Legislative Activity

The Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act ensures that service-connected disability compensation received by veterans is excluded when calculating income for eligibility in certain federal housing programs. This change aims to increase access to affordable housing for disabled veterans. The bill also mandates a report to Congress reviewing how HUD currently treats this compensation across its programs.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 targets the increasing threat posed by organized theft groups impacting retail and the national supply chain. This bill strengthens federal law by expanding money laundering statutes and lowering thresholds for property crimes related to theft. Crucially, it establishes a new federal coordination center within Homeland Security Investigations to align efforts across all levels of law enforcement and the private sector to combat these cross-jurisdictional crimes.

The SAFE KIDS Act addresses national security concerns by invalidating surrogacy agreements between U.S. surrogates and prospective parents from designated "foreign entities of concern." This legislation voids such contracts and imposes penalties on surrogacy brokers who facilitate these arrangements. The bill ensures that custody decisions for children born under these void agreements are based solely on the child's best interests under state law.

This bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to temporarily exclude certain False Claims Act recoveries from being deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. It also mandates a comprehensive audit by the Department of Justice Inspector General on the Fund's sustainability and the impact of recent legislative changes. The resulting report will provide recommendations for improving the Fund's effectiveness and oversight.

The Main Street Capital Access Act is a comprehensive bill designed to revitalize community banking by making it easier to start new banks, tailoring regulations to the size of financial institutions, and increasing transparency in bank supervision. It introduces regulatory relief for smaller banks, streamlines the application process, and reforms how bank failures are resolved to promote competition. Ultimately, the legislation seeks to reduce regulatory burdens and foster a more diverse and accessible financial system.

The Blue Envelope Awareness Act amends federal law to allow states and local governments to use Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funds for "blue envelope programs." These programs assist individuals with speech, hearing, or developmental disabilities by providing them with a blue envelope to present disability documentation during traffic stops. The funding also supports necessary training for law enforcement officers on interacting effectively with these individuals.

The Community Bank Representation Act amends the Federal Reserve Act to establish a dedicated community bank member on the Board of Governors. This member will focus on the supervision and regulation of smaller banking organizations, defined by an asset threshold that adjusts annually with GDP growth. Furthermore, this designated Governor will be required to provide regular testimony to Congress regarding policies affecting these community banks.

The Protecting Private Job Creators Act addresses the application of an SEC rule (Rule 15c2-11) originally designed for stock markets to the fixed-income (bond) markets. This bill formally creates an exception, ensuring that this specific SEC regulation does not apply to quotations for fixed-income securities. This action aims to protect the vital financing mechanisms used by businesses in the debt markets.

The "Respect State Housing Laws Act" repeals a provision in the CARES Act that restricted states' abilities to enforce their own eviction moratoriums. This change clarifies that state laws regarding evictions should be respected and not overridden by federal measures. By removing the subsection, the bill aims to restore states' authority over housing regulations and eviction processes within their jurisdictions.

The Tailoring and Indexing Enhanced Regulations Act of 2025 (TIER Act) adjusts current dollar thresholds across major banking laws to reflect historical increases in U.S. GDP, potentially reducing regulatory burdens for some financial institutions. It also mandates that key regulatory thresholds be automatically adjusted every five years based on future GDP growth, starting in 2031. Furthermore, the bill requires federal financial agencies to jointly review and adjust non-statutory regulatory thresholds every five years to maintain consistency with economic changes.

The American Financial Institution Regulatory Sovereignty and Transparency Act of 2025 (American FIRST Act) mandates that key federal banking agencies—the Federal Reserve, OCC, and FDIC—provide Congress with detailed annual reports on their interactions with global financial regulatory bodies. These reports must thoroughly document the purpose, membership, standards discussed, and positions taken within these international forums. Additionally, the Federal Reserve must specifically address these global interactions during its biannual congressional testimony.

The "Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act" prevents payment card networks from assigning a unique merchant category code to firearm retailers. The Attorney General is responsible for enforcing the Act, investigating complaints, and reporting to Congress. This law overrides state and local laws regarding merchant category codes for firearm retailers and does not establish a private right of action.

The Small Business Relief Act amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to adjust the shareholder threshold that triggers mandatory securities registration for companies. This change modifies the criteria under Section 12(g)(1) that determines when a business must register its stock offerings. Furthermore, the bill restricts the SEC's general exemption authority from overriding this newly established registration requirement.

The Bank-Fintech Partnership Enhancement Act mandates a joint study by the Federal Reserve, OCC, and FDIC on how partnerships between banks and financial technology companies can foster new bank formation and improve community bank health. This study will specifically analyze the impact on product launch times, compliance costs, and technological capabilities. The agencies must report their findings and recommendations for regulatory changes to Congress within six months of enactment.

The Housing for the 21st Century Act is a comprehensive bill designed to significantly increase the supply of affordable housing by reforming restrictive zoning rules and streamlining federal construction approvals. It modernizes key federal programs, expands financing options for manufactured homes, and introduces new protections and support services for tenants and veterans. Overall, the legislation aims to reduce regulatory delays and lower construction costs to make housing more accessible nationwide.

This bill, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, officially authorizes Congress to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. The medals will be struck by the Treasury and permanently displayed at specific national sports museums. The Act also permits the sale of duplicate bronze medals to cover production costs.

The Incentivizing New Ventures and Economic Strength Through Capital Formation Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill designed to make it easier for small businesses and startups to raise capital and access public markets. It achieves this by expanding investment opportunities, increasing crowdfunding limits, and streamlining SEC regulations for emerging companies. Additionally, the Act modernizes the definition of an accredited investor and establishes new protections and task forces focused on senior investors. Overall, the legislation seeks to stimulate economic growth by lowering barriers for entrepreneurs and increasing access to private and public investment pools.

This bill, the American Border Story Memorial Act, authorizes The American Border Story (TABS) to establish a memorial in Washington, D.C. This memorial will honor U.S. citizens and legal residents killed in crimes committed by individuals unlawfully present in the United States. The establishment must adhere to federal regulations for commemorative works, but crucially, no federal funds can be used for its creation or maintenance.

This bill, the Pharmacists Fight Back in Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans Act, establishes new rules for Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) administering prescription drug benefits for federal employees. It mandates specific reimbursement rates for pharmacies and prohibits PBMs from engaging in anti-competitive practices like steering patients to affiliated pharmacies. The legislation also institutes civil monetary penalties and potential debarment for PBMs that fail to comply with these new requirements.

The Biological Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2025 aims to safeguard sensitive U.S. biotechnology by controlling the export of synthetic DNA and RNA sequences. This bill establishes a license requirement for transferring these digital sequences to foreign entities of concern, particularly those linked to adversaries like the People's Republic of China. Congress finds this action necessary to prevent intellectual property theft that supports foreign military modernization and strategic technology development.