Legislative Activity

The Warehouse Worker Protection Act establishes new federal standards to increase transparency and fairness for warehouse workers at large companies by mandating disclosure of performance quotas and monitoring data. It guarantees mandatory paid rest breaks, strengthens protections against using quotas to suppress organizing efforts, and introduces new federal ergonomics and safety standards under OSHA. The bill creates a new Department of Labor office to enforce these provisions and invalidates mandatory pre-dispute arbitration for related claims.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Wildfire Emergency Preparedness Act of 2025 aims to significantly enhance national readiness for wildfires and wildland-urban interface fires. It establishes a national training plan and grant program for structural firefighters, creates a new high-level Under Secretary for Fire Coordination within the Department of Agriculture, and boosts firefighter health and safety research. Furthermore, the Act authorizes supplemental funding for local departments to purchase protective gear and receive specialized training.

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 Saving the Forest Service's Workforce Act places an immediate moratorium on involuntary layoffs and reductions in force (RIFs) at the Forest Service. This freeze will remain in effect until Congress passes the full-year funding laws for fiscal year 2026. The only exceptions for separation during this period are for documented reasons such as misconduct or poor performance.

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 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 Click to Cancel Act of 2025 officially codifies the Federal Trade Commission's "click-to-cancel" rule into federal law. This mandates that businesses provide consumers with a simple, online method to cancel subscriptions. Violations of this new law will be enforced by the FTC using its existing authority under the Federal Trade Commission Act.

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 Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act establishes a new program to support local food producers and strengthen regional food security. This initiative requires the Secretary of Agriculture to fund agreements that ensure nutritious, locally sourced food is purchased and distributed widely, prioritizing small and beginning farmers. Funds must be used to buy minimally processed local products and provide technical assistance to producers. The program is backed by mandatory funding starting in Fiscal Year 2026.

This resolution supports Minority Mental Health Awareness Month by recognizing the disproportionate impact of mental health conditions on minority populations. It highlights significant racial disparities in mental health experiences and barriers to culturally competent care. The bill calls on the President to increase efforts to improve access to mental health services that specifically address the unique cultural and social challenges faced by minority communities.

The Protect Our Hospitals Act aims to restore previous regulations concerning Medicaid provider taxes by repealing a specific section of Public Law 11921. This action effectively nullifies recent changes, returning the rules governing how states tax Medicaid providers to their original status.

The Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2025 significantly improves the TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program for military dependents. This legislation eliminates the age restriction for TYA eligibility and removes the separate premium requirement for coverage. These changes aim to provide broader and simpler healthcare access for adult children of service members.

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.