Raja Krishnamoorthi

Safe Schools Improvement Act

This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex. Sex includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (including intersex traits).

Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level.

The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.

Fighting Trade Cheats Act of 2025

This bill increases penalties for, and establishes additional enforcement mechanisms related to, fraudulent and grossly negligent violations of U.S. customs laws.

Specifically, the bill increases the maximum civil penalty for a fraudulent violation to three times the domestic value of the merchandise. (Currently, the maximum penalty is the domestic value of the merchandise.) It prohibits a person who commits a fraudulent violation from importing merchandise into the United States for a five-year period.

Additionally, the bill increases the maximum civil penalty for a grossly negligent violation to the lesser of (1) 3 times the domestic value of the merchandise; or (2) 10 times the lawful duties, taxes, and fees. (Currently, the maximum penalty is the lesser of the domestic value of the merchandise or four times the lawful duties, taxes, and fees.) It prohibits a person who commits a grossly negligent violation from importing merchandise into the United States for a two-year period.

Further, the bill applies these importation bans to an affiliated person (e.g., a family member or employee) of the person who committed the fraudulent or grossly negligent violation.

The bill establishes a private right of action for an interested party (e.g., a manufacturer) affected by customs fraud or grossly negligent violations.

The bill prohibits any person (or an affiliated person) who commits a fraudulent or grossly negligent violation from participating in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Importer of Record program, and further requires revocation of their importer of record numbers.

Protecting Sensitive Locations Act

This bill prohibits immigration enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of a sensitive location except in exigent circumstances, such as the imminent risk of death, violence, or physical harm to any person.

Sensitive locations include

• health care facilities;

• schools and school bus stops;

• places that provide assistance for people such as children, pregnant women, and abuse victims;

• child care facilities;

• places that provide disaster or emergency services;

• places of worship;

• courthouses and lawyers’ offices;

• facilities used as polling places;

• certain labor union facilities; and

• public assistance offices.

The prohibition shall apply to Department of Homeland Security officers and agents, as well as state employees pursuing immigration enforcement actions.

If an enforcement action is carried out in violation of this prohibition (1) no information resulting from the action may be entered into the record in a resulting removal proceeding, and (2) the affected individual may move to immediately terminate such a proceeding.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall annually report to Congress about enforcement actions taken at sensitive locations in the preceding year.

Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act

This bill requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a final consumer product safety rule for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in micromobility devices, such as electric bikes and electric scooters.

Specifically, the rule must require manufacturers and distributors of such products to comply with the applicable safety standards jointly established by the American National Standards Institute, the Standards Council of Canada, and UL Solutions Inc.

Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act

This bill imposes fines on individuals for soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine.

Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2025 or the PAST Act of 2025

This bill increases protections for horses at shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions (horse events) to prevent the practice of soring horses. Generally, the soring of horses includes certain actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness.

Specifically, the bill expands existing soring prohibitions under the Horse Protection Act, including by banning the use of certain action devices (e.g., nonprotective boots) on specified horse breeds.

The bill also requires soring inspectors at horse events to be assigned by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the Department of Agriculture rather than appointed by the management of horse events. APHIS must also license, train, and oversee inspectors to detect and diagnose soring at such events.

Additionally, the bill increases penalties for violations of the act. It also directs APHIS to disqualify horses found to be sore from being shown or exhibited for specified periods. Further, APHIS may permanently disqualify violators from participating in horse events after the third or any subsequent violation.

By way of background, APHIS issued a rule in 2024 to increase efforts to protect horses from soring practices. However, in 2025, a court vacated parts of the rule as exceeding APHIS' statutory authority (e.g., prohibiting the use of certain action devices) while deeming other parts acceptable (e.g., establishing APHIS-designated inspectors). APHIS subsequently delayed the effective date of the rule to December 31, 2026.

Keep Americans Safe Act

This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD).

The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to an LCAFD, including the following:

• importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments;

• importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and

• possession by a retired law enforcement officer.

The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD.

Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification and the date of manufacture.

