Legislative Activity

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 Small Business Relief Act aims to ease regulatory burdens on small businesses by amending the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Specifically, this legislation modifies the mandatory registration threshold for securities. The bill introduces new exclusions to reduce registration requirements for certain persons.

The Protecting Private Job Creators Act creates an exception to SEC Rule 15c2-11 specifically for fixed-income securities. This change exempts certain debt instruments, such as bonds and debentures, from the rule's quotation requirements. This aims to ease regulatory burdens on private job creators dealing with these types of securities.

The Tailoring and Indexing Enhanced Regulations Act of 2025 (TIER Act) significantly raises the asset thresholds that subject financial institutions to enhanced supervision under various banking laws. It adjusts current dollar thresholds based on historical GDP growth to reflect current economic realities. Furthermore, the bill mandates future, automatic five-year adjustments to these thresholds based on subsequent U.S. GDP growth to ensure regulations remain appropriately scaled.

The Bank-Fintech Partnership Enhancement Act mandates federal regulators to study the impact of partnerships between banks and fintech companies on competition, innovation, and consumer protection. It also requires a separate study on similar partnerships involving credit unions. The goal of these studies is to recommend necessary changes to laws and regulations to better promote effective collaboration between traditional financial institutions and technology firms.

The Respect State Housing Laws Act aims to clarify federal housing regulations by amending the CARES Act. Specifically, this legislation removes Section 4024(c) from the CARES Act.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and financial processors from creating or requiring special merchant category codes specifically for firearm retailers. This legislation aims to prevent the singling out of businesses that sell firearms, ammunition, or related components through transaction coding. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcement and reporting annually to Congress on the law's implementation.

The American Financial Institution Regulatory Sovereignty and Transparency Act of 2025 (American FIRST Act) mandates that key federal banking agencies significantly increase transparency regarding their international regulatory activities. This bill requires the Federal Reserve, the Comptroller of the Currency, and the FDIC to submit detailed annual reports to Congress about their engagement with global financial forums. These reports must cover the purpose, funding, positions taken, and implementation plans related to standards set by these international bodies.

The Community Bank Representation Act establishes a dedicated community bank member on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. This member will focus on the supervision and regulation of smaller banking organizations, specifically those under a specified asset threshold. The Act also mandates regular Congressional testimony regarding these efforts and requires the asset threshold to be adjusted annually based on GDP growth.

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.

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.

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 establishes new federal requirements for Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) contracting with Medicare Part D and Medicaid plans, effective in 2027. It mandates specific payment standards for pharmacies, requires PBMs to pass manufacturer rebates directly to patients and plan sponsors, and strictly prohibits steering patients toward specific pharmacies. Additionally, the legislation enhances transparency by expanding drug price reporting requirements for all types of pharmacies within the Medicaid program.

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 REAL Act mandates that federal officials must clearly disclose when they use generative artificial intelligence to create or alter public content. This disclosure requires a prominent, plain-language disclaimer explaining the AI's role in generating or manipulating the content. The law establishes implementation timelines, annual compliance audits, and specific penalties for federal officials and contractors who fail to adhere to these transparency requirements.

This resolution denounces the rhetoric of six specific Members of Congress for allegedly sowing disallegiance within the U.S. military and intelligence community. It condemns their actions for encouraging service members to potentially violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice by suggesting they defy orders without evidence of illegality. The bill asserts that this rhetoric undermines the President's role as Commander in Chief and compromises national security.

This resolution strongly condemns the Iranian government for its ongoing, state-sponsored persecution of the Baha'i religious minority, which violates international human rights laws. It documents systematic abuses, including economic restrictions, denial of education, and arbitrary arrests, noting that these actions may constitute a crime against humanity. The resolution calls on Iran to immediately release all imprisoned Bahais and urges the U.S. President and Secretary of State to condemn these violations and impose sanctions on responsible officials.

The Corporal Fernando Ruiz Baltazar Posthumous Citizenship Act of 2025 expands eligibility for posthumous U.S. citizenship. This bill specifically grants citizenship to noncitizens who served honorably in the U.S. military and died from service-related injuries or disease. It particularly focuses on those who enlisted in the Philippines between September 1, 1939, and December 31, 1946. The relevant military department will determine eligibility for these posthumous benefits.

The Official Time Reporting Act establishes a new annual reporting requirement for federal agencies regarding the time their employees spend on union business while on the clock. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must compile and publicly release a detailed report analyzing this "official time" usage, costs, and impact across the government. This legislation mandates transparency by requiring agencies to submit detailed data, including explanations for any increases in time usage, to OPM for inclusion in the public report.