Legislative Activity

The Equal Health Care for All Act aims to eliminate systemic bias and disparities in healthcare access and outcomes based on race, sex, disability, and age. It mandates comprehensive data collection to expose inequities, incorporates fairness measures into hospital quality assessments and payment programs, and establishes a Federal Health Equity Commission to monitor progress. Furthermore, the Act strengthens anti-discrimination enforcement and creates grant programs to help hospitals actively promote equitable care.

The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025 mandates that employers protect workers from dangerous heat stress conditions. This Act requires the Secretary (of Labor) to rapidly establish comprehensive, science-based worker heat protection standards, including mandatory rest, water, and shade provisions. Furthermore, it grants enforcement power to OSHA, ensuring these new heat safety rules carry the full weight of existing occupational safety law. The legislation also establishes strong anti-retaliation protections for employees who report heat hazards.

This Act authorizes the creation and sale of commemorative coins to celebrate the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City. The Secretary of the Treasury is empowered to mint various denominations of gold, silver, and clad coins for each event, with designs reflecting American participation. A mandatory surcharge on each coin sold will directly fund the respective organizing committees for the Games and their legacy programs, provided the government recovers all minting costs first.

The Clean Shipping Act of 2025 establishes federal standards to aggressively reduce greenhouse gas pollution from large commercial vessels engaged in U.S. trade. It mandates a phased reduction in the carbon intensity of marine fuels, aiming for a 100% reduction by 2050. Additionally, the bill requires large ships docked or anchored in U.S. coastal waters to meet zero-emission standards for air pollutants by 2035. The law also institutes comprehensive annual monitoring and public reporting of fuel usage and emissions data for covered voyages.

The Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act establishes dedicated federal programs managed by the EPA to restore water quality in the severely polluted Tijuana and New Rivers, which impact public health in Southern California. The bill mandates the creation of comprehensive, science-based action plans and priority project lists for both watersheds, requiring extensive coordination with U.S. and Mexican partners. It authorizes significant funding mechanisms to support infrastructure construction, operation, and maintenance aimed at improving sanitation and environmental health near the border. Ultimately, this legislation seeks to ensure long-term accountability and measurable improvements in water quality for affected border communities.

The VISIBLE Act mandates that federal immigration officers (CBP and ICE) clearly display their agency and name/badge number on their outermost clothing during all public-facing enforcement activities. This law aims to increase transparency and public trust by ensuring officers are easily identifiable from a distance. The Department of Homeland Security must report annually to Congress on compliance rates and disciplinary actions taken for violations. Furthermore, the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties will investigate public complaints regarding these new identification standards.

The Clean Hands Firearm Procurement Act requires the Attorney General to publicly list licensed firearms dealers whose sales are frequently traced in connection with crime guns. Federal agencies are prohibited from awarding contracts to these "covered dealers" within two years of their listing, unless a national security waiver is granted. This aims to restrict federal business with dealers whose firearms are quickly recovered after sale in criminal investigations.

The Stopping the Fraudulent Sale of Firearms Act makes it a federal crime to use lies, false promises, or deceptive claims when importing, manufacturing, or selling firearms or ammunition. This legislation also bans using electronic or broadcast media to promote such fraudulent gun sales. The bill updates existing federal law to ensure these deceptive practices carry appropriate penalties.

This bill authorizes the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) to accept external funds from federal and non-federal sources for wastewater treatment and flood control projects. These funds must be deposited into a dedicated Treasury account for use on authorized activities. The bill places a $5 million annual cap on using these funds for non-federal cost-sharing and prohibits accepting funds from entities connected to "foreign countries of concern." The IBWC must report annually to Congress on the use of these accepted funds.

The POST GRAD Act aims to reinstate the government's authority to issue Federal Direct Stafford Loans specifically to graduate and professional students. This extension of loan-making authority is set to remain in effect until June 30, 2023. Furthermore, the Act exempts these changes from certain standard rulemaking and review requirements under the Higher Education Act of 1965.

The Joshua Tree National Park Expansion Act officially enlarges the park by approximately 20,149 acres, transferring management of the new land from the BLM to the National Park Service. The bill also authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire this new acreage through donation, purchase, or exchange. Finally, it renames the Cottonwood Visitor Center to the Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center and makes a minor technical correction to a previous conservation funding law.

This bill establishes federal minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals to improve patient safety and quality of care. It mandates that hospitals create transparent staffing plans developed with input from direct care nurses and sets strict enforcement mechanisms, including civil penalties for non-compliance. Additionally, the Act supports the nursing profession by expanding scholarship and stipend programs and funding new nurse retention and mentorship initiatives.

The **RESEARCHER Act** mandates that federal research agencies establish new policies to address the financial instability of graduate and postdoctoral researchers. It requires the development of guidelines to improve researcher stipends, benefits, and support systems like housing and childcare. The law also enhances data collection and mandates studies by the National Academies and GAO to track progress in supporting these critical members of the research workforce.

The RESERVE Federal Land Act mandates a comprehensive study by the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate current federal reservation systems for recreational activities on public lands. This review will analyze the history, effectiveness, and user experience of these systems, focusing on balancing visitor access with resource protection. The study must address key areas like access barriers, fee structures, data sharing, and system security. The findings will be reported to Congress within 18 months to inform future management strategies.

This bill significantly increases the authorized funding levels for the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. It raises the general implementation funding cap from $\$250$ million to $\$750$ million. Additionally, the bill boosts funding specifically allocated for upgrades to the Friant Division.

The Housing for All Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill designed to tackle the national housing crisis by dramatically increasing funding for affordable housing construction, rental assistance, and supportive services. It authorizes billions for federal housing programs, guarantees future rental assistance for the extremely low-income, and establishes new structures to address racial equity in homelessness. Furthermore, the Act invests in innovative community solutions, including eviction defense grants and programs to convert commercial properties into housing.

The West Coast Ocean Protection Act of 2025 permanently prohibits all oil and gas exploration, development, and production on the Outer Continental Shelf off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. This measure establishes a lasting ban across the four defined planning areas to protect these vital marine environments.

The Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act aims to increase housing assistance eligibility for disabled veterans by excluding specific VA disability benefits from income calculations for certain housing programs. This ensures that compensation received for service-connected disabilities does not prevent veterans from qualifying for supportive housing assistance. However, these excluded benefits will still be considered when calculating the final adjusted rent amount.

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Act clarifies the location flexibility for the museum, confirming it can be situated within the National Mall Reserve. This legislation also establishes a clear process for transferring administrative control of sites managed by other federal agencies to the Smithsonian Institution. Furthermore, it mandates that the Museum's Board of Trustees actively seek guidance from diverse sources to ensure exhibits accurately reflect the full spectrum of Latino cultures and viewpoints. The Secretary of the Smithsonian must report regularly to Congress on compliance with these diversity requirements.

The Defending America’s Future Elections Act aims to nullify Executive Order 14248, which Congress finds unconstitutional and an overreach of presidential power regarding election administration. This bill explicitly repeals the executive order and prohibits the use of federal funds by the Department of Government Efficiency to access sensitive state voter registration and immigration data. Ultimately, the Act seeks to reaffirm that Congress and the states, not the President, control federal election procedures.