Additionally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender an LCAFD under a buy-back program.

Pell Grant Sustainability Act

This bill indexes the maximum award amount for Pell Grants to the rate of inflation. The bill also permanently reauthorizes the discretionary statutory authority for the Pell Grant program.

Save America's Forgotten Equines Act of 2025 or the SAFE Act of 2025

This bill permanently prohibits the slaughter of equines (e.g., horses and mules) for human consumption. (Current law prohibits the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption. This bill extends the prohibition to equines.)

Specifically, this bill prohibits a person from knowingly (1) slaughtering an equine for human consumption; or (2) shipping, transporting, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating an equine to be slaughtered for human consumption or equine parts for human consumption.

The bill subjects a violator to a fine.

The bill applies to conduct in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. However, it does not apply to an activity carried out by an Indian for a religious ceremony.

As background, in recent years, the appropriations acts have prohibited the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from using federal funds to inspect horses before they are slaughtered for human consumption. Therefore, there are currently no USDA-inspected horse slaughter facilities in the United States.

Humane Cosmetics Act of 2025

This bill generally prohibits animal testing in the evaluation of cosmetic products, and it prohibits the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using animal testing, subject to civil penalties. These prohibitions begin one year after enactment.

The bill specifies exceptions to these prohibitions, including if such animal testing (1) is conducted outside the United States to comply with a foreign regulatory authority; (2) is pursuant to a finding by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that there are no nonanimal alternatives to test the safety of a potentially dangerous cosmetic product or ingredient; (3) is of a product or ingredient for a drug or device subject to regulation by the FDA; or (4) is required for a noncosmetic purpose pursuant to a state, federal, or foreign regulatory authority.

Further, evidence derived from animal testing conducted more than one year after the bill's enactment may not be used to establish the safety of a cosmetic product or ingredient that is regulated by the FDA, subject to limited exceptions.

Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2025 or the CROWN Act of 2025

This bill prohibits discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. Specifically, the bill prohibits this type of discrimination against those participating in federally assisted programs, housing programs, public accommodations, and employment.

Persons shall not be deprived of equal rights under the law and shall not be subjected to prohibited practices based on their hair texture or style.

The bill provides for enforcement procedures under the applicable laws (e.g., the Civil Rights Act of 1964).

American Dream and Promise Act of 2025

This bill provides certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) with a path to receive permanent resident status and contains other immigration-related provisions.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) shall provide conditional permanent resident status for 10 years to a qualifying individual who entered the United States as a minor and (1) is deportable or inadmissible, (2) has deferred enforced departure (DED) status or temporary protected status (TPS), or (3) is the child of certain classes of nonimmigrants. The bill imposes various qualifying requirements, such as the individual being continuously physically present in the United States since January 1, 2021, passing a background check, and being enrolled in or having completed certain educational programs.

DHS shall remove the conditions placed on permanent resident status granted under this bill if the individual applies and meets certain requirements, such as completing certain programs at an educational institution, serving in the military, or being employed.

Furthermore, DHS or DOJ shall provide lawful permanent resident status to certain individuals who had TPS, were eligible for TPS, or were eligible for DED status on certain dates. Such individuals must meet certain requirements and apply for such status within three years of this bill's enactment.

This bill also repeals a restriction that bars a state from providing higher education benefits to undocumented individuals unless those benefits are available to all U.S. nationals without regard to residency in the state.

Ethan's Law

This bill establishes a framework to regulate the storage of firearms on residential premises at the federal, state, and tribal levels.

At the federal level, the bill establishes statutory requirements for firearms on residential premises to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access without permission or if a resident is ineligible to possess a firearm.

An individual who violates the requirements is subject to criminal penalties. A firearm stored in violation of the requirements is subject to seizure and forfeiture.

At the state and tribal levels, the bill requires the Department of Justice to award grants to implement functionally identical requirements for the safe storage of firearms.

Taxpayer Funds Oversight and Accountability Act

This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to take certain actions to improve financial management systems across the federal government and expands the responsibilities of federal agency Chief Financial Officers (CFOs).

