters, including freshwater systems. The bill expands the scope of the interagency Task Force, mandates the creation of a five-year national Action Strategy for HABs, and enhances monitoring and forecasting capabilities. It also clarifies agency roles, assigning EPA new duties for freshwater blooms while tasking NOAA with marine and Great Lakes response, and establishes a new incubator program for control technologies.

The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act aims to address healthcare staffing shortages by recapturing unused employment-based immigrant visas from previous years. These recaptured visas are specifically reserved for professional nurses (25,000) and physicians (15,000) to expedite their entry into the U.S. The bill also mandates premium processing for these petitions without imposing extra fees and includes worker protection attestations to prevent displacement of U.S. workers.