Legislative Activity

The "Volunteer Driver Tax Appreciation Act of 2025" aims to increase tax benefits for individuals who use their personal vehicles for charitable purposes. Starting after 2024, the bill allows the Secretary to set a higher mileage rate for charitable contributions, matching the standard rate used for business expenses. This adjustment seeks to provide greater financial relief to volunteer drivers by increasing their eligible deductions.

The "Fort Monroe National Historical Park Establishment Act" establishes the Fort Monroe National Historical Park, incorporating the former Fort Monroe National Monument, to preserve and interpret its significant historical, natural, and recreational resources. It defines the park's boundaries and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire land within these boundaries. The Act also outlines administrative guidelines, including cooperative agreements with the Commonwealth of Virginia, to ensure the preservation and appropriate use of historic resources within and near the park.

The "World Language Education Assistance Program Act" aims to address the language skills crisis in America by establishing a grant program to create, improve, and implement world language and dual language programs in schools. These grants will support professional development for teachers, partnerships with community-based language schools, and innovative language immersion programs. The act prioritizes programs that demonstrate language proficiency growth, can be replicated, and have a sustainability plan, with the goal of equipping students with the language skills needed for a globalized world. The act authorizes \$15,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each subsequent fiscal year to carry out this section.

The "Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act" or the "REPAIR Act" ensures vehicle owners and independent repair shops have access to necessary vehicle data, repair information, and tools, preventing manufacturers from creating barriers to repairs. It establishes an advisory committee to address competition issues in the auto repair industry and mandates that car buyers are informed of their rights to choose repair options. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is empowered to enforce the Act, protecting consumers from unfair restrictions on vehicle repair and ensuring control over their vehicle data.

The "Protect and Serve Act of 2025" creates federal offenses for intentionally causing serious injury or death to law enforcement officers because of their status as officers. It sets penalties including imprisonment and fines, with increased penalties if death results or if kidnapping or attempted killing is involved. Federal prosecution requires certification from the Attorney General, based on a request from the state or if it is in the public interest to ensure substantial justice. The act defines "law enforcement officer" and "State" for the purposes of the new offenses.

Ethan's Law establishes federal requirements for the secure storage of firearms to prevent unauthorized access by minors and prohibited persons, making improper storage a civil violation with escalating penalties if injury or death results. The bill also creates a federal grant program to incentivize states and Tribes to adopt matching safe storage laws. Furthermore, Congress declares that failing to comply with these storage requirements constitutes negligence and may be considered the direct cause of resulting firearm injuries.

This bill reaffirms the United States' unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity amidst Russia's ongoing invasion. It condemns Russia's war crimes and demands the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and the Donbas. The bill insists on the safe return of kidnapped Ukrainian children and supports the prosecution of Russian leaders for war crimes. It emphasizes that any lasting peace agreement must include Ukraine and its European allies.

This bill reaffirms the strong economic and security partnership between the United States and Canada, highlighting their significant trade relationship that supports millions of American jobs. It emphasizes the importance of strengthening this alliance through collaboration in areas like defense, border security, energy, and supply chains. The bill also supports joint efforts to address shared threats, promote democracy, and enhance economic competitiveness.

The "New Era of Preventing End-Stage Kidney Disease Act" aims to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of rare kidney diseases through research, education, and increased public awareness. It establishes Centers of Excellence for Rare Kidney Disease Research, directs studies on testing and treatment approaches, and promotes provider education in nephrology. The Act prioritizes addressing disparities in affected populations and seeks to delay or eliminate the need for dialysis and transplant. It authorizes appropriations for these activities from 2026 through 2030.

The "Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2025" ensures Medicare beneficiaries can continue receiving uninterrupted physical therapy services. It allows physical therapists to utilize temporary staffing arrangements, known as "locum tenens," when the regular therapist is temporarily unavailable. This ensures Medicare payments for services provided by qualified substitute physical therapists, maintaining consistent care for patients.