The bill requires OMB to submit a four-year governmentwide financial management plan to Congress within six months of enactment and thereafter with the budget submitted in the first full fiscal year following the start of a presidential term. Such plans must address certain topics, including strategies for (1) improving financial management systems; (2) strengthening the financial management workforce; and (3) reporting performance and cost information. OMB must annually submit related status reports to Congress and the Government Accountability Office.

Each agency CFO is assigned new responsibilities, including

• preparing the agency plan to implement OMB's governmentwide financial management plan;

• overseeing and providing leadership in the areas of budget formulation and execution, planning and performance, risk management, internal controls, financial systems, accounting, and other areas designated by OMB;

• coordinating with designated agency personnel on the strategic planning, performance measurement and reporting, and risk management functions of the agency;

• managing the formulation and financial execution of the agency budget;

• linking performance and cost information; and

• preparing annual reports on progress in implementing the governmentwide financial management plan and transmitting such reports to the agency head, OMB, and Congress.

The bill establishes new requirements for audits of agency accounts, such as having auditors evaluate the design of the agency's internal controls over financial reporting.

Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act of 2025

This bill establishes the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice (DOJ). It also establishes grants to improve the capacity of state, local, and tribal governments to enforce environmental laws involving environmental justice matters. (On February 5, 2025, DOJ issued a directive to close its Office of Environmental Justice by March 15, 2025.)

Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025

This bill extends and modifies the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, including by

• extending payments made to states and counties containing federal land through FY2026,

• providing for payments for FY2024 and FY2025,

• extending the authority of counties to initiate projects using such funds through FY2028, and

• extending the authority to initiate projects proposed by resource advisory committees through FY2028.

Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act

This bill addresses unfair trade practices by making various changes to U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty laws. Antidumping laws provide relief to U.S industries and workers that are materially injured or threatened with injury due to imports of like products sold in the U.S. market at less than fair value, while countervailing duty laws provide such relief from imports of products subsidized by a foreign government or public entity.

Specifically, the bill establishes a process for successive antidumping and countervailing duty investigations. Successive investigations may be concurrent (an ongoing investigation of the same product) or recently completed (not more than two years before the date of the initiation of the successive investigation). Further, the bill establishes a timeline for the Department of Commerce to issue determinations in successive investigations.

Among other provisions, the bill authorizes Commerce to

• apply countervailing duty law to subsidies provided by a foreign government or public entity to a company operating in a different country,

• use another method for calculating the cost of production in specific circumstances, and

• require importers to certify that the imported merchandise is not subject to an antidumping or countervailing duty order.

Additionally, the bill statutorily establishes procedures for Commerce to conduct circumvention inquiries, including by specifying the deadlines for preliminary and final determinations.

The bill also provides statutory authority for Commerce to investigate currency undervaluation as a countervailable subsidy.

Accountability in Government Efficiency Act

This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress on the actions undertaken by the Department of Government Efficiency established by Executive Order 14158. The report shall include (1) an analysis of such actions on the long-term financial, public health, and safety interests of the United States; and (2) the extent to which such actions comply with certain laws related to government records maintained on individuals and to ethics in government.

Gun Trafficker Detection Act

This bill requires individual gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement.

Specifically, the bill requires gun owners to report a lost or stolen firearm to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) or local law enforcement within 48 hours of discovery. A gun owner who fails to report a lost or stolen firearm is subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for the first violation; a civil penalty of up to $5,000 and a one-year prohibition on receiving a firearm for the second violation; and a civil penalty of up to $5,000 and a five-year prohibition on receiving a firearm for the third or subsequent violation. Further, a gun owner who receives a firearm while subject to a one-year or five-year prohibition on such receipt is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to one year, or both.

Additionally, the bill prohibits making false statements or misrepresentations with respect to the information required in a report of a lost or stolen firearm. A violation is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.

The bill directs the ATF to create a web-based portal where individuals can report lost or stolen firearms. It also requires states to use at least 5% of funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program to collect and manage data about lost or stolen firearms reported to local law enforcement.