The Shadow Docket Sunlight Act of 2025 would require the U.S. Supreme Court to publish written explanations and disclose each justice's vote when issuing emergency orders about temporary court orders that block government actions (preliminary injunctions) or stays of such orders. The written explanation must address specific factors, such as whether the applicant is likely to succeed on the merits and whether the order serves the public interest. This rule does not apply to routine administrative decisions or requests to hear full cases. The bill also mandates biennial reports to Congress on how well the Court follows these transparency requirements.
The Schedules That Work Act would require employers in retail, food service, cleaning, hospitality, and warehouse sectors to provide workers with at least 14 days' advance notice of their schedules and pay predictability pay for last-minute changes. It gives employees the right to request schedule changes for reasons including health conditions, caregiving responsibilities, or enrollment in career training programs. Employers must engage in a good-faith process to address these requests unless they have a legitimate business reason to deny them. The bill aims to address widespread problems with unpredictable schedules that make it difficult for low-wage workers to manage family responsibilities, access healthcare, and secure stable housing and child care.
S 3543, the Trade Cheating Restitution Act of 2025, modifies how interest from antidumping and countervailing duties is distributed to eligible businesses. It updates the reference date for interest calculations from October 1, 2014, to October 1, 2000, and creates a special distribution process for interest accrued before the bill's enactment. Eligible businesses must have previously received distributions under the 2000 Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act, file timely certifications, and meet historical eligibility criteria. The bill mandates pro-rata distributions of this interest by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection within 210 days of enactment, split between interest from 2010 onward and 2000-2010.
This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to implement, administer, or enforce the December 11, 2025, executive order on national AI policy. It directly affects federal agencies that would otherwise carry out the executive order's requirements using taxpayer money. The key mechanism is a funding restriction, preventing federal resources from supporting the national AI policy framework outlined in the executive order.
This bill amends federal housing laws to ensure that tenants using marijuana legally under state law are not discriminated against in federally assisted housing. It removes federal prohibitions on state-compliant marijuana use, distribution, possession, sale, or manufacture from definitions of "drug-related criminal activity" and "illegal use of a controlled substance" in housing regulations. Public housing agencies and federally assisted housing providers must now follow state marijuana laws and cannot deny admission or evict tenants based solely on legal state-legal marijuana activity. The bill also requires HUD to establish smoke-free zones for marijuana similar to existing tobacco rules within 90 days of enactment.
The Postal Suspension Transparency Act (HR 6811) requires the U.S. Postal Service to create a public website displaying real-time details about post offices temporarily suspended under emergency policies. The site must include each affected location’s address, suspension date, reason for closure, alternative service options (like curbside delivery), nearby service locations, and estimated reopening dates. It will feature searchable tools by address or ZIP code and provide data in open, downloadable formats for public use. The website must be operational within one year of the bill’s enactment. This directly affects USPS operations and the public relying on postal services during temporary closures.
The School MEALS Act of 2025 aims to improve automatic enrollment in free school meals for low-income students by expanding "direct certification" - a process where schools enroll eligible children without requiring separate applications. It provides $28 million in grants to states and tribal organizations to upgrade technology, train staff, and coordinate with other benefit programs (like SNAP), with priority for areas with low current enrollment rates. The bill also raises the target direct certification rate from 10% to 20% for some schools and extends data collection deadlines for community eligibility programs. These changes directly affect students from low-income households, schools, and state/local education agencies managing meal programs.
HR 6818, the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act, would expand rights for part-time workers by reducing eligibility requirements for family and medical leave from 12 months to 90 days of employment under the FMLA. The bill prohibits employers from discriminating against part-time workers based on hours worked, requiring equal treatment for benefits, promotions, and scheduling. It mandates that employers obtain written statements from employees about their desired work hours and prioritize offering available work hours to existing employees before hiring new external workers. The bill establishes enforcement mechanisms including civil penalties for violations and allows employees to file private lawsuits for damages, with the Secretary of Labor having investigative authority to ensure compliance. This legislation directly affects part-time workers and employers with more than 15 employees across both private and public sectors.
The Schedules That Work Act would require employers in retail, food service, hospitality, cleaning, and warehouse sectors to provide workers with 14 days' advance notice of their schedules and pay predictability wages for last-minute changes. It allows employees to request schedule changes related to caregiving responsibilities, health conditions, education, or other jobs, with employers required to engage in good-faith discussions about such requests. The bill prohibits retaliation against employees who request schedule changes and mandates written notice of schedule changes and predictability pay. It applies to employers with 15 or more employees in covered sectors, aiming to address widespread issues with unpredictable schedules that negatively impact workers' ability to care for family members, maintain housing stability, and access health care.
This House resolution (HRES 952) expresses the U.S. House of Representatives' support for Gibraltar's right to determine its own political status as a British Overseas Territory through self-determination. It recognizes Gibraltar's democratic choices - where over 98% of voters chose to remain under British sovereignty in 1967 and 2002 - and highlights Gibraltar's historical role in U.S. military operations, including World War II and NATO missions. The resolution affirms that Gibraltarians' views must be central to any discussions about Gibraltar's future status, while acknowledging the territory's strategic importance to U.S. security interests in the Mediterranean. As a non-binding resolution, it does not alter U.S. policy but formally honors Gibraltar's contributions and right to self-determination under international law.
Essential Caregivers Act of 2025 This bill prohibits certain health care facilities from limiting the access of essential caregivers to residents of those facilities, including during designated emergency periods. Specifically, the bill generally prohibits Medicare skilled nursing facilities, Medicaid nursing facilities, Medicaid intermediate care facilities, and associated inpatient rehabilitation facilities from restricting the access of essential caregivers to residents of the facilities, including during emergency periods in which visitation rights are otherwise restricted. During emergency periods, facilities may restrict access for an initial period of up to seven days and for one additional maximum seven-day period (if the additional period is approved by the state health department). Facilities may restrict access for a total of 7 days (or 14 days with the approval of the state health department) during an emergency period. Essential caregivers must agree to comply with any safety protocols set by the facility, which may be no more stringent for caregivers compared to those for staff. Caregivers who fail to comply with these requirements may be denied access, subject to an appeals process.
The Artificial Intelligence Scam Prevention Act makes it illegal to use AI to impersonate people for fraudulent purposes, such as creating fake voices or images to scam consumers. It requires clear disclosure when AI is used in phone calls or text messages, so people know they're interacting with technology rather than a real person. The bill establishes an advisory group with FTC, FCC, and industry representatives to develop best practices for preventing these scams and mandates regular reports on AI-enabled fraud. The law aims to protect consumers from increasingly sophisticated scams, which cost over $1.4 billion in 2024 alone.
