Legislative Activity

The Patient Device Data Access Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to require manufacturers of certain medical devices to disclose patient-specific data upon patient request. This process will be established through new regulations that outline disclosure formats and manufacturer transparency requirements regarding data handling. The bill aims to ensure patients can access data recorded or transmitted by their covered devices that is accessible to the manufacturer.

The Child Care for Every Community Act establishes a national framework to guarantee universal access to high-quality, regulated child care and early learning programs for every young child. It mandates federal standards for quality, ensures child care staff receive pay comparable to K-12 employees, and requires local coordination with school systems. Furthermore, the bill protects existing state funding levels and caps family fees based on income.

The Protecting Retirement and Health Benefits for Families Act requires heads of major federal agencies to certify to Congress that significant operational changes will not harm beneficiaries' access to or amount of benefits. If an agency plans major staffing cuts or reorganizations, it must detail how core services will be maintained. Should an Inspector General later find that these changes caused harm, the agency head is mandated to reverse those detrimental actions.

The PROTECT Firefighters Act mandates the U.S. Fire Administrator to develop a comprehensive national strategy to improve the equipment, training, and staffing standards for firefighter Rapid Intervention Teams (RITs). This strategy must analyze current nationwide capabilities, including specialized maritime teams, and review past firefighter fatality data related to RIT failures. Ultimately, the Act requires the Administrator to provide Congress with specific recommendations for legislative action to enhance RIT readiness and standardization across the country.

The End Judge Shopping Act aims to prevent litigants from strategically filing lawsuits seeking nationwide injunctions against federal laws or rules in courts with fewer judges. This legislation mandates that such broad-impact cases must be filed in a division of a judicial district that has at least two active judges. The goal is to ensure these significant legal challenges are heard in courts with broader judicial capacity.

This Act mandates pre-employment and random drug testing for individuals serving temporarily in sensitive positions within federal agencies, known as "special Government employees." Failure of a pre-employment test results in a 12-month bar from appointment, while a positive test for current employees leads to removal from the civil service and a minimum 12-month ineligibility period. The law ensures that these temporary, high-trust roles maintain strict standards regarding controlled substance use.

This bill, the Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act, directs the striking of a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the American Red Cross volunteers who served in the Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas (SRAO) program during the Vietnam War. These volunteers, known as "Donut Dollies," provided crucial morale support to troops on the front lines. The original medal will be presented on behalf of Congress and ultimately housed at the Smithsonian Institution, with provisions made for selling bronze duplicates.

The "Access to Reproductive Care for Servicemembers Act" ensures that members of the Armed Forces and their dependents can access leave and reimbursement for travel expenses related to abortion services and assisted reproductive technology, such as in vitro fertilization, when these services are not available nearby. It protects the privacy of service members seeking such care and prohibits any adverse actions against them for utilizing these provisions. The bill aims to address barriers to reproductive healthcare created by state abortion restrictions and logistical challenges faced by military personnel.

The "Building Native Habitats at Federal Facilities Act" prioritizes the use of native plants in Federal construction and maintenance projects to support habitat creation, pollinator support, erosion reduction, and stormwater control. It requires federal agencies to prioritize native plants in projects and update design standards, and it directs the Council on Environmental Quality to issue guidance and report on the use of native plants in these projects.

The "Family-to-Family Reauthorization Act of 2025" extends funding for family-to-family health information centers. It allocates \$6,000,000 for April 1, 2025, to September 30, 2025, and \$9,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2029. This ensures continued support for families navigating healthcare for children with disabilities or special needs.

The "Strengthening Communities through Summer Employment Act" aims to boost summer youth employment programs by allocating funds to the Secretary of Labor, who will then award competitive grants to eligible entities. These grants will support the expansion of existing programs and the implementation of innovative strategies, with the goal of improving academic, economic, and criminal justice outcomes for young participants. The Act also establishes an Advisory Board to oversee program implementation, provide technical assistance, and evaluate program effectiveness. Finally, the act defines key terms such as "eligible entity" and "state" to ensure clarity in implementation.

The "Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act of 2025" aims to improve mental healthcare for individuals re-entering society after incarceration by establishing grant programs for mental health screenings and referrals at detention centers. An Advisory Board will oversee program implementation, evaluate program effectiveness, and provide technical assistance. The act also directs the Bureau of Prisons to create a similar mental health screening program. Finally, the act allocates funding for these initiatives and defines key terms.

The Secure Storage Information Act of 2025 mandates that licensed gun dealers provide information on secure firearm storage to purchasers, and that they offer a variety of gun safety devices for sale. It also establishes a tax credit of up to $500 for individuals who purchase a qualified gun safe.

The Expanding Access to High-Impact Tutoring Act of 2025 establishes a federal grant program to support evidence-based, high-impact tutoring in elementary and secondary schools nationwide. The bill provides funding to state and local educational agencies to implement rigorous tutoring programs, while creating a national Advisory Board to oversee program quality, workforce development, and academic evaluation. By prioritizing schools serving low-income students, this legislation aims to accelerate student academic recovery and achievement through structured, consistent, and well-supported tutoring interventions.

The Brownfields Redevelopment Tax Incentive Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends the ability for businesses to immediately deduct environmental remediation costs for qualifying projects. This legislation updates the Internal Revenue Code to define the specific timeframes during which these tax incentives remain available for property redevelopment.

The REDUCE Food Prices Act aims to lower food costs by providing targeted tax incentives to small food retail businesses operating in low-competition areas. The bill expands tax credits for building rehabilitation, hiring, and new business investment, while also increasing depreciation and income deductions. These measures are designed to encourage growth, improve infrastructure, and foster competition within the retail food sector.

The Improving Federal Assistance to Families Act mandates the creation of a "Regionally Adjusted Poverty Line" to better reflect local costs of living across different states. This legislation requires federal agencies to use the more accurate of the two poverty measures to determine eligibility for assistance programs. Additionally, the bill commissions a GAO study to evaluate the potential of incorporating the ALICE threshold into future federal policy.

This Act amends current law to require the consent of the chief executive officer (Governor or Mayor of D.C.) before National Guard members can be ordered to perform certain full-time duty within their own state or district when requested by the President or Secretary of Defense. This ensures state-level approval for federal requests involving domestic National Guard deployment. Any duty performed under this authority must still comply with the Posse Comitatus Act.

The Auto Theft Prevention Act establishes a $30 million annual grant program to provide state and local law enforcement with the resources needed to combat auto theft and vehicle trafficking. The bill also expands the existing COPS grant program to include auto theft prevention as an authorized use of funds. These measures support agencies through increased staffing, specialized equipment, training, and data-driven task forces.

The Expanding Labor Representation in the Workforce System Act amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to increase labor and business representation requirements on state and local workforce development boards. Additionally, the bill updates and broadens the federal definition of "labor organization" to ensure more diverse representation within the workforce system.