Legislative Activity

The Fair Prescription Drug Prices for Americans Act establishes a new cap on the U.S. retail list price for prescription drugs and biological products. This price cannot exceed the average retail list price for the same item in six other wealthy nations: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Manufacturers charging above this international reference price will face significant civil monetary penalties based on the amount they overcharge.

The Green Star Families Act establishes a new, free counseling program for the next of kin and former volunteer caregivers of veterans who die by suicide. This program mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs make these critical mental health services easily accessible to eligible survivors. The VA is required to implement and publicize this support within 90 days of the Act's enactment.

The Ensuring Safer Schools Act of 2025 aims to enhance school safety by allowing federal grant money to specifically hire and train military veterans and retired law enforcement officers as School Resource Officers (SROs). The bill prioritizes grant applications that utilize these experienced personnel and mandates technical assistance for annual SRO mental health screenings and tactical training. Furthermore, it requires new SROs who are veterans or retired officers to engage with students at least once annually.

The Veterans’ Telecommunication Protection Act ensures that recognized veterans organizations receive lower rates for essential communication services. This bill mandates that telecommunication providers charge these groups the cheaper residential rate for cable and standard phone service, if applicable. This provision aims to reduce operating costs for organizations dedicated to assisting veterans.

This resolution expresses the formal support of the House of Representatives for designating July 2025 as Veterans Appreciation Month. It honors the service and sacrifice of all U.S. Armed Forces veterans. The designation aims to focus attention on the needs and well-being of those who served our nation.

The Bus Parity and Clarity Act ensures fair and equal access for over-the-road buses, including scheduled and charter services, on federally regulated toll facilities and in HOV lanes. This legislation mandates that these buses receive the same rates and conditions as standard public transportation vehicles, especially in value pricing programs. Furthermore, the Federal Highway Administration must maintain a public database detailing these access terms.

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 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 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 "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 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 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 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.