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.

The "Honoring our K9 Heroes Act" establishes a grant program to help cover the medical costs of retired Federal working dogs. Grants will be awarded to eligible non-profit organizations with a history of assisting retired Federal law enforcement and military working dogs. The bill authorizes $1,000,000 in appropriations for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030 to fund the program.

This resolution expresses support for designating May 2025 as "National Brain Tumor Awareness Month" to raise public awareness, honor those affected, and promote research for better treatments. It highlights the prevalence and severity of brain tumors, the challenges in treatment, and the need for increased awareness and collaborative research efforts. The resolution also supports individuals battling brain tumors, as well as their families, friends, and caregivers.

This resolution urges the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withdraw a notice that reduces public input on rulemaking. It expresses the House of Representatives' desire to maintain existing public notice and comment procedures. The resolution aims to ensure continued public participation in the regulatory process of the Department of Health and Human Services.

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.

The Ukrainian Adjustment Act of 2025 aims to streamline the process for eligible Ukrainian nationals to gain lawful permanent resident status in the United States. It allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to adjust the status of Ukrainians who were paroled into the U.S. after February 20, 2014, or to join family members already in the U.S., provided they meet certain vetting and admissibility requirements. The Act also provides protections for battered spouses and prohibits charging fees for application-related processes, while exempting those granted adjusted status from certain immigration quota limitations.

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 Medical Manufacturing, Economic Development, and Sustainability Act of 2025 (MMEDS Act of 2025) aims to incentivize domestic medical manufacturing in economically distressed zones through tax credits for wages, benefits, and qualified products/services. It prioritizes strengthening the national supply chain by increasing credits for facilities that move production from countries posing a risk to facilities producing population health products. The Act also amends the Public Health Service Act to support the development and accessibility of population health products, especially for vulnerable populations, during public health emergencies. Finally, the Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the disproportionate harm to vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic and prior epidemics and pandemics.

This resolution expresses support for honoring Earth Day and its role in promoting environmental awareness and action. It recognizes the historical impact of Earth Day on environmental protection and highlights ongoing challenges like climate change. The resolution urges continued action, referencing recent legislation and emphasizing the need to address environmental injustices and promote environmental literacy. It also encourages the President to issue a proclamation recognizing Earth Day and urges Americans to observe it through various environmental activities.

This bill recognizes April 2025 as "Community College Month" to celebrate the significant role of community colleges in providing accessible higher education, workforce training, and economic support across the United States. It acknowledges the extensive contributions of over 1,000 community colleges, which serve millions of students and contribute significantly to the national GDP. The resolution highlights the importance of these institutions in fostering economic prosperity and community vitality.

The "Stopping a Rogue President on Trade Act" terminates specific executive orders that imposed tariffs and mandates congressional approval for the President to impose new duties, quotas, or tariff-rate quotas on imports, or to suspend or withdraw trade agreement concessions, with certain exceptions for antidumping and countervailing duties and other specified duties. It also establishes expedited procedures for Congress to consider resolutions of approval regarding such trade actions.

The "Reconciliation in Place Names Act" establishes a committee to review and propose renaming geographic features and federal land units with offensive names, such as those containing racial slurs or honoring individuals with discriminatory views. This committee will solicit proposals from various groups, including Indian Tribes and the public, and recommend name changes to the Board on Geographic Names and Congress. The Board is generally required to approve the committee's proposals, and the Act aims to create a more equitable and just naming system that reflects the cultural diversity of the United States.

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 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 Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 aims to increase affordable housing options by updating state housing credit formulas, refining tenant eligibility rules, and improving credit eligibility and determination. This includes adjusting income verification processes, modifying student occupancy rules, and protecting domestic abuse victims. The bill also focuses on Native American and rural assistance by addressing housing needs in Indian areas and streamlining income eligibility for rural projects. Additionally, it revises rules for exempt facility bonds and renames the "low-income housing tax credit" to the "affordable housing tax credit" while encouraging data sharing and discouraging discriminatory land use policies.

This bill terminates the national emergency declared by the President in Executive Order 14257 on April 2, 2025. The termination is enacted as per section 202 of the National Emergencies Act.

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.

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 "Tax Fairness for Workers Act" permits employees to deduct union dues and other employee business expenses above-the-line, bypassing previous deduction limitations. This change is achieved by amending sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, specifically 62(a)(1) and 67(g). These amendments will be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.