Legislative Activity

The Orphanage Trafficking Prevention and Protection Act addresses the severe vulnerability of children in residential care facilities to human trafficking. This bill amends federal law to explicitly define the exploitation of orphaned, abandoned, or institutionalized children as a "severe form of trafficking in persons." This change aims to strengthen legal accountability for traffickers and enhance protections for these at-risk youth.

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.

The Charting My Path for Future Success Act mandates the immediate restart and re-award of a contract for the "Charting My Path for Future Success Project." This project focuses on training high school teachers to help students with disabilities develop clear post-secondary goals and create actionable success plans. The legislation ensures the project maintains its established scope of supporting 1,600 students across numerous schools and protects the newly awarded contract from cancellation without Congressional approval.

The Partner with Korea Act establishes a new reciprocal temporary work visa category specifically for South Korean nationals seeking employment in specialty occupations within the United States. This program is subject to an annual cap of 15,000 principal applicants. The legislation updates immigration procedures to incorporate this dedicated visa stream, contingent upon employer attestations approved by the Secretary of Labor.

The GIVE MILK Act aims to address low dairy consumption among Americans, particularly children, by emphasizing milk's essential role in providing key nutrients like calcium and Vitamin D. This legislation specifically grants participants in the WIC program the direct choice of selecting their preferred type of milk—including whole, low-fat, reduced-fat, or nonfat—when receiving benefits. The Secretary of Agriculture is required to update regulations to implement this new participant choice.

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 Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act aims to grant qualified Tribal law enforcement officers the authority to enforce federal law within their jurisdiction under specific federal contracts or compacts. This requires Tribal officers and their departments to meet rigorous federal training and procedural standards comparable to those of Bureau of Justice Services employees. When acting under this authority, these Tribal officers will receive the same legal protections and benefits as federal law enforcement officers. The bill also mandates the Department of Justice to improve coordination and accountability for public safety efforts on tribal lands.

The Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act establishes the Healthy H2O Program to provide grants for improving drinking water quality in rural areas. These grants help eligible households and small facilities address contamination from issues like lead or PFAS by covering the costs of certified water treatment systems, installation, and testing. The program prioritizes private well owners and requires annual reporting on contamination trends and program effectiveness.

The SPARC Act establishes a new federal loan repayment program to incentivize specialty medical providers to practice in underserved rural communities. This program offers to repay up to $250,000 of eligible education loans in exchange for a six-year service commitment in a designated rural shortage area. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will administer the program through HRSA, prioritizing loan repayment for both physicians and non-physician specialists.

This proposed constitutional amendment would eliminate immunity from criminal prosecution for federal officials, including the President, based on their official duties. It also explicitly prohibits the President from issuing a self-pardon for any federal crimes. If ratified, these changes would take effect immediately.

The EACH Act of 2025 aims to ensure equal access to abortion coverage by requiring all federally funded health programs and facilities to cover abortion services. This legislation prohibits federal interference with state or private insurance coverage of abortion and repeals Section 1303 of the Affordable Care Act. Ultimately, the bill seeks to eliminate financial and insurance barriers to abortion care, particularly for low-income individuals relying on programs like Medicaid.

The Ally's Act mandates that certain private health insurance plans must cover auditory implant devices, related supplies, and necessary services for qualifying individuals. This coverage must be comparable to other medical and surgical benefits regarding cost-sharing and treatment limitations. Furthermore, plans cannot deny coverage if a physician or qualified audiologist determines the required hearing items or services are medically necessary. These new requirements take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The Small Business Payment for Performance Act of 2025 ensures that small businesses receive prompt interim payments when the government mandates changes to their existing construction contracts. Upon requesting an equitable adjustment for contract modifications, the agency must issue an immediate partial payment covering at least 50% of the estimated additional costs. This legislation also mandates that prime contractors promptly pass these interim funds down to affected subcontractors.

The Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 prohibits life, disability, and long-term care insurance companies from denying coverage or increasing premiums solely because an individual is a living organ donor. This legislation ensures that living donors are not financially penalized for their altruistic act. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of HHS to update educational materials to accurately reflect the insurance protections afforded to living donors.

This bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to explicitly clarify that time taken off for an employee's own organ donation surgery qualifies as a serious health condition. This ensures both private and federal sector workers receive FMLA protection for recovery from organ donation. The legislation also specifies how federal employees must substitute existing paid leave when taking FMLA time for this purpose.

The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025 enhances efforts to combat human trafficking both within the United States and internationally. The act focuses on prevention education, survivor support, and international cooperation, while increasing funding authorizations for key anti-trafficking programs. It prioritizes resources for areas with high trafficking rates, improves data collection, and ensures that foreign assistance aligns with counter-trafficking goals. This legislation aims to protect vulnerable populations, empower survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable.

The Small Entity Update Act mandates that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) periodically study and update its definition of "small entity" for regulatory purposes. This process requires the SEC to report findings and recommendations to Congress to ensure the definition aligns with market growth and covers a meaningful number of businesses. Following these studies, the SEC must revise its rules and periodically adjust any associated dollar thresholds for inflation.

The Supporting Military Voters Act mandates that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a comprehensive review of how effectively the government supports voting access for absent uniformed services members and their families. This review will analyze current ballot delivery and counting processes under existing law. Furthermore, the GAO must study actionable steps the military departments can take to improve voter registration assistance for service members. The final report detailing these findings and recommendations is due by September 30, 2027.

Dillon's Law amends federal guidelines to grant preference points to states that allow trained, non-school personnel to administer epinephrine in schools. This change broadens the definition of who can provide life-saving medication beyond just school employees. The law also updates terminology to cover a wider range of epinephrine delivery systems.

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Information Act mandates that the Energy Information Administration (EIA) begin collecting and reporting detailed data on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This new reporting will cover the feedstock sources, production volumes by state, and import statistics for SAF. The goal is to provide transparent, accurate information on the growing sustainable aviation fuel supply chain.