The FAMILY Act would establish a national paid family and medical leave insurance program that provides wage replacement benefits for workers needing time off for caregiving or medical reasons. It defines "qualified caregiving" to include caring for a family member with a serious health condition, personal medical needs, or recovery from violence (including domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking). Benefits would be calculated based on earnings, with a minimum monthly benefit of $580 and maximum of $4,000, administered by a new Office of Paid Family and Medical Leave within the Social Security Administration. Eligible individuals would need to have worked for at least 8 quarters in the previous year and file an application with required documentation, while existing state paid leave programs would continue to operate alongside this federal program.
Equal COLA Act This bill applies a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for annuities paid under the Federal Employees Retirement System that is equal to the increase in inflation, regardless of the amount of the increase. Specifically, for any year in which the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased over the previous year, the COLA amount shall be increased by the change in the CPI from the previous year. Current law applies an adjustment equal to the change in CPI only if the change is 2% or less. If the change is between 2% and 3%, the adjustment is limited to 2%. If the change is more than 3%, the adjustment is limited to 1% less than the change.
Saving the Civil Service Act This bill generally prohibits changes to the classification of positions in the competitive service and excepted service unless certain conditions are met. (Competitive service positions are subject to competitive examination while excepted service positions are appointed under one of five schedules. Competitive service positions have notice and appeal requirements for adverse actions that are not applicable to most excepted positions, including those of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character under Schedule C.) On October 21, 2020, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that placed executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new Schedule F in the excepted service. The order was subsequently revoked by President Joe Biden. The bill prohibits executive agency positions in the competitive service from being placed in the excepted service, unless such positions are placed in a schedule in the excepted service as in effect on September 30, 2020. The bill also prohibits positions in the excepted service from being placed in any schedule other than the aforementioned schedules. Additionally, agencies may not (1) transfer occupied positions from the competitive or excepted service into Schedule C without the consent of the Office of Personnel Management, or (2) transfer employees in the excepted service to another schedule or transfer employees in the competitive service to the excepted service without employee consent.
Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act or the FAIR Act This bill modifies pay rates for federal employees in 2026. Specifically, the bill increases rates under the statutory pay systems and for prevailing rate employees by 3.3% and increases locality pay by 1%.
This bill (HCONRES 48) is a ceremonial resolution authorizing the use of the U.S. Capitol rotunda for a "lying in honor" ceremony for Charles James Kirk, a recognized advocate for free speech, civil discourse, and youth political engagement. It grants permission for his remains to be displayed in the rotunda, with timing and duration to be determined by the House Speaker, Senate President pro tempore, and the Capitol Architect. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally permits a traditional honor reserved for individuals who have made significant contributions to the nation. It affects no specific group or legislation, serving only as a commemorative gesture for Kirk's legacy.
HRES 716 is a symbolic resolution designating September 15-19, 2025, as "National Clean Energy Week" to raise awareness about clean energy. It encourages voluntary actions like investing in clean energy technologies but does not create new laws, funding, or requirements. The resolution cites the clean energy sector's economic role (noting 8.5 million U.S. jobs in 2024 per the Department of Energy) and applauds national laboratories. As a non-binding gesture, it directly affects no individuals or entities but aims to promote existing clean energy initiatives.
This bill bans forced arbitration clauses in employment, consumer, antitrust, and civil rights disputes. It prohibits agreements that require individuals to resolve such disputes through private arbitration before any conflict arises, and also blocks waivers that prevent people from joining class or collective lawsuits. The law directly affects workers facing workplace issues, consumers with purchase disputes, and individuals alleging discrimination or civil rights violations. It ensures these cases can be handled in court rather than private arbitration, applying to disputes occurring after the law takes effect.
The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025 would establish a National Police Misconduct Registry to track officer complaints, disciplinary actions, and misconduct records across all law enforcement agencies. It would require law enforcement agencies to implement body-worn camera programs with specific recording and retention policies, ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants in drug cases, and reform qualified immunity to make it easier to hold officers accountable for misconduct. The bill mandates comprehensive data collection on use of force incidents, requiring agencies to report detailed information about stops, searches, and force used, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and other demographics. These provisions would directly affect all Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies that receive federal grant funding, with requirements for policy changes, training, and data reporting.
The FAIR Act of 2025 would prohibit companies from requiring pre-dispute arbitration agreements or waivers that prevent individuals from joining class or collective lawsuits in employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights cases. This directly affects workers, consumers, and small businesses who currently face forced arbitration for issues like workplace discrimination, product defects, or unfair business practices. The bill makes such agreements unenforceable while allowing voluntary arbitration after disputes arise and leaving collective bargaining agreements unaffected. It applies to all disputes occurring after the law takes effect, without changing how voluntary arbitration works post-dispute.
HR 5357, the College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act of 2025, allows college mental health providers to offer telehealth services to enrolled or recently attending students across state lines. It directly affects college mental health providers (employed by institutions of higher education) and students registered at or who attended the college within the past three months. Key provisions require providers to verify student identity, obtain consent for telehealth, maintain backup communication methods, and respect state prohibitions on specific services while operating under their home state’s licensing rules. The bill also clarifies that malpractice insurance covers these telehealth services as if provided in the provider’s home state and permits states to form compacts to facilitate cross-state telehealth.
HJRES 121 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow Congress and states to set reasonable limits on money raised or spent to influence elections. It would permit regulations distinguishing between natural persons (individuals) and corporations or other artificial entities, potentially restricting corporate spending in elections. The amendment explicitly states that such regulations cannot abridge press freedom. This is a proposed constitutional change requiring ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures, not yet law.
This symbolic resolution (HRES 700) condemns the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a conservative campus advocate and founder of Turning Point USA, who was killed on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University. It expresses the House's deepest condolences to Kirk’s family, including his wife and children, and honors his work promoting civil discourse among college students. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but serves as a formal expression of the House’s stance on the incident. It directly affects no individuals or groups through legislative action, as it is purely a ceremonial statement.
