Legislative Activity

This resolution affirms strong Congressional support for the independence of the Federal Reserve System, its Chairman, and the Board of Governors. It emphasizes that the Fed must be free from political pressure to effectively manage monetary policy and maintain financial stability. The bill specifically warns against any executive interference that could undermine the Fed's integrity or global trust in the U.S. financial system.

The HIV Prevention Now Act secures **\$2.165 billion** in dedicated funding for the CDC's National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention for Fiscal Year 2026. This appropriation is specifically earmarked to support the center's prevention programs and activities. This funding is supplemental to, and cannot be transferred from, other existing appropriations.

The Tipped Worker Protection Act aims to eliminate the lower minimum wage for tipped employees by phasing out the tip credit system, ensuring all workers eventually receive the standard federal minimum wage. The bill also establishes strict new rules regarding tip pooling, mandates employee voting to create or change pooling systems, and prohibits employers from keeping any portion of employee tips. Furthermore, it clarifies what constitutes a tip, including certain mandatory service charges, and updates penalties for illegal tip retention.

The Restore Trust in Congress Act establishes strict new rules prohibiting Members of Congress and their immediate families from owning or trading specific financial assets, referred to as "covered investments," while in office. Covered individuals must divest existing prohibited holdings within a set timeframe or face significant financial penalties, including fines and forfeiture of profits. The legislation aims to eliminate conflicts of interest arising from personal financial trading while serving in federal office.

The Union Participation for All Act completely repeals the section of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 that prohibited certain individuals from holding office in labor organizations. This legislation removes a long-standing ban, opening up leadership positions within unions to a wider range of people. The bill also makes minor conforming amendments to ensure other reporting requirements align with the repeal.

The Protect Patients from Costly Care Act aims to reverse recent changes to Medicaid cost-sharing requirements and the Drug Price Negotiation Program. This bill effectively deletes specific sections from a previous reconciliation act that altered these healthcare provisions. By repealing these changes, the Act restores the original rules regarding Medicaid cost-sharing and the exclusion of orphan drugs from price negotiations.

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act seeks to federally decriminalize cannabis by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act, which will retroactively apply to past offenses. The bill establishes an Opportunity Trust Fund, financed by new cannabis taxes, to reinvest in communities harmed by prohibition. Furthermore, it mandates the expungement of non-violent federal cannabis convictions and opens up Small Business Administration (SBA) programs to legitimate cannabis businesses.

This bill mandates that members of the Armed Forces deployed to the District of Columbia under a Presidential order related to crime or civil disturbance must wear body-worn cameras. These service members will be required to participate in a program substantially similar to the existing Metropolitan Police Department's Body-Worn Camera Program. This ensures transparency and accountability for military personnel operating in a domestic law enforcement capacity during such events.

The Increasing Nutrition Access for Seniors Act of 2025 aims to streamline and improve SNAP benefits for eligible seniors and disabled individuals. This bill extends certification periods up to 36 months for households with no earned income and introduces greater flexibility for medical expense deductions, including a self-attestation option. These changes are designed to reduce administrative burdens for long-term recipients while ensuring continued access to necessary food assistance.

The Greyhound Protection Act of 2025 seeks to end commercial greyhound racing and related cruel training practices nationwide by October 1, 2027. This legislation bans all forms of wagering on greyhound races and prohibits the use of live animals for training or coursing events. Violators face significant fines and potential imprisonment under the strengthened Animal Welfare Act. The bill reflects concerns over widespread animal injuries, drug use, and inhumane confinement within the declining industry.

The Safeguarding the Use of the National Guard Act (SUN Act) enhances Congressional oversight of the President's domestic deployment of National Guard and reserve forces. It requires the President to submit a detailed report to Congress within 15 days outlining the legal justification, goals, costs, and impact of any domestic deployment. This reporting requirement is waived only when reserve forces are deployed specifically following a Presidential declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Act for a natural disaster.

The Community Parks Revitalization Act establishes a competitive grant program through HUD to fund local park improvements focused on public health and youth safety. It also creates a mechanism for secured loans and guarantees to attract private investment for larger park and recreation infrastructure projects. The bill aims to enhance community spaces through targeted federal investment and private financing.

This resolution terminates the President's August 11, 2025, declaration of a crime emergency in the District of Columbia. Congress asserts that the President lacks the legal authority under the D.C. Home Rule Act to take operational control of the Metropolitan Police Department. Furthermore, the bill notes that local violent crime rates have been declining significantly.

This resolution officially establishes August 20th as **Original Slavery Remembrance Day** to formally recognize and condemn the history of slavery in the U.S. and globally. It commemorates the lives of enslaved people, honors historical figures who fought for freedom, and acknowledges the lasting effects of slavery on contemporary society. The resolution requests the President to issue a proclamation calling for appropriate national observance of this day.

The Shielding Students from Wildfire Smoke Act directs the EPA to commission a comprehensive study on how K-12 schools and childcare facilities currently manage wildfire smoke exposure for children. This review will assess existing policies, identify gaps in protection, and recommend actionable strategies to Congress for improving safeguards, especially for resource-limited settings.

The Stop Price Gouging in Grocery Stores Act of 2025 aims to protect consumers by prohibiting grocery stores from charging "grossly excessive" prices for food items. The bill also bans stores from adjusting prices based on personal tracking data, such as facial recognition, and requires clear signage if facial recognition technology is used. Furthermore, it mandates that large physical grocery stores must use printed signs instead of electronic shelf labels for displaying prices.

The Keep Seniors Fed Act makes technical amendments to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 regarding how income is calculated for food assistance eligibility. Specifically, it mandates that income received under Title II of the Social Security Act must now be counted when determining eligibility for benefits. These changes will take effect 90 days after the bill is signed into law.

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 Help America Run Act aims to make it easier for everyday Americans to run for office by allowing campaign funds to cover essential living expenses. Specifically, the bill permits campaign committees to use funds for necessary personal services like childcare and elder care, which helps candidates who are not independently wealthy. This change is intended to increase the diversity of candidates and ensure elected officials better reflect the general population.

The Ending Homelessness Act of 2025 aims to significantly reduce homelessness by making housing choice vouchers an entitlement program starting in 2029 and immediately expanding the voucher supply for extremely low-income families. The bill also prohibits housing discrimination based on source of income and establishes new, dedicated funding streams for emergency relief and supportive services under the McKinney-Vento Act. Finally, it repeals certain ineligibility criteria for housing assistance and sets priorities for funding based on local policies that encourage affordable housing and decriminalize homelessness.