Legislative Activity

The Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill focused on improving pediatric drug development, FDA oversight, and healthcare infrastructure. It revises requirements for pediatric cancer drug research, extends incentives for developing rare pediatric disease treatments, and enhances transparency in generic drug applications. Additionally, the Act establishes an FDA office to coordinate with Abraham Accords countries and makes technical adjustments to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

The FAMILY Act establishes a national Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance program administered by a new office within the Social Security Administration. This program provides monthly benefits to eligible individuals who take time off for qualified caregiving reasons, including serious health conditions or victims of violence. The Act also sets forth detailed eligibility requirements, benefit calculation formulas, and job protection guarantees for employees utilizing the leave. Finally, it creates a funding mechanism to support existing state-level paid leave programs that meet federal standards.

This bill, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, officially authorizes Congress to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. The medals will be struck by the Treasury and permanently displayed at specific national sports museums. The Act also permits the sale of duplicate bronze medals to cover production costs.

This resolution expresses strong support for increasing the number of Latino students and young professionals entering high-demand careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It highlights the significant underrepresentation of Latinos in these vital fields despite their growing presence in the U.S. workforce. The bill encourages federal investment in programs that address barriers and promote STEM education pathways for the Latino community. Ultimately, this focus aims to strengthen the nation's high-skilled workforce and economic competitiveness.

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill designed to increase police accountability and transparency nationwide through federal mandates and funding incentives. It reforms standards for prosecuting civil rights violations, eliminates qualified immunity, and establishes national registries for police misconduct and use-of-force data. Furthermore, the Act bans specific dangerous police tactics like chokeholds and restricts the transfer of military equipment to local departments.

The Equal Tax Act aims to increase tax fairness by limiting preferential tax rates for high earners and treating property transfers at death or as a gift as a taxable event. It introduces new rules for capital gains exclusions on inherited family farms and businesses, while also capping the use of like-kind exchanges for non-farming real estate. Finally, the Act adjusts the calculation for the Qualified Business Income deduction based on income thresholds.

The Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025 establishes a system of advance appropriations for key Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and Indian Health Service (IHS) programs starting in fiscal year 2026. This legislation mandates that budget requests must include forward-looking funding estimates for the subsequent fiscal year to improve agency planning and transparency. Furthermore, the bill requires annual reporting to Congress on resource adequacy for these critical services after consultation with Tribal nations.

The Dont STEAL Act ensures employees are paid at least the highest amount guaranteed by their contract or federal/state law. It strengthens the Fair Labor Standards Act by establishing new criminal penalties, including potential prison time, for employers who willfully commit wage theft exceeding $1,000. Furthermore, fines collected from these new criminal penalties will fund the Department of Labor's enforcement efforts.

The Safeguarding the Use of the National Guard Act (SUN Act) enhances Congressional oversight of the President's domestic deployment of National Guard and reserve forces. It requires the President to submit a detailed report to Congress within 15 days outlining the legal justification, goals, costs, and impact of any domestic deployment. This reporting requirement is waived only when reserve forces are deployed specifically following a Presidential declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Act for a natural disaster.

This resolution formally affirms Congress's commitment to maintaining the current retirement ages for Social Security and Medicare benefits. It declares that raising the eligibility age would constitute an unfair cut to the earned benefits of current and future retirees. The measure highlights the reliance of millions on these programs and rejects any proposals to push back access to earned retirement security and healthcare.

The Keep Seniors Fed Act makes technical amendments to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 regarding how income is calculated for food assistance eligibility. Specifically, it mandates that income received under Title II of the Social Security Act must now be counted when determining eligibility for benefits. These changes will take effect 90 days after the bill is signed into law.

The Stop Price Gouging in Grocery Stores Act of 2025 aims to protect consumers by prohibiting grocery stores from charging "grossly excessive" prices for food items. The bill also bans stores from adjusting prices based on personal tracking data, such as facial recognition, and requires clear signage if facial recognition technology is used. Furthermore, it mandates that large physical grocery stores must use printed signs instead of electronic shelf labels for displaying prices.

The Reproductive Rights are Human Rights Act of 2025 establishes that reproductive rights are fundamental human rights based on international commitments. This bill mandates that the State Department must include a detailed, required section on the status of reproductive rights in every country within its annual human rights reports. These reports must cover access to contraception, abortion services, and instances of reproductive coercion or discrimination against marginalized groups. The Act aims to ensure robust U.S. monitoring and accountability regarding global reproductive health and autonomy.

The Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must now provide abortion care, counseling, and related medication as part of the medical services offered to eligible veterans and certain other beneficiaries. This legislation formally amends existing VA health care provisions to include these reproductive health services.

The Restoring Essential Healthcare Act repeals an outdated ban that prevented Medicaid from making payments to certain healthcare providers. This legislation ensures that these previously prohibited entities will now be reimbursed for medical services rendered between the enactment of the original ban and the passage of this Act. In short, it restores payment eligibility and retroactively covers past services.

The EATS Act of 2025 significantly updates eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by removing previous restrictions that often disqualified students. This legislation explicitly includes bona fide students enrolled at least half-time in recognized educational programs as eligible participants for food assistance. These changes take effect on January 2, 2026.

The Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2025 authorizes $50 million annually for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct or support research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention. This dedicated funding is authorized for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2031. This new allocation is separate from and in addition to any existing CDC research funding.

The Protected Time Off Act establishes a federal minimum standard for earned paid annual leave, requiring employers to grant employees at least one hour of paid time off for every 25 hours worked, up to 80 hours annually. This law specifies how leave is accrued, used, and rolled over, while protecting employees from retaliation for exercising these rights. It also ensures that existing state laws or agreements that provide more generous leave benefits remain in effect. Enforcement mechanisms are established, largely mirroring those under the Fair Labor Standards Act, allowing both government investigation and direct employee lawsuits.

The Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act aims to significantly reform the detention of pregnant and postpartum noncitizens by establishing a presumption against their detention. This bill strictly limits the use of physical restraints on pregnant detainees and mandates comprehensive reproductive healthcare access. Furthermore, it requires detailed quarterly and annual reporting on the treatment and outcomes of pregnant individuals in custody.

This resolution officially supports the designation of the third annual "National Community Health Worker Awareness Week" to recognize the vital role of Community Health Workers (CHWs). It highlights how CHWs serve as trusted cultural bridges connecting diverse communities to essential health and social services. The bill emphasizes the need for sustainable funding to support this proven workforce, which improves health outcomes nationwide.