Political Awareness

Legislative Roundup

By: Madeline Ireland

Legislative Roundup is a section to explain what legislation is currently being considered in Congress, the cases held by the Supreme Court, and actions taken by the executive branch each week. This column is intended to break down the important legislation to help our readers better understand how current happenings in the federal government can and will affect their lives and what they can do to help influence their representative’s decision-making.

Bills of Note Coming to the Floor in Congress

H.R. 2056: District of Columbia Federal Immigration Compliance Act of 2025

The House Majority Leader indicated on June 5, 2025 that this bill may be considered in the week ahead.

Summary of bill:

This bill would require that the District of Columbia comply with requests from federal immigration authorities to share information and detain non-U.S citizens. Currently, under the District of Columbia’s official code, the District does not cooperate with federal immigration authorities without a judicial warrant.

What the passing of this bill would mean:

• Federal agents would not need an official warrant to search for legal status information from the DC government
• The District of Columbia (DC) would be prohibited from limiting its cooperation with federal immigration enforcement activities, except for certain instances involving witnesses and victims of crime.
• DC would be barred from adopting a law, policy, or practice prohibiting DC governmental entities from sending, receiving, maintaining, or exchanging information regarding the citizenship or immigration status of any individual with a federal, state, or local government entity.

The bill does provide exceptions allowing DC to adopt policies of not sharing information or complying with a detainer request regarding an individual who comes forward as a victim or a witness of a crime.

Bills Passed by Either House

H.R. 2966: American Entrepreneurs First Act of 2025

This bill passed in the House on June 6, 2025 and goes to the Senate next for consideration.

Summary of bill: 

This bill requires small business owners who apply for loans from the Small Business Administration to provide certain citizenship status documentation. 

This bill would require:

• Submission of the date of birth for each applicant or business owner
• Certification that each applicant is a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident—or, in the case of businesses, that 100% of owners meet these criteria;
• Disclosure of alien registration numbers for lawful permanent residents; and
• Certification that no direct or indirect business owner is an “ineligible person,” including asylees, refugees, visa holders, DACA recipients, or undocumented individuals.

Essentially, the bill would bar anyone of non-citizenship status from obtaining Small Business Administration loans. 

Sponsors and Cosponsors: 

• Beth Van Duyne: Sponsor. Representative for Texas’s 24th congressional district. Republican. 
• Rep. Michael Cloud: Cosponsor. Representative for Texas’s 27th congressional district. Republican.

H.R. 248: Baby Changing on Board Act

This bill passed in the House on June 9, 2025 and goes to the Senate next for consideration.

Summary of bill:

This bill is a bipartisan bill presented by the Transportation and Infrastructure House Committee’s subcommittee: Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. It requires Amtrak trains to install baby changing tables in at least one restroom on each Amtrak car.

This bill applies to trains that are: 

• Owned and operated by Amtrak, and
• Solicited for purchase after the bill’s enactment for use by Amtrak

Sponsors and Original Cosponsor: 

• Lauren Underwood: Sponsor. Representative for Illinois’s 14th congressional district. Democrat.
• Rep. Jefferson Van Drew: Cosponsor. Representative for New Jersey’s 2nd District. Republican.

H.R. 22: SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act

This bill passed in the House on April 10, 2025, and goes to the Senate next for consideration.

Summary of bill: 

This bill would create tighter restrictions for registering to vote. 

It would require:

• American citizens show, in person, a birth certificate, passport, or other document proving citizenship when registering to vote.
• The elimination of online and by-mail voter registration.
• The placement of an additional burden of criminal charges on election officials in the event of vote miscalculation or other errors.
• States remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters.

Notably, this bill would make it much harder for married women or anyone who has changed their legal name from what is on their birth certificate to vote. However, it should be noted that, if passed, the bill would require states to determine their document requirements. Furthermore, states would be permitted to recognize legal name change decrees or marriage certificates.

However, these documents may be hard to access for women who have been married for a very long time. Legal name decrees are not typically issued for married women, as they are not required for married individuals who want to change their name. Marriage certificates, while more commonly issued, may be hard to access for some married women, as those who have been married a long time might not have the document readily available, and receiving another is an additional cost, administrative burden, and a cost other voters do not have (Kim, 2025). 

