Legislative Activity

The Eastern Flank Strategic Partnership Act of 2025 prioritizes U.S. defense cooperation with key NATO allies bordering Russia and Belarus. This legislation establishes a formal definition for "Eastern Flank strategic defense partners" based on location, defense spending commitments, and hosting NATO forces. It mandates that these partners receive priority access to U.S. security assistance, financing, and pre-positioned military stockpiles to enhance regional deterrence. The Act also requires a briefing to Congress detailing the implementation plan for these new cooperative measures.

The Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2025 requires colleges receiving federal aid to update their campus safety reports with comprehensive anti-harassment policies that specifically address technology-facilitated harassment. This legislation also establishes a competitive grant program to fund campus initiatives focused on harassment prevention, counseling, and training. Crucially, the Act supplements existing civil rights laws without overriding any current student protections or legal remedies.

The Protecting Students with Disabilities Act ensures that key federal offices overseeing disability education and services, such as OSEP and RSA, remain permanently housed within the Department of Education. This legislation prohibits the executive branch from unilaterally relocating these offices or using appropriated funds to undermine their statutory duties. Furthermore, the Act prevents the Department from outsourcing the enforcement or administration of major disability laws like IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act.

The Semiquincentennial Tourism and Access to Recreation Sites Act, or STARS Act, designates September 17, 2026, as a national day of free access to federal recreation sites. This celebration of the U.S. 250th anniversary waives entrance fees for National Park and Wildlife Refuge System units. Additionally, standard amenity recreation fees will be waived at sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Forest Service on that day.

The Safe Step Act establishes mandatory exception processes for group health plans and insurance issuers that utilize step therapy protocols for prescription drugs. This ensures patients and doctors have a clear, timely pathway to request coverage for medically necessary alternatives when required initial treatments are inappropriate or ineffective. Plans must provide rapid decisions for urgent requests and adhere to specific reporting requirements detailing exception outcomes.

The Protect America’s Workforce Act nullifies two specific Executive Orders related to federal labor-management programs and prohibits the use of federal funds to enforce them. Furthermore, the Act ensures that all existing collective bargaining agreements between the federal government and labor organizations remain fully in effect until their original expiration dates. This legislation solidifies current federal union contracts while removing the authority of the voided orders.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to grant Congress and the states clear authority to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures. It explicitly allows for setting reasonable spending limits and establishing public financing systems for political campaigns. The amendment also permits banning spending by corporations and other legal entities while safeguarding the freedom of the press.

This resolution officially designates September 2025 as National Voting Rights Month to highlight ongoing threats to ballot access and encourage civic engagement. It urges Congress to pass legislation strengthening voting protections, like the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Furthermore, the resolution encourages educational outreach to inform citizens about registration and the history of voting rights in America.

The FAMILY Act establishes the Family and Medical Insurance Leave program, creating a new office within the Social Security Administration to manage paid benefits for qualified caregiving and serious health conditions. This law outlines eligibility requirements, a tiered formula for calculating monthly benefit payments, and protections against employer retaliation for taking leave. The Act also provides funding mechanisms for states that already have similar paid leave programs in place.

This resolution officially designates September 25, 2025, as "National Lobster Day." It recognizes the lobster's significant historical, economic, and cultural importance to the United States, highlighting the industry's long-standing commitment to sustainability. The measure encourages Americans to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities celebrating this iconic seafood.

The Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act invalidates pre-dispute agreements that force individuals into private arbitration for employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights claims. This legislation protects the right of individuals and groups to pursue legal action in court rather than being compelled into private arbitration before a dispute arises. It ensures that courts, not arbitrators, decide if this new law applies to a specific agreement. The Act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

This Act officially establishes the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 to honor the life and groundbreaking civil rights achievements of the late legal pioneer. The bill authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to her family in recognition of her service, including her role in *Brown v. Board of Education*. Furthermore, it permits the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the medal to cover production costs.

The Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act establishes a dedicated "Ski Area Fee Retention Account" to hold fees collected from ski area permits on National Forest land. These retained funds are primarily directed back to the specific forest unit where they were collected to support administration, permit processing, and facility maintenance. The bill ensures these fees supplement, rather than replace, existing congressional appropriations for Forest Service operations.

The Small Business RELIEF Act exempts qualifying small businesses from import duties imposed under Executive Order 14257 due to a national emergency declaration. This legislation also mandates refunds for any such duties already paid by these small businesses. The goal is to provide immediate financial relief to small businesses impacted by these specific emergency tariffs.

The Affordable Inhalers and Nebulizers Act of 2025 aims to significantly lower out-of-pocket costs for essential breathing medications like asthma and COPD inhalers. This bill caps patient cost-sharing for these products at a maximum of \$15 per 30-day supply across private insurance, Medicare Part D, and a new program for the uninsured. Furthermore, it eliminates deductibles for inhalers under most private and Medicare plans starting in 2026.

The RESULTS Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve the accuracy of Medicare payment rates for common clinical diagnostic laboratory tests. It mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) contract with an independent, certified entity to collect payment data from a massive, nationwide private insurance claims database. This shift ensures payment rates are based on comprehensive, validated external data rather than relying solely on self-reported information. If this external data is unavailable, default inflation-adjusted rates will apply until accurate data collection resumes.

The Federal Firefighter Cancer Detection and Prevention Act of 2025 mandates specialized, regular cancer screenings for Department of Defense (DoD) firefighters. This includes age-appropriate testing for breast, colon, and prostate cancers, as well as screenings for other cancers identified as prevalent in the profession. The bill ensures firefighters can opt out of any service while requiring documentation of offered versus accepted screenings to track cancer trends.

The Student Loan Deduction Act of 2025 allows households applying for food assistance to deduct monthly student loan payments from their countable income. This deduction applies to both federal and private education loans, covering payments made for any household member. Claiming this deduction can positively impact eligibility for food assistance benefits.

The Telehealth Modernization Act primarily extends key Medicare telehealth flexibilities, such as geographic and audio-only options, until September 30, 2027. The bill also extends the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver through 2030 and mandates a comprehensive study comparing home-based and traditional hospital care. Additionally, it introduces new program integrity measures for Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and requires guidance to ensure language access for Limited English Proficiency patients utilizing telehealth.

The Fair Access In Residency (FAIR) Act of 2025 aims to ensure equitable treatment of osteopathic (DO) and allopathic (MD) medical school graduates during residency applications. Hospitals must report detailed data on DO and MD applicant numbers and acceptances to avoid a 2% cut in Medicare payments. Furthermore, programs must affirm fair consideration and accept either COMLEX or USMLE exam scores if an exam is required. This collected data will be made publicly available by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.