Legislative Activity

The Corporate Governance Fairness Act amends the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to establish specific regulations for proxy advisory firms. This legislation defines these firms and subjects them to registration requirements with the SEC. The Act mandates that the Commission conduct periodic examinations of these firms' records, focusing on conflicts of interest and the accuracy of their statements. Finally, it requires the SEC to report periodically to Congress on the adequacy of investor protections related to proxy advisory services.

The PCAOB Enforcement Transparency Act of 2025 modifies the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's (PCAOB) procedures regarding enforcement actions. This bill mandates that PCAOB public hearings will be open to the public by default, requiring an active decision to close them. Additionally, it removes a specific requirement for the PCAOB to publish certain enforcement determinations.

The Stronger Enforcement of Civil Penalties Act of 2025 significantly increases civil money penalties across major securities laws for violations involving fraud or reckless disregard. This legislation establishes new, higher penalty tiers, including amounts based on financial gain or victim losses. Furthermore, the bill introduces a punitive "fourth tier" that triples standard fines for repeat securities fraud offenders within five years of a prior conviction or settlement. Finally, it clarifies that continuous violations of court injunctions or SEC bars count as separate, daily offenses to ensure stricter accountability.

This resolution expresses support for designating the week of September 14 through 20, 2025, as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. It highlights the urgent need to improve basic reading, math, and digital skills for millions of U.S. adults to boost the economy and improve individual well-being. The bill encourages communities and organizations to support vital adult education and family literacy programs.

This resolution officially designates September 2025 as National Literacy Month to raise awareness about the critical importance of reading skills. It highlights the significant national challenges in literacy rates and the economic costs associated with low literacy. The measure calls upon all sectors of society to observe the month by promoting evidence-based reading programs and activities.

This resolution designates August 16, 2025, as "National Airborne Day" to honor the history and bravery of U.S. airborne forces. It specifically recognizes the service of combat parachutists, air assault forces, and special operations warriors across all conflicts. The day serves as an expression of national gratitude for the thousands who have served in these elite units.

The Strengthening Local Food Security Act of 2025 establishes a new federal program to fund local and state governments in purchasing food directly from local producers. These governments will then distribute the food to local schools and organizations serving hungry populations, prioritizing underserved communities. The program mandates specific funding allocations for Tribal governments and requires that at least 51% of purchased food comes from small, mid-sized, or underserved producers within a 400-mile radius. Funding is provided through mandatory appropriations and Commodity Credit Corporation funds to supplement, not replace, existing local food relief efforts.

This resolution expresses support for designating May 17, 2025, as "DIPG Pediatric Brain Cancer Awareness Day." The measure aims to raise public awareness about Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a devastating childhood cancer with limited treatment options. Furthermore, it encourages increased research efforts and support for affected children and their families.

The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act restricts how consumer reporting agencies can share your credit report when you are seeking a residential mortgage loan. Specifically, it limits the sharing of these reports unless they are connected to a firm offer of credit or are being sent to parties directly involved in your current mortgage, such as the originator or servicer. This ensures that your sensitive financial information is only accessed by relevant parties during the home loan process.

This bill amends budget rules to explicitly prohibit making changes to Medicare and Medicaid through the budget reconciliation process. It updates existing law to ensure these major health programs are treated the same as other entitlement programs under special budget procedures. The goal is to safeguard Medicare and Medicaid from being altered using this fast-track legislative method.

This bill establishes new rules for providing federal compensation to very large egg producers following avian influenza outbreaks. To qualify for aid, these major entities must agree to temporarily halt stock buybacks and dividend payments for two years. Publicly traded or private equity-owned companies face additional certification requirements proving financial necessity, with severe penalties, including prison time, for false claims.

This act updates tax law to broaden the definition of highly compensated individuals whose compensation is subject to deduction limits for corporations. It expands the scope beyond traditional employees to include anyone providing services to the company, as well as certain highly paid former officers. The goal is to prevent companies from deducting excessive executive pay from their taxable income.

This resolution officially designates April 2025 as "Financial Literacy Month" to raise national awareness about the critical need for personal finance education. It highlights current financial struggles, such as high household debt and lack of banking access, while emphasizing that financial education leads to better economic outcomes. The resolution encourages federal, state, and local entities to observe the month with programs promoting essential skills like budgeting, saving, and debt management.

The Adult Education Workforce Opportunity and Reskilling for Knowledge and Success Act aims to modernize workforce development by establishing "college and career navigators" to guide job seekers and integrating digital literacy into required training. The bill also updates the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act to emphasize full community participation and significantly increases authorized federal funding over five years. Ultimately, it seeks to improve career guidance, professionalize adult education staff, and ensure programs address essential modern skills.

The Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act of 2025 significantly updates the program that helps low-income households improve energy efficiency. This bill establishes a new fund to cover essential pre-weatherization repairs that currently block necessary upgrades. Furthermore, it substantially raises the maximum financial assistance allowed per home, increasing the general cap from $6,500 to $15,000 to better reflect current market costs. The Secretary is also granted flexibility to further adjust these limits based on economic conditions.

The Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act of 2025 officially adds Rhode Island as a member state to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This legislative change expands the council's representation and increases its total membership from 21 to 23 seats. The Act ensures Rhode Island fishermen have a voice in regional fishery management decisions.

The Unity through Service Act of 2025 establishes an Interagency Council on Service to unify and expand opportunities across military, national, and public service sectors. The bill promotes joint research and coordinated recruitment strategies between these service branches to strengthen civic duty nationwide. It also enhances transition assistance for service members entering civilian life and requires several reports to Congress on integration efforts and recruitment lessons learned.

The Suicide Prevention Act establishes two key initiatives to combat self-harm and suicide. First, it creates a national program for real-time syndromic surveillance and tracking of self-harm behaviors across public health departments. Second, it authorizes grants for hospital emergency departments to implement comprehensive screening, immediate care, and follow-up services for patients at risk of suicide upon discharge. Both programs aim to improve data collection for targeted prevention and enhance post-crisis care coordination.

This bill aims to strengthen the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness by updating its funding authorization under existing law. It removes outdated, specific funding caps, allowing for appropriations "such sums as may be necessary" to carry out the Council's mission. The legislation also renumbers and retitles a section to specifically encourage greater State involvement in addressing homelessness.

The Property Improvement and Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act of 2025 significantly updates federal loan limits for property improvements and the purchase of manufactured homes, increasing caps across various categories. This legislation also introduces the ability to finance Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and grants the Secretary flexibility to periodically adjust these dollar limits. Furthermore, the Act mandates a comprehensive study by HUD on the cost-effectiveness and broader utility of factory-built housing.