Sponsor: 

• Chip Roy: Sponsor. Representative for Texas’s 21st congressional district. Republican.

H.R. 1: One Big Beautiful Bill Act

This bill passed in the House on May 22, 2025, and goes to the Senate next for consideration.

Summary of bill: 

This bill lives up to its name; it is one big bill. It is a 45-page bill that outlines a $3.7 trillion tax cut and a $2.4 trillion increase to the U.S. debt. Essentially, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a giant tax cut. President Trump campaigned with the promise of permanently extending his 2017 tax cuts. The bill specifically aims to cut taxes and raise defense spending. Here are some of the important taxes that are aimed to be cut: 

• Taxes on tips 
• Taxes on overtime 
• Taxes on gun silencers, as well as eliminating the current mandatory registration
• Taxes on tanning beds 

It would also instate “Trump savings accounts.” These savings accounts would:

• Would allow parents to open them for their newborn children 
• The contribution limit would be $5,000 per year 
• The government would contribute $1,000 for each child 

The bill would also: 

• Reduce or eliminate green energy and electric vehicle incentives, including tax credits
• Cut $330 billion from student loan spending over the next 10 years
• Changes the Pell Grant program for low-income students by increasing the number of required credits per semester

Cases of Note From the Supreme Court 

Smith & Wesson Brands v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos

Facts:

• The Government of Mexico filed a lawsuit against seven U.S. gun manufacturers, alleging they contributed to the illegal flow of firearms into Mexico by facilitating unlawful gun sales that ultimately armed drug cartels.
• Mexico argued that the manufacturers failed to take reasonable steps to prevent gun trafficking, which led to widespread harm from the weapons’ misuse.
• The lawsuit claimed the companies knowingly supplied firearms to retailers who illegally sold them to traffickers, failed to monitor and control their distribution channels, and intentionally made marketing and design choices that appealed to cartel members.
• Although the U.S. District Court initially dismissed the case, the First Circuit Court of Appeals later reversed that decision.

Ruling:

• The Supreme Court reviewed the case and held that Mexico’s complaint did not plausibly allege that the defendant gun manufacturers aided and abetted gun dealers’ unlawful sales of firearms to Mexican traffickers.

Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services

Facts: 

• Marlean Ames, a straight woman, has worked for the Ohio Department of Youth Services since 2004. In 2019, she applied for a management job but didn’t get it—another woman, who is a lesbian, was chosen instead.
• Later, Ames was demoted from her role, and a gay man was hired to replace her. She sued under Title VII, claiming she was discriminated against because of her sexual orientation.
• The lower court ruled against her, saying she didn’t prove there were any “background circumstances” that showed straight people were being discriminated against. The Sixth Circuit agreed, citing her status within a majority social group.

Ruling: 

• The U.S. Supreme Court reviewed the case and disagreed. It said that Title VII protects everyone equally, regardless of whether they are in a majority or minority group. The Court struck down the “background circumstances” rule and sent the case back to the lower court to apply the correct standard.

Executive Branch Actions of Note

U.S.C. § 12406

Following ICE raids and subsequent protestants in Los Angeles, President Trump issued a memorandum that cited 10 U.S.C. § 12406, a law enacted in 1903 that allows the president to call up the National Guard if there is “a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States” or if “the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”

However, the president may only do this through the consent and order of the California Governor, Gavin Newsom. A second amendment to the U.S.C. § 12406 states “orders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the States”. President Trump did not have expressed permission from the Governor nor did the Governor order the National Guard to the protests. Therefore, Governor Newsom has filed a lawsuit alleging the department of defense did not transmit the proper orders through the Governors office.

What You Can Do

Your Voice Matters in Our Federal Government!

Democracy works best when you participate. Whether you’re passionate about climate action, education, healthcare, or civil rights, your voice has power—and it starts with getting involved.

✅ Contact Your Representatives
Call, email, or write to your senators and House representative. Share your opinions on legislation, ask questions, and urge them to act on issues that matter to you. They work for you.

✅