Legislative Activity

The FRESHER Act of 2025 aims to regulate stormwater runoff from oil, gas, and mining operations under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. This legislation modifies existing permit requirements and mandates a study by the Secretary of the Interior on the contamination risks associated with this runoff. The resulting report will detail measurable contamination and the susceptibility of groundwater resources to pollution from these operations.

This bill amends the Social Security Act to mandate the exclusion of individuals and entities who commit fraud from participating in any Federal health care program. Specifically, it requires the Secretary to exclude those convicted of certain fraud-related offenses or determined to have engaged in prohibited fraudulent activities. This ensures that those who misuse federal health programs due to financial misconduct are barred from future participation.

This bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from using appropriated funds to automatically enroll individuals into Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. It ensures that enrollment in an MA plan only occurs when an individual actively makes that choice, rather than it being the default option.

The Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025 aims to strengthen domestic food security by repealing specific sections of a prior reconciliation act. This action effectively revives the original laws that were previously amended by the repealed provisions. The bill seeks to revert existing agricultural and food-related statutes to their pre-amendment status.

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 Children's Act for Responsible Employment and Farm Safety (CARE Act of 2025) aims to strengthen protections for children working in agriculture by amending the Fair Labor Standards Act. This bill revises child labor definitions, increases civil and criminal penalties for violations, and mandates stricter reporting of work-related injuries or deaths involving young farmworkers. Furthermore, it prohibits employing anyone under 18 as a pesticide handler.

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.

The Right to Representation for Department of Veterans Affairs Workers Act of 2025 grants eligible VA employees the right to have a representative present during any examination that they believe could lead to disciplinary action. This representation must be requested by the employee and will occur during duty time if applicable. The bill specifically defines which VA employees are covered by this new right.

The VA Care and Benefits Accountability Act ensures that existing collective bargaining agreements within the Department of Veterans Affairs remain in effect until their specified end dates. Furthermore, this bill nullifies Executive Orders 14251 and 14343, preventing their enforcement or implementation within the VA. This action solidifies current labor agreements for VA employees.

The Have You Served Act establishes a grant program to fund "Ask the Question Campaigns." These campaigns encourage service providers to ask clients about their military service to better connect them with veteran resources. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs will award up to 25 grants annually to eligible states and tribes to support training and campaign costs.

The VA Work-Study Improvement Act expands approved work-study locations to include state/local government agencies and nonprofits that benefit veterans. It establishes a clear standard for the minimum hourly wage paid to participants and mandates the use of electronic timesheets. Furthermore, the bill requires the VA to annually publish detailed data regarding the work-study program's activities and participants.

The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 ensures that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) continue to operate without interruption in fiscal year 2026 if standard appropriations are delayed. If funding lapses, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to use funds from the Treasury to provide benefits and reimburse state agencies. This special funding remains in effect until full appropriations are enacted or until September 30, 2026.

The Right to Enroll Act of 2025 extends the annual open enrollment period for health insurance exchanges specifically for the 2026 plan year. This legislation mandates that the open enrollment period will run from November 1, 2025, through May 1, 2026.

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 Integrated Resource Planning Modernization Act directs the Secretary of Energy to develop updated guidelines and best practices for electric utility planning, focusing on modern resource adequacy analysis and diverse energy solutions. The bill also establishes a grant program to help states align their planning requirements with these new federal standards. This effort aims to ensure the reliability and cost-effectiveness of the future electricity system through comprehensive, forward-looking planning.

The Same Day Registration Act of 2025 mandates that all states allow eligible individuals to register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day during any federal election, including early voting periods. This requirement applies starting with the November 2026 general election. States without any voter registration requirement for federal elections are exempt from this mandate.

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 American Energy Independence and Affordability Act is a comprehensive bill designed to lower energy costs by extending and adjusting key tax incentives across energy production, efficiency, and clean vehicle adoption. It stabilizes support for renewable energy manufacturing, extends deadlines for energy-efficient building credits, and ensures consumer incentives for electric vehicles remain available through 2032. Overall, the legislation aims to provide long-term certainty for energy investments and consumer adoption of cleaner technologies.

The Feed the Community Act amends tax law to encourage charitable donations of essential food service equipment, such as refrigerators, transport vehicles, and preparation tools. This bill expands the definition of eligible donated property beyond just food inventory to include functional food storage, transport, and meal preparation equipment. Donors can elect to limit the reduction in their charitable deduction for these specific donations, subject to certain dollar limits for transport and preparation equipment. These changes are set to take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.