Legislative Activity

The Immigrant Witness and Victim Protection Act of 2025 aims to remove barriers preventing immigrant survivors of serious crimes from accessing existing legal protections like VAWA and TVPA. This bill eliminates annual numerical caps on U visas and Special Immigrant Juvenile visas, and mandates expedited work authorization for various victim and humanitarian applicants. Furthermore, it establishes strong protections against the detention and deportation of these vulnerable individuals while their status applications are pending.

The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act of 2025 establishes a new, refundable tax credit for eligible first-time homebuyers, equal to 10% of the purchase price, up to a maximum of $15,000. This credit is subject to income and home price phase-outs based on local median figures. Homebuyers may elect to transfer this credit directly to their mortgage lender at closing in exchange for immediate cash. The bill also includes recapture provisions requiring repayment if the home is sold within four years.

The BRIDGE Africa Act aims to bolster U.S. support for entrepreneurship and technological growth across Africa, particularly in advanced technology and AI. It mandates the development of a comprehensive U.S. strategy to boost private and public investment in key African tech sectors within one year. Furthermore, the Act calls for hosting a high-level summit in Africa to coordinate this strategy with international partners and allies. This initiative seeks to strengthen U.S. partnerships, enhance regional security, and promote shared economic development.

This bill officially renames the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in San Jose, California, to honor Corporal Patrick D. Tillman. The renaming recognizes Tillman's heroic service and ultimate sacrifice after leaving his NFL career to join the U.S. Army following the September 11th attacks. This legislation ensures the San Jose VA Clinic will forever bear the name of the San Jose native and national hero.

The MONARCH Act of 2025 addresses the critical decline of the western monarch butterfly population, which has dropped by over 99% in recent decades due to habitat loss and climate change. This bill establishes the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund to provide grants for habitat restoration projects led by local and Tribal entities. Furthermore, it mandates the implementation of the existing Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan through a partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Finally, the Secretary of the Interior must submit an annual report to Congress detailing the status of the butterflies and the effectiveness of funded conservation efforts.

This resolution officially recognizes the critical role pollinators play in supporting U.S. agriculture and ecosystem health. It designates June 15 through June 22, 2025, as "National Pollinator Week." The bill encourages public awareness and conservation efforts to address the serious decline of native pollinator species.

The Fluent Forces Act emphasizes the critical role of foreign language proficiency and cultural understanding for U.S. national security and military readiness. This legislation mandates that the Department of Defense annually report on its efforts to increase recruitment and attendance at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLI). The goal is to assess current recruiting practices, identify barriers to enrollment, and propose new strategies to ensure a steady pipeline of qualified linguists.

The Disaster Relief Medicaid Act establishes a new, streamlined federal framework for states to provide Medicaid coverage to survivors of major disasters for up to two years. This law simplifies enrollment through self-attestation and presumptive eligibility, while ensuring federal funding covers 100% of the costs for eligible survivors in impacted areas. Additionally, it mandates an independent, multi-year evaluation of the program's effectiveness and provides federal support for states developing emergency home and community care response teams.

The Plant Biostimulant Act of 2025 establishes clear federal definitions for "plant biostimulant" and "nutritional chemical," explicitly carving them out from existing regulations for "plant regulators." This legislation also mandates the EPA to update relevant regulations to reflect these new definitions within 120 days of enactment. Furthermore, the bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a comprehensive study on how biostimulants and farming practices impact soil health, carbon sequestration, and nutrient efficiency.

The LOOTER Act of 2025 establishes new federal crimes specifically targeting theft committed during officially declared natural disaster emergencies. This legislation makes both petty and grand larceny committed within affected counties during these emergency periods federal offenses. The Act imposes penalties ranging from fines and up to one year in prison for petty larceny, to fines and up to five years in prison for grand larceny.

The STAND Against Emerging Opioids Act aims to control the emerging threat of tianeptine by reclassifying it under federal law. This bill specifically moves tianeptine, along with its analogues, salts, and isomers, to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. This scheduling change will take effect 90 days after the Act is signed into law.

This bill authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to Captain Thomas H. Griffin for his extraordinary valor during the Vietnam War in March 1969. It recognizes his repeated acts of heroism, including leading assaults and saving wounded soldiers under heavy fire. The legislation bypasses standard time limits to ensure his distinguished service is recognized with the nation's highest military decoration.

This bill mandates a comprehensive review of the cost of living adjustment (COLA) calculations for Armed Forces members and Department of Defense civilians stationed in California's 19th Congressional District. The resulting report must assess the accuracy of current COLA rates and examine the impact of on-base benefits, such as the Monterey commissary, on the adjustment process. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure fair and effective compensation for personnel facing high costs in this specific region.

The Central Coast of California Conservation Act of 2025 permanently prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing new oil and gas leases in the Central California Planning Area. This legislation secures the protection of this offshore region from future energy exploration and development.

The Reclaim Trade Powers Act focuses on streamlining U.S. trade law by eliminating outdated presidential authority. Specifically, this bill repeals Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which granted the President powers related to balancing international payments. This action reclaims and modernizes existing trade statutes.

This bill extends combat zone tax benefits to members of the Armed Forces serving in Kenya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad. It treats these locations as "qualified hazardous duty areas" for tax purposes, applying the same favorable rules used for official combat zones. This change impacts filing deadlines, income exclusions, and tax liability for service members in these specific regions.

The Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act creates an exception to income limits for certain federal agriculture disaster payments. This exception applies to individuals or businesses where at least 75% of their average adjusted gross income is derived from farming, ranching, or forestry. Consequently, these deeply involved agricultural producers will not be subject to standard payment caps on specific disaster assistance programs.

The NATO Edge Act affirms the critical importance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to U.S. security and international stability. This bill significantly restricts the President's ability to unilaterally withdraw the United States from NATO. Any withdrawal would require an Act of Congress or Senate approval, contingent upon remaining allies meeting their 2% defense spending commitments. These restrictions are set to expire on September 30, 2033.

This bill recognizes the resilience of the Ukrainian people in defending their country against Russia's full-scale invasion. It expresses unwavering support for Ukraine, condemns Russia's actions and collaboration with other nations, and supports continued assistance to strengthen Ukraine's military, governance, and economy. The bill also supports using Russian frozen assets to aid Ukraine and reaffirms the U.S. commitment to the Ukrainian people.

The "Sporting Goods Excise Tax Modernization Act" modifies excise tax regulations by treating marketplace providers as the importer and seller for excise tax purposes on taxable sporting goods sold through their platform if the goods are shipped from outside the U.S. This applies when the marketplace provider lists the product, collects payments, and the manufacturer is not the marketplace provider. The regulations will be applied to sales in calendar quarters starting 60 days after the enactment of this Act.