Legislative Activity

The "Department of Education Protection Act" prevents the Department of Education from using already allocated funds to reorganize in ways that would decentralize, reduce staff, or alter the Department's responsibilities, structure, authority, or functions as they existed on January 1, 2025. This act ensures that the Department of Education continues to focus on boosting student success and equal access through its established offices and institutes.

Mel's Law requires higher education institutions to develop a policy for awarding posthumous degrees to students who were in good academic standing but died before completing their program. It prevents accreditation agencies from factoring posthumous degrees into their evaluations of institutions. This law aims to provide recognition for students who were close to achieving their academic goals before their untimely passing. The law goes into effect one year after enactment.

The TRUST in Congress Act mandates that members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children place covered investments, such as securities and commodities, into qualified blind trusts within a specified timeframe. These trusts must remain in place until 180 days after the member leaves office, ensuring that investment decisions are made without the member's knowledge or influence. Members must certify their compliance or declare the absence of covered investments, with these certifications being made public. An exception is provided for spouses or dependent children whose primary income is derived from a covered investment.

The "End Oil and Gas Tax Subsidies Act of 2025" aims to eliminate various tax benefits and subsidies currently provided to the oil and gas industry. It repeals or modifies provisions related to amortization of geological expenditures, tax credits for marginal wells and enhanced oil recovery, intangible drilling costs, percentage depletion for oil and gas wells, deductions for tertiary injectants, and passive loss limitations. The act also prohibits major integrated oil companies from using last-in, first-out (LIFO) accounting and modifies foreign tax credit rules for dual capacity taxpayers. Additionally, the bill clarifies the definition of crude oil for excise tax purposes to include tar sands.

The LNG Public Interest Determination Act of 2025 amends the Natural Gas Act, requiring the Secretary of Energy to approve natural gas exports only if they are deemed to be in the public interest. Approval requires assessments regarding climate change, economic impacts, and environmental justice, ensuring exports do not significantly worsen climate change, increase energy prices for U.S. consumers, or unfairly burden vulnerable communities. The Act mandates public participation, especially from communities with environmental justice concerns, and terminates a rule that automatically excludes certain natural gas export approvals from environmental review. The Secretary of Energy must create regulations to implement this law within one year.

This bill designates January 13th of each year as Korean American Day. It recognizes the important influence, contributions, and sacrifices of Korean Americans in the United States, and celebrates the 122nd anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the U.S. The bill encourages all Americans to acknowledge and celebrate the integral role of Korean Americans in strengthening the ties between the United States and the Republic of Korea.

The Goldie's Act seeks to strengthen the USDA's enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by mandating annual inspections, requiring humane treatment of suffering animals, and imposing significant penalties for violations. It ensures transparency through mandated sharing of violation records and sets firm guidelines for determining penalties based on the severity and frequency of violations. The Act also enables legal action to recover unpaid penalties and penalizes the disobedience of "cease and desist" orders.

The "Health Care Affordability Act of 2025" expands eligibility for health insurance tax credits by removing the income cap, allowing more individuals and families to qualify for financial assistance. The bill adjusts the premium tax credit calculation, providing a sliding scale based on income to ensure affordability. These changes will apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "Proxy Voting for New Parents Resolution" allows Members of the House, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner who have recently given birth or whose spouse has given birth to designate another Member to vote on their behalf in the House, in committee, and in the Committee of the Whole for a period of 12 weeks. This proxy voting authority can begin before the birth if a doctor advises that the pregnancy presents a serious medical condition or that she is unable to travel safely. The resolution outlines specific procedures for designating, changing, and revoking proxy designations, ensuring transparency and adherence to instructions. Members whose votes are cast by proxy will not be counted for quorum purposes.

The Veterans Infertility Treatment Act of 2025 requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide infertility treatments, including up to three IVF cycles resulting in a live birth or 10 attempted cycles, to eligible veterans and their partners. It permits the use of donated gametes or embryos with proper consent and covers travel expenses for partners. The Act also defines key terms and requires the VA to issue regulations for implementation within one year, while expanding services to include partners of veterans, regardless of marital status, and the use of donated gametes or embryos in the interim.

The Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act ensures veterans do not pay more for contraception than the Secretary of Veterans Affairs pays for the medication. Additionally, it eliminates copayments for contraceptive items if health insurance coverage is required without cost-sharing under the Public Health Service Act.

The Dental Care for Veterans Act aims to improve veterans' access to dental care by integrating it more closely with other medical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill removes specific limitations and updates existing code to allow the Secretary to provide comprehensive dental care, including dentures and appliances. The implementation of these expanded benefits will be phased in over four years, prioritizing veterans based on existing eligibility criteria. Additionally, the bill makes necessary clerical updates to reflect these changes in the U.S. Code.

The Capitol Remembrance Act mandates the creation of a permanent exhibit within the Capitol Building to memorialize the January 6, 2021, attack. This exhibit will feature damaged property, photographs, and a plaque honoring law enforcement, fallen heroes, injured officers, and Capitol staff. The goal is to ensure future generations understand the events of that day and the sacrifices made to protect the Capitol. Appropriations are authorized to complete the exhibit within two years.

The Veteran Overmedication and Suicide Prevention Act of 2025 mandates an independent review of veteran suicides and certain other deaths by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This review will analyze various factors, including prescribed medications, diagnoses, and treatment approaches, to identify patterns and inform updated clinical practice guidelines within the VA. The goal is to improve veteran safety and well-being by addressing potential overmedication and enhancing suicide prevention efforts. A report on the review's findings will be submitted to Congress and made public.

The Washington, D.C. Admission Act outlines the process for Washington, D.C., to become the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, while establishing a separate U.S. Capital. It addresses the transition of laws, property, and governance, ensuring continued federal operations and representation for D.C. residents. The Act also covers federal responsibilities, courts, elections, and benefit programs during the transition, establishing a commission to oversee the process and mandating presidential certification.

The "Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act of 2025" expands the use of tax-advantaged health accounts, including HSAs, FSAs, HRAs and Archer MSAs, to cover medical expenses of parents. This allows individuals to use these funds for their parents' or their spouse's parents' medical care. These changes aim to provide financial relief to caregivers by allowing pre-tax dollars to be used for elder care. The provisions apply to expenses and contributions made after December 31, 2024.