Legislative Activity

The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act establishes a new tax credit and grant program to incentivize grocery stores, food banks, and mobile vendors to operate in designated "food deserts." This financial support aims to increase access to fresh food in underserved communities across the nation. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the Department of Agriculture update its Food Access Research Atlas annually to reflect new food retailers.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment granting Congress and the states the explicit authority to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures. If ratified, it would allow for setting reasonable limits on spending intended to influence elections to protect democratic fairness. The amendment also specifically empowers regulators to treat corporations and other entities differently than individuals regarding election spending, while explicitly protecting the freedom of the press.

This resolution condemns the People's Republic of China and the Hong Kong government for systematically dismantling Hong Kong's promised autonomy and democratic freedoms. It specifically denounces the imposition and expansion of sweeping national security laws used to suppress dissent, arrest activists, and target journalists. The resolution urges international accountability for these actions and calls for the immediate release of all political detainees.

This resolution formally recognizes the rich heritage, culture, and significant contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women across the United States. It celebrates their historic achievements in areas such as military service, science, the arts, and civil rights leadership. The bill also emphasizes the importance of continued investment to overcome barriers these women face in accessing justice, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

The Congressional Whistleblower Protection Act of 2025 establishes clear pathways for federal employees, applicants, and contractors to seek redress when their rights are violated. Covered individuals can pursue administrative remedies through existing personnel practice procedures or escalate their case directly to federal court after a delay or final adverse decision. If successful in court, whistleblowers are eligible for significant relief, including double back pay, compensatory damages, and attorney fees.

This resolution celebrates the 204th anniversary of Greek independence and reaffirms the deep, shared commitment to democracy between the United States and Greece. It recognizes the historical ties, ongoing strategic partnership in security and energy, and the contributions of the Greek-American community. The bill ultimately honors Greece as a vital NATO ally and friend.

The SHARE Act of 2025 establishes new rules for how states can share and use criminal history records when processing professional licenses across state lines through interstate compacts. It mandates that the FBI must provide relevant criminal history information to state licensing authorities for these multi-state checks. Crucially, the receiving state authority is strictly limited to using this data solely for the licensing decision and cannot share the detailed records with any other entity, though they may confirm the check's completion.

This joint resolution formally establishes the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), originally proposed in 1972. It declares that the ERA is now officially part of the Constitution, invalidating any previous time limits set for state ratification. The bill confirms the ERA's validity based on the required three-fourths of states having approved the amendment.

The Paycheck Fairness Act aims to strengthen protections against sex-based wage discrimination and close the gender pay gap. It enhances enforcement by tightening employer defenses for pay disparities, expanding anti-retaliation protections, and increasing penalties for violations. The bill also mandates new data collection by the EEOC and establishes grant programs to support negotiation skills training.

This resolution expresses strong support for the nation's public K-12 schools and condemns any efforts to defund or dismantle the Department of Education. It affirms the crucial federal role in ensuring equitable funding and support for students, especially those with disabilities and from low-income families. The resolution warns that weakening the Department would severely disrupt vital programs serving millions of students nationwide.

The Holding Foreign Insiders Accountable Act mandates stricter and clearer public disclosure of stock transactions by corporate directors, officers, and principal stockholders. This legislation updates existing securities law to ensure greater transparency regarding insider trading activities. Furthermore, it requires the SEC to finalize the necessary implementing rules within 90 days of enactment.

The MERIT Act aims to provide recourse for probationary federal employees who were involuntarily separated due to mass layoffs between January 20, 2025, and the date of enactment. This legislation mandates that affected employees must be offered reinstatement to a similar position with comparable benefits or receive appropriate back pay if they were already terminated. The Act also establishes timelines for notification, employee acceptance, and requires reports from the Comptroller General and OPM regarding the layoffs and subsequent reinstatements.

The "District of Columbia Local Funds Act, 2025" appropriates local funds from the District's General Fund for the current fiscal year, in accordance with the Fiscal Year 2025 Local Budget Act of 2024. The total appropriation for the District's operating expenses in fiscal year 2025 cannot exceed the estimates in the Fiscal Year 2025 Local Budget Act of 2024 or the total revenues of the District for that year, with specific exceptions. The appropriated amount can be increased by proceeds from one-time transactions used for emergency or unanticipated needs, provided these increases are approved by local District law and comply with reserve requirements in the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. The Chief Financial Officer must ensure the District meets these requirements but cannot reprogram funds from bonds, notes, or other obligations issued for capital projects for operating expenses.

The Putting Veterans First Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill designed to support military-affiliated federal employees by reversing past unfair employment actions and establishing new procedural safeguards against future disciplinary actions. It also imposes significant limitations, increased transparency, and accountability measures across the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regarding personnel actions, office closures, and contracting. Furthermore, the Act strengthens protections, mental health support, and employment assistance for civil servants while mandating extensive public reporting on VA operations and staffing.

The Major Richard Star Act allows veterans with combat-related disabilities to receive both veteran's disability compensation and military retired pay concurrently, without reduction. This act amends Title 10 of the United States Code to ensure that disability retirees with combat-related disabilities are not subject to reductions in retired pay due to receiving veteran's disability compensation. These changes will take effect the first day of the month following the enactment of the Act.

The Stop Giving Big Oil Free Money Act aims to eliminate unwarranted financial benefits for certain oil and gas companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico. It prevents companies holding specific older leases that lack price caps from obtaining new leases unless they renegotiate those existing leases to include mandatory royalty payments above certain price thresholds. Furthermore, the bill adjusts the terms for royalty suspension on some existing leases, setting new price triggers that will take effect in late 2026.

The Tar Sands Tax Loophole Elimination Act amends the tax code to explicitly classify tar sands products as "crude oil" for excise tax purposes. This ensures that various oil sands derivatives are subject to existing petroleum excise taxes. The bill also grants the Secretary authority to include other fuel products under these tax rules if they pose a significant environmental hazard when spilled.

The Women's Retirement Protection Act aims to address the significant retirement savings gap disproportionately affecting women by strengthening spousal protections in defined contribution plans. The bill mandates new consent requirements for distributions and beneficiary changes to safeguard a spouse's interest in retirement assets. Furthermore, it establishes grant programs to boost financial literacy for women and specifically assist low-income women and survivors of domestic violence in securing their rightful retirement benefits via court orders.

The Rights for the Transportation Security Administration Workforce Act moves TSA personnel from their special management system into the standard federal employee system under Title 5 of the U.S. Code by a set deadline. This transition aims to grant TSA employees the same workplace protections and benefits as other federal workers while ensuring current pay and service time are protected. The bill also mandates several reviews by the Comptroller General and requires consultation with employee representatives regarding the implementation process. Finally, it preserves existing anti-strike laws and addresses specific concerns for Federal Air Marshals.

The Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025 establishes new grant opportunities specifically for sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and response efforts. This legislation creates a dedicated, interest-bearing fund within the U.S. Treasury to support these critical activities. The Act authorizes up to $5 million annually through 2030 to fund eligible organizations focused on stranded sea turtle care.