Legislative Activity

The End Solitary Confinement Act aims to drastically limit the use of solitary confinement in federal facilities, mandating a minimum of 14 hours of daily social interaction and structured programming for all incarcerated individuals. The bill establishes strict exceptions for emergency confinement, protects vulnerable populations from restrictive housing, and creates an independent Community Monitoring Body to oversee compliance. Furthermore, it incentivizes states to adopt similar standards by tying federal funding to adherence to these new humane confinement rules.

The Stop the Scammers Act establishes a new whistleblower incentive and protection program within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), allowing individuals to receive awards of 10% to 30% of collected penalties for providing original information leading to successful enforcement actions. Furthermore, the Act invalidates predispute arbitration agreements that attempt to waive these new whistleblower rights. Finally, this bill increases the annual funding cap for the CFPB, allowing it to receive up to 12 percent of the Federal Reserve's prior year earnings.

The Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act establishes a new federal funding stream to mandate that states set and meet minimum living wage standards for all school paraprofessionals and support staff. This legislation sets baseline minimum salaries and hourly wages, which increase with experience and are adjusted for inflation after 2030. States must apply for funding and create a four-year plan to ensure all local districts comply with these new pay requirements, using federal funds to supplement, not supplant, existing local education budgets.

The Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting in 2026. This legislation covers pharmacist services that align with state law and are provided in collaboration with a physician or approved practitioner. The bill specifies payment rates for these covered services, particularly enhancing reimbursement for services related to public health emergencies like COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Furthermore, it prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

This resolution recognizes the foundational importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in promoting independent living and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities. It calls for strengthened federal action to dismantle remaining barriers, particularly by expanding vital community-based health care and support services. The bill urges various federal agencies to actively improve access to employment, housing, telecommunications, and emergency preparedness for this community. Ultimately, it declares that fulfilling the ADA's promise requires a committed, ongoing effort to ensure full inclusion.

The **End Polluter Welfare Act of 2025** is a comprehensive bill designed to eliminate financial support for the fossil fuel industry across federal subsidies, tax incentives, and international lending. It achieves this by increasing government royalties on federal resource extraction, terminating numerous tax breaks for oil, gas, and coal, and restricting federal funding for fossil fuel infrastructure. Ultimately, the Act shifts financial burdens onto large corporations while accelerating the sunset of certain methane reduction programs and adjusting incentives for clean hydrogen production.

The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act establishes federal grant programs and mandates a five-year phase-out to eliminate the practice of paying workers with disabilities sub-minimum wages. It provides funding and technical assistance to states and organizations to transition employers to paying the full federal minimum wage for competitive integrated employment. The bill also institutes rigorous reporting and evaluation requirements to monitor the impact of these changes on workers with disabilities.

The Build Now Act of 2025 adjusts Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations by rewarding cities and counties with faster recent housing growth and reducing funds for those with slower growth. It establishes a "Housing Growth Improvement Rate" based on historical housing unit increases to determine eligibility for bonus funding or mandatory allocation cuts. The law mandates the use of precise Census data for these housing counts and requires annual public reporting on the resulting adjustments.

The Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2025 significantly improves the TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program for military dependents. This bill eliminates the separate monthly premium requirement for TYA coverage, making healthcare more affordable. It also removes a previous restriction on eligibility for the program.

The EACH Act of 2025 mandates that all federally funded health programs and insurance plans must cover abortion services without imposing restrictions based on income or insurance type. This legislation aims to eliminate existing federal bans and state-level restrictions that prevent access to comprehensive reproductive care. Furthermore, the bill prevents the federal government from interfering with state or private insurance plans that choose to cover abortion services. It explicitly repeals Section 1303 of the Affordable Care Act and establishes that this Act takes precedence over all conflicting federal laws.

This Act restricts the deployment and actions of federal law enforcement and military personnel during domestic crowd control and protest situations. It mandates that all deployed personnel clearly display identifying information and prohibits the use of unmarked vehicles during civilian arrests at such events. Furthermore, the bill requires federal agencies to publicly report on the deployment of personnel for crowd control within 24 hours.

The Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act of 2025 mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security must keep all information submitted for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program confidential. This law strictly prohibits sharing DACA application data with agencies like ICE, CBP, or local law enforcement for general immigration enforcement purposes. Information can only be disclosed narrowly for DACA program administration, fraud prevention, or in specific, serious criminal or national security investigations.

The Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act establishes a new federal grant program to help states recruit and retain paraprofessionals in public schools. Funds are distributed to states based on Title I allocations and must be used for state administration or competitive subgrants to local entities. Subgrants must support activities like mentoring, professional development, credentialing assistance, or wage increases, with priority given to entities serving high-poverty areas. States must report annually on wage changes and program effectiveness.

The Ensuring Safe and Toxic-Free Foods Act of 2025 overhauls the process for determining if substances used in food are "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS), requiring manufacturers to provide extensive new safety data for current and future ingredients. This legislation mandates that the FDA review existing GRAS determinations and establishes a periodic safety reassessment program for all approved food chemicals based on modern scientific standards. Ultimately, the bill aims to strengthen public health protections by ensuring that all substances in the food supply meet rigorous, transparent safety criteria.

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 Patients Deserve Price Tags Act aims to drastically increase healthcare price transparency across the board. It mandates that hospitals, diagnostic labs, and ambulatory surgical centers publicly disclose detailed negotiated rates, cash prices, and gross charges in standardized formats. Furthermore, the bill strengthens requirements for health plans to provide consumers with real-time cost estimates and mandates itemized billing for patients after receiving care. These measures are backed by new compliance checks and significant daily penalties for non-compliance.

This resolution urges the United States to take the lead in a global effort to halt and reverse the nuclear arms race. It calls on the President to prioritize negotiations with all nuclear-armed states to reduce arsenals and adopt a "no first use" policy. Furthermore, the bill demands significant domestic changes, including ending "hair-trigger" alert postures and investing in cleanup and support for affected communities. Ultimately, it advocates for verifiable steps toward a nuclear-weapon-free world.

The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025 mandates that employers protect workers from dangerous heat stress conditions. This Act requires the Secretary (of Labor) to rapidly establish comprehensive, science-based worker heat protection standards, including mandatory rest, water, and shade provisions. Furthermore, it grants enforcement power to OSHA, ensuring these new heat safety rules carry the full weight of existing occupational safety law. The legislation also establishes strong anti-retaliation protections for employees who report heat hazards.

The Unemployment Insurance Modernization and Recession Readiness Act comprehensively overhauls the nation's unemployment system by strengthening federal support during downturns, establishing robust national minimum standards for regular benefits, and creating a new federal Jobseeker Allowance program. Title I modernizes extended benefits by shifting costs to the federal government and updating activation triggers, while Title II mandates a 26-week minimum duration and eliminates the waiting week for regular state benefits. Finally, Title III establishes a new, federally funded Jobseeker Allowance starting in 2027 to provide ongoing support to those actively seeking work.

The Access to Birth Control Act aims to ensure that individuals can easily obtain FDA-approved contraception and related medications without systemic barriers. This legislation mandates that pharmacies must promptly dispense birth control or immediately facilitate a transfer or order if the item is out of stock. Furthermore, the bill prohibits intimidation, interference, or misleading information when customers seek these essential healthcare services.