Legislative Activity

The Expanding the VOTE Act updates language assistance requirements under the Voting Rights Act by modernizing the definition of "voting materials" to include digital information. It also establishes new state responsibilities for providing language assistance and creates a grant program to incentivize voluntary language support beyond current mandates. Furthermore, the bill includes special provisions for unwritten American Indian and Alaska Native languages and mandates a study on lowering thresholds for language assistance coverage.

The People Over Long Lines Act (POLL Act) aims to protect the fundamental right to vote by establishing a national standard that no eligible citizen should wait more than 30 minutes to cast a ballot in a federal election. To achieve this, the bill mandates that states submit plans detailing how they will ensure fair wait times and requires the Attorney General to set minimum standards for voting resources like poll workers and equipment. Furthermore, the Act authorizes federal funding to help states comply and creates a private right of action allowing citizens to sue over excessive wait times.

The Time Off to Vote Act mandates that employers provide employees with at least two consecutive hours of paid leave to vote in federal elections. Employers retain control over when this paid leave is taken, which can include early voting periods if permitted by state law. This Act prohibits employers from penalizing employees for utilizing this required voting leave.

The CHALLENGES Act aims to protect election integrity by establishing strict new requirements to prevent dishonest or bad-faith challenges to registered voters' eligibility. It mandates that individuals challenging a voter's status must provide specific, firsthand evidence and swear under oath, while also imposing criminal penalties for knowingly submitting false challenges. Furthermore, the bill requires online challenge systems to reject anonymous submissions and clearly state the prohibition against bad-faith filings.

The Sustaining Our Democracy Act establishes a new federal program to provide annual grants to states for improving election administration, security, and accessibility, managed by a newly created Office of Democracy Advancement and Innovation. This funding is supported by a dedicated ten-year Trust Fund to ensure stable resources for election infrastructure upgrades. The bill imposes strict rules on how states can use the money, including prohibitions against purchasing insecure voting machines or restricting basic voter support. If states fail to comply, the federal Director can bypass state government to fund local election subdivisions directly.

The Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections Act aims to secure and expand the right to vote for citizens experiencing homelessness by prohibiting residency-based disenfranchisement. It mandates accessible registration methods, requires outreach from service providers, and establishes federal grants to help local governments implement these protections. Ultimately, this legislation seeks to ensure that where a person sleeps cannot be a barrier to their participation in federal elections.

The Help America Run Act aims to make it easier for everyday Americans to run for office by allowing campaign funds to cover essential living expenses. Specifically, the bill permits campaign committees to use funds for necessary personal services like childcare and elder care, which helps candidates who are not independently wealthy. This change is intended to increase the diversity of candidates and ensure elected officials better reflect the general population.

The Election Mail Act aims to ensure the timely and secure delivery of federal election mail through the U.S. Postal Service. It mandates same-day processing of received absentee ballots and requires the use of intelligent mail barcodes for tracking mailed ballots starting in 2026. Furthermore, the bill establishes protections against operational changes that would slow election mail delivery and sets a national standard to count mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day if received within seven days after the election.

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 Voters on the Move Registration Act of 2025 mandates that standardized, multilingual voter registration information be provided to individuals applying for certain federally assisted rental housing or residential mortgages. This ensures that tenants and mortgage applicants receive clear instructions on how to register to vote. The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection is tasked with creating this uniform voter information statement. This requirement focuses solely on providing information, not compelling voter registration.

The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act of 2025 repeals specific prior reconciliation health provisions. This bill significantly expands eligibility for the Premium Tax Credit by eliminating the 400% Federal Poverty Level income cap. It also updates the subsidy calculation formula to ensure a smoother, linear adjustment of assistance across various income levels.

The Safe Drinking Water for Disadvantaged Communities Act mandates that funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act designated for lead pipe replacement must be distributed as forgivable loans or grants. This funding is exclusively targeted toward disadvantaged communities to ensure equitable access to safe drinking water infrastructure upgrades.

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 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 SAVES Act establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide service dogs to eligible veterans. These grants, up to $\$2,000,000$ each, will fund the training and provision of service dogs for veterans with qualifying conditions like PTSD or TBI. The bill also extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments until February 2033.

The Fire Department Repayment Act of 2025 seeks to expedite payments to local fire departments for fire suppression cost share agreements. It mandates federal agencies to establish standard payment timelines, revise existing agreements for compliance, and ensure alignment with cooperative fire protection agreements. The bill aims to reimburse local fire departments promptly, ideally within one year of fire suppression activities.

This bill officially designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 890 East 152nd Street in Cleveland, Ohio, as the "Technical Sergeant Alma Gladys Minter Post Office Building." The legislation ensures that all official records and documents reflect this new name for the post office.

The EACH Act of 2025 aims to ensure equal access to abortion coverage by requiring all federally funded health programs and facilities to cover abortion services. This legislation prohibits federal interference with state or private insurance coverage of abortion and repeals Section 1303 of the Affordable Care Act. Ultimately, the bill seeks to eliminate financial and insurance barriers to abortion care, particularly for low-income individuals relying on programs like Medicaid.

This proposed constitutional amendment would eliminate immunity from criminal prosecution for federal officials, including the President, based on their official duties. It also explicitly prohibits the President from issuing a self-pardon for any federal crimes. If ratified, these changes would take effect immediately.

The Supporting Apprenticeship Colleges Act of 2025 establishes two grant programs totaling \$10 million annually to boost construction and manufacturing apprenticeships. The first program funds community outreach to recruit students and connect programs with local employers, particularly in rural areas. The second program provides funds for expanded academic advising and student support services to improve program retention and completion rates. The Act also formally defines specialized apprenticeship colleges and sets reporting requirements for grant recipients.