Legislative Activity

The BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act grants the Director of the Bureau of Prisons the authority to directly hire qualified individuals into competitive service jobs, bypassing standard federal hiring procedures. This expedited hiring power is intended to speed up staffing efforts across all BOP facilities. This special authority will automatically expire once 96% of all competitive service positions within the Bureau of Prisons are filled.

This resolution establishes a "Bill of Rights" to support U.S. law enforcement personnel nationwide, emphasizing the importance of upholding the rule of law. It strongly opposes any efforts to defund or abolish police departments while outlining specific due process rights for officers under investigation. The bill encourages states to adopt similar protections to ensure fair investigations and recognizes the dangerous work officers perform daily.

The Punishing Illegal Immigrant Felons Act of 2025 significantly increases prison sentences for non-citizens who commit crimes after entering the U.S. illegally or after being previously removed. This legislation mandates substantial minimum prison terms—including an additional five years for illegal entry followed by a felony conviction and a new ten-year minimum for re-entry after deportation coupled with a crime. The bill aims to impose much harsher penalties on undocumented immigrants who commit serious offenses.

The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act restricts the Department of Veterans Affairs from automatically sharing a veteran's information with the DOJ for national background checks solely based on the appointment of a fiduciary. This bill prohibits the VA from classifying a veteran as a "mental defective" based only on an administrative finding of incompetence or the need for a fiduciary. Furthermore, the VA must notify the Attorney General if previously shared information based on fiduciary status is no longer valid.

The Building Advanced Semiconductors Investment Credit Act (BASIC ACT) significantly boosts incentives for domestic semiconductor manufacturing. This bill increases the investment tax credit rate for advanced manufacturing from 25 percent to 35 percent. Furthermore, it extends the period during which this enhanced credit can be claimed, pushing the deadline from 2026 to December 31, 2030.

The **Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act of 2025** is a comprehensive bill designed to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry and secure critical supply chains. It establishes new centralized oversight for maritime policy, creates a dedicated Maritime Security Trust Fund financed by new vessel taxes, and mandates significant federal investment in domestic shipbuilding and workforce development. The legislation also imposes stricter cargo preference rules and tax incentives to ensure U.S.-flagged vessels dominate international commerce and defense sealift operations.

The Honoring our K9 Heroes Act establishes a new grant program administered by the Department of Homeland Security to help cover medical expenses for retired Federal working dogs. Eligible non-profit organizations with a history of supporting these retired K9s can apply for funding. This initiative is authorized with $1 million annually from Fiscal Year 2026 through 2030 to support dogs living with their former handlers.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 216 Cumberland Street in Rochester, New York, as the "Minister Franklin Florence Memorial Post Office". It ensures that all references to this facility in any legal or official documents of the United States will now reflect this new designation.

The Canadian Snowbird Act creates a special visitor status for qualifying Canadian retirees, allowing them to stay in the U.S. for up to 240 days per year while maintaining their Canadian residency. This legislation also ensures that these Canadian visitors are treated as non-resident aliens for U.S. tax purposes, preventing them from being taxed like U.S. residents. The bill aims to simplify entry and tax obligations for long-term seasonal visitors from Canada.

The Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act requires the FCC to create and maintain a public list of entities holding FCC authorizations or licenses that have ownership or control by entities linked to designated foreign adversaries. This process begins with an initial list based on existing reporting requirements and expands through new rulemaking to capture a broader range of potentially influenced companies. The goal is to increase transparency regarding foreign influence over critical communications infrastructure licensed by the U.S. government.

The Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors Act prohibits federal agencies from awarding contracts over \$100,000 to companies that boycott Israel. Companies seeking these contracts must certify they are not currently boycotting Israel and agree not to start one during the contract period. Agencies must terminate contracts if a violation is found, unless the company ceases the boycott.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) significantly amends federal law to require individuals registering to vote in federal elections to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. This legislation mandates that states actively clean their voter rolls and cooperate with federal agencies to verify citizenship status. It establishes new criminal penalties for officials who fail to enforce these documentation requirements.

The Empowering Employer Child and Elder Care Solutions Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to clarify that employer-provided child and dependent care benefits are excluded from an employee's regular rate of pay when calculating overtime compensation. This change aims to encourage employers to offer these valuable care solutions without negatively impacting overtime pay calculations.

This resolution strongly supports the Abraham Accords as a foundation for broader peace and security cooperation in the Middle East. It specifically encourages the Department of State and civil society groups to promote peace and tolerance through educational reforms in partner nations. The bill advocates for expanding normalization efforts and ensuring these agreements deliver tangible security and economic benefits across the region.

The High-Quality Charter Schools Act establishes a new federal tax credit for individuals who donate to eligible, high-performing charter school organizations for expansion purposes. This credit is set at 75% of the qualified contribution, subject to annual income limitations and an overall national cap of $5 billion starting in 2026. The bill also mandates specific spending deadlines for recipient organizations and ensures that participation does not subject these charter schools to government control. These provisions will take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Military Moms Act aims to improve maternal healthcare access and support for military families. It expands TRICARE coverage rules to recognize pregnancy and pregnancy loss as qualifying life events for enrollment changes. The bill also mandates a comprehensive report detailing maternal health access within military facilities and the TRICARE network. Finally, it requires the creation of a centralized, dedicated maternal health resource guide on the Military OneSource website.

The University Accountability Act establishes new financial penalties and reporting requirements for tax-exempt educational institutions found guilty of civil rights violations in federal court. Penalties are set at the higher of $100,000 or 5% of the institution's administrative compensation for each violation. Furthermore, institutions facing a third or subsequent violation determination must undergo a review of their tax-exempt status.

Sammy's Law aims to empower parents by requiring large social media platforms to provide secure access for third-party safety software to monitor and manage their children's accounts. This legislation establishes a national standard for this specific data access, while granting enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The law mandates strict data handling and deletion requirements for the third-party safety providers who register with the FTC.

The Protecting Options for Seniors Act of 2025 addresses significant under-projection of Medicare Advantage (MA) local area growth caused by recent wage index reclassifications. This bill mandates a specific adjustment to MA payment rates starting in 2026 for areas experiencing rapid wage index increases exceeding 20 percent. While providing targeted financial boosts to these areas, the Act ensures the overall national benchmark average remains neutral. Furthermore, it requires increased transparency by mandating the separate reporting of Part A and Part B payments to area hospitals in annual public notices.

The Iranian Terror Prevention Act mandates the swift designation of specific Iranian-linked groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) by the Secretary of State. It requires the President to impose existing sanctions on these designated groups and any affiliated entities within 60 days of enactment. Furthermore, the bill establishes ongoing reporting requirements to Congress regarding designations and the application of sanctions.