The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act aims to strengthen U.S. trade laws by addressing unfair subsidies, currency undervaluation, duty evasion, and circumvention of trade remedies. It refines the process for handling successive trade investigations, ensuring that the International Trade Commission considers prior findings and assesses cumulative effects on domestic industries. The act also empowers authorities to counteract cost distortions in foreign countries and prevent importers from avoiding duties. Additionally, it includes provisions related to trade with Canada and Mexico and sets effective dates for new regulations.

The American Victims of Terrorism Compensation Act amends the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act to increase funding for victims of state-sponsored terrorism by redirecting forfeited assets and penalties into the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. It mandates specific deposit timelines for forfeited funds, requires annual pro rata payments to eligible claimants beginning in 2026, and enhances transparency through detailed annual reports on fund activity. The Act also allows for the use of Department of Justice personnel to aid in the administration of the fund and ensures a supplemental payment to those already approved for fifth-round payments.

The "Delivering for Rural Seniors Act of 2025" aims to improve food access for low-income elderly individuals in rural areas by establishing a pilot program for home delivery of commodities. The program will award grants to state agencies, prioritizing those serving rural areas, to cover costs associated with transportation, staffing, and outreach. This act authorizes $10 million annually from 2026 to 2028 for these initiatives.

The "DOC Access Act of 2025" aims to enhance health care coverage under vision and dental plans by ensuring fair payment practices, protecting doctors' choices in labs and suppliers, and respecting state laws. It allows optometrists and dentists to charge their standard rate for non-covered services if the plan's payment is unreasonable, while ensuring they can only charge the contracted rate for dental cleanings. The bill also gives doctors more control over agreement extensions with limited benefit plans and allows them to opt out of certain provisions. Ultimately, this act seeks to balance federal guidelines with state oversight in regulating health insurance issuers and dental or vision benefit plans.

The "Access Technology Affordability Act of 2025" introduces a tax credit for blind individuals who purchase qualified access technology, such as hardware or software that converts visual information into accessible formats. The credit is capped at $2,000 per blind individual over any three consecutive tax years and will be adjusted for inflation after 2026. This credit is effective for tax years starting after December 31, 2025, and expires after December 31, 2030. It ensures that individuals cannot claim double benefits for the same expenses.

The SWIM Act of 2025 amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers to deduct up to $500 ($1,000 for joint returns/heads of household) for expenses related to water competency and safety lessons for minors. This includes costs for basic swimming instruction and necessary equipment, with equipment expenses limited to $100 per item. The lessons must focus on water safety and competency, not competitive swimming. This change applies to taxable years starting after the Act's enactment.

The "Accelerating Kids Access to Care Act of 2025" streamlines the enrollment process for out-of-state healthcare providers in Medicaid and CHIP, ensuring children under 21 have access to care from eligible providers across state lines. By reducing administrative burdens and unnecessary screening requirements, the Act aims to improve healthcare access for children while maintaining necessary safeguards against fraud and abuse. Participating providers will be enrolled for a 5-year period, and the changes will take effect three years after the Act's enactment.

The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act establishes a framework for collective bargaining rights for public safety officers (law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel) at the state level. It directs the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine if states substantially protect these rights, and if not, the Authority will establish collective bargaining procedures. The Act aims to promote cooperation between public safety employers and employees while respecting existing state laws and prohibiting strikes and lockouts. This law does not override state laws that provide similar or stronger protections for public safety officers.

The Postal Processing Protection Act amends title 39 of the United States Code to include any Postal Service owned or operated acceptance, processing, shipping, delivery, or distribution facility that supports one or more post offices. This change broadens the scope of facilities subject to specific requirements when the Postal Service considers closing or consolidating them.

The MODERN WIC Act of 2025 aims to modernize the WIC program by expanding options for remote certification appointments, including telephone and video calls, and allowing for remote delivery of food benefits. It requires state agencies to offer various formats for certification appointments, ensuring accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The Act also mandates a report to Congress on the use of remote technologies in WIC, focusing on their impact and best practices.