Legislative Activity

The Undersea Cable Control Act mandates the development of a comprehensive U.S. strategy to prevent foreign adversaries from acquiring the necessary components for undersea cable projects. This strategy requires identifying critical parts, coordinating export controls with allies, and establishing international agreements to block access. The President must report on this strategy to Congress annually for three years, while the Commerce Secretary reviews and strengthens export controls on relevant technologies.

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act seeks to federally decriminalize cannabis by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act, which will retroactively apply to past offenses. The bill establishes an Opportunity Trust Fund, financed by new cannabis taxes, to reinvest in communities harmed by prohibition. Furthermore, it mandates the expungement of non-violent federal cannabis convictions and opens up Small Business Administration (SBA) programs to legitimate cannabis businesses.

The American Decade of Sports Act establishes a "Mega-Decade Sports Diplomacy Strategy" to leverage major international sporting events hosted in the U.S. between 2024 and 2034 to enhance America's global standing. This requires the State Department to create comprehensive 5-year plans detailing diplomatic goals, partnerships, and visa facilitation efforts. Furthermore, the Act mandates the creation of a dedicated Office of Sports Diplomacy to coordinate and execute these strategy objectives across government and private sectors. The Secretary of State must provide annual progress reports to Congress on the implementation of these goals until the end of 2034.

The Enduring Welcome Act of 2025 establishes a permanent Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts within the State Department to streamline and support the resettlement of Afghan allies. This Act mandates the creation of a secure, centralized database to track all applicants, beneficiaries, and relocation progress, ensuring accountability to Congress. The Coordinator will manage interagency efforts, resolve family reunification roadblocks, and provide integration support for covered persons. This entire framework is set to automatically expire five years after enactment unless otherwise specified.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating August 15, 2025, as "Indian Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of the World's Two Largest Democracies." It celebrates India's independence and recognizes the deep, shared commitment to democracy between the United States and India. The bill further acknowledges the vital contributions of Americans of Indian heritage to U.S. society and reaffirms the strategic partnership between the two nations.

The Shielding Students from Wildfire Smoke Act directs the EPA to commission a comprehensive study on how K-12 schools and childcare facilities currently manage wildfire smoke exposure for children. This review will assess existing policies, identify gaps in protection, and recommend actionable strategies to Congress for improving safeguards, especially for resource-limited settings.

The High Occupancy Vehicle Lane Exemption Reauthorization Act extends the federal regulations governing High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) facilities. Specifically, this bill pushes back the expiration date for these existing HOV facility rules from September 30, 2025, to September 30, 2031. This ensures the current federal guidelines remain in effect for an additional six years.

The Taskforce for Recognizing and Averting Payment Scams Act (TRAPS Act) establishes a new Task Force led by the Secretary of the Treasury. This diverse group, including federal agencies, industry experts, and consumer advocates, will study evolving payment scams. The Task Force is charged with developing cross-sector prevention strategies and submitting comprehensive recommendations for new laws and improved coordination to combat these fraudulent activities.

The Warehouse Worker Protection Act establishes new federal standards to increase transparency and fairness for warehouse workers at large companies by mandating disclosure of performance quotas and monitoring data. It guarantees mandatory paid rest breaks, strengthens protections against using quotas to suppress organizing efforts, and introduces new federal ergonomics and safety standards under OSHA. The bill creates a new Department of Labor office to enforce these provisions and invalidates mandatory pre-dispute arbitration for related claims.

The Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must now provide abortion care, counseling, and related medication as part of the medical services offered to eligible veterans and certain other beneficiaries. This legislation formally amends existing VA health care provisions to include these reproductive health services.

The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act of 2025 repeals specific prior reconciliation health provisions. This bill significantly expands eligibility for the Premium Tax Credit by eliminating the 400% Federal Poverty Level income cap. It also updates the subsidy calculation formula to ensure a smoother, linear adjustment of assistance across various income levels.

The Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025 expands reproductive and fertility care for service members and veterans. Title I mandates comprehensive fertility preservation and treatment for active-duty personnel and their families. Title II formally establishes fertility treatment, counseling, and adoption assistance as covered benefits for eligible veterans through the VA. This bill aims to remove barriers and reduce financial burdens for military families seeking to start or expand their families.

The College Transparency Act establishes a secure, new national system for tracking student data from postsecondary institutions to improve transparency regarding enrollment, completion, costs, and post-college outcomes. This system will collect detailed, student-level data, securely matched with other federal records, to create public, aggregate reports for comparison. The law mandates strict privacy and security standards while aiming to reduce overall reporting burdens for colleges.

The Restoring Essential Healthcare Act repeals an outdated ban that prevented Medicaid from making payments to certain healthcare providers. This legislation ensures that these previously prohibited entities will now be reimbursed for medical services rendered between the enactment of the original ban and the passage of this Act. In short, it restores payment eligibility and retroactively covers past services.

The EATS Act of 2025 significantly updates eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by removing previous restrictions that often disqualified students. This legislation explicitly includes bona fide students enrolled at least half-time in recognized educational programs as eligible participants for food assistance. These changes take effect on January 2, 2026.

The Choosing Our Own Lives Over Fast Firearms Act, or COOL OFF Act, establishes a mandatory 3-business-day waiting period before an individual can receive a handgun, whether through a private sale or from a licensed dealer. This waiting period is waived for specific exceptions, such as transfers involving law enforcement, temporary family loans, or emergency situations to prevent serious harm. The law includes penalties for violations and will take effect 90 days after enactment.

This Concurrent Resolution affirms the importance of equal physical access to federally funded facilities for all Americans, especially people with disabilities. It recognizes that current infrastructure often fails to meet the needs of the growing population of people with disabilities. The resolution reaffirms support for existing accessibility laws like the ADA and pledges to use universal design principles in future federal projects. Ultimately, it calls for the removal of existing barriers to ensure full societal participation.

This bill, the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, updates the eligibility requirements for creating records of lawful admission for long-term residents. It replaces a fixed entry date with a new standard requiring applicants to have resided in the U.S. for at least seven years prior to applying. These revised provisions will take effect 60 days after the Act is enacted.

The EACH Act of 2025 aims to ensure equal access to abortion coverage by requiring all federally funded health programs and facilities to cover abortion services. This legislation prohibits federal interference with state or private insurance coverage of abortion and repeals Section 1303 of the Affordable Care Act. Ultimately, the bill seeks to eliminate financial and insurance barriers to abortion care, particularly for low-income individuals relying on programs like Medicaid.

The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025 enhances efforts to combat human trafficking both within the United States and internationally. The act focuses on prevention education, survivor support, and international cooperation, while increasing funding authorizations for key anti-trafficking programs. It prioritizes resources for areas with high trafficking rates, improves data collection, and ensures that foreign assistance aligns with counter-trafficking goals. This legislation aims to protect vulnerable populations, empower survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable.