Legislative Activity

The Protect America's Workforce Act nullifies a specific Executive Order issued in March 2025 concerning exclusions from federal labor-management relations programs. This legislation ensures that any existing collective bargaining agreements between federal agencies and employee unions remain fully in effect until their stated expiration dates. The Act also prohibits the use of federal funds to implement the overturned Executive Order.

The Reuniting Families Act is comprehensive legislation designed to significantly reform U.S. immigration by reducing massive visa backlogs and prioritizing family reunification across various categories. It achieves this by recapturing unused visas, reclassifying certain family members as "immediate relatives," and creating new pathways for permanent partners and refugees to join their loved ones. Ultimately, the bill aims to keep families together, speed up legal immigration processes, and address past discrimination in the visa system.

This bill establishes a national requirement for all U.S. Senate and House elections to use a ranked choice voting system, replacing traditional runoff elections. It mandates specific ballot designs, sets out a multi-round vote tabulation process, and prohibits separate runoff elections for federal offices. The legislation also provides federal funding to states to help implement these changes, which take effect for elections held on or after January 1, 2030.

This concurrent resolution commends state and local governments for championing reproductive rights as human rights following the overturning of *Roe v. Wade*. It declares that denying abortion care leads to severe health risks and highlights the criminalization of pregnancy outcomes across the U.S. The resolution urges states to repeal abortion restrictions and affirm that reproductive rights are fundamental human rights.

The Justice for Breonna Taylor Act aims to prohibit the use of no-knock warrants by federal law enforcement officers, requiring them to announce their presence before entry. Furthermore, it conditions federal funding for state and local law enforcement agencies on their compliance with the same no-knock warrant prohibition. This legislation seeks to increase accountability and safety during warrant executions.

The Labor Enforcement to Securely Protect Workers (LETS Protect Workers) Act significantly increases civil penalties for violations across major federal labor laws, including child labor, wage and hour, and workplace safety standards. It strengthens enforcement mechanisms for mine safety violations and retaliation against miners, while also establishing new penalties for employer unfair labor practices under the National Labor Relations Act. Furthermore, the bill enhances enforcement for health plan parity and makes certain recordkeeping failures under OSHA and FLSA continuing violations.

This bill officially designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 5225 Harrison Avenue in Rockford, Illinois, as the **Jay P. Larson Post Office Building**. The legislation ensures that all future official references to this specific location will use the newly established name.

The Expanding Cybersecurity Workforce Act of 2025 establishes a new CISA program to actively promote cybersecurity careers to disadvantaged communities across the nation. This initiative specifically targets outreach to older individuals, minorities, people with disabilities, veterans, and those from nontraditional educational backgrounds. The goal is to diversify and strengthen the U.S. cyber workforce through tailored education and training assistance. The Act authorizes $20 million annually through fiscal year 2031 to support these efforts.

The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act aims to overhaul immigration detention by establishing mandatory, high standards based on ABA guidelines and increasing transparency through rigorous, unannounced inspections. The bill prohibits the use of private, for-profit detention facilities within three years and ends the mandatory detention of most noncitizens, prioritizing release or community-based alternatives. Furthermore, it establishes new due process rights, including timely custody hearings, a presumption of release, and prohibitions on detaining children or using solitary confinement.

The Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act of 2025 seeks to reverse harmful provisions affecting unaccompanied children. This bill eliminates various immigration-related fees for current and former unaccompanied children, including those for asylum and employment authorization. It also prohibits physically intrusive medical examinations and restricts the sharing of sponsor information with immigration enforcement agencies. Furthermore, the Act mandates the refunding of previously paid fees.

The Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2025 significantly amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to broaden the definition of homelessness, particularly for children and youth. It mandates increased public reporting of homelessness data through required HMIS disclosures by HUD. Furthermore, the bill modifies grant scoring criteria and planning requirements to better ensure services reach vulnerable populations and align with local needs.

The Make Housing Affordable and Defend Democracy Act aims to increase housing accessibility through several tax incentives while simultaneously rescinding significant funding previously allocated for immigration enforcement. Key provisions establish new tax credits for first-time homebuyers, builders of starter homes, and the conversion of commercial buildings into affordable rentals. Additionally, the bill introduces a Renter Tax Credit for those spending over 30% of their income on rent, with an option for monthly advance payments.

The Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act of 2025 establishes comprehensive federal rules to prevent discrimination caused by automated decision-making systems in critical areas like employment, housing, and credit. It mandates independent safety checks, public reporting for high-risk findings, and clear contractual standards between algorithm creators and users. The law empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and grants individuals a private right of action to enforce these new civil rights protections against algorithmic bias.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 1300 East Northwest Highway in Palatine, Illinois. The facility will henceforth be known as the "Bernie Bluestein Post Office Building." This designation requires all official records and documents to use the new name.

The No GOUGE Act prohibits sellers from raising the price of "tariffed goods" by more than the direct costs resulting from a new or planned tariff for five years. This prevents companies from using tariffs as an excuse to charge unreasonably high prices, with specific rules for final goods, assembled products, and components. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with enforcement, while large companies face a presumption of violation following major tariff announcements. The bill also mandates annual reports from the FTC and other agencies detailing price changes and enforcement actions.

This resolution supports designating November 2025 as "National Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month." The goal is to increase public awareness regarding the severe challenges faced by children and youth experiencing homelessness. This heightened awareness aims to encourage greater support for effective programs designed to help these vulnerable individuals. The measure commends the ongoing efforts of various groups working to prevent and address youth homelessness.

This resolution supports the goals of Transgender Day of Remembrance by recognizing the ongoing epidemic of violence targeting transgender people, particularly transgender women of color. It memorializes the lives lost this year and highlights the systemic barriers, including discrimination and lack of healthcare access, faced by the transgender community. The bill calls for urgent action from the government to protect these lives through inclusive legislation and policies that ensure dignity and respect for all individuals.

The Urban and Rural Diabetes Initiative Act establishes a new grant program to improve diabetes treatment access in medically underserved urban and rural areas. This funding supports eligible health providers in offering comprehensive diabetes care, including routine treatment, education, and specialized services like eye and foot care. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will award these grants, ensuring equitable distribution across both urban and rural communities.

The John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act prohibits discrimination based on religion, sex, or marital status in federally funded child welfare services. This aims to increase the number of stable, family-like placements for children, especially for LGBTQ youth who are overrepresented in foster care. The bill mandates federal guidance, training, and data collection to improve safety and well-being outcomes for all children involved in the system.

The Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act establishes grant programs to build pipelines that train and place more mental health providers in low-income schools. It also creates a student loan repayment program for providers who commit to working in these underserved districts for five years. The bill aims to improve student support ratios by increasing the number of school counselors, psychologists, and social workers in high-need areas. Finally, it mandates a study to develop future criteria for identifying areas with mental health provider shortages.