Legislative Activity

The Community Services Block Grant Improvement Act of 2025 aims to strengthen federal efforts to combat poverty by updating the core goals and operational rules of the Community Services Block Grant program. The bill revises definitions, sets a specific annual funding authorization through Fiscal Year 2032, and tightens requirements for state plans and local agency governance, including mandating tripartite boards. Ultimately, these changes seek to ensure grant funds are effectively used by local entities to promote the self-sufficiency of low-income individuals and families.

The Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting January 1, 2026. This coverage is specifically for testing or treatment related to COVID-19, the flu, RSV, strep throat, or during a declared public health emergency. The bill outlines payment structures, generally covering 80% of the cost, and prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

The **Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act of 2025** is a comprehensive bill designed to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry and secure critical supply chains. It establishes new centralized oversight for maritime policy, creates a dedicated Maritime Security Trust Fund financed by new vessel taxes, and mandates significant federal investment in domestic shipbuilding and workforce development. The legislation also imposes stricter cargo preference rules and tax incentives to ensure U.S.-flagged vessels dominate international commerce and defense sealift operations.

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 Vietnam Human Rights Act aims to integrate human rights concerns into the U.S.-Vietnam relationship by imposing sanctions on officials involved in abuses and corruption. The bill mandates actions to combat Vietnamese government censorship and surveillance while pushing for stronger religious freedom protections. It also establishes detailed reporting requirements to track progress on these critical human rights issues.

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 Equality Act comprehensively expands federal civil rights protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity across key areas of American life. It amends existing laws to prohibit discrimination in public accommodations, housing, credit, employment, and federal funding. The purpose of the bill is to provide consistent, explicit, and comprehensive remedies for individuals facing bias in these essential sectors.

The West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025 declares extreme settler violence and displacement in the West Bank a threat to U.S. national security interests. This Act mandates the President to impose sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans, on foreign individuals responsible for undermining peace and stability in the region. The Treasury Department must report to Congress on the implementation of these sanctions every 90 days.

The Fight Fentanyl Act strengthens federal efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis by updating the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. This legislation mandates increased reporting on fentanyl investigations, sets dedicated funding levels through 2030, and expands HIDTA purposes to prioritize fentanyl interdiction. Furthermore, it requires the Attorney General to ensure sufficient prosecutorial resources are dedicated to fentanyl trafficking cases through temporary AUSA assignments.

This bill provides enhanced employment protections and reinstatement options for certain Federal career employees who were serving under a probationary period following a promotion. It grants these employees standard due process rights against unfair removal while on probation. Furthermore, it allows employees removed between January 20, 2025, and the date of enactment to elect reinstatement to their former or an equivalent position with back pay. These protections generally exclude those promoted into or removed from political positions.

The Veterans for Mustangs Act amends existing law to prioritize humane, on-range fertility control for managing wild horse and burro populations. This legislation mandates that the Secretary of the Interior must prioritize recruiting, training, and hiring military veterans to administer these fertility control measures. This ensures population management goals are met while providing employment opportunities for veterans.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 aims to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and countering its support for terrorism by imposing sanctions on those involved in Iran's energy sector and those who provide financial support for its destabilizing activities. It mandates sanctions on foreign entities involved in processing, exporting, or selling Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemicals, while also establishing an interagency working group to coordinate and enforce these sanctions. The Act also amends existing legislation to require the identification of individuals involved in sanctionable activities or sanctions evasion related to Iranian oil and gas sales.

The American Family Act fundamentally overhauls the Child Tax Credit by replacing the annual lump sum with a system of advance, refundable monthly payments delivered directly to families. These monthly allowances vary based on the child's age, with higher amounts provided for younger children. The bill also establishes a separate, smaller credit for other dependents and outlines procedures for annual renewal and reconciliation of advance payments when filing taxes.

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees across the nation. It requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to review state laws to ensure they substantially provide these minimum rights, including the right to organize and bargain collectively. If a state fails to meet these standards, the FLRA will administer federal labor relations rules for the uncovered employees. The Act also prohibits strikes or lockouts that would measurably disrupt emergency or public safety services.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 updates federal housing tax credit allocations to reflect current economic realities and boosts minimum state allotments. It reforms tenant eligibility rules to stabilize tenancy and enhance protections for vulnerable residents, including victims of abuse. The bill also provides disaster relief for property owners, increases incentives for housing the extremely low-income, and directs greater resources toward Native American and rural housing needs. Finally, it streamlines administrative processes and signals a future focus on data transparency and discouraging restrictive local zoning.

The Protect America's Workforce Act nullifies a specific Executive Order concerning exclusions from federal labor-management relations programs, immediately voiding its legal power and halting federal spending to enforce it. This legislation also ensures that all existing collective bargaining agreements between federal agencies and unions remain valid until their original expiration dates.

This bill officially designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 3817 Marysville Boulevard in Sacramento, California, as the "Grantland Johnson Post Office." This action ensures the building is officially recognized by its new name in all records and documentation.

The Hot Foods Act of 2025 removes the general federal ban on using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase hot, ready-to-eat foods. This legislation clarifies that hot foods are now eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits, while also setting a new rule that limits SNAP-participating retailers to deriving no more than 50% of their gross sales from these ready-to-eat hot items. The act updates existing statutes to reflect this expanded purchasing power for recipients.

The Paycheck Fairness Act significantly strengthens federal equal pay protections by broadening definitions of sex discrimination, tightening employer defenses against pay disparities, and increasing penalties for violations. It also prohibits employers from using salary history in hiring decisions and mandates new data collection by the EEOC to better enforce anti-discrimination laws. Furthermore, the bill establishes new training and outreach programs to combat systemic wage bias.

This bill officially ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment, declaring it a valid part of the U.S. Constitution. It specifically removes any previously imposed deadlines for state ratification. If three-fourths of the states have approved the amendment, this law confirms its official status regardless of past time constraints.