Legislative Activity

The International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025 establishes a permanent program within the Department of State, led by a dedicated Special Envoy, to protect and promote the human rights of LGBTQI people globally. This bill mandates the creation of a comprehensive U.S. Global Strategy to address international discrimination and violence against this community. Furthermore, it authorizes foreign assistance to support local organizations and requires detailed reporting on LGBTQI human rights abuses in annual State Department reports.

The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act seeks to establish comprehensive federal labor protections for domestic workers, including nannies, caregivers, and housekeepers. It mandates key standards such as overtime pay, earned sick leave, written work agreements, and fair scheduling practices. The bill also creates a standards board to recommend future workplace improvements and includes funding mechanisms to help states cover the costs of extending these protections to Medicaid-funded in-home care providers. Ultimately, this legislation aims to increase job security, predictability, and legal recourse for this historically excluded workforce.

This bill authorizes $74 million in U.S. funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Congress finds that UNFPA is essential for global sexual and reproductive health, preventing maternal deaths, and combating gender-based violence worldwide. The legislation affirms that supporting UNFPA is a strategic U.S. foreign policy priority that advances global health and stability.

This resolution strongly condemns white supremacy, hate, and antisemitism, specifically targeting the promotion of these dangerous ideologies by Nick Fuentes. It further condemns Tucker Carlson and Kevin Roberts for platforming and defending Fuentes's documented antisemitic and Holocaust-denying statements. The resolution affirms the nation's commitment to fighting antisemitism and urges all leaders to reject these hateful views.

This resolution condemns the anti-Palestinian hatred demonstrated by the November 25, 2023, shooting in Burlington, Vermont, which targeted students for wearing a Palestinian scarf and speaking Arabic. It expresses concern over the rising threats and violence against Palestinian communities linked to anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim hatred during the Gaza conflict. The resolution affirms that no one in the U.S. should face violence due to their identity and condemns hateful language targeting Palestinians.

This Act establishes a process for the FAA to create new rules mandating airline compensation for flight cancellations and significant delays within the airline's control. It requires the formation of a committee to develop recommendations, including specific cash compensation amounts, free rebooking, and coverage for amenities like meals and lodging. The Secretary of Transportation must then issue proposed and interim final rules to implement these passenger protections, including an immediate interim compensation of $750 for airline-caused disruptions.

The Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act aims to update and index the Social Security lump sum death payment. This bill sets the fixed payment amount at \$2,900, effective January 1, 2026.

This bill, the Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025, strictly prohibits the use of U.S. military funds for hostilities against Venezuela. Any military action must be specifically authorized by a new law passed by Congress or authorized consistent with the War Powers Resolution. The Act maintains exceptions for self-defense or defense of U.S. personnel, as well as for humanitarian aid and certain counternarcotics operations.

This resolution celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and recognizes its transformative impact on ensuring a free, appropriate public education for children with disabilities. It honors the millions who have benefited from IDEA and reaffirms commitment to its principles. *Note: The provided text also includes details about a separate "Housing for All" program, which is not addressed in this summary as the primary focus of the resolution appears to be IDEA.*

The Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act of 2025 aims to strengthen protections for unaccompanied children navigating the immigration system. This bill exempts these children from various immigration-related fees, including those for asylum and employment authorization. Furthermore, it places limitations on body examinations and restricts the sharing of sponsor information with immigration enforcement agencies. The Act also mandates the refund of previously paid fees that are now waived.

This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from any hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been explicitly authorized by Congress. It affirms Congress's constitutional authority to declare war and mandates expedited procedures for considering this measure. The resolution ensures that any ongoing military action against Venezuela ceases unless Congress provides a specific authorization for the use of force.

This bill establishes the **Temporary Immigration Judge Integrity Act** to authorize the Attorney General to appoint highly qualified individuals as temporary immigration judges for limited terms. These temporary judges will have the same authority as permanent judges but will be subject to rigorous oversight and mandatory training requirements. The legislation emphasizes that these temporary appointments are not intended to replace the need for permanent immigration judges.

This bill, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025, mandates an increase in disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation rates for veterans. Effective December 1, 2025, these rates will be raised by the same percentage as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for that year. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to implement these increases and publish the adjusted rates.

The Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025 aims to strengthen domestic food security by repealing specific sections of a previous law (Public Law 11921). This repeal effectively reinstates the original statutes that were previously altered by those sections.

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 available, stable foster and adoptive homes, particularly for LGBTQ youth and youth of color who are overrepresented in the system. The bill mandates federal guidance, cultural competency training, and the establishment of a resource center to improve safety and permanency outcomes for all children in care. Entities found in violation may face the withholding of federal payments.

The Surviving Widow(er) Income Fair Treatment Act (SWIFT Act) of 2025 aims to significantly improve Social Security benefits for surviving spouses and divorced spouses. It removes the age restriction for disabled survivors to receive full benefits and introduces new incentives for delaying the claiming of survivor benefits. Furthermore, the bill raises the age limit for a child to qualify a parent for child-in-care benefits from 16 to 18. These major changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

The Background Check Expansion Act mandates that nearly all private firearm transfers between unlicensed individuals must go through a licensed dealer to complete a federal background check. This legislation establishes a universal background check requirement for these transactions, with specific exceptions for family gifts and law enforcement transfers. The bill aims to close loopholes in existing firearm transfer laws while explicitly prohibiting the creation of a national firearms registry.

The End Rent Fixing Act of 2025 prohibits rental property owners from using coordinators to gather and analyze rental data to recommend prices or terms. This bill makes paying for or performing such "coordinating functions" illegal under federal antitrust law. Enforcement is granted to the FTC, the Department of Justice, and State Attorneys General, and allows harmed individuals to sue for treble damages.

The EXPERTS Act of 2025 aims to reform the federal rulemaking process by increasing transparency and accountability across executive agencies. It mandates extensive disclosure requirements for studies and funding sources submitted during public comment periods and establishes new standards for judicial review of agency actions. Furthermore, the bill creates an Office of the Public Advocate to focus on social equity in regulations and streamlines the review timeline for significant regulatory actions by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).

This bill establishes the Right to Representation for Department of Veterans Affairs Workers Act of 2025. It grants most VA employees the right to have a representative present during certain examinations if they believe the exam could lead to disciplinary action. This representation can occur during paid duty time upon the employee's request.