Legislative Activity

This bill officially designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 620 East Pecan Boulevard in McAllen, Texas, as the "Agent Raul H. Gonzalez Jr. Memorial Post Office Building." The legislation ensures that all official records and documents reflect this new memorial name for the building.

The Department of Government Efficiency Act, or DOGE Act, codifies Executive Order 14210 into permanent law. This action elevates the directives and rules established in the Executive Order to the full authority of a statute passed by Congress. Essentially, the provisions of the order are now legally binding requirements.

This resolution censures Representative Al Green for disrupting President Trump's address to Congress, violating decorum, and bringing disrepute to the House. It mandates that Representative Green present himself to the House for a public reading of the censure resolution by the Speaker.

The "Encouraging the EU to DESIGNATE Resolution" urges the European Union to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, citing its history of violence, human rights abuses, and support for terrorist groups. It highlights the IRGC's destabilizing actions globally, including supporting the Assad regime, assisting Russia in the Ukraine war, and plotting against U.S. officials. The resolution encourages the prioritization of this designation in discussions with the European Union.

The "Dismantling Investments in Violation of Ethical Standards through Trusts Act" prohibits senior federal employees, their spouses, and dependent children from owning or trading specific financial instruments like stocks and commodities, with exceptions for diversified investment funds and U.S. Treasury securities. Violators will face financial penalties, including disgorgement of profits and civil fines, and must annually certify their compliance. The Act also mandates a GAO audit and provides additional resources to the Office of Government Ethics for enforcement.

This bill expresses support for the Iranian people's desire for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear republic, while condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, support for terrorism, and attempts to develop nuclear weapons. It affirms the right of the Iranian people to self-determination and supports continued sanctions against the current regime. The bill also calls for the protection of Iranian political refugees in Albania.

The SCREEN Act requires online platforms that host or provide pornographic content to implement technology verification measures to prevent minors from accessing harmful material. It mandates that these platforms use reliable age verification methods, undergo regular audits by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to ensure compliance, and protect user data collected during the verification process. The FTC is responsible for enforcing the Act, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) must report to Congress on the effectiveness and impact of these measures. This act aims to protect children from the harmful effects of online pornography.

The "Protecting Life from Chemical Abortions Act" restricts the Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA, requiring them to enforce Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) requirements for abortion drugs, reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement, and prohibits reducing REMS protections until standardized abortion data is collected by the CDC from every state. It also defines key terms such as "abortion," "abortion drug," and "unborn child" and prohibits the HHS secretary from declaring a public health emergency with respect to abortion.

The "Ending the Cycle of Dependency Act of 2025" modifies work requirements for both the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and the Social Security Act. It raises the age limit for exemption from work requirements for SNAP benefits and mandates that certain Medicaid recipients between the ages of 19 and 59 must complete at least 80 hours of work, community service, or a work program per month to maintain eligibility. The bill outlines specific exemptions to these work requirements, including individuals with medical conditions, pregnant individuals, and caretakers of young children. States are allowed to disenroll individuals from Medicaid if they do not comply with the work requirements and federal funding is unavailable.

The "Fair-Value Accounting and Budget Act" mandates the use of fair-value estimates, in addition to credit reform estimates, for all federal loan and loan guarantee programs by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). It requires the CBO to include both fair-value and credit reform estimates in its annual budget and economic outlook. Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must submit an annual report to Congress on fair-value estimates of federal credit programs. Both CBO and OMB are required to use the Government Accounting Standards Board's definition of "fair value" in their estimates.

The COST Act mandates that any entity using federal funds for a program, project, or activity must disclose the percentage and dollar amount of the total cost covered by these funds in all related documents and communications. Compliance will be certified through performance progress reporting. The Office of Management and Budget will conduct annual reviews and provide a public mechanism for reporting non-compliance.

The Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act prevents Congress from imposing new performance fees on local radio stations for playing music. It emphasizes the mutually beneficial relationship between broadcasters and the recording industry, where radio provides free publicity that boosts music sales and supports artists. The act recognizes local radio's crucial role in communities by providing news, weather updates, and public service announcements. Ultimately, this bill aims to protect local radio stations and businesses from economic harm, ensuring they can continue serving their communities without additional financial burdens.

The Officer John Barnes Act requires the Bureau to inform claimants of their benefit eligibility determination within 270 days of receiving a claim.

The "No Asylum for Criminals Act of 2025" amends asylum eligibility, denying it to anyone with a felony or misdemeanor conviction. A felony is defined as any crime defined as a felony by the relevant jurisdiction, or any crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment, while a misdemeanor is any crime defined as a misdemeanor by the relevant jurisdiction, or any crime not punishable by more than one year of imprisonment. The Secretary of Homeland Security can create exceptions for certain political offenses committed outside the U.S.

The "Death Tax Repeal Act" eliminates both estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, effective from the date of enactment. It adjusts gift tax calculations by setting the lifetime gift exemption at $10,000,000, with inflation adjustments after 2011. The Act also includes transitional rules for applying certain sections of the Internal Revenue Code during the enactment year.

The "Uncovering UNRWA's Terrorist Crimes Act" mandates a report from the Secretary of State detailing US funding to UNRWA from 2020-2024 and how those funds were spent. The act also prohibits any further direct or indirect federal funding to UNRWA upon enactment.

The "Combating Illicit Xylazine Act" aims to combat the illegal use of xylazine by adding it to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, which would allow for increased regulation and tracking of the substance. The bill includes exemptions and delayed effective dates for certain requirements to ease the transition for legitimate users, such as veterinarians and animal handlers. It also directs the Sentencing Commission to review sentencing guidelines for xylazine-related offenses and mandates reports to Congress on the prevalence and impact of illicit xylazine use. Finally, it will include xylazine in Arcos tracking.

The SAFE for America Act of 2025 eliminates the Diversity Visa Program, which makes visas available to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. This is achieved through repealing subsection (c) of Section 203 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Act also makes corresponding technical amendments to other sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act to reflect this change. These changes would take effect beginning October 1, 2025.

The "National Right-to-Work Act" amends both the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to protect an employee's right to choose whether or not to join or support a labor union. It eliminates the possibility of mandatory union membership or dues payments as a condition of employment, ensuring that employees cannot be forced to join or support a union against their will.

The "Operation Lone Star Reimbursement Act" seeks to reimburse the State of Texas for the $11.1 billion in expenses incurred for securing the southern border between 2021 and 2025 due to the Federal Government's lack of action. The Governor of Texas must apply for reimbursement from the Department of Homeland Security and the Treasury, including a detailed list of expenses. The Secretary of Homeland Security will review the application and determine eligible expenses, and the Treasury Secretary will then pay Texas the reimbursable amount from unallocated funds.