Legislative Activity

The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act introduces a new tax credit to encourage the construction and rehabilitation of homes in distressed communities. This credit aims to bridge the "value gap" that often hinders development in these areas by incentivizing the creation of affordable homes for qualified low- to moderate-income homebuyers. The credit is allocated to developers through state agencies, with specific requirements for affordability, construction standards, and homeowner protection. If the homeowner sells the home within five years, a portion of the profit must be repaid.

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.

This resolution recognizes April 10th as National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day to encourage investment in the health and education of young people, who are disproportionately affected by HIV. It supports comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment strategies, including access to care and accurate information, while urging the removal of discriminatory laws and increased funding for relevant programs. The resolution emphasizes the importance of youth leadership and involvement in decisions impacting their health, advocating for a generation free of HIV stigma. It also acknowledges the negative impact of restricted bodily autonomy on youth access to HIV prevention and care.

The "IRA Charitable Rollover Facilitation and Enhancement Act of 2025" amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit individuals age 70½ and over to make charitable rollovers from their IRAs to donor-advised funds. This change removes the previous restriction, allowing for greater flexibility in charitable giving through IRAs.

The Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act restricts the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of certain gas-operated semi-automatic firearms and large capacity ammunition feeding devices, while providing exceptions for governmental use, certain pre-existing firearms, and transfers to immediate family members. The bill also allows Byrne grants to be used for buy-back programs for these firearms and devices, and establishes penalties for violations, as well as a process for determining which firearms are prohibited, including manufacturer applications and judicial review. Finally, the bill establishes a "Firearm Safety Trust Fund" in the Treasury, using taxes collected by the ATF to fund the requirements of this act.

This bill mandates the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide the House of Representatives with documents and communications regarding the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) requests to access sensitive taxpayer and child data stored in the National Directory of New Hires and the Federal Parent Locator Service. The inquiry focuses on the legality, scope, and security implications of DOGE's data requests, as well as any related staff departures or unauthorized access attempts. The requested documents must be delivered to the House within 14 days.

The "Tax Cut for Workers Act of 2025" expands the Earned Income Credit (EIC) by lowering the minimum age, eliminating the maximum age, and increasing the credit amount for individuals without qualifying children. It also makes permanent certain EIC rules for Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and possessions with mirror code tax systems and allows taxpayers to elect to use prior year earned income for EIC calculation if it results in a larger credit. These changes will be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP Act of 2025" prevents any reconciliation bill from reducing Medicaid enrollment or benefits, or SNAP eligibility or benefits, through January 20, 2029. It amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to enforce this protection, ensuring these vital programs remain untouched by budget cuts. Violations of this act will be subject to a point of order.

The American Family Act establishes a refundable child tax credit with monthly advance payments, providing up to $300 per month per child, and creates a $500 tax credit for other dependents. The amount of the credit is reduced based on the taxpayer's income, with initial reductions starting at $150,000 for joint returns. The IRS will make monthly advance payments and establish an online portal for taxpayers to manage their payments and provide necessary information. This act terminates the existing annual child tax credit after 2024 and aims to provide regular financial support to families.

The "Raise the Wage Act of 2025" aims to increase the federal minimum wage to $17.00 per hour over five years, after which it will be annually adjusted based on the median hourly wage of all employees. The bill also gradually raises the minimum wage for tipped employees until it matches the standard minimum wage, while ensuring they retain all tips. Additionally, it increases and then eliminates the subminimum wage for newly hired employees under 20 and individuals with disabilities, promoting fair wages for all workers.

The "VA Funding and Workforce Protection Act" aims to protect the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) funding by limiting the transfer or deferral of funds without explicit congressional approval. It also safeguards VA personnel by exempting the VA from hiring freezes, requiring reinstatement of certain removed veterans, and placing restrictions on the removal of probationary employees. Additionally, the Act mandates regular reporting to Congress on personnel actions and compliance with the Act's provisions.

This bill mandates the President, Secretary of Treasury, and Secretary of Labor to deliver documents to the House of Representatives regarding the economic impact of the Department of Government Efficiency's actions, including workforce reductions and contract terminations. It also requires information on the effects of newly imposed tariffs on imported goods. The requested documents must be provided within 14 days of the resolution's adoption.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 aims to increase affordable housing options by updating state housing credit formulas, refining tenant eligibility rules, and improving credit eligibility and determination. This includes adjusting income verification processes, modifying student occupancy rules, and protecting domestic abuse victims. The bill also focuses on Native American and rural assistance by addressing housing needs in Indian areas and streamlining income eligibility for rural projects. Additionally, it revises rules for exempt facility bonds and renames the "low-income housing tax credit" to the "affordable housing tax credit" while encouraging data sharing and discouraging discriminatory land use policies.

This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow HBCU grants to be used for strengthening arts and cultural programs, including financial aid, outreach, support services, art collection preservation, and paid apprenticeships. It allows HBCUs to partner with the National Endowment for the Arts to carry out these activities. The bill aims to address underfunding in HBCU arts programs and promote diversity in the arts.

The Retirement Savings for Americans Act of 2025 establishes the American Worker Retirement Plan, a retirement fund within the U.S. Treasury, to help workers save for retirement through automatic enrollment, diverse investment options, and government matching contributions. It creates the American Worker Retirement Investment Board to oversee the fund's management and sets guidelines for investment policies and fiduciary responsibilities. Additionally, the act introduces a Government Match Tax Credit to incentivize contributions to the fund, particularly for lower to moderate-income individuals, by matching a percentage of their contributions.

The "Tax Fairness for Workers Act" permits employees to deduct union dues and other employee business expenses above-the-line, bypassing previous deduction limitations. This change is achieved by amending sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, specifically 62(a)(1) and 67(g). These amendments will be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

This bill expresses support for "Financial Literacy Month" and recognizes the critical importance of financial literacy and education for all Americans. It highlights the concerning statistics around financial insecurity and lack of financial knowledge in the US. The bill encourages participation in Financial Literacy Month to promote financial education through various programs and activities.

The "Secure Family Futures Act of 2025" modifies the Internal Revenue Code to exclude certain debt instruments held by applicable insurance companies from being treated as capital assets. Additionally, it extends the period for applicable insurance companies to carry forward capital losses from 5 years to 10 years. These changes apply to indebtedness acquired and losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, respectively.

The "Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025" aims to impose significant sanctions on Russia if it refuses to negotiate peace with Ukraine, violates a peace agreement, or initiates further military action against Ukraine. The bill mandates the President to determine and impose sanctions on individuals, entities, and financial institutions affiliated with the Russian government, targeting key sectors of the Russian economy, and restricts trade and financial interactions with Russia. It also increases import duties on goods from Russia and countries purchasing Russian energy products, while providing limited exceptions for humanitarian aid and intelligence activities. The President has the authority to terminate and reimpose sanctions based on Russia's actions.

This bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from using federal funds to remove employees if the removals affect at least 3% of the total HHS workforce or 3% of a sub-agency/division's workforce within a 60-day period.