Legislative Activity

This resolution serves as a formal tribute honoring the life, achievements, and enduring legacy of Frederick W. Smith, the visionary founder of FedEx. It officially recognizes his pioneering role in revolutionizing the global logistics industry and his deep commitment to the Memphis community. The bill does not enact any new laws but instead places his biography and contributions into the official Congressional record.

The Employee Rights Act fundamentally reforms U.S. labor law by mandating secret ballot elections for union representation and restricting union access to employee contact information. It also clarifies definitions for independent contractors and joint employers under federal wage and labor relations statutes. Furthermore, the bill prohibits Diversity, Equity, or Inclusion (DEI) clauses in collective bargaining agreements and establishes federal penalties for violence during labor disputes, while prioritizing state authority for minor incidents.

This bill seeks to immediately nullify the Department of Labor's recently published final rule updating the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts regulation. If enacted, the measure would ensure that the new wage rule, published on August 24, 2023, has no force or legal effect. Essentially, this legislation cancels the Department of Labor's latest changes to the prevailing wage requirements for federally funded construction projects.

The Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2025 prohibits accrediting agencies from imposing political litmus tests on institutions of higher education. This legislation ensures that accreditation decisions are based on academic quality and financial stability, not on an institution's ideological or political viewpoints. Furthermore, it protects the ability of religious institutions to maintain standards consistent with their faith-based missions.

The LEDGER Act mandates the creation of a comprehensive, centralized system managed by the Secretary of the Treasury to track every expenditure made by all branches of the U.S. Government. This new system must detail exactly where federal funds are spent and how long those funds were available for obligation. The goal is to significantly enhance the traceability and transparency of government spending.

The Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025 ensures the Secretary of Agriculture has a seat on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for reviews involving agricultural land, biotechnology, or the food industry. This legislation mandates that specific committees review certain agricultural land transactions involving foreign entities from designated adversarial nations. These new provisions aim to enhance national security by scrutinizing foreign investment in critical U.S. agricultural assets.

The CREATE JOBS Act aims to boost the economy by making permanent 100% immediate expensing for qualified business property. It also introduces an inflation-adjusted depreciation calculation for commercial and residential real estate. Furthermore, the bill eliminates the option to amortize research and experimental expenditures, allowing for immediate deduction of these costs. These changes are designed to accelerate cost recovery and encourage business investment.

The Republic of Somaliland Independence Act establishes the official U.S. policy invalidating any claims by the Federal Republic of Somalia over the region of Somaliland. This legislation grants the President the authority to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent nation based on this stated policy.

The Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act aims to penalize jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. It defines "sanctuary jurisdictions" as those that refuse to honor detainer requests or share immigration information, with an exception for protecting crime victims and witnesses. Furthermore, the bill makes these designated sanctuary jurisdictions ineligible for specific federal development and community improvement funds, such as EDA grants and CDBG funds. Cooperating local officers are granted liability protection when honoring valid federal detainer requests.

The Mobilizing Against Sanctuary Cities Act mandates that the Attorney General annually identify state and local jurisdictions that fail to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement requests, such as honoring detainers. Jurisdictions deemed non-compliant will immediately lose eligibility for all federal financial assistance for at least one year. Funding will only be restored after the Attorney General certifies that the area has corrected its non-compliance.

The Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2025 aims to streamline pesticide regulation by generally exempting legally authorized pesticide applications from needing separate Clean Water Act discharge permits. This change applies when authorized pesticides or their residues enter navigable waters from a specific discharge point. However, the exemption does not apply if the discharge violates FIFRA rules, involves certain stormwater runoff, or originates from industrial processes or vessels.

This bill establishes a Select Committee tasked with investigating allegations of a cover-up regarding President Biden's cognitive and physical health decline. The committee will examine the President's health status, past cancer diagnosis, the role of key individuals in any alleged concealment, and media influence. This investigative body has no legislative authority and must submit its final report, findings, and recommendations by December 31, 2025.

The Financial Integrity and Regulation Management (FIRM) Act prohibits federal banking agencies from using "reputational risk" as a factor in supervising, examining, or rating financial institutions. This legislation aims to ensure that bank oversight focuses strictly on financial safety and soundness, rather than public perception or political considerations. Agencies must remove all references to reputational risk from their guidance and report back to Congress on their compliance within 180 days.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to streamline and modernize the prior authorization process within Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and significantly increases transparency regarding approval rates and decision times starting in 2027. Furthermore, it establishes new enrollee protections and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timeframes for medical services.

This bill, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Commission Act, restructures the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) by replacing its single Director leadership with an independent, five-member commission appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The legislation updates numerous federal laws to replace references to the "Director" with the "Commission" or "Bureau" to reflect this new governance structure. The commission will oversee the agency's core rulemaking and enforcement authority, with a Chair selected from among its members to manage day-to-day operations.

This resolution formally congratulates His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his historic election as the 267th pontiff of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. It celebrates the significance of him being the first American-born Pope in the Church's history. The measure also commends his lifelong service, missionary spirit, and dedication to truth and mercy. Finally, it offers prayers for his leadership as he begins his papacy.

The Pregnancy.Gov Act establishes a new national public website, Pregnancy.gov, to serve as a centralized hub connecting pregnant women with local resources. This site must offer tailored resource matching based on location and ensure listed providers have a consistent three-year service history. Crucially, the Act prohibits any organization that performs, refers for, or counsels in favor of abortion from being listed or receiving associated state grants.

The CHOICE for Veterans Act of 2025 aims to overhaul how veterans receive assistance with their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit claims. It establishes new rules for the recognition, fees, and conduct of agents and attorneys who represent veterans. The bill also mandates increased transparency regarding available assistance and requires a review of the entire representative recognition process.

The No Vaccine Mandates in Higher Education Act prohibits the federal government from providing funds to colleges and universities that require students or employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. This measure ensures that institutions of higher education cannot mandate vaccination for enrollment, employment, or access to services without risking the loss of federal funding.

The Protecting the Mailing of Firearms Act repeals the federal ban on mailing certain concealable firearms. This legislation also prohibits the U.S. Postal Service from enacting rules that would block or unduly restrict the mailing of firearms, ammunition, or their components. Furthermore, the USPS cannot require sellers to disclose customer records or firearm serial numbers as a condition for mailing these items.