Legislative Activity

The Green Star Families Act directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a counseling program for the next of kin and former volunteer caregivers of veterans who die by suicide. Counseling services will be provided at no cost and must be reasonably accessible and of high quality. The VA will also publish information about the program and provide it to eligible individuals, with implementation required within 90 days of the Act's enactment.

The "Ensuring Safer Schools Act of 2025" aims to enhance school safety by prioritizing the hiring and training of veterans and retired law enforcement officers as school resource officers through COPS grants. It mandates annual mental health screenings and training for these officers, emphasizing community engagement through regular interactions with students. The Act also directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to connect interested veterans with local law enforcement agencies for school-based partnerships.

This resolution supports designating July 2025 as Veterans Appreciation Month to honor the sacrifices and bravery of United States veterans. It recognizes the importance of addressing the challenges veterans face and ensuring they receive adequate care and protection, particularly during a month that celebrates freedom.

The Veterans Telecommunication Protection Act ensures that cable and voice service providers offer veterans organizations recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the same residential rates available to individuals or households, if those rates are lower than standard commercial rates. This aims to reduce telecommunication costs for veterans organizations, allowing them to better serve their members. This act amends the Communications Act of 1934, with these changes taking effect immediately upon enactment.

The "Bus Parity and Clarity Act" ensures equal access for over-the-road buses in scheduled or charter service on toll roads, HOV facilities, and value pricing pilot programs. It requires equal toll rates and terms for these buses, similar to public transportation vehicles. The Act also mandates the publication of a database containing information on toll rates, terms, and conditions for each toll facility covered under these equal access provisions.

The Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, eliminating the overtime pay exemption for certain motor carrier employees. This change ensures that these employees are entitled to overtime pay, promoting fair compensation for their work.

The "Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act of 2025" excludes federally subsidized loan repayments for dental school faculty from taxable income, specifically those from programs under section 748(a)(2) of the Public Health Service Act. This exclusion aims to encourage dentists to serve as faculty. The Comptroller General will also report to Congress on the participation and retention of dental providers and faculty in the Dental Faculty Development and Loan Repayment Program.

The "Social Security for Americans Reform Act of 2025" aims to prevent non-citizens from receiving Social Security benefits by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to notify the Social Security Administration of changes in immigration status. It also mandates an annual report to Congress detailing these notifications and their impact on preventing fraud. This act limits access to various Social Security benefits, including old-age, survivors, disability insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, SSI, and other related assistance programs, for non-U.S. citizens or nationals.

The "Public Safety Free Speech Act" protects the free speech rights of public safety officers, including law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS personnel, allowing them to express personal opinions on public safety, working conditions, and other related matters without fear of retaliation, while also outlining exceptions for speech that incites violence, discrimination, or discloses confidential information. This bill enables officers to sue their employers for adverse actions taken against them for exercising these rights and specifies the damages that can be awarded. This act does not preempt existing federal or state laws.

The "No Patient Left Alone Act of 2025" ensures that patients in healthcare facilities have the right to receive visitors, including a spouse, family member, or friend. It requires facilities to establish clear visitation policies, inform patients of their rights, and prohibits discrimination in visitation privileges. Patients maintain the right to designate or deny visitors, ensuring their preferences are respected. This act amends the Social Security Act to protect these visitation rights.

The "SHIELD Act of 2025" aims to protect individuals from the non-consensual distribution of intimate visual depictions, establishing federal offenses and penalties for those who knowingly distribute such images with reckless disregard for the depicted individual's lack of consent, or distribute depictions of nude minors. It defines key terms, sets forth specific offenses, and outlines penalties including fines and imprisonment, while also providing exceptions for law enforcement activities, good-faith distributions, and protecting communications service providers from liability under certain conditions. The act also addresses threats related to the distribution of intimate images and establishes extraterritorial jurisdiction in certain cases.

The Oral Health Products Inclusion Act allows health savings accounts (HSAs) and Archer MSAs to include over-the-counter oral healthcare products like toothbrushes and water flossers as qualified medical expenses. It also permits health flexible spending arrangements and health reimbursement arrangements to cover these expenses. This applies to expenses incurred after the Act's enactment.

The Alpha-gal Allergen Inclusion Act amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to include alpha-gal, a sugar found in non-catarrhine primate mammals and red algae, as a major food allergen. This will require food labels to clearly identify the presence of alpha-gal. The amendment will take effect 18 months after the enactment of this Act, with an exception for mammal-derived ingredients where alpha-gal is below a detectable limit as determined by the Secretary.

The POWER Act mandates that electric utilities must notify consumers at least 30 days before any rate increase. These notifications must include the increase's percentage, reasons, and impact on consumers, as well as avenues for feedback. Utilities must also notify the Department of Energy of increases of 5% or more, which will then be reviewed and assessed for consumer impact. Non-compliant utilities may face civil penalties.

The SMARTER Act repeals a section of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. It prohibits electric utilities from recovering smart grid system deployment costs from ratepayers. State regulatory authorities and nonregulated utilities must consider this standard within one year and make a determination within two years, with exemptions for states that have recently addressed the standard.

The "No Tax on Social Security Act" repeals the inclusion of social security benefits in adjusted gross income, ensuring these benefits are no longer subject to federal income tax. It amends Section 86 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude social security benefits from taxable income, starting after the enactment date. The act also allocates funds to offset any reduction in social security and railroad retirement funds resulting from this change.

The Heroes’ Tax Exemption Act of 2025, exempts active duty members of the Armed Forces from paying income tax on any amount earned after the second October 1 occurring after the enactment of this Act.

The POST IT Act of 2025 aims to enhance transparency for small businesses by requiring the Small Business Administration (SBA) to include hyperlinks to guidance documents explaining policies, regulations, and technical issues on its website. This act focuses on rules with a small entity compliance guide, ensuring easier access to essential information for small businesses. The Act also clarifies that the SBA is not required to disclose information protected under section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code and that no additional funds will be approved for this act.

The Child and Animal Abuse Detection and Reporting Act amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. It mandates the inclusion of data pertaining to animal abuse within the national clearinghouse, which is a repository for information related to child abuse and neglect. This inclusion aims to recognize and address the correlation between animal abuse and child abuse, facilitating more comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies.

The "Doctor Knows Best Act of 2025" eliminates hurdles imposed by insurers and federal healthcare programs. Starting in 2026, the act prohibits private insurers and federal healthcare programs from requiring prior authorization, using utilization management techniques, or conducting medical necessity reviews for covered healthcare services. This aims to streamline access to care by ensuring healthcare decisions are made between doctors and patients, not insurers.