Legislative Activity

The Time Off to Vote Act mandates that employers provide employees with at least two consecutive hours of paid leave to vote in federal elections. Employers retain control over the timing of this leave, which cannot result in the loss of existing benefits. This federal requirement supplements, but does not override, any state or local laws that offer greater employee protections.

This resolution officially designates the week of August 3 through August 9, 2025, as "National Farmers Market Week." It aims to celebrate the vital role farmers markets play in strengthening local economies and supporting farmers across the nation. Furthermore, the resolution recognizes how these markets improve community health by increasing access to fresh food and promoting sustainable agriculture.

The Food Date Labeling Act of 2025 establishes national standards for food date labeling, requiring manufacturers to use specific phrases like "BEST If Used By" for quality dates and "USE By" for discard dates. This legislation clarifies the meaning of these dates for consumers and prevents states from creating conflicting terminology. The new labeling requirements will take effect two years after the bill is enacted.

The Space Exploration Research Act authorizes NASA to lease its real property for up to 99 years to state agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit scientific organizations. These leases support the development of facilities dedicated to space research, technology transfer, and workforce training. Additionally, the bill grants NASA the authority to enter into support agreements and provide services to these entities to foster collaboration in the aerospace sector.

The SAVES Act of 2025 establishes a five-year pilot program within the VA to award competitive grants to nonprofits providing service dogs to eligible veterans with disabilities like PTSD or mobility issues. These grants, capped at $2 million per recipient, will cover the cost of training the dog and veteran, and the VA will also provide veterinary insurance for each service dog. The goal is to ensure veterans receive necessary support dogs without incurring any personal fees.

The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act extends crucial federal programs aimed at combating vector-borne diseases like those carried by ticks. This legislation reauthorizes funding and support for national strategies, regional centers, and local health departments through 2030. It also updates the composition of the advisory group overseeing the national strategy.

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the Voting Rights Act by establishing new standards to challenge discriminatory voting practices and updating federal oversight criteria for states. It mandates greater transparency for all changes to voting rules and implements "practice-based preclearance" for certain jurisdictions. Additionally, the bill creates new federal criminal penalties for using force or threats to intimidate voters or election workers.

The American Grown Act mandates that certain federal agencies, including the Executive Office of the President, Department of Defense, and Department of State, must procure decorative cut flowers and greens only from U.S. domestic sources. This restriction applies to purchases made one year after the Act's enactment. Furthermore, if these agencies accept such items as gifts from foreign entities, they must clearly label the origin and display a domestically grown replacement alongside the gift.

The EATS Act of 2025 revises eligibility rules for students seeking Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by clarifying the definition of a "bona fide student." This legislation removes specific restrictions that previously barred many higher education students from receiving SNAP. The changes, including technical renumbering of relevant sections, will take effect on January 2, 2026.

The Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2025 authorizes $50 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to be appropriated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This funding is specifically designated for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention. This appropriation is in addition to any existing funds allocated for this purpose.

The All Aboard Act of 2025 aims to significantly modernize and expand the nation's passenger and freight rail systems through massive federal investment. It establishes major grant programs focused on electrifying infrastructure, developing zero-emission locomotives, and improving high-performance rail service. Furthermore, the Act mandates strong labor protections and creates new training centers to ensure a skilled workforce is ready for the industry's technological transition.

The Restoring Essential Healthcare Act repeals a previous ban that prohibited Medicaid payments to certain healthcare entities. This legislation retroactively validates and ensures payment for essential healthcare services provided by these now-unbanned organizations during the period the prohibition was in effect.

This resolution reaffirms that immigration officers are not authorized to arrest, detain, interrogate, or deport United States citizens. It calls for the Department of Homeland Security to implement stronger measures to prevent future wrongful enforcement actions against American citizens. The bill emphasizes that such actions violate constitutional rights and undermine public trust.

This bill, the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, updates the eligibility requirements for a specific immigration registry status. It replaces outdated entry date requirements with a new standard requiring applicants to have resided in the United States for at least seven years prior to applying. These changes aim to modernize the criteria for long-term residents seeking this status.

This Act prohibits discrimination against individuals based on disability or age in federal jury service. It amends federal law to ensure qualified individuals are not excluded from juries solely due to a disability if reasonable accommodations can be made. The bill removes outdated standards that allowed exclusion based on general infirmity.

The Transparency and Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Networks (TRAIN) Act empowers copyright owners to seek information from developers of generative AI models. This allows copyright holders to subpoena records if they have a good-faith belief their work was used in training the AI model. Developers must comply with the subpoena or face a rebuttable presumption that they copied the copyrighted material.

The Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting in 2026. This legislation covers pharmacist services that align with state law and are provided in collaboration with a physician or approved practitioner. The bill specifies payment rates for these covered services, particularly enhancing reimbursement for services related to public health emergencies like COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Furthermore, it prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

The Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2025 significantly improves the TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program for military dependents. This bill eliminates the separate monthly premium requirement for TYA coverage, making healthcare more affordable. It also removes a previous restriction on eligibility for the program.

The EACH Act of 2025 mandates that all federally funded health programs and insurance plans must cover abortion services without imposing restrictions based on income or insurance type. This legislation aims to eliminate existing federal bans and state-level restrictions that prevent access to comprehensive reproductive care. Furthermore, the bill prevents the federal government from interfering with state or private insurance plans that choose to cover abortion services. It explicitly repeals Section 1303 of the Affordable Care Act and establishes that this Act takes precedence over all conflicting federal laws.

The Equal Health Care for All Act aims to eliminate systemic bias and disparities in healthcare access and outcomes based on race, sex, disability, and age. It mandates comprehensive data collection to expose inequities, incorporates fairness measures into hospital quality assessments and payment programs, and establishes a Federal Health Equity Commission to monitor progress. Furthermore, the Act strengthens anti-discrimination enforcement and creates grant programs to help hospitals actively promote equitable care.