Legislative Activity

The No Payola Act repeals existing Senate notification requirements concerning legal processes related to the disclosure of Senate data. Furthermore, it mandates that any Senator who received funds through a private right of action under the repealed law must return those awarded funds to the Treasury.

This bill, the International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025, establishes a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Peoples within the Department of State. It codifies U.S. policy to actively combat international criminalization, violence, and discrimination against LGBTQI+ individuals worldwide. The legislation also mandates enhanced reporting on these abuses in annual human rights reports and authorizes assistance to support related protection efforts abroad.

This resolution expresses the sense of Congress recognizing the strategic value of the long-standing partnership between the United States and India, founded on shared democratic values and mutual interests. It highlights the deep cooperation across defense, technology, counterterrorism, and economic ties. The bill encourages the expansion of this relationship to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The Veterans Transition Support Act of 2025 expands the existing Solid Start program to enhance outreach to specific separating service members. This legislation mandates proactive contact between 210 and 120 days before separation to inform members about transitional health care and provide disability claim assistance resources. The program must also incorporate suicide prevention resources into its outreach efforts for these veterans.

The Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act of 2025 establishes strict new standards for the use of non-deadly force by federal immigration personnel, requiring proportionality and de-escalation efforts. The bill mandates identification requirements, restricts the use of certain crowd-control equipment, and imposes new body camera and detailed reporting mandates. Furthermore, it creates affirmative duties for officers to intervene against excessive force and requires annual training on these new policies.

The Restoring Access for Detainees Act aims to reinstate and expand free communication services for individuals in civil immigration detention. It mandates the provision of free phone calls, including 200 free outgoing minutes monthly, specifically for contacting family and legal counsel. Furthermore, the bill ensures private, unmonitored communication opportunities with attorneys and certain government officials upon arrival in custody.

This Act establishes the **Strategic Task Force on Scam Prevention**, an interagency group led by the FTC and DOJ, to combat fraud. The task force is charged with developing and implementing a national strategy that includes public education, industry coordination, and enhanced enforcement actions. It will also coordinate with international partners and report annually on its efforts to reduce financial losses from scams.

This resolution commemorates the seventh anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi's murder and addresses ongoing human rights abuses by the Government of Saudi Arabia, including transnational repression against dissidents. Congress calls on Saudi Arabia to hold all individuals accountable for Khashoggi's murder and to immediately release all wrongfully detained persons. The resolution emphasizes that these abuses strain the essential U.S.-Saudi relationship.

This resolution designates October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month to highlight the widespread and devastating impact of intimate partner violence across all demographics. It recognizes the urgent need to eliminate domestic violence and supports increased funding for intervention and prevention programs. The resolution underscores the severe physical, emotional, and economic toll this abuse takes on individuals, families, and communities.

The Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot Act establishes a three-year grant program to help school food authorities offer 100% plant-based meal options, prioritizing culturally appropriate and educational components. Additionally, the bill clarifies and expands requirements for schools to substitute fluid milk with nutritionally equivalent nondairy beverages to accommodate medical, religious, or personal dietary needs. A separate pilot program is also created to help cover the costs associated with providing these nondairy substitutes based on written requests.

This resolution formally recognizes the significant religious and historical importance of the festival of Diwali to Indian-American communities across the nation. Congress acknowledges Diwali as the festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains for its symbolism of knowledge, peace, and the triumph of good over evil. By passing this, the House expresses respect for the Indian diaspora and appreciates the strong partnership between the United States and India.

This resolution is an official request from the House of Representatives demanding the President promptly transmit specific documents related to government communications during a funding lapse. Congress seeks records detailing directives from the OMB and messaging used by agencies like HUD and Education that explicitly blamed political opponents for a potential shutdown. The inquiry also requires information on whether these communications potentially violated federal rules regarding political activity by government employees.

The FALCON Act of 2025 mandates that federal employees, contractors, and grant recipients must cooperate with requests from an agency's Inspector General (IG) within 60 days. Failure to comply can result in administrative discipline for employees or adverse actions for contractors, as determined by the agency head. The IG must report any non-compliance to Congress and the relevant agency head within 30 days of determination. This legislation strengthens oversight by ensuring timely access to information for internal watchdogs.

The National Fire Academy RESCUE Act ensures that fire departments are reimbursed for expenses incurred when National Fire Academy training courses are canceled due to a lapse in federal appropriations (a government shutdown). FEMA must reimburse departments for covered costs, such as travel and backfill staffing, within 90 days of receiving an itemized application following the shutdown's end. This reimbursement does not apply if the cancellation was due to reasons other than a lapse in appropriations, such as instructor illness or other emergencies.

The Every Child Deserves a Head Start Act of 2025 aims to solidify the foundational support for the Head Start program, recognizing its vital role in early childhood development. This bill permanently establishes the structure and staffing levels of the Office of Head Start, including its 12 regional offices, as they existed before January 20, 2025. The legislation strictly limits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from altering this established structure or reducing staff without specific Congressional notification procedures. Ultimately, the Act ensures the consistent delivery of essential educational and support services to eligible children and families nationwide.

The Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act of 2025 aims to increase federal reimbursement rates for school meals. Specifically, it provides an additional 45 cents per lunch and 28 cents per breakfast served by school food authorities starting November 1, 2025. These adjusted rates will be subject to future inflation adjustments.

This resolution is an official request demanding the President transmit specific, unredacted documents to the House of Representatives within 14 days. Congress is seeking all communications and records related to potential furloughs, layoffs, or the withholding of pay for federal employees due to a funding lapse beginning October 1, 2025. The request specifically targets documents concerning legal opinions that might undermine the requirement to pay furloughed workers after appropriations resume.

This bill mandates that the House of Representatives must convene daily during a government shutdown, limiting their ability to adjourn. It requires recorded quorum calls on session days, imposing escalating fines on members who fail to check in electronically for two consecutive days. These fines must be paid by the member personally, with procedures established for appeals and automatic salary deduction for non-payment.

The Fair Access to Swift and Timely Justice Act, or FAST Justice Act, allows federal employees or job applicants to file a civil lawsuit in federal district court if the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) fails to issue a decision on their appeal within 120 days. This provision provides an alternative remedy when the MSPB's review process causes undue delay. Filing a lawsuit pauses the MSPB appeal, but the original appeal rights remain intact if the lawsuit is dismissed.

The Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act of 2025 provides financial relief to federal employees affected by government shutdowns. This bill waives the 10% early withdrawal penalty on Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) distributions up to $30,000 during a qualifying shutdown. Additionally, it allows affected employees greater access to TSP hardship withdrawals and loans, and prevents missed TSP loan payments due to a shutdown from being treated as a taxable distribution.