Shontel Brown

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.

Climate and Health Protection Act

This bill provides statutory authority for the Climate and Health Program within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This program supports the efforts of state, tribal, local, and territorial public health agencies to prepare for the health impacts of climate change.

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.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should ensure that the U.S. Postal Service is not privatized and remains an independent establishment of the federal government.

This resolution supports the designation of Public Schools Week.

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.

Department of Education Protection Act

This bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds made available to the Department of Education (ED) to decentralize, reduce the staffing level of, or alter the responsibilities or functionality of ED compared to its organization or operation on January 1, 2025.

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.

Black History Matters Act

This bill directs the National Museum of African American History and Culture to study and report on Black history education in public elementary and secondary schools.

Among other elements, the study must (1) identify the states and local educational agencies that require (and those that do not require) Black history education as part of the curriculum taught in public elementary and secondary schools, (2) assess the quality of Black history education provided by schools, and (3) assess the types and quality of instructional material used to teach students about Black history.

Office of Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2025

This bill establishes an Office of Gun Violence Prevention within the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office of Legal Policy.

Among its duties, the office must coordinate various gun violence prevention efforts that are administered by DOJ, recommend policy options to promote evidence-based gun violence prevention strategies, and promote related data collection.

Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act

This bill establishes the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans.

The commission must (1) compile documentary evidence of slavery in the United States; (2) study the role of the federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery; (3) analyze discriminatory laws and policies against freed African slaves and their descendants; and (4) recommend ways the United States may recognize and remedy the effects of slavery and discrimination on African Americans, including through a formal apology and compensation (i.e., reparations).

The commission consists of individuals from civil society and reparations organizations and individuals appointed by the President and congressional leadership; Members of Congress and governmental employees may not serve on the commission. The commission may hold hearings, subpoena witnesses and records, and contract with other entities to conduct its work.

The commission must submit its final report within 18 months of its first meeting.

This bill provides specified funds to the 1890 Scholarships Program for FY2025 and each succeeding year for student scholarships. This National Institute of Food and Agriculture program provides grants to 1890 Institutions (i.e., historically Black colleges and universities that belong to the U.S. land-grant university system) for students who intend to pursue a career in the food and agricultural sciences.

The bill also permanently reauthorizes the 1890 Scholarships Program.

Further, the bill specifies that student scholarships include scholarships for programs leading to a bachelor or graduate degree.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment providing that the rights protected and extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only. Artificial entities, such as corporations, shall have no rights under the Constitution and are subject to regulation.

The amendment requires federal, state, and local governments to (1) regulate, limit, or prohibit election contributions and expenditures, including a candidate's own contributions and expenditures, to ensure equal access of citizens to the political process, regardless of economic status; and (2) require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed.

Additionally, the judiciary is prohibited from construing the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment.

Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act

This bill allows, beginning in 2028, for Medicare coverage and payment for multi-cancer early detection screening tests that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that are used to screen for cancer across many cancer types, if the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services determines such coverage is appropriate. Coverage is limited to those under a certain age (age 68 in 2028, increased by one year every year thereafter) and to one test every 11 months.

PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 and establishes actions by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address preterm birth (i.e., babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy).

Specifically, the bill reauthorizes epidemiological studies, data tracking, and prevention efforts conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to preterm birth.

Also, the bill requires HHS to establish an interagency working group to improve federal coordination and provide recommendations on preventing preterm birth, infant mortality, and related adverse birth outcomes.

Additionally, HHS must arrange for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study preterm birth in the United States and report to HHS and Congress on certain aspects, including the financial costs and strategies to reduce the rate of preterm birth.

This resolution declares racism a public health crisis and supports efforts to address health disparities and inequities across all sectors.