Legislative Activity

The Restoring Access for Detainees Act aims to reinstate and expand free communication services for individuals in civil immigration detention. It mandates the provision of free phone calls, including 200 free outgoing minutes monthly, specifically for contacting family and legal counsel. Furthermore, the bill ensures private, unmonitored communication opportunities with attorneys and certain government officials upon arrival in custody.

The Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act of 2025 establishes strict new standards for the use of non-deadly force by federal immigration personnel, requiring proportionality and de-escalation efforts. The bill mandates identification requirements, restricts the use of certain crowd-control equipment, and imposes new body camera and detailed reporting mandates. Furthermore, it creates affirmative duties for officers to intervene against excessive force and requires annual training on these new policies.

The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 ensures that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) continue to operate without interruption in fiscal year 2026 if standard appropriations are delayed. If funding lapses, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to use funds from the Treasury to provide benefits and reimburse state agencies. This special funding remains in effect until full appropriations are enacted or until September 30, 2026.

The Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act of 2025 aims to significantly enhance soil health and climate resilience across agricultural operations. This bill updates key conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program, by redefining resource concerns and prioritizing activities like carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas reduction. Furthermore, it establishes a national framework for Agroforestry Centers to research, develop, and promote integrated tree and shrub systems to improve farm profitability and environmental quality.

This resolution designates October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month to highlight the widespread and devastating impact of intimate partner violence across all demographics. It recognizes the urgent need to eliminate domestic violence and supports increased funding for intervention and prevention programs. The resolution underscores the severe physical, emotional, and economic toll this abuse takes on individuals, families, and communities.

The Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2025 aims to expand successful manure management programs by formally defining and incentivizing "alternative manure management practices" and "composting practices" within the Food Security Act. This bill directs the USDA Secretary to establish new payment structures, prioritize applications that maximize carbon sequestration and emissions reductions, and provide technical assistance for these sustainable farming methods. Ultimately, the legislation seeks to improve environmental health, soil quality, and air quality across the nation's livestock industry.

The FARM Act establishes the "Right to Repair" for agricultural equipment by requiring Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to provide owners and independent repair providers with necessary documentation, parts, software, and tools on fair and reasonable terms. This ensures farmers and independent mechanics can diagnose, maintain, and repair farm equipment without being solely reliant on the OEM. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with enforcing these requirements, treating violations as unfair or deceptive practices subject to specific civil penalties for non-compliant OEMs. The Act also includes provisions allowing circumvention of certain digital locks for repair purposes while explicitly protecting OEM trade secrets and safety/emissions compliance.

The American Energy Independence and Affordability Act is a comprehensive bill designed to lower energy costs by extending and adjusting key tax incentives across energy production, efficiency, and clean vehicle adoption. It stabilizes support for renewable energy manufacturing, extends deadlines for energy-efficient building credits, and ensures consumer incentives for electric vehicles remain available through 2032. Overall, the legislation aims to provide long-term certainty for energy investments and consumer adoption of cleaner technologies.

The Every Child Deserves a Head Start Act of 2025 aims to solidify the foundational support for the Head Start program, recognizing its vital role in early childhood development. This bill permanently establishes the structure and staffing levels of the Office of Head Start, including its 12 regional offices, as they existed before January 20, 2025. The legislation strictly limits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from altering this established structure or reducing staff without specific Congressional notification procedures. Ultimately, the Act ensures the consistent delivery of essential educational and support services to eligible children and families nationwide.

The Head Start Shutdown Protection Act of 2025 ensures that states, local governments, or school districts are reimbursed for any of their own funds used to keep Head Start and Early Head Start programs operational during a lapse in federal appropriations. This legislation protects these vital early childhood education services from disruption caused by government shutdowns. By guaranteeing reimbursement, the Act encourages local entities to maintain program continuity without bearing the financial burden.

This resolution expresses the strong support of the House of Representatives for designating the second Monday in October 2025 as "Indigenous Peoples' Day." It aims to formally recognize and honor the history, culture, and enduring contributions of Indigenous Peoples in the United States. The measure encourages public observance and supports the eventual establishment of this day as an official Federal holiday.

The Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act of 2025 aims to increase federal reimbursement rates for school meals. Specifically, it provides an additional 45 cents per lunch and 28 cents per breakfast served by school food authorities starting November 1, 2025. These adjusted rates will be subject to future inflation adjustments.

This resolution expresses deep concern over the growing trend of book banning and threats to freedom of expression in U.S. schools and libraries. It asserts that such censorship undermines democratic values and harms students by restricting access to diverse ideas and histories. The bill urges local entities to follow best practices for book challenges and calls for the immediate reinstatement of books removed from Department of Defense schools. Ultimately, it reaffirms the nation's commitment to First Amendment rights and the freedom to read.

The Federal Employees Civil Relief Act aims to protect federal employees and contractors from negative civil actions during a government shutdown. It temporarily pauses various legal and administrative proceedings, including evictions, foreclosures, and debt collections, when a worker is furloughed or working without pay. The bill also grants federal workers the ability to defer income tax payments without penalty and prevents negative credit reporting based on seeking relief under this Act.

The Organic Science and Research Investment Act of 2025 aims to significantly boost federal support for organic agriculture. It establishes a new Initiative to coordinate and expand USDA organic research efforts while increasing funding for the existing Organic Research and Extension Initiative through 2030. The bill also creates dedicated funding for research focused on the transition to organic farming and mandates a comprehensive economic impact study of the organic sector.

The Marine Energy Technologies Acceleration Act establishes the Marine Energy Acceleration Fund to boost power generation from ocean waves, tides, and currents. This legislation directs significant funding toward demonstration projects that connect to local power grids and supports research and development to improve technology efficiency and lower costs. Furthermore, the bill mandates efforts to assess promising energy sites, streamline the permitting process, and develop a skilled workforce for the emerging marine energy industry.

The Stop the Trump Electricity Price Hikes Act immediately reinstates financial assistance awards previously canceled by the Department of Energy (DOE). This action specifically reverses cancellations based on the May 15, 2025 Secretarial Memorandum. The bill ensures these awards continue as if they had never been terminated.

The Medical Foods and Formulas Access Act of 2025 mandates federal health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, to cover medically necessary specialized foods and formulas prescribed for managing severe digestive or inherited metabolic disorders. This ensures patients with conditions like urea cycle disorders or short bowel syndrome receive essential, prescribed nutrition when standard food is insufficient. The bill aims to standardize access to these life-sustaining treatments across federal and state health plans.

The National Gun Violence Research Act of 2025 aims to significantly increase federal research into the causes, consequences, and prevention of gun violence. This bill repeals previous restrictions that limited data collection and research by agencies like the ATF, CDC, and NIH. It establishes a new National Gun Violence Research Program to coordinate efforts, fund grants through agencies like the NSF and HHS, and develop voluntary safety standards through NIST.

The Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025 ensures that employees of federal contractors are compensated for losses incurred due to government funding lapses or shutdowns. It requires federal agencies to adjust existing contracts to cover reasonable costs associated with furloughs, pay cuts, or mandatory leave taken by contractor employees. The bill appropriates necessary funds to cover these contract price adjustments and mandates public reporting on the compensation provided.