Legislative Activity

This bill expresses support for Wildfire Preparedness Week, a national event focused on educating the public on fire safety and preparedness. It highlights the significant impact of wildfires in the United States, including the acres burned and the need for preventative measures. The bill supports resources and educational programs that teach communities to prevent wildfires through early warning systems, reducing human-caused ignitions, and safe evacuation practices for people and animals. It also commits to providing financial support to communities affected by catastrophic firestorms.

The Better CARE for Animals Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the enforcement of animal welfare regulations by clarifying inspection authority, prohibiting unlicensed animal dealing, and granting the Attorney General greater power to prosecute violations, including seeking penalties, seizing animals, and obtaining warrants. It also mandates collaboration between the Secretary of Agriculture and the Attorney General to share information on repeat offenders. This act enhances the ability to penalize and prevent mistreatment of animals under the Animal Welfare Act.

This bill mandates the United States Postal Service to assign unique ZIP Codes to specific communities across 22 states within 270 days of enactment. This aims to provide these communities with distinct postal identities.

The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 aims to combat substance use disorders by enhancing prevention, treatment, and recovery programs. The bill allocates funding for prenatal and postnatal health, overdose prevention, and support for families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). It also focuses on expanding access to treatment, growing the addiction and mental health workforce, and supporting community-based recovery initiatives. Additionally, the act refines regulations for controlled substances and updates training for healthcare providers to promote responsible prescribing practices.

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.

The "You Earned It, You Keep It Act" repeals the inclusion of Social Security benefits in gross income for tax purposes, ensuring beneficiaries receive their full benefits without federal income tax implications. To offset this change, the bill modifies how Social Security taxes are calculated by applying them to wages and self-employment income above $250,000, affecting high-income earners. It also adjusts the Social Security benefit formula to include a portion of earnings above this threshold in benefit calculations. These changes aim to strengthen Social Security funding while ensuring current beneficiaries under other assistance programs are not negatively impacted.

The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to limit consumer reporting agencies from sharing credit report information when a person requests a credit report for a residential mortgage loan. Consumer reporting agencies can only furnish this information if the entity has a firm offer of credit or insurance, has the consumer's authorization, or has an existing relationship with the consumer as a mortgage lender, servicer, or financial institution. This act aims to protect consumers' privacy during the home buying process by limiting the amount of entities that get access to their credit information. The changes will take effect 180 days after the Act is enacted.

The "Small Business Energy Loan Enhancement Act" increases the maximum loan amounts for certain energy-related projects from $5.5 million to $10 million. It requires the Small Business Administration to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the industries and geographic areas receiving these loans. This act aims to provide greater financial support for small businesses investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act introduces a new tax credit to encourage the construction and rehabilitation of homes in distressed communities. This credit aims to bridge the "value gap" that often hinders development in these areas by incentivizing the creation of affordable homes for qualified low- to moderate-income homebuyers. The credit is allocated to developers through state agencies, with specific requirements for affordability, construction standards, and homeowner protection. If the homeowner sells the home within five years, a portion of the profit must be repaid.

The Ensuring Agency Service Quality Act mandates that each Executive agency and military department meet certain employment levels. If an agency or department cannot meet these requirements, the head of the agency or department must submit a noncompliance notice to relevant committees in Congress, explaining the reasons for not meeting the requirements.

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 Housing Supply Frameworks Act directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop guidelines and best practices for state and local zoning frameworks to increase housing production and affordability. These guidelines will focus on reducing regulatory barriers like parking minimums and restrictions on housing types, while also promoting streamlined development processes and community engagement. The Act requires HUD to consult with a task force of experts and report to Congress on the adoption of these guidelines. Finally, the Act authorizes $3 million in appropriations annually from 2026-2030 for HUD to implement the Act and abolishes the Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse.

The "Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act" aims to improve the hygienic handling of breast milk, baby formula, and related items during airport security screening. It mandates the TSA to update its guidance in consultation with maternal health organizations to minimize contamination risks and ensure hygienic standards are met during additional screenings. The Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General will audit compliance and report on screening technologies' impact on these items.

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.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 aims to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and countering its support for terrorism by imposing sanctions on those involved in Iran's energy sector and those who provide financial support for its destabilizing activities. It mandates sanctions on foreign entities involved in processing, exporting, or selling Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemicals, while also establishing an interagency working group to coordinate and enforce these sanctions. The Act also amends existing legislation to require the identification of individuals involved in sanctionable activities or sanctions evasion related to Iranian oil and gas sales.

The Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act aims to improve special districts' access to federal financial assistance. It mandates the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to provide guidance on how federal agencies should recognize special districts as local government units. Federal agencies will then be required to update their policies to align with this guidance. Finally, the OMB Director must report to Congress on how well agencies have implemented the new guidance.

This bill recognizes Clela Rorex, a pioneering county clerk, for issuing the first same-sex marriage license in the United States in 1975. It celebrates her leadership and bravery in advancing civil rights for same-sex couples despite facing threats and condemnation. The bill also expresses support for Clela Rorex Day, honoring her contributions as a civil rights and same-sex marriage pioneer.

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees and supervisory employees. It requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine if state laws substantially provide these rights; if not, the Authority will administer collective bargaining procedures in those states. The act outlines specific rights and procedures, including the right to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activities, while also addressing enforcement and exceptions. This law aims to ensure that public service workers have the ability to negotiate for fair wages, hours, and working conditions.

The Romance Scam Prevention Act requires online dating services to send "fraud ban notifications" to users who have communicated with accounts suspended for suspected fraudulent activity, warning them about potential scams and providing resources to avoid fraud. These notifications must be sent within a specific timeframe, with exceptions for investigations, and the FTC will enforce the Act. The Act also shields dating services from liability for actions taken to comply with the notification requirements.