Legislative Activity

The Create Accountable Respectful Environments (CARE) for Children Act officially recognizes and integrates "cottage family homes" into federal foster care regulations. This allows these specialized homes to receive federal maintenance payments if they meet strict standards focused on family connection, trauma-informed care, and prohibiting harmful restraints. The bill ensures states maintain flexibility in utilizing these placements while upholding high standards for child well-being.

The ROTOR Act mandates a comprehensive study to investigate cancer prevalence and mortality rates among military rotary-wing pilots and aviation support personnel. This research, conducted by the Defense Health Agency in partnership with the NIH and NCI, will first compare cancer rates in these service members against the general population. If elevated rates are found, a second phase will seek to identify potential toxic exposures or environmental factors linked to helicopter operations that may be causing the increased risk.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 505 East 9th Avenue in Amarillo, Texas. The building will now be known as the "Mayor Jerry H. Hodge Post Office Building." This designation requires all official records and documents to use the new name for this specific location.

The No Surprises Act Enforcement Act significantly increases financial penalties for group health plans and insurance issuers that violate balance billing protections. It establishes steep fines, including up to $\$10,000$ per affected individual for serious non-compliance. Furthermore, the bill imposes severe penalties, including triple the disputed amount plus interest, for failing to make required payments promptly after an Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) determination. Finally, it mandates more frequent and detailed transparency reporting on enforcement actions and violations.

The Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act redefines "small manufacturer" to include only businesses with all production facilities located in the U.S. This legislation significantly increases the maximum loan amounts available to these eligible small manufacturers under key Small Business Act and Small Business Investment Act programs. The goal is to provide greater access to capital for domestic manufacturing operations.

The Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2025 targets foreign governments in the Western Hemisphere that have seized or unfairly controlled port infrastructure essential to U.S. trade access since early 2024. The bill requires the executive branch to identify this "prohibited property" and subsequently ban any associated vessels from accessing U.S. ports or receiving services. Furthermore, the Act expands the definition of unfair trade practices to explicitly include the nationalization or discriminatory treatment of U.S. assets by foreign nations.

The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act strictly prohibits the Federal Reserve from directly or indirectly issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) to individuals. This legislation prevents the Fed from developing, testing, or implementing any digital currency that functions as a direct liability of the Federal Reserve. Furthermore, Congress asserts that any authority to create such a digital asset must explicitly come from Congress itself.

This bill requires states to reimburse the federal government for the costs of deploying military forces, such as the National Guard, when state or local obstruction of federal immigration enforcement leads to civil unrest. If a state fails to pay the resulting invoice from the Department of Defense within 180 days, the President is authorized to withhold federal discretionary grant funds to cover the debt. This legislation establishes financial accountability for local interference with federal immigration operations.

The Equal Shot Act of 2025 prohibits the Small Business Administration (SBA) from denying financial assistance to otherwise qualified applicants solely based on their involvement in the firearms industry. This legislation ensures that businesses defined as "firearm entities," their affiliates, or trade associations are not unfairly rejected for SBA loans or guarantees. The Act clearly defines these terms to prevent discrimination against businesses involved in manufacturing, selling, or servicing firearms and related accessories.

The Securing Help for Involuntary Employment Loss and Displacement Act (SHIELD Act) revises federal requirements for state unemployment programs regarding labor disputes. This bill mandates that states deny regular unemployment benefits to individuals unemployed due to a strike or labor dispute in which they actively participated or had a direct stake. The new federal conditions take effect in two years, though states may adopt them sooner.

This resolution formally condemns the violent attack on the U.S. Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas, on July 7, 2025. It expresses support for the injured agents and reaffirms Congress's strong backing for the dedicated men and women of the Border Patrol. The bill emphasizes that such violence against law enforcement is unacceptable and undermines national security efforts.

The Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act addresses significant delays in obtaining death certificates for veterans who die from natural causes, often due to VA medical staff delays. This bill mandates that VA medical providers must certify a veteran's death within 48 hours or allow the local medical examiner to step in. Furthermore, the VA must annually report on its compliance with this new timely certification requirement.

The "Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025" ensures that hunters and anglers can continue to use lead ammunition and tackle on federal lands and waters managed by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture. It restricts these departments from prohibiting or regulating lead in ammunition and tackle, unless the Secretary of Interior or Agriculture determines that lead ammunition is the primary cause of a wildlife population decline in a specific area. Any ban implemented must align with state laws or be approved by the state's fish and wildlife department.

The SAMS Act of 2025 codifies several previous Executive Orders into permanent law, specifically focusing on policies related to critical minerals. This action elevates existing presidential directives concerning these vital resources to the full force and effect of statutory law. The bill ensures the long-term legal standing of established critical mineral supply chain strategies.

The Defend Girls Athletics Act mandates that elementary, secondary, and higher education institutions must certify compliance with Executive Order 14201 regarding biological fairness in women's sports to receive federal funding. This certification must be renewed annually for K-12 districts and by July 1st for colleges and universities. Failure to comply or report results in the immediate requirement to return unobligated federal funds and ineligibility for future federal financial assistance until compliance is restored.

The Destroying Unnecessary, Misaligned, and Prohibitive Red Tape Act of 2025, or the DUMP Red Tape Act, establishes a dedicated "Red Tape Hotline" for small businesses to report burdensome government regulations. This system requires annual reporting to Congress detailing the most complained-about rules and suggesting specific agency reforms. The goal is to streamline compliance by identifying and addressing the most frustrating regulations impacting small businesses nationwide.

The Innovate Less Lethal to De-Escalate Tax Modernization Act aims to encourage the development and use of safer policing tools. This bill exempts qualifying less-than-lethal projectile devices and their ammunition from federal excise taxes normally applied to firearms and ammunition. Furthermore, it removes these specific less-lethal devices from the stringent regulations imposed by the National Firearms Act. The legislation establishes clear criteria for what qualifies as a less-lethal device eligible for these tax and regulatory exemptions.

This bill seeks to immediately nullify the Department of Labor's recently published final rule updating the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts regulation. If enacted, the measure would ensure that the new wage rule, published on August 24, 2023, has no force or legal effect. Essentially, this legislation cancels the Department of Labor's latest changes to the prevailing wage requirements for federally funded construction projects.

This bill officially renames the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to the **Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge**. The renaming honors the memory of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was tragically murdered near Houston. This legislation codifies the name change across all official government records and documents.

The Apples to Apples Comparison Act of 2025 mandates greater public transparency regarding Medicare spending by requiring the Secretary of HHS to publish detailed, machine-readable expenditure data broken down by county and beneficiary type. Furthermore, the bill requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to annually compare the average cost of Medicare Advantage enrollees versus traditional Medicare beneficiaries, accounting for plan differences and risk factors. Finally, the Medicare Trustees must also report detailed expenditure information categorized by specific beneficiary enrollment statuses.