Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses the sense of the House that the severe, ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Cameroon warrants immediate action. It calls on the Department of Homeland Security to establish a specific humanitarian parole program for Cameroonian nationals fleeing persecution. The bill highlights the dangers returnees face and seeks to address the historical lack of such programs for African nations.

The Protect our Public Health Workforce Act addresses the unfair removal of certain CDC federal employees between January 20, 2025, and the enactment of this law. It mandates the reinstatement or placement of these affected employees into equivalent positions, along with providing full backpay. Furthermore, the CDC must regularly report detailed information regarding employee removals to relevant Congressional committees until January 20, 2029.

This resolution demands that the Secretary of State provide Congress with a comprehensive report on human rights practices in El Salvador within 30 days. The report must detail credible allegations of abuses, including torture, forced disappearances, and denial of due process. It must also outline the specific actions the U.S. government has taken to address these issues and assess the risk of U.S. security assistance supporting rights violations.

The Reduction in Force Review Act subjects federal agency decisions regarding workforce reductions (RIFs) to formal Congressional review, treating them as legislative "rules." Agencies must now submit detailed justification packages explaining the reasons for the cuts, the operational impact, and alternatives considered. This ensures greater transparency and scrutiny over significant staff reductions affecting federal employees.

The TRUST Act ensures that complaints filed against judges remain active even if the judge resigns, retires, or passes away during the review process. This legislation prevents the dismissal of judicial misconduct investigations solely because the subject judge is no longer in office. The goal is to mandate that special committees complete their investigations and file final reports regardless of judicial vacancies.

The Public Service Worker Protection Act expands the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) to explicitly cover all public employees, including those working for federal, state, and local governments. This change brings public sector workers under the general protections afforded by OSHA. While the expansion takes effect generally within 90 days, states without an existing OSHA plan are given a three-year transition period before federal oversight applies to their employees.

This House resolution urges the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to withdraw a recent notice that would reduce opportunities for public comment on new regulations. It affirms the importance of robust public input in the rulemaking process, which directly affects millions of Americans. The resolution calls for HHS to maintain its existing, open procedures for gathering feedback before finalizing any policy changes.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating May 4, 2025, as a "National Day of Reason." It recognizes the essential role of logic, critical thinking, and evidence in advancing human progress and safeguarding democracy. The bill encourages all Americans to observe this day by highlighting the importance of reason in solving societal challenges.

The HAVEN Act aims to significantly improve housing accessibility by lowering tenant rent contributions from 30% to 20% of income across several federal rental assistance programs. It also prohibits discrimination based on lawful source of income and establishes new funding mechanisms, including grants to help voucher holders find housing and a massive expansion of the Housing Choice Voucher program, eventually making assistance an entitlement. Furthermore, the bill mandates that Fair Market Rents be calculated using smaller geographic areas (zip codes) to better reflect local costs.

This bill mandates that certain immigration officers from agencies like CBP and ICE must clearly display large, highly visible identification during all enforcement actions. The identification, at least 12x6 inches, cannot be obscured by external gear like body armor. This ensures clear identification of immigration officers while they are actively carrying out their duties.

The Stop Subsidizing Multimillion Dollar Corporate Bonuses Act expands the tax code rules that limit corporate deductions for excessive executive compensation. This bill broadens the definition of "covered individuals" whose high pay is subject to these limits, including certain past top executives. The changes aim to prevent companies from deducting multi-million dollar bonuses for highly compensated employees and grant the IRS authority to issue clarifying regulations.

The Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 comprehensively defines and bans the manufacture, sale, and transfer of specific semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices. The bill grandfathers existing weapons but imposes new requirements for their secure storage and mandates dealer involvement for future private transfers. It also allows federal grant money to be used by states for buy-back programs targeting these banned items.

The Better CARE for Animals Act of 2025 significantly strengthens enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by clarifying definitions and expanding the scope of investigations. It grants the Attorney General explicit authority to file civil actions seeking penalties up to $10,000 per day, and mandates that collected fines help cover temporary animal care costs. The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Attorney General to establish a formal agreement for coordinated enforcement.

The Health Share Transparency Act of 2025 requires health care sharing ministries (HCSMs) to significantly increase public and governmental disclosure regarding their finances, operations, and claim practices. Ministries must provide detailed annual reports to federal agencies and give clear, prominent disclosures to prospective and current members about coverage limitations and appeal processes. The bill also mandates that enrollment contractors educate potential members on the differences between HCSMs and traditional insurance plans.

The REHIRE Act establishes a temporary hiring preference for certain Federal employees involuntarily removed from their positions between January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2027. These eligible former employees will receive the equivalent of a "preference eligible" status plus five extra points on their earned scores when applying for competitive service jobs. This hiring advantage excludes those removed for misconduct, poor performance, or from political positions, and it expires five years after enactment.

The PFAS–Free Procurement Act of 2025 prohibits the federal government from purchasing certain items containing harmful PFAS chemicals, specifically PFOS or PFOA. This ban applies to new or renewed contracts for covered items like stain-resistant furniture, cookware, and utensils. Agencies must prioritize procuring safer, PFAS-free alternatives when available.

The Securing Help for Immigrants through Education and Legal Development (SHIELD) Act establishes a federal grant program to expand legal services for immigrants facing deportation. This initiative aims to build the necessary legal infrastructure and workforce to ensure high-quality representation, recognizing the critical impact legal counsel has on case outcomes. The Attorney General will administer competitive grants to state/local governments and nonprofits to hire, train, and retain immigration defense staff. Congress authorizes $100 million for this program for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

Anna's Law of 2025 establishes a new grant program to fund trauma-informed training for law enforcement and EMTs responding to sexual assault cases. This training aims to educate first responders on the effects of trauma to improve victim interactions and reduce re-traumatization. Agencies accepting the grants must ensure new recruits receive eight hours of training, while current staff receives four hours annually. The bill also mandates reporting on the program's effectiveness and maintaining a public directory of qualified trainers.

The Improving Diaper Affordability Act of 2025 addresses the significant financial burden and health risks associated with diaper need for American families. This bill makes diapers a qualified expense for tax-advantaged accounts like HSAs, FSAs, and HRAs, effectively lowering the cost through pre-tax dollars. Additionally, it prohibits state and local governments from imposing retail sales or use taxes on the purchase of diapers. These measures aim to increase access to this essential item for low-income households.

The Probationary Reduction for Employee Protections (PREP) Act shortens the initial probationary periods for new federal employees. Specifically, it limits the trial period to a maximum of six months for those transitioning directly from another executive branch civil service job. For other new hires, the maximum probationary period will be 12 months across competitive service, excepted service, and Senior Executive Service appointments.