Legislative Activity

The Hot Foods Act of 2025 removes the general federal ban on using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase hot, ready-to-eat foods. This legislation clarifies that hot foods are now eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits, while also setting a new rule that limits SNAP-participating retailers to deriving no more than 50% of their gross sales from these ready-to-eat hot items. The act updates existing statutes to reflect this expanded purchasing power for recipients.

This bill officially designates a section of 18th Street Northwest in Washington, D.C., as "Jimmy Lai Way" and changes the address of a specific building to "1 Jimmy Lai Way Northwest." Furthermore, the legislation strongly condemns the arbitrary detention and mistreatment of Hong Kong media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, urging the immediate release of all political prisoners. Finally, it directs the U.S. Postal Service on how to handle mail addressed to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at the newly designated address.

The Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act prohibits colleges and universities receiving federal funding from allowing, supporting, or paying for any event on campus that promotes antisemitism. This legislation mandates the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism for enforcement. The goal is to ensure federally funded institutions do not host or endorse antisemitic activities.

The Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act establishes a new 20% federal tax credit for converting eligible, older commercial buildings into affordable housing. This incentive aims to increase housing supply by requiring that at least 20% of the converted units remain rent-restricted for low-income residents for 30 years. State agencies will allocate these credits, which are subject to a national cap of $12 billion, based on approved plans prioritizing financially necessary projects.

This bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to develop and implement a comprehensive 10-year Campus Modernization Plan for the United States Merchant Marine Academy. The plan must address critical infrastructure needs, including new training facilities, updated housing, and essential utility overhauls, to support modern maritime education and national security requirements. Congress authorizes up to \$1.02 billion from the Maritime Security Trust Fund between fiscal years 2026 and 2035 to execute this modernization effort.

The Rural Veterinary Workforce Act aims to encourage more veterinarians to serve in underserved rural areas by making participation in certain loan repayment or forgiveness programs more financially appealing. This bill amends the tax code to exclude amounts received through qualifying state or federal veterinary student loan repayment programs from being counted as taxable income. This tax benefit applies to amounts received for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

This bill permanently extends the existing exemption allowing qualified school bus drivers to skip the engine compartment portion of the commercial driver's license (CDL) skills test. It mandates the Secretary of Transportation to maintain this specific "under-the-hood" inspection waiver indefinitely. States utilizing this permanent exemption must still submit annual reports on the number of drivers licensed under it for the next six years.

The **SCREENS for Cancer Act of 2025** seeks to reauthorize and update the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). This legislation expands the program's focus to include cancer prevention and aims to reduce health disparities in screening access. The bill authorizes $235 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 and mandates a GAO study on program eligibility and service trends.

The Raise the Age Act of 2025 generally prohibits Federal Firearms Licensees from selling certain semiautomatic centerfire rifles or shotguns capable of holding magazines over five rounds to anyone under 21, with exceptions for qualified military or government personnel. The bill also maintains the existing minimum age of 18 for general firearm purchases, excluding the newly restricted categories. Finally, it mandates that the FBI Director report on the operational procedures of its public access line within 90 days of enactment.

The American Families United Act grants immigration officials increased discretion to halt removal proceedings or grant immigration benefits for family members of U.S. citizens when separation would cause hardship. This discretion is presumed to be met if the action results in family separation, though certain serious criminal grounds remain disqualifying. The Act also allows individuals to file motions to reopen or reconsider past immigration decisions if the outcome would have been different under these new provisions, subject to a two-year filing deadline.

This resolution formally recognizes the significant and persistent wage gap between men and women in the United States, highlighting statistics that show women earn substantially less. It serves as a strong public statement reaffirming Congress's commitment to achieving pay equity. The measure does not enact new laws but emphasizes the economic harm caused by unequal pay for women and their families.

The Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act establishes a special Priority 2 refugee processing pathway for individuals facing persecution by the Chinese government in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). It eases certain immigration hurdles for these applicants and clarifies that actions taken by the PRC against those seeking U.S. benefits can be considered persecution based on political opinion. Furthermore, the Act encourages U.S. allies to create similar accommodations for those fleeing the situation in XUAR. This legislation is set to terminate ten years after its enactment.

The Brake for Kids Act of 2025 establishes a national public safety messaging campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of illegally passing a stopped school bus. This initiative will be funded using existing allocations from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The required campaign must utilize broad outreach methods, including national television, radio, social media, and edge service advertising.

The Paycheck Fairness Act significantly strengthens federal equal pay protections by broadening definitions of sex discrimination, tightening employer defenses against pay disparities, and increasing penalties for violations. It also prohibits employers from using salary history in hiring decisions and mandates new data collection by the EEOC to better enforce anti-discrimination laws. Furthermore, the bill establishes new training and outreach programs to combat systemic wage bias.

This Act imposes immediate sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans, on the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) for their involvement in terrorism, particularly the October 7th attacks. It also mandates a report from the Secretary of State on designating the Lions Den and the PRC as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Furthermore, the bill requires ongoing reviews to identify and potentially sanction successor or affiliated terrorist groups.

This bill, the National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act, mandates the replacement of the current NWSChat instant messaging system with a modern, commercially available, public cloud-hosted solution by October 1, 2027. The new system must meet standards for scalability and usability. Funding for this upgrade, up to \$3 million annually from 2026 to 2029, will be sourced from the existing NWS Operations, Research, and Facilities budget.

This bill officially ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment, declaring it a valid part of the U.S. Constitution. It specifically removes any previously imposed deadlines for state ratification. If three-fourths of the states have approved the amendment, this law confirms its official status regardless of past time constraints.

The Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act mandates that states implement rigorous screening for all enrolled healthcare providers. Specifically, this legislation requires states to verify that all Medicaid providers are alive by checking the federal Death Master File upon enrollment and at least quarterly thereafter. This measure aims to prevent fraudulent payments made to deceased individuals or entities.

The Foreign Investment Guardrails to Help Thwart (FIGHT) China Act aims to protect U.S. national security by imposing sanctions on certain foreign persons and restricting U.S. investments in sensitive technologies within China. The bill establishes new prohibitions and mandatory reporting requirements for U.S. persons engaging in covered national security transactions involving specific prohibited technologies. Furthermore, it mandates the creation of a "Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List" and requires divestment from securities in companies placed on that list.

This Act officially establishes **National Rosie the Riveter Day** to honor the over six million American women who joined the workforce during World War II. The President is required to issue an annual proclamation recognizing their crucial contributions despite facing discrimination. This new observance day will be held annually on March 21st during Women's History Month to inspire future generations.