Legislative Activity

The Reuniting Families Act is comprehensive legislation designed to significantly reform U.S. immigration by reducing massive visa backlogs and prioritizing family reunification across various categories. It achieves this by recapturing unused visas, reclassifying certain family members as "immediate relatives," and creating new pathways for permanent partners and refugees to join their loved ones. Ultimately, the bill aims to keep families together, speed up legal immigration processes, and address past discrimination in the visa system.

The PREVENT HPV Cancers Act of 2025 aims to combat the significant health threat posed by human papillomavirus (HPV) and related cancers. This legislation establishes a national public awareness campaign, managed by the CDC, to increase HPV vaccination rates and combat misinformation. Additionally, it increases funding for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to improve screening access. The overall goal is to leverage vaccination and early detection to reduce the incidence of HPV-associated cancers.

This Act officially names the memorial at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery as the "World War II Women's Memorial." It also designates this memorial as a "commemorative work" under existing federal law. Furthermore, the bill allows a specific World War II home front women's commemorative work to be placed in designated areas within Washington, D.C., overriding standard location restrictions.

The Rural Recovery Act of 2025 establishes a new program within the USDA to provide essential technical assistance to small rural communities recovering from major Presidential-declared disasters. This assistance will help eligible communities with planning, securing federal and state funding, and implementing recovery projects across various infrastructure sectors. The program is funded through annual appropriations and provides support for up to three years following a disaster declaration.

This bill, the Save Oak Flat from Foreign Mining Act, withdraws approximately 2,422 acres of Forest Service land known as Oak Flat in Arizona from all forms of mineral entry and development. It specifically cancels the prior land exchange that would have transferred the land to Resolution Copper Mining, LLC. The Act prohibits the transfer of Oak Flat to the foreign-backed mining venture, citing national security and environmental concerns.

This Act establishes a competitive grant program to prepare girls and underrepresented minorities for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Qualified local educational agencies serving high-need student populations are eligible to apply for four-year grants of $250,000 annually. Funds must support comprehensive K-12 STEM education activities, including tutoring, mentoring, professional development, and career exposure. Grantees must submit annual evaluations detailing student progress and program effectiveness.

The Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act of 2025 seeks to reverse harmful provisions affecting unaccompanied children. This bill eliminates various immigration-related fees for current and former unaccompanied children, including those for asylum and employment authorization. It also prohibits physically intrusive medical examinations and restricts the sharing of sponsor information with immigration enforcement agencies. Furthermore, the Act mandates the refunding of previously paid fees.

The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act aims to overhaul immigration detention by establishing mandatory, high standards based on ABA guidelines and increasing transparency through rigorous, unannounced inspections. The bill prohibits the use of private, for-profit detention facilities within three years and ends the mandatory detention of most noncitizens, prioritizing release or community-based alternatives. Furthermore, it establishes new due process rights, including timely custody hearings, a presumption of release, and prohibitions on detaining children or using solitary confinement.

The Make Housing Affordable and Defend Democracy Act aims to increase housing accessibility through several tax incentives while simultaneously rescinding significant funding previously allocated for immigration enforcement. Key provisions establish new tax credits for first-time homebuyers, builders of starter homes, and the conversion of commercial buildings into affordable rentals. Additionally, the bill introduces a Renter Tax Credit for those spending over 30% of their income on rent, with an option for monthly advance payments.

The Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act focuses primarily on improving pediatric drug development and ensuring patient access to necessary treatments. This legislation mandates new research requirements for molecularly targeted pediatric cancer drugs, strengthens FDA enforcement of pediatric study completion, and extends incentives for developing drugs for rare pediatric diseases. Additionally, the bill updates organ transplant network functions and establishes an Abraham Accords Office within the FDA to enhance international regulatory cooperation.

This resolution officially recognizes November as National Native American Heritage Month to celebrate the rich heritages, cultures, and vital contributions of Native Americans to the United States. It highlights their historical influence on American governance, their significant achievements in various fields, and their distinguished military service. Furthermore, the resolution reaffirms Congress's commitment to supporting Tribal self-governance and improving resources for Native American communities.

This resolution declares that immigrant justice and reproductive justice are inseparable, demanding that both movements be pursued together. It condemns systemic failures and policies that deny immigrants access to necessary reproductive health care while in custody or in the community. The resolution calls on Congress and federal agencies to eliminate barriers to health coverage and ensure equitable, comprehensive reproductive care for all individuals, regardless of immigration status.

The Latino Youth Mental Health Empowerment Act aims to address the significant mental health challenges faced by Hispanic and Latino youth. It establishes a national, culturally competent awareness and outreach campaign to reduce stigma and increase access to care. Furthermore, the bill mandates comprehensive studies to better understand the scope of the youth mental health crisis and the shortage of Latino mental health professionals.

The Good Samaritan Menstrual Products Act provides liability protections for individuals, manufacturers, and nonprofit organizations that donate or distribute menstrual products in good faith to those in need. This protection covers the nature, age, or condition of apparently usable donated products. However, these protections do not apply in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

The Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act, or Healthy MOM Act, aims to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes by ensuring comprehensive maternity coverage is accessible. It establishes special enrollment periods for pregnant individuals across various health plans and mandates that dependent coverage must include maternity care. Furthermore, the bill secures continuous 12-month postpartum coverage under Medicaid and CHIP and adjusts federal employee health benefit rules regarding pregnancy.

The Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act aims to significantly reduce prescription drug expenses for consumers. It expands the federal drug price negotiation program to cover more drugs and extends negotiated prices to most private health insurance plans. Furthermore, the bill applies inflation rebates to the commercial market and establishes new annual out-of-pocket spending caps for prescription drugs under private insurance starting in 2027. It also sets specific, lower cost-sharing requirements for covered insulin products.

The John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act prohibits discrimination based on religion, sex, or marital status in federally funded child welfare services. This aims to increase the number of stable, family-like placements for children, especially for LGBTQ youth who are overrepresented in foster care. The bill mandates federal guidance, training, and data collection to improve safety and well-being outcomes for all children involved in the system.

The EXPERTS Act of 2025 aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the federal rulemaking process. It introduces new disclosure requirements for studies submitted during public comment periods and mandates greater public awareness of agency actions. Furthermore, the bill establishes the Office of the Public Advocate to improve public involvement and explicitly requires agencies to consider social equity in their cost-benefit analyses. Finally, it streamlines the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) review timeline and clarifies judicial review standards for agency interpretations.

The Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention Act of 2025 (ASAP Act) amends Medicare to cover early detection screening tests for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias starting in 2028. This coverage applies to FDA-cleared tests, including genomic sequencing and other equivalent diagnostic methods, designed to detect pre-symptomatic or early-stage conditions. The bill ensures these screenings are added to the list of covered medical services under Medicare.

This resolution officially recognizes and supports the goals of National Rural Health Day to honor the vital role of rural communities and their healthcare providers. It acknowledges the unique challenges faced by rural residents, such as limited access to care and hospital closures. The bill expresses a commitment to advancing policies that improve the accessibility and affordability of healthcare in rural America.