Legislative Activity

The Deputy Darren Almendarez Act establishes a new federal crime for the illegal trafficking of catalytic converters. This legislation imposes significant fines and prison sentences for the unauthorized possession or sale of these devices, while providing clear exemptions for legitimate automotive repair, recycling, and manufacturing businesses.

The Main Street Act is comprehensive legislation designed to foster a more competitive and accessible banking environment by reducing regulatory burdens on community banks and credit unions. The bill streamlines application processes, modernizes supervision standards, and enhances transparency across federal financial agencies to encourage local lending and economic growth. Additionally, it promotes innovation and financial stability by facilitating bank-fintech partnerships and improving the tools available for managing liquidity and bank resolutions.

The Title IX Clarification Act of 2026 amends Title IX to explicitly define "sex," "female," and "male" based on an individual's biologically determined sex and reproductive system. This legislation clarifies the scope of sex-based protections under federal education law. The changes take effect immediately upon enactment.

This act, the Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2025, prohibits the Secretary of Labor from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed rule regarding heat injury and illness prevention published in August 2024. This restriction extends to any future standard substantially similar to the one proposed.

The American Franchise Act aims to protect the traditional franchise business model by clarifying the definition of a "joint employer." This legislation establishes that a franchisor is only considered a joint employer if it exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over the essential terms of employment for a franchisee's workers. This change specifically targets liability risks associated with maintaining brand standards, ensuring franchisors are not automatically held responsible for local labor practices. The new standard applies prospectively to future legal proceedings.

This resolution honors the life and public service of the late Senator Lindsey Graham while formally condemning Omar Suleiman for his public remarks celebrating the Senator's death. Additionally, the bill acknowledges Suleiman’s 2019 invitation to serve as a Guest Chaplain in the U.S. House and reaffirms support for efforts to address the perceived dangers of Sharia Law to American constitutional principles.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and processors from assigning specific merchant category codes to firearms retailers. This legislation aims to protect consumer privacy by preventing the tracking of firearm and ammunition purchases through specialized financial classification. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcing these provisions and reporting annually on compliance.

The FCRA Liability Harmonization Act aims to standardize civil liability for class action lawsuits under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This bill caps the total recovery amount for both willful and negligent violations in class actions at the lesser of $500,000 or 1% of the company's net worth. Furthermore, it places new limits on the recoverable attorney's fees and court costs associated with these class action claims.

The Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2025 aims to protect students' rights to join single-sex social organizations at colleges receiving federal funding. This bill prevents institutions from taking adverse action against students or groups solely because of sex-based membership policies. It ensures these organizations are treated fairly compared to other campus groups regarding participation and privileges. Ultimately, the Act safeguards a student's freedom to choose their associations, including single-sex clubs.

The SHARE Act of 2025 establishes new federal requirements for the FBI to share criminal history record information with states participating in professional licensing interstate compacts. This information sharing is strictly for the purpose of conducting background checks on applicants seeking to practice a profession in another compact state. States receiving this data are severely restricted on how they can use or further disseminate the detailed criminal history, generally only being permitted to report a binary "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory" determination back to the compact's Commission.

The "Ban Abortion by Mail Act" mandates that healthcare providers conduct in-person visits and hold a valid medical license in the patient's state of residence before prescribing or dispensing abortion drugs. Providers who violate these requirements face a minimum two-year loss of their FDA-mandated REMS certification. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to submit annual reports to Congress regarding providers who lose their certification due to these violations.

The Jewish American Security Act addresses the rising threat of antisemitism across the nation. This bill mandates new protections for Jewish students in educational settings and significantly increases funding and administrative support for securing Jewish community institutions. Furthermore, it requires increased transparency from large online platforms regarding their moderation of antisemitic content and mandates federal assessments of domestic and transnational antisemitic threats.

The Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026 exempts small "marginal wells" from specific performance standards and reporting requirements set by the EPA under the Clean Air Act. This legislation aims to reduce regulatory burdens on these smaller oil and gas operations. The bill also mandates automatic approval for state plans that remove these standards for marginal wells.

The Keeping Deposits Local Act amends federal law to adjust how reciprocal deposits are treated for institutions, potentially encouraging local deposit retention. It modifies the definition of an "agent institution" based on its financial health rating. Furthermore, the bill mandates a study by the FDIC on the performance, usage, and risks associated with reciprocal deposits.

The Protecting Small Business Competitions Act of 2025 codifies the "Rule of Two" into federal small business contracting law. This rule mandates that federal agencies must set aside contracts exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold for small businesses if they can reasonably expect at least two qualified small business offers. This ensures greater opportunities for small businesses to compete for federal contracts while maintaining fair market pricing.

This resolution officially designates May 15, 2026, as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week of May 10-16, 2026, as National Police Week. It honors the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, specifically recognizing 363 officers lost in 2025. The bill expresses unwavering support for law enforcement and acknowledges the need for proper resources to ensure officer safety.

The GUARD Act expands the use of federal grant funds to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement investigate elder financial fraud, "pig butchering" scams, and general financial fraud. This legislation allows agencies to hire specialized staff, receive advanced training on emerging technologies, and acquire necessary investigative tools. Furthermore, the Act mandates comprehensive federal reports to Congress detailing the scope of these scams and the effectiveness of current enforcement efforts.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 aims to combat sophisticated, cross-jurisdictional organized retail and supply chain theft. It achieves this by strengthening federal laws regarding money laundering and stolen property offenses, including lowering monetary thresholds for prosecution. Furthermore, the bill establishes a dedicated Center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal, state, and local enforcement efforts against these criminal organizations.

This resolution expresses strong support and appreciation for America's law enforcement professionals, recognizing their daily service and sacrifice. It honors officers who have been injured or killed in the line of duty and highlights recent crime reduction successes attributed to their efforts. The bill calls for increased support, including better equipment, training, mental health resources, and tougher penalties for assaulting officers, to ensure their safety and effectiveness.

The Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act of 2026 establishes a federal ban on performing dismemberment abortions, carrying criminal penalties for physicians who knowingly violate the law. This ban includes exceptions only when necessary to save the life of the mother. The Act also allows for civil lawsuits by the woman or her parents against violators, while explicitly stating that other abortion methods remain unaffected.