Legislative Activity

This resolution designates May as "National Bladder Cancer Awareness Month" to raise public awareness, promote early treatment, and support research for this prevalent and costly disease. It highlights the significant impact of bladder cancer, especially among veterans, and the importance of early diagnosis for improved survival rates. The resolution encourages communities, research institutions, and individuals to actively participate in raising awareness and supporting those affected by bladder cancer.

This bill amends the Small Business Act to allow a surviving child who inherits a service-disabled veteran's small business to maintain the business's status as a service-disabled veteran-owned small business for up to three years after the veteran's death. The business must have been listed in the relevant database prior to the veteran's death to qualify. A "surviving child" is defined as a biological or legally adopted child of the veteran.

This bill designates May 5-9, 2025, as "Teacher Appreciation Week," recognizing the contributions of public school teachers and their support for various educational initiatives. It acknowledges teachers' dedication to improving education through innovative methods and emphasizes the importance of their involvement in shaping education policies. The bill encourages leaders to engage with teachers, ensuring their insights are included in classroom policies.

This bill recognizes the impact of menstrual stigma on women, girls, and people who menstruate, and supports the designation of May as "National Menstrual Health Awareness Month." It emphasizes that menstrual health is a crucial aspect of overall health and human dignity, affecting access to education, work, and freedom from discrimination. The bill aims to normalize menstruation, improve education and care, and increase access to resources, thereby promoting gender equity and equality. It also seeks to address disparities in women's health research and promote better understanding and management of menstrual health conditions.

The REHIRE Act provides hiring preference to certain Federal employees involuntarily removed from their positions between January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2027. These employees will be considered preference eligibles for competitive service appointments and receive 5 additional points to their earned rating. This preference does not apply to individuals removed from political positions, those separated due to misconduct or poor performance, or those whose most recent performance review was unacceptable, and expires 5 years after enactment.

The "Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2025" aims to promote and expand employee ownership, particularly through S corporation employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). It includes provisions for tax deferrals on certain stock sales to ESOPs, establishes a Treasury Department office to provide technical assistance for S corporations interested in employee ownership, amends the Small Business Act to support ESOP-owned small businesses, and creates an Advocate for Employee Ownership within the Department of Labor to support and promote employee ownership initiatives. This act seeks to encourage employee ownership by providing resources, removing barriers, and ensuring representation for employee ownership interests within the government.

The "Improving Diaper Affordability Act of 2025" aims to make diapers more affordable for families by classifying them as qualified medical expenses for tax-advantaged health accounts, such as HSAs and FSAs. Additionally, the bill prohibits state and local governments from imposing sales taxes on diapers. This will reduce the financial burden on families, especially low-income households, and improve the health and well-being of babies and their parents.

This bill expresses support for designating April 30, 2025, as "National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day" to raise awareness about the importance of hepatitis B vaccination for adults. It recognizes the significant health risks associated with hepatitis B, the low vaccination rates among adults, and the availability of safe and effective vaccines. The bill encourages increased testing, vaccination, and access to care for those affected by hepatitis B, and promotes efforts to reduce new infections and deaths.

The PREP Act reduces the maximum probationary period for initial federal government appointments to 6 months for those with prior civil service experience and 12 months for all other appointees. This change applies to positions under 5 U.S.C. 3321, initial appointments in the excepted service, and the Senior Executive Service. The act also amends 5 U.S.C. 9510 regarding the Internal Revenue Service, adjusting provisions related to probationary periods.

This bill supports designating the last Tuesday of April as "APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMKD) Awareness Day" to raise awareness about the genetic factors contributing to kidney disease, which disproportionately affects Black individuals. It encourages increased research, regular medical check-ups, and genetic testing, especially for those with West and Central African ancestry, to promote early detection and prevention. The bill aims to address health disparities and reduce the significant financial burden of kidney disease on the healthcare system.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury selection. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act seeks to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals and women across various sectors.

The Rural Hospital Stabilization Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary, through the Director of the Office of Rural Health Policy, to award grants to rural hospitals for facility upgrades, equipment, and operational costs. Eligible hospitals can receive up to $5,000,000 over five years to improve access to healthcare for rural residents. The Secretary must report to Congress on the grant program's activities and outcomes. It authorizes $500,000,000 in appropriations for fiscal years beginning after September 30, 2025.

The "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act" authorizes the presentation of three Congressional Gold Medals to honor the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. These medals will be given to the Lake Placid Olympic Center, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, and the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum for public display. The Act also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to fund the medal production.

The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act of 2025 increases the amount of expenses that qualify for the child and dependent care tax credit, and adjusts the income levels at which the credit phases out. It also makes the credit refundable and indexes certain amounts to inflation. These changes are intended to make the credit more accessible and beneficial for working families.

This bill amends the Social Security Act to limit the amount withheld from monthly benefits to recover overpayments. For overpayments not caused by fraud, the Social Security Administration cannot reduce benefits by more than 10% of the monthly payment. Individuals can request a higher withholding amount if desired. This change applies to existing and future overpayments under Title II of the Social Security Act.

The "Accounting STEM Pursuit Act of 2025" amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to include accounting as part of a well-rounded education. It aims to promote accounting education and career awareness, especially among K-12 students from underrepresented groups. This will be achieved through activities designed to increase participation in accounting programs.

This bill supports the designation of April 11-17, 2025, as "Black Maternal Health Week" to raise awareness about the maternal health crisis affecting Black women and birthing people in the U.S. It recognizes the unacceptable disparities in maternal mortality rates, where Black women are significantly more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. The bill urges Congress to address systemic racism and promote equitable access to resources, healthcare, and comprehensive maternal health programs for the Black community, while also supporting policies like the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. It aims to amplify Black voices, invest in community-led solutions, and increase funding for Black-led organizations and perinatal professionals.

This bill requests the President to provide the House of Representatives with information regarding Social Security Administration policies, closures/consolidation of offices, and staffing reductions after March 12, 2025. It seeks documents related to policy changes ending phone applications for benefits, requiring in-person validation, and the impact of these changes on public access. The request also covers the closure/consolidation of Social Security offices and any staff reductions, with all documents to be submitted within 14 days of the resolution's adoption.

The "Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2025" aims to address racism as a public health crisis by establishing a National Center on Antiracism and Health within the CDC to conduct research, develop interventions, and promote antiracism practices. The Act also establishes a law enforcement violence prevention program within the CDC to research the public health impacts of police violence, develop prevention strategies, and ensure comprehensive data collection and reporting on police misconduct. This bill seeks to promote racial equity in public health outcomes through research, data collection, and the implementation of evidence-based strategies.

This resolution celebrates Volkert, Inc.'s 100th anniversary, acknowledging its significant contributions to engineering and infrastructure projects in Alabama and across the United States. It recognizes the company's historical impact, including involvement in key transportation and development projects. The resolution directs the Clerk of the House to send copies to Volkert, Inc.'s CEO and President.