Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses the support of the House of Representatives for Charleston, South Carolina, to host the 2027 annual session of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly. It highlights the city’s world-class infrastructure and honors the legacy of the late Senator Lindsey Olin Graham by advocating for the event to proceed as originally planned.

The Stop Insider Trading Act restricts Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing or selling individual stocks to prevent conflicts of interest. Additionally, the bill mandates that voters provide valid photo identification when voting in person or by mail in federal elections.

The American Franchise Act aims to protect the traditional franchise business model by clarifying the definition of a "joint employer." This legislation establishes that a franchisor is only considered a joint employer if it exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over the essential terms of employment for a franchisee's workers. This change specifically targets liability risks associated with maintaining brand standards, ensuring franchisors are not automatically held responsible for local labor practices. The new standard applies prospectively to future legal proceedings.

This act, the Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2025, prohibits the Secretary of Labor from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed rule regarding heat injury and illness prevention published in August 2024. This restriction extends to any future standard substantially similar to the one proposed.

The Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act amends the organization’s federal charter to formally define membership eligibility. The bill restricts membership to adult human females, establishing a biological definition for the term "female" based on reproductive system development.

The Chloe Cole Act of 2026 establishes a federal private right of action allowing individuals to sue healthcare professionals and institutions for damages related to gender-transition medical interventions performed on them as minors. The bill permits lawsuits regardless of when the intervention occurred and sets a statute of limitations extending 25 years past the individual's 18th birthday. Additionally, it mandates strict liability for such interventions performed after the Act's enactment.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and processors from assigning specific merchant category codes to firearms retailers. This legislation aims to protect consumer privacy by preventing the tracking of firearm and ammunition purchases through specialized financial classification. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcing these provisions and reporting annually on compliance.

The Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 proposes making daylight saving time the permanent, year-round standard time across the United States. By advancing standard time zones by one hour, the bill eliminates the need for biannual clock changes. Additionally, it provides states that currently observe standard time year-round the option to maintain their existing timekeeping practices.

The Boat Loan Interest Deduction Act of 2026 expands federal tax benefits by allowing taxpayers to deduct interest paid on loans for qualifying, U.S.-manufactured recreational motorboats. This legislation updates current tax code provisions to treat eligible watercraft similarly to passenger vehicles for interest deduction purposes. The change applies to loans initiated after December 31, 2025.

The Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act significantly expands legal immunity for firearm manufacturers, sellers, and trade associations by redefining terms within existing federal law. It mandates the immediate dismissal of pending lawsuits against these entities and establishes strict new standards for any exceptions that might apply. Furthermore, the bill preempts state and local laws that attempt to impose liability based on the criminal misuse of qualified products.

The Protect Our Homes Act establishes a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program to provide supplemental financial assistance to residential community organizations for the repair of common areas following natural disasters. These loans also fund mitigation measures to protect residential communities from future disaster-related damage. This program serves as a vital resource for communities that have exhausted their primary disaster loan limits.

This act appropriates \$3.5 billion in emergency funding to the USDA to provide block grants to states for agricultural losses caused by the March 2026 freeze. These funds are specifically designated to compensate producers for lost revenue, quality, or production of crops, trees, bushes, and vines in designated disaster counties. The Secretary of Agriculture must report on the implementation of this assistance quarterly.

This resolution officially designates May 15, 2026, as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week of May 10-16, 2026, as National Police Week. It honors the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, specifically recognizing 363 officers lost in 2025. The bill expresses unwavering support for law enforcement and acknowledges the need for proper resources to ensure officer safety.

The GUARD Act establishes federal guidelines for artificial intelligence chatbots, focusing on protecting minors. It mandates that companies implement reasonable age verification processes for all users and strictly prohibits minors from accessing "AI companions" designed for emotional interaction. The bill also creates criminal penalties for designing chatbots that solicit minors for explicit conduct or promote self-harm and violence, alongside imposing strict data security and disclosure requirements on covered entities.

This bill seeks to formally expunge the two impeachments of former President Donald J. Trump from December 2019 and January 2021. It asserts that the impeachments were flawed due to a lack of firsthand evidence and biased proceedings in the House of Representatives. By expunging them, the resolution treats the Articles of Impeachment as if they never passed the House.

The Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act significantly narrows the federal beneficial ownership information reporting requirements. This legislation limits reporting obligations exclusively to foreign individuals and foreign-connected companies. Furthermore, it mandates the deletion of all previously collected data pertaining to domestic persons and entities.

The SCHEDULES Act of 2026 mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs establish and publish a clear, comprehensive standard for the maximum allowable wait time between a medical referral and an appointment. To ensure accountability, the bill requires the VA to submit quarterly and annual reports to Congress detailing facility performance, national rankings, and ongoing efforts to improve timely access to care.

The Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act establishes new federal standards for states issuing Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDLs) to individuals who do not reside in that state. This bill sets specific, strict requirements for foreign nationals seeking a CDL, including proof of lawful status and job-related visas, while also outlining distinct procedures for applicants residing in U.S. territories. The legislation mandates enhanced record-keeping and reporting by states to the Secretary of Transportation regarding these non-domiciled licenses.

The FAIR Act (Fast-tracking Approval for Innovative Rare disease therapies Act) aims to accelerate patient access to life-saving treatments by establishing a reciprocal approval process for drugs already authorized by trusted international regulatory agencies. By streamlining the approval of both clinical trials and marketing applications for therapies targeting life-threatening conditions, the bill seeks to reduce regulatory delays and maintain U.S. leadership in biomedical innovation.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 strengthens U.S. policy by imposing mandatory sanctions on foreign persons and financial institutions that support Iran’s nuclear, ballistic missile, drone, and terrorist activities. The bill specifically targets Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sectors to cut off funding for these malign programs. Additionally, it expands the State Department’s "Rewards for Justice" program to incentivize the reporting of individuals who evade these sanctions.