Legislative Activity

This bill designates May 5-9, 2025, as "Teacher Appreciation Week," recognizing the contributions of public school teachers and their support for various educational initiatives. It acknowledges teachers' dedication to improving education through innovative methods and emphasizes the importance of their involvement in shaping education policies. The bill encourages leaders to engage with teachers, ensuring their insights are included in classroom policies.

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.

This bill supports the designation of May 4, 2025, as the National Day of Reason to recognize the importance of reason in addressing societal challenges, defending democratic principles, and advancing human rights. It highlights the role of reason and critical thinking in countering disinformation, promoting civil liberties, and upholding the separation of church and state. The bill also recognizes the importance of the scientific method and free inquiry in improving human welfare.

This bill expresses support for designating May 2025 as "Renewable Fuels Month" to highlight the benefits of renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel. It recognizes their positive impact on the economy, job creation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, lowering fuel costs, supporting rural communities, and decreasing reliance on foreign oil. The bill emphasizes the role of biofuels in promoting energy independence and environmental sustainability.

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 Public Service Worker Protection Act amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to include state, federal, and local governments as employers, thereby extending OSHA protections to public service workers. This change ensures that public employees receive the same workplace safety standards and protections as those in the private sector. The Act will take effect 90 days after enactment for most entities, and 36 months after enactment for states without an approved state plan.

The RPM Access Act aims to improve healthcare access and outcomes, especially in rural areas, by adjusting Medicare reimbursement for remote patient monitoring (RPM). It sets a minimum threshold for practice expense and malpractice geographic indices used in calculating Medicare payments for RPM services, ensuring more equitable compensation across different regions. The bill also introduces quality standards for RPM services to be eligible for Medicare reimbursement, including real-time response capabilities and data compatibility with electronic health records. Finally, the Act requires a report to Congress analyzing the cost savings and practice expenses associated with RPM under Medicare.

The Health Share Transparency Act of 2025 increases transparency in health care sharing ministries by requiring them to disclose detailed financial and operational information to the government and to prospective and current enrollees. This includes data on financial reserves, claims payment rates, enrollment numbers, and limitations on coverage. Entities enrolling individuals in these ministries must also provide clear explanations about potential tax credits for qualified health plans, eligibility for state or federal healthcare programs, and the differences between health care sharing ministries and traditional insurance. The goal of the act is to ensure consumers have sufficient information to make informed decisions about their healthcare coverage options.

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 "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 library staff and the essential services libraries provide, recognizing their role in connecting communities with information, resources, and social services. It emphasizes the need for adequate funding to support libraries and protect the rights of library workers. The resolution also reaffirms the public's right to access information and the importance of libraries as vital infrastructure for the future.

This bill supports the designation of April 10 as "Dolores Huerta Day" to recognize her lifelong commitment to activism, including co-founding the United Farm Workers Union and advocating for civil rights. It celebrates her achievements in improving Latino voting access, ensuring safer working conditions, and promoting feminism and women's equality. The bill also acknowledges her numerous awards and ongoing work through the Dolores Huerta Foundation.

The "Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2025" aims to address racism as a public health crisis by establishing a National Center on Antiracism and Health within the CDC to conduct research, develop interventions, and promote antiracism practices. The Act also establishes a law enforcement violence prevention program within the CDC to research the public health impacts of police violence, develop prevention strategies, and ensure comprehensive data collection and reporting on police misconduct. This bill seeks to promote racial equity in public health outcomes through research, data collection, and the implementation of evidence-based strategies.

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.

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 "Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP Act of 2025" prevents any reconciliation bill from reducing Medicaid enrollment or benefits, or SNAP eligibility or benefits, through January 20, 2029. It amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to enforce this protection, ensuring these vital programs remain untouched by budget cuts. Violations of this act will be subject to a point of order.

The Great Lakes Mapping Act of 2025 mandates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to complete a high-resolution survey and map of the Great Lakes lakebeds by 2030, coordinating with various stakeholders. The collected data will be made public and integrated into nautical charts. The Act allocates $50 million annually from 2025 to 2029 for this initiative.

The "Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act" aims to improve school safety and student outcomes by eliminating federal funding for law enforcement officers in schools and instead investing in mental health services, trauma-informed support, and positive behavioral interventions. This bill prioritizes support for marginalized students and seeks to create more welcoming and inclusive school environments through community engagement and evidence-based practices. The Act establishes a grant program to help local educational agencies transition away from relying on police in schools and towards comprehensive support systems. It also requires transparency and accountability through public reporting on the use of funds and student discipline data.

The "Raise the Wage Act of 2025" aims to increase the federal minimum wage to $17.00 per hour over five years, after which it will be annually adjusted based on the median hourly wage of all employees. The bill also gradually raises the minimum wage for tipped employees until it matches the standard minimum wage, while ensuring they retain all tips. Additionally, it increases and then eliminates the subminimum wage for newly hired employees under 20 and individuals with disabilities, promoting fair wages for all workers.