Legislative Activity

The **Protecting Our Democracy Act** imposes sweeping reforms across the executive branch to strengthen accountability and restore checks and balances. It restricts presidential pardon power, closes loopholes to ensure no President is above the law, and enforces constitutional emoluments clauses to prevent self-enrichment. Furthermore, the Act enhances congressional oversight by strengthening subpoena enforcement, increasing transparency around White House visitors and tax returns, and protecting federal whistleblowers from retaliation.

The Moms Matter Act establishes two grant programs to improve maternal mental health. The first program funds initiatives to expand mental health and substance use disorder services for pregnant and postpartum individuals, prioritizing high-risk populations. The second program provides grants to grow and diversify the workforce of mental and behavioral health providers specializing in maternal health.

The Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act aims to improve maternal and infant health outcomes during public health emergencies. It authorizes significant funding for enhanced data collection, surveillance, and research across various CDC programs. Furthermore, the bill mandates public data disclosure, requires public health communication campaigns, and establishes a task force to develop federal recommendations for ensuring safe, respectful, and equitable maternity care during crises.

The BEACON Act of 2026 establishes two new Department of Veterans Affairs grant programs to significantly advance the treatment of veterans suffering from chronic mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). These programs will fund research, clinical trials, and the testing of new, non-drug neurorehabilitation approaches focused on improving mental health outcomes. The legislation aims to foster partnerships and independent third-party studies to identify and implement best practices for mTBI care outside of traditional VA pathways.

The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act authorizes competitive grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and similar institutions for long-term facility improvements, technology upgrades, and infrastructure modernization. Priority for these grants will be given to institutions demonstrating the greatest need, limited fundraising ability, and high percentages of Pell Grant recipients. The bill also mandates immediate forgiveness for certain outstanding balances on existing HBCU Capital Financing Program loans. Finally, it requires comprehensive reporting and studies to assess the program's impact and future funding needs.

This bill reaffirms the strong alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea, emphasizing its importance for security, economic growth, and shared values. It recognizes the deep economic ties, the contributions of Korean Americans, and continued commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty. The bill also supports strengthening security, economic, and cultural bonds between the two nations, and celebrates Korean Culture-Kimchi Day.

The YALI Act of 2025 formally establishes and expands the Young African Leaders Initiative to invest in emerging African leaders across sub-Saharan Africa. This legislation mandates the creation of professional development, training, and networking opportunities focused on business, civic engagement, and public administration. The bill specifically supports the Mandela Washington Fellowship and requires the establishment of regional leadership centers and online networks to foster ongoing engagement and U.S.-Africa ties.

This resolution expresses support for designating May 2026 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. It highlights the ongoing obesity epidemic in the U.S. and emphasizes the critical role of physical activity and healthy habits in preventing related health issues. The bill encourages education on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 aims to combat sophisticated, cross-jurisdictional organized retail and supply chain theft. It achieves this by strengthening federal laws regarding money laundering and stolen property offenses, including lowering monetary thresholds for prosecution. Furthermore, the bill establishes a dedicated Center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal, state, and local enforcement efforts against these criminal organizations.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act aims to establish comprehensive standards for the care, health services, and housing of pregnant individuals in federal custody, including those held by the Bureau of Prisons, CBP, ICE, and ORR. The bill mandates extensive data collection on the health needs of incarcerated pregnant women and strictly prohibits the use of restraints and restrictive housing during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum recovery, with very limited exceptions. Furthermore, it requires federal agencies to provide essential services like family unity programs, specialized medical care, and comprehensive education for pregnant and postpartum individuals.

This resolution demands the President provide the House of Representatives with specific records concerning the alleged unauthorized copying and sharing of sensitive Social Security Administration data (like NUMIDENT and death information) by an individual associated with the Department of Government Efficiency. It also seeks documents related to any reported expectations of a presidential pardon concerning these actions. The requested materials must be delivered within 14 days of the resolution's adoption.

The Save America’s Family Forests Act of 2026 aims to encourage forest restoration through tax incentives. It significantly increases the immediate deduction limit for standard reforestation expenses and introduces a new, substantial deduction for reforestation costs following a qualified natural disaster. These provisions are designed to support landowners by making forest recovery more financially feasible, with adjustments for inflation built in for future years.

The HARVEST Act mandates a study by the Secretary of Agriculture on enhancing technical assistance for transferring agricultural land and assets, particularly heirs property, to new farmers. This study will focus on leveraging educational programs offered by 1890 Institutions. The goal is to improve succession planning for the next generation of agricultural producers.

The Save SNAP Act of 2026 ensures the federal government will cover 100% of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit costs if a state is unable to pay its required share. This creates a hardship exception, waiving the state's financial obligation for that fiscal year. The legislation is set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

The Rural Health Resilience Act of 2026 establishes a stabilization assistance program within the Department of Agriculture. This program offers loans and loan guarantees to financially distressed rural health centers to prevent closures or service reductions. Assistance prioritizes facilities that are sole community providers or serve high-poverty areas. The funds can be used for operational costs, facility upgrades, and debt management to ensure continued essential care.

The Veterinary Education Equity Act aims to address veterinarian shortages in rural and underserved areas by establishing a federal student loan repayment program for practitioners who commit to serving in designated shortage areas for three years. The bill authorizes $50 million annually to fund this assistance, capping individual repayment at $75,000. Additionally, it amends existing law to prioritize grant funding for veterinary service projects at 1890 Institutions.

This bill, the Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act, establishes a grant program to help health care facilities protect essential workers during declared emergencies or disasters. Funds can be used to provide eligible, non-remote health care workers with hazardous duty pay, up to $13 per hour, when their work or commute is deemed hazardous. Additionally, grants can cover safety measures like PPE and alternative transit for these essential personnel.

The Civics Learning Act of 2026 aims to combat political polarization and strengthen democracy by improving civics education nationwide. This bill amends existing law to expand a federal grant program, prioritizing funding for innovative, hands-on civics learning in high-need schools. Funds will support activities covering the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the history of the civil rights movement. The legislation authorizes $70 million for fiscal year 2027 to support these essential educational efforts.

The Protecting Moms and Babies Against Climate Change Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services to address how climate change risks, like extreme heat and pollution, harm maternal and infant health. The bill establishes grant programs to support local efforts and education, and mandates research and strategies to identify high-risk zones for pregnant individuals and young children. Its goal is to reduce adverse outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and maternal mortality linked to climate change.

This bill seeks to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to update the definition of eligible food items for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Specifically, it would explicitly add hot rotisserie chicken to the list of items that can be purchased with SNAP benefits. The legislation also includes minor technical formatting updates to the existing law.