Legislative Activity

This joint resolution directs the President to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran, citing the lack of a formal declaration of war or specific congressional authorization. The bill mandates the withdrawal of troops while preserving the U.S. military's ability to defend against direct attacks, conduct intelligence operations, and assist partner nations.

The Kira Johnson Act aims to eliminate maternal health disparities by funding community-based organizations that provide essential support to high-risk populations. The legislation also mandates comprehensive bias and anti-racism training for maternity care providers and establishes compliance programs to address discrimination in clinical settings. Through these initiatives, the bill seeks to ensure respectful, equitable, and high-quality care for all pregnant and postpartum individuals.

The HBCU Research Capacity Act establishes a federal clearinghouse within the Department of Education to help Historically Black Colleges and Universities identify and secure federal research grant opportunities. By providing centralized resources, best practices, and increased transparency, the bill aims to dismantle systemic funding barriers and strengthen the research capacity of HBCUs. Additionally, the legislation mandates that major federal agencies review their grant programs and report annually to Congress to ensure equitable access to research funding.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) rule withdrawing previous regulations concerning debt collection practices and the collection of medical debt. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this measure ensures that the withdrawn CFPB rule has no legal force or effect.

This joint resolution disapproves the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule concerning "Fair Credit Reporting: Name-Only Matching Procedures." By disapproving the rule, Congress ensures it has no legal force or effect.

The Student Loan Marriage Penalty Elimination Act of 2026 allows married couples filing jointly to claim the student loan interest deduction separately for each spouse. This change effectively doubles the maximum annual deduction for eligible couples from $2,500 to $5,000. The act is set to take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026.

This resolution honors the life and enduring legacy of Reverend Richard Smallwood, a world-class composer, pianist, and arranger. It recognizes his profound musical and spiritual contributions to gospel music and American culture, highlighted by iconic compositions like "Total Praise." The bill celebrates his extensive career as an educator, recording artist, and minister. Finally, it formally mourns his passing and directs that copies of the resolution be sent to his family and affiliated institutions.

This resolution officially recognizes Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate fraternity founded by African-American men in 1906. It honors the organization's commitment to leadership, brotherhood, academic excellence, and extensive civil rights advocacy. The resolution also commends the Fraternity for its ongoing community service and educational programs.

This resolution designates the Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 30, 2025, as "Drive Safer Sunday." The measure aims to promote seat belt use and overall safe driving habits across the nation. It encourages educational campaigns by schools, outreach from the trucking industry, and reminders from clergy and law enforcement. Ultimately, the goal is to encourage all Americans to focus on highway safety on this specific day.

The ANCHOR for Military Families Act aims to significantly improve relocation support for service members and their families. It mandates that the Department of Defense provide comprehensive, standardized information on all available assistance programs, including education and housing resources, at least 45 days before a permanent change of station. This ensures military families are better informed and supported during transitions.

The Commissary Healthy Options and servicemember Welfare (CHOW) Act establishes a pilot program to provide monthly coupons to junior enlisted members for purchasing food at military commissaries. This test program will run for one year at two selected installations to assess its effectiveness in promoting access to healthy, affordable food options. Following the pilot, the Secretary of Defense must report to Congress on usage, member feedback, and the program's impact on food security and dining facility use.

The Catastrophic Specialty Hospital Act of 2025 establishes a new designation for hospitals specializing in long-term care for severe injuries like spinal cord or acquired brain injuries. This designation exempts qualifying hospitals from standard Medicare payment rules, implementing a new payment structure tailored to their specialized services. Hospitals must meet strict criteria regarding patient volume, continuum of care, and research commitment to receive and maintain this three-year designation.

This Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices for Servicemembers Act, enhances protections for servicemembers and recent veterans against abusive debt collection tactics. It specifically prohibits debt collectors from threatening adverse military actions, such as rank reduction or security clearance revocation, to coerce payment. Furthermore, the bill mandates a GAO study to assess the law's impact on military readiness and national security.

The Appraisal Modernization Act establishes a public database containing detailed historical and ongoing real estate appraisal data from federal mortgage entities to promote transparency and combat bias. It also grants consumers the right to request a reconsideration of value or a second appraisal if they believe their home's valuation was unsupported, flawed, or discriminatory. Lenders must follow specific procedures for handling these consumer challenges and ordering new appraisals when necessary.

The HEADWAY Act updates the qualification requirements for teachers in Early Head Start programs serving infants and toddlers. It mandates that every classroom must have at least one fully qualified teacher, while requiring all other direct-service teachers to actively pursue a minimum of a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. Agencies must also assign mentors to guide these teachers through their credentialing process.

The Dads Matter Act of 2025 aims to improve maternal and infant health outcomes by promoting the active inclusion and engagement of fathers throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. The bill mandates a national awareness campaign highlighting the benefits of paternal involvement and requires the Department of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to states on encouraging providers to educate and support new fathers. Finally, the Government Accountability Office will study and report on the effectiveness of these measures within six years of enactment.

The Advancing Student Services In Schools Today (ASSIST) Act aims to boost federal funding for mental health and substance use disorder services provided in schools by increasing the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) to 90 percent for these specific expenditures. Additionally, the bill establishes a new grant program to increase the number of qualified behavioral health providers working in schools and school-based health centers. Eligible entities can apply for funding to hire culturally sensitive providers to address student needs, with strict reporting requirements on provider numbers and service effectiveness.

The BARK Act of 2025 aims to encourage the donation of pet food and supplies by providing liability protection to good-faith donors. This protection shields individuals and organizations from civil or criminal lawsuits regarding the condition of donated items intended for qualified animals. However, these shields are voided in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct by the donor or recipient.

The Disaster Related Extension of Deadlines Act ensures that when the IRS extends tax filing deadlines due to a declared disaster, that same extension automatically applies to the time limit for claiming related tax credits or refunds. Furthermore, this law adjusts the timeline for the IRS to issue collection notices, basing it on the disaster-postponed payment deadlines. This provides taxpayers with consistent relief following major emergencies.

The BAH Restoration Act aims to ensure military service members receive adequate housing support by directly tying the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to the actual cost of finding suitable housing in their specific duty location. This change mandates that the allowance calculation must accurately reflect the service member's pay grade and dependency status. The goal is to make the housing allowance a true reflection of local rental market rates.