Ken Calvert

Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025

This bill extends increased dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouse of a veteran who dies from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) regardless of how long the veteran had such disease prior to death. Under current law, such compensation is paid for a service-connected disability that was rated totally disabling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately preceding death.

For purposes of compensation for a surviving spouse of a veteran who dies from ALS, the spouse must have been married to the veteran for a continuous period of eight years or longer prior to the death of the veteran.

Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must report on service-connected disabilities the VA determines should be treated in the same manner as ALS for purposes of dependency and indemnity compensation.

This resolution (1) condemns the assassination of Charles "Charlie" James Kirk and all forms of political violence; and (2) honors the life, leadership, and legacy of Charlie Kirk.

Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act

This bill repeals the Corporate Transparency Act. The act requires existing companies and newly created companies to report beneficial ownership information to the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for purposes of addressing the financing of terrorism and money laundering.

Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act

This bill removes less-than-lethal projectile devices (e.g., certain TASERs) from regulation under the Gun Control Act.

The term less-than-lethal projectile device means a device that (1) is not designed or intended to expel (and may not be readily converted to discharge) commonly used ammunition or projectiles exceeding a velocity of 500 feet per second; (2) is designed and intended to be used in a manner not likely to cause death or serious bodily injury; and (3) does not accept (and cannot be readily modified to accept) an ammunition feeding device.

The bill also requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine whether a device satisfies the definition of a less-than-lethal projectile device within 90 days of a request.

Direct Seller and Real Estate Agent Harmonization Act

This bill excludes a real estate agent or a direct seller of consumer products from the definition of an employee for the purpose of applying the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). Workers who are considered employees under the FLSA must be paid the minimum wage and are generally eligible to receive overtime compensation for hours worked in excess of a 40-hour workweek.

Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2025

This bill excludes Indian tribes and tribal enterprises and institutions on tribal land from requirements for employers under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). (Currently under the NLRA, employers may not engage in unfair labor practices and must allow employees to form unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action.)

This resolution condemns Azerbaijan for its treatment of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, practice of wrongful detention, and suppression of academic freedom. The resolution also calls for Dr. Ibadoghlu's immediate and unconditional release and for the Department of State to prioritize his well-being and release in all engagements with Azerbaijan.

ePermit Act

This bill establishes requirements related to digitizing environmental reviews conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) must develop, publish, and iteratively update data standards for the collection and curation of certain data related to environmental reviews. CEQ must also design, test, and build prototype tools for environmental reviews.

Additionally, CEQ must publish guidance to assist relevant agencies in implementing such standards as well as certain minimum functional requirements, such as data sharing that enables automated transfer of relevant data among federal agencies. Federal agencies responsible for environmental reviews or authorizations must implement the data standards and such minimum functional requirements.

To the maximum extent practicable, CEQ and such agencies must iteratively develop and maintain a unified interagency data system consisting of interconnected federal agency systems and shared services for environmental reviews and authorizations, including a common interactive, digital, cloud-based authorization portal.

Within a year, CEQ must oversee a pilot of shared services for environmental reviews and authorizations, including the portal. To the maximum extent practicable, CEQ must develop and implement the unified interagency data system by December 1, 2027.

Portable Ultrasound Reimbursement Equity Act of 2025

This bill provides for Medicare coverage of ultrasound tests performed at a beneficiary's home. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must provide for separate payments for portable ultrasound services in the same manner and to the same extent as for portable X-ray services.

Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act

This bill establishes a commission in the executive branch to advise on certain criminal and immigration matters in the District of Columbia (DC). It also establishes a federal program to ensure that commonly visited areas in DC are cleaned and maintained. (On March 27, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful, which established a similar task force and program.)

First, the bill establishes a commission made up of representatives from the U.S. Attorneys' Offices for DC, Maryland, and Virginia; specified federal agencies; and other designated federal entities. The commission must recommend actions to, among other tasks, address enforcement of federal immigration law in DC, facilitate the provision of federal resources to reduce crime, and assist with recruitment and retention of DC's Metropolitan Police Department officers.

Next, the bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish a program to coordinate and maintain the cleanliness of commonly visited areas in DC, including monuments, parks, and roads. The program must also restore damaged or removed federal public monuments and similar properties.

The bill's provisions terminate on January 2, 2029.

Thin Blue Line Act

This bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include killing or targeting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.

Military Spouse Hiring Act

This bill allows employers to claim a tax credit for a percentage of qualified wages paid to an employee who is a military spouse by expanding the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to add qualified military spouses as a targeted group. (The WOTC applies to employers who hire members of specific targeted groups, such as veterans, ex-felons, and long-term unemployment recipients, and is generally equal to a percentage of the wages paid to such individuals in the first year of employment, up to a maximum amount. Under current law, the wages must be paid before 2026.)

The bill defines a qualified military spouse as any individual who is certified by a state workforce agency as being (as of the hiring date) a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces.

Qualified Immunity Act of 2025

This bill provides statutory authority for qualified immunity for law enforcement officers in civil cases involving constitutional violations.

Current law provides a statutory civil cause of action against state and local government actors (e.g., law enforcement officers) for violations of constitutional rights, also known as Section 1983 lawsuits. The Supreme Court has also found an implied cause of action against federal law enforcement officers in certain situations (e.g., Fourth Amendment violations), also known as Bivens lawsuits. However, under the judicial doctrine of qualified immunity, government officials performing discretionary duties are generally shielded from civil liability, unless their actions violate clearly established rights of which a reasonable person would have known.

The bill provides statutory authority for these principles with respect to law enforcement officers. Specifically, under the bill, law enforcement officers are entitled to qualified immunity if (1) at the time of the alleged violation, the constitutional right at issue was not clearly established or the state of the law was not sufficiently clear that every reasonable officer would have known that the conduct was unconstitutional; or (2) a court has held that the specific conduct at issue is constitutional.

The bill applies to federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. It also specifies that law enforcement agencies and local governments may not be held liable if their officers are entitled to qualified immunity.