Legislative Activity

This joint resolution terminates the national emergency declared on April 2, 2025, which was used to impose global tariffs. Upon enactment, this resolution immediately ends the emergency declaration and revokes any special powers or funding activated by that order.

The Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 comprehensively defines and bans the manufacture, sale, and transfer of specific semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices. It grandfathers existing possessions but requires background checks for all future private transfers of these previously owned weapons. The bill also permits the use of federal Byrne grant funds for state-run buy-back programs targeting these banned items.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating April 2025 as "Fair Chance Jobs Month." It highlights the significant employment barriers faced by the millions of Americans with past conviction records. The bill champions efforts to remove structural roadblocks, expand job training, and connect formerly incarcerated individuals with stable employment opportunities.

The TAME Extreme Weather and Wildfires Act aims to revolutionize weather, water, and space weather forecasting by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into federal agencies. This legislation mandates the development of AI weather models, comprehensive training datasets, and improved risk communication to enhance forecast accuracy and timeliness. It also emphasizes maintaining traditional forecasting capabilities while fostering public-private partnerships to accelerate the adoption of these advanced tools for hazard mitigation.

The Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act of 2025 ensures that states must fully replace Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits stolen from SNAP recipients due to skimming or hacking. This legislation mandates that the replacement amount must exactly equal the total value of the stolen benefits. The goal is to guarantee that victims of EBT theft are made whole regarding their lost food assistance.

The Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025 establishes aggressive national goals for the agricultural sector to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 through mandated emission reductions, massive increases in climate and soil health research funding, and significant overhauls to conservation and crop insurance programs. The bill also focuses on bolstering farm viability by supporting local food systems, strengthening meat labeling integrity, and expanding on-farm renewable energy adoption. Overall, it directs substantial federal resources toward incentivizing climate-smart farming practices while placing new restrictions on land conversion and waste management.

The Equality Act comprehensively amends federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity across key areas of American life. This legislation expands existing protections in public accommodations, employment, housing, credit access, and jury service. Its purpose is to ensure consistent and clear nationwide enforcement of non-discrimination principles for LGBTQ individuals and women.

The Medicare for All Act establishes a comprehensive, universal national health insurance program to cover all U.S. residents, eliminating most private insurance duplication and nearly all out-of-pocket costs for covered services. The bill mandates extensive benefits, including long-term care, and institutes a strict National Health Budget to control overall spending through global payments for facilities and negotiated drug prices. It also includes a transition period that immediately enhances current Medicare by eliminating deductibles and adding dental, vision, and hearing benefits.

The Arctic Refuge Protection Act of 2025 officially designates approximately 1.56 million acres of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as protected wilderness. This action places the specified area under the strict protections of the National Wilderness Preservation System. This designation overrides conflicting regulations within the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 comprehensively reforms the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program by updating state allocation formulas based on population and inflation, and by modifying tenant eligibility rules to protect vulnerable residents. The bill also introduces significant changes for property owners regarding casualty loss, acquisition costs, and incentives for serving extremely low-income households. Finally, it directs efforts toward increasing program transparency and encouraging local governments to reform restrictive housing policies.

The Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2025 permanently prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from issuing any new oil and gas leases or extending existing ones in the Arctic areas of the outer Continental Shelf. This legislation establishes an outright ban on the exploration, development, or production of minerals in these specific Arctic waters. The defined geographic scope of this prohibition aligns with the existing definition used in the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984.

The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program Enhancement Act of 2025 expands eligibility for disaster assistance under the NAP. This legislation removes the previous exception that excluded certain crops and grasses used for grazing from receiving aid. Consequently, grazing crops will now be treated equally with other crops when seeking disaster relief through the program.

The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act of 2025 significantly increases the maximum expenses eligible for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to \$8,000 for one dependent and \$16,000 for two or more. This legislation also adjusts the credit calculation percentage based on income and makes the credit partially or fully refundable for eligible taxpayers. Furthermore, key income thresholds and expense limits will be indexed for inflation starting in 2026.

This resolution supports designating a week in April as Black Maternal Health Week to raise national awareness of the severe maternal health crisis facing Black women and birthing people in the U.S. It highlights that systemic racism and discrimination drive unacceptable disparities in maternal mortality and morbidity rates. The resolution calls for specific investments and policy changes, including expanded postpartum coverage and culturally competent care, guided by the voices of the affected community.

This resolution officially designates the week of April 19 through April 27, 2025, as "National Park Week." It recognizes the historical significance and vital mission of the National Park Service in preserving America's natural and cultural treasures. The bill encourages the public to visit, experience, and support these cherished sites during this designated week.

The LOCAL Infrastructure Act reinstates the availability of advance refunding bonds, effectively undoing a change made by the 2017 tax law. This action immediately restores the previous rules regarding these bonds. By bringing back advance refunding, the bill aims to provide greater financial flexibility for infrastructure projects.

The FIGHT Act of 2025 significantly strengthens federal prohibitions against animal fighting ventures, particularly those involving roosters, by expanding illegal activities to include attendance by minors and gambling. This bill enhances enforcement by tightening restrictions on interstate transport and advertising, while also empowering private citizens to file lawsuits to enjoin violations. Furthermore, the Act allows for the seizure of real property used to facilitate these illegal fighting activities.

The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act of 2025 increases federal support for meals served through the Child and Adult Care Food Program. This legislation mandates an immediate 10-cent increase for every meal or snack reimbursed under the program. The bill also simplifies the existing reimbursement calculation structure for sponsoring organizations supporting day care homes.

The SEER Act of 2025 aims to strengthen ethics enforcement and transparency for "special Government employees" (part-time or temporary federal workers). This bill clarifies conflict of interest rules, mandates public disclosure for certain financial waivers, and establishes a public database tracking these temporary employees. Ultimately, it seeks to close loopholes that allow some part-time workers to avoid the same financial scrutiny as full-time staff.

The Preserving Patient Access to Accountable Care Act extends the availability of incentive payments for healthcare providers participating in approved alternative payment models. Specifically, it pushes the final year for these bonuses from 2026 to 2027. For the extended year of 2027, the bill establishes a new incentive payment percentage of 3.53 percent.