Legislative Activity

This bill addresses the humanitarian crisis in Cameroon, marked by armed conflicts, displacement, and human rights abuses. It urges the Department of Homeland Security to create a humanitarian parole program for Cameroonian nationals seeking refuge in the U.S. and calls for resources to support the successful resettlement of Cameroonian immigrants.

This resolution expresses support for designating May 5, 2025, as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls" to raise awareness of the crisis, remember victims, and support their families. It acknowledges the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by Indigenous women and girls and the need for continued action and updated research on this issue. The resolution also recognizes past and present efforts to address the crisis, including Operation Lady Justice, the Savannas Act, the Not Invisible Act, and the establishment of dedicated units and commissions.

The "Preventing Environmental Hazards Act of 2025" amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, allowing flood insurance coverage to pay for demolition or relocation of structures imminently threatened by collapse or subsidence due to shoreline erosion. The Act outlines payment procedures, valuation methods, and limitations on coverage, including a maximum claim of $250,000 and ineligibility for further flood insurance or disaster assistance once a determination is made. It applies to existing flood insurance contracts and requires the Administrator to issue regulations for implementation.

The "Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act of 2025" amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow individuals, pharmacies, and wholesale distributors to import qualifying prescription drugs from certified foreign sellers in countries like Canada, the UK, and EU member states. This aims to lower drug costs for Americans by increasing access to more affordable medications from other countries while maintaining safety standards. The Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish regulations and certification processes, monitor drug safety, and prevent manufacturers from price discrimination. It also establishes penalties for selling adulterated or counterfeit drugs and requires regular reports to Congress on the program's implementation and impact.

The PREP Act reduces the maximum probationary period for initial federal government appointments to 6 months for those with prior civil service experience and 12 months for all other appointees. This change applies to positions under 5 U.S.C. 3321, initial appointments in the excepted service, and the Senior Executive Service. The act also amends 5 U.S.C. 9510 regarding the Internal Revenue Service, adjusting provisions related to probationary periods.

The PFAS-Free Procurement Act of 2025 prohibits federal agencies from purchasing items like nonstick cookware, furniture, and carpets treated with PFAS, PFOA, or PFOS. The Act prioritizes the procurement of items that do not contain PFAS. This law applies to contracts entered into 6 months after the enactment of the Act.

The REHIRE Act provides hiring preference to certain Federal employees involuntarily removed from their positions between January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2027. These employees will be considered preference eligibles for competitive service appointments and receive 5 additional points to their earned rating. This preference does not apply to individuals removed from political positions, those separated due to misconduct or poor performance, or those whose most recent performance review was unacceptable, and expires 5 years after enactment.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury selection. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act seeks to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals and women across various sectors.

The "RESEARCHER Act" aims to improve the financial stability of graduate and postdoctoral researchers by directing federal research agencies to develop and implement policies that address issues such as low stipends, healthcare access, housing affordability, food insecurity, and family care costs. It mandates the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to create policy guidelines, requires federal agencies to align with these guidelines, and orders data collection and studies to assess and address financial instability among these researchers. Additionally, the Act requires regular reporting to Congress on the implementation and effectiveness of these measures.

The Arctic Refuge Protection Act seeks to reinstate protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by repealing the 2017 law that opened the area to oil and gas development. It further designates approximately 1.5 million acres of the Refuge as wilderness, ensuring its preservation under the National Wilderness Preservation System. This area will be managed by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with the Wilderness Act.

The "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act" authorizes the presentation of three Congressional Gold Medals to honor the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. These medals will be given to the Lake Placid Olympic Center, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, and the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum for public display. The Act also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to fund the medal production.

This bill amends the Social Security Act to limit the amount withheld from monthly benefits to recover overpayments. For overpayments not caused by fraud, the Social Security Administration cannot reduce benefits by more than 10% of the monthly payment. Individuals can request a higher withholding amount if desired. This change applies to existing and future overpayments under Title II of the Social Security Act.

This resolution expresses support for honoring Earth Day and its role in promoting environmental awareness and action. It recognizes the historical impact of Earth Day on environmental protection and highlights ongoing challenges like climate change. The resolution urges continued action, referencing recent legislation and emphasizing the need to address environmental injustices and promote environmental literacy. It also encourages the President to issue a proclamation recognizing Earth Day and urges Americans to observe it through various environmental activities.

The Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act of 2025 prohibits the Department of Interior from issuing leases for oil, natural gas, or mineral exploration in the North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida planning areas of the Outer Continental Shelf. This bill aims to protect coastal economies and marine environments by preventing offshore drilling in these specified regions.

The New England Coastal Protection Act of 2025 prohibits the Department of Interior from issuing leases for oil and gas exploration, development, or production in any area of the outer Continental Shelf off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, or Connecticut. This amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

The SERVICE Act requires federal agencies to submit a report to the Comptroller General and Congress before reducing their workforce by more than 5% in a fiscal year. This report must detail the anticipated financial and mission-related impacts of the workforce reduction. The Comptroller General then assesses the agency's report and publishes their findings on the Government Accountability Office's website.

The "Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2025" outlaws devices that accelerate a semi-automatic firearm's firing rate or simulate machine guns. It redefines "semi-automatic firearm" and requires current owners of affected devices to register them. There are exceptions for governmental entities, and lawful transfers of registered devices are permitted.

This bill urges the U.S. to prioritize a world free of nuclear weapons and lead a global effort to prevent nuclear war. It calls for negotiations with other nuclear-armed countries to halt the buildup of nuclear arsenals, reduce/eliminate them, and pursue verifiable arms control agreements. The bill also advocates for policies such as renouncing the first use of nuclear weapons, ending the "hair-trigger" alert posture, and maintaining the global moratorium on nuclear explosive testing. Additionally, it emphasizes the need to protect communities and workers affected by nuclear weapons through remediation, health monitoring, and economic transition planning.

The Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act restricts the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of certain gas-operated semi-automatic firearms and large capacity ammunition feeding devices, while providing exceptions for governmental use, certain pre-existing firearms, and transfers to immediate family members. The bill also allows Byrne grants to be used for buy-back programs for these firearms and devices, and establishes penalties for violations, as well as a process for determining which firearms are prohibited, including manufacturer applications and judicial review. Finally, the bill establishes a "Firearm Safety Trust Fund" in the Treasury, using taxes collected by the ATF to fund the requirements of this act.

The American Family Act establishes a refundable child tax credit with monthly advance payments, providing up to $300 per month per child, and creates a $500 tax credit for other dependents. The amount of the credit is reduced based on the taxpayer's income, with initial reductions starting at $150,000 for joint returns. The IRS will make monthly advance payments and establish an online portal for taxpayers to manage their payments and provide necessary information. This act terminates the existing annual child tax credit after 2024 and aims to provide regular financial support to families.