Legislative Activity

This resolution designates April 2025 as "Financial Literacy Month" to highlight the critical role of personal financial education and the repercussions of financial illiteracy. It acknowledges the significant number of unbanked and underbanked households, the struggles faced by people with disabilities, and the growing household debt in the U.S. The resolution encourages the government, schools, organizations, and individuals to promote financial literacy through various programs and activities during this month. It also emphasizes the positive impact of financial education on credit scores, retirement planning, and overall financial well-being.

The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to limit consumer reporting agencies from providing consumer reports to other entities for credit transactions involving residential mortgage loans. Exceptions are made for firm offers of credit or insurance, authorized access, or if the entity currently originates or services the consumer's mortgage, or is an insured depository institution or credit union holding a current account for the consumer. The act will take effect 180 days after enactment.

The Adult Education Workforce Opportunity and Reskilling for Knowledge and Success Act modernizes workforce development and adult education programs by integrating digital literacy, expanding access to career services through public libraries, and increasing funding for adult education. It broadens the goals of adult education to include full participation in community life, enhances performance accountability, and emphasizes preparing adult English learners for active civic engagement. This act aims to better align education with workforce needs, improve access to resources, and equip individuals with the skills necessary for economic self-sufficiency and career advancement.

The Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act of 2025 amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to improve the Weatherization Assistance Program. It establishes a Weatherization Readiness Fund to repair low-income housing and increases the State average cost per unit from $6,500 to $15,000. The act also increases the amount for heating and cooling system repairs and allows the Secretary to increase financial assistance per dwelling unit if market conditions require it.

The "Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness Act of 2025" amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to include Rhode Island in the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This inclusion will give Rhode Island a seat at the table in fisheries management decisions. The change increases the council's membership to 23 and the number of mandatory state representatives to 14.

The Unity through Service Act of 2025 aims to enhance military, national, and public service opportunities by establishing an Interagency Council on Service to coordinate recruitment strategies and promote civic responsibility. It facilitates joint market research and advertising programs between the Department of Defense, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Peace Corps. The Act also improves transition opportunities for service members and national service participants by integrating information and training on public service careers. Finally, it mandates regular reports to Congress on the progress of these initiatives and studies on recruitment and retention strategies.

The "Suicide Prevention Act" aims to enhance suicide prevention efforts through two key grant programs. One program expands self-harm surveillance by providing grants to public health departments for real-time data sharing with the CDC, while the other awards grants to hospital emergency departments for implementing suicide prevention services, including screening, short-term intervention, and referrals. Both programs require regular reporting and evaluation to ensure effectiveness and data privacy and are authorized to receive \$30,000,000 each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030.

The "Helping More Families Save Act" establishes a pilot program allowing the Department of Housing and Urban Development to create escrow accounts for families receiving housing assistance. These accounts will hold increased rent payments resulting from increased income, which families can later access to support self-sufficiency goals. The program aims to encourage savings and financial independence for low-income families, with a focus on streamlining requirements and evaluating program outcomes.

This bill amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to authorize ongoing appropriations for the Interagency Council on Homelessness, ensuring the council has the necessary funds to carry out its responsibilities. It modifies the allocation of funds by removing the previous fixed amount and instead providing "such sums as may be necessary." The bill also repeals and redesignates sections within the Act to streamline and update the legislation.

The "Property Improvement and Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act of 2025" amends the National Housing Act to increase loan limits for property improvement and manufactured housing loans. It clarifies that these loans can be used for constructing accessory dwelling units and updates loan limits for various types of properties and improvements. The bill also requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to study the cost-effectiveness of factory-built housing and to develop methods for annually indexing loan limits.

The Innovation in Pediatric Drugs Act of 2025 aims to improve pediatric drug development and research. It refines the enforcement of pediatric study requirements, especially for orphan drugs, by requiring the FDA to provide opportunities for companies to respond to noncompliance allegations and limiting required pediatric assessments for certain drugs. The Act also directs the FDA to enhance reporting on PREA enforcement and authorizes funding for pediatric research at the NIH. Finally, it requires the Comptroller General to report on the impact of these changes on rare disease drug development.