Legislative Activity

This bill reauthorizes key programs under the Kay Hagan Tick Act to combat vector-borne diseases like Lyme disease through 2030. It extends funding for the national strategy and regional centers focused on these illnesses. Additionally, the legislation continues enhanced support for local health departments to improve disease surveillance and response capabilities.

The Weather-Safe Energy Act of 2025 establishes a new digital tool, the Weather-Safe Energy Platform, to provide high-resolution weather and water data for electricity grid planning and operations. This initiative mandates research into extreme weather impacts on the grid and provides technical assistance to utilities and regulators. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance the resilience of the nation's electricity system against severe weather events.

The Expanding Access to Mental Health Services in Schools Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to increase the number of mental health professionals in high-need school districts. This funding is specifically designed to help eligible agencies recruit, hire, and retain school counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Grantees must demonstrate a plan to improve student-to-provider ratios and report annually on staffing improvements and provider retention.

The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2025 aims to combat the growing obesity epidemic, particularly among older adults, by expanding access to intensive behavioral therapy under Medicare. This bill mandates that Medicare Part D plans begin covering FDA-approved medications for obesity and weight management in individuals with related health conditions. Finally, it requires the Secretary of HHS to report regularly to Congress on the implementation and coordination of these new obesity treatment strategies.

The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 significantly expands and permanently secures access to Medicare telehealth services by eliminating outdated geographic restrictions and allowing more practitioners to offer remote care. The bill also strengthens program integrity by dedicating funds for telehealth oversight while clarifying rules around providing necessary technology to patients. Finally, it mandates the creation of tailored educational resources and public reporting to improve quality measurement and transparency in remote care delivery.

The No Gratuities for Governing Act of 2025 updates federal law regarding illegal gifts involving government agents who manage federal funds. It establishes new criminal penalties for giving or accepting gifts valued at \$1,000 or more in connection with official transactions worth \$5,000 or more. The Act also increases the maximum prison sentence for existing offenses under this statute from 10 to 15 years.

The No Secret Police Act of 2025 mandates that federal officers engaged in border security or immigration enforcement must clearly display identification, wear visible badges or uniforms, and refrain from wearing face coverings during detentions or arrests. This ensures accountability by requiring clear identification from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel. The bill also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to report on current tactical gear policies and research methods to improve officer visibility.

The Safe Storage Saves Lives Act expands federal requirements to ensure a compatible gun lock is provided with the sale of **every** firearm, not just handguns. It clarifies the definition of secure storage devices and mandates that sellers must have a compatible safety device available for every firearm offered for sale. Finally, the bill suggests that fines collected from violations should fund programs to distribute free or low-cost gun safety devices or public awareness campaigns.

The Advancing Maternal Health Equity Under Medicaid Act aims to increase federal funding for states that expand Medicaid coverage for maternal health services. This bill provides a higher Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) to cover 90% of a state's increased expenditures on qualifying prenatal, postpartum, and related support services. To qualify, states must use these funds to supplement existing spending and improve the quality and capacity of care delivered by designated maternity providers and perinatal health workers.

The Prescription Information Modernization Act of 2025 allows drug manufacturers to provide required prescribing information to healthcare providers digitally. This shift is contingent upon manufacturers offering providers the option to receive paper copies upon request, free of charge. The Secretary of HHS must establish final rules for this digital transition within one year of enactment.

The Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act of 2025 makes technical corrections to the 2022 Camp Lejeune Justice Act to clarify standards for proving harm and venue for trials. This legislation sets specific caps on attorney fees and retroactively applies these changes to all existing and future claims filed under the original 2022 Act. The bill ensures that existing statutes of limitations for filing claims remain unchanged.

This resolution formally recognizes the constitutional right to peaceful protest while strongly condemning violence and illegal acts committed during demonstrations. It criticizes the federal government's deployment of military forces during recent events, arguing the actions were an overreach that bypassed proper legal and state authority. Ultimately, the bill asserts the importance of transparency in law enforcement and denounces rhetoric that escalates community tensions.

The Break the Cycle of Violence Act establishes federal frameworks within HHS and the Department of Labor to address community violence through prevention and economic opportunity. Title I creates grants for community-based violence intervention programs focused on evidence-based, trauma-responsive care, while Title II funds job training for opportunity youth in high-violence areas. Overall, the bill aims to reduce violence by investing in local services and creating pathways to employment rather than relying solely on incarceration.

The Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025 establishes a federal statutory right to access abortion services, prohibiting medically unnecessary restrictions that impede care before fetal viability. This Act protects the right of patients to travel across state lines to receive reproductive healthcare and allows providers to offer services free from state interference that conflicts with established medical standards. It preempts conflicting state and local laws and provides robust enforcement mechanisms for individuals and the Attorney General to challenge violations.

The Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act prohibits states from interfering with or retaliating against individuals who provide or receive abortion services that are legal in the state where the service occurs. This protection extends to interstate travel for legal abortion care and the movement of FDA-approved abortion-related drugs across state lines. Individuals harmed by violations can sue in federal court for damages and legal fees.

The Cancer Drug Parity Act of 2025 mandates that group health plans treat the cost-sharing for oral (take-at-home) anticancer drugs the same as they treat cost-sharing for intravenously administered cancer drugs. This ensures patients do not face higher out-of-pocket expenses for necessary oral chemotherapy medications. The Act also requires the GAO to study the financial impact of this new parity requirement on patients.

The Pro Codes Act aims to balance public access with the financial sustainability of organizations that create vital technical standards referenced in U.S. law. It establishes new copyright rules requiring Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) to make standards incorporated by reference into federal, state, or local law publicly accessible online for free. This ensures the public can view the codes they must follow while preserving the SDOs' ability to fund future standard development through copyright protection.

The Insurrection Act of 2025 completely rewrites the rules governing when the President can deploy the U.S. Armed Forces domestically to suppress insurrection or quell severe domestic violence. This deployment is strictly limited to being a last resort, requiring specific triggers such as overwhelming local failure or the denial of constitutional rights. Before acting, the President must issue a proclamation and provide a detailed report to Congress, whose approval is required to extend military authority beyond seven days. The Act also establishes expedited congressional procedures for reviewing and approving the deployment and allows for judicial review of the President's legal basis for action.

This resolution directs the President, under the War Powers Resolution, to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities involving Iran. The order mandates withdrawal unless forces are necessary for imminent self-defense of the U.S. or its allies. Any continued defensive action must comply with existing War Powers reporting requirements.

The Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act of 2025 aims to improve women's health after childbirth by clarifying Medicaid/CHIP coverage for essential pelvic health services. It mandates federal guidance for states on covering services like pelvic floor exams and physical therapy, alongside establishing a national education campaign for both providers and new mothers. The bill also directs the GAO to study existing coverage gaps for postpartum women under Medicaid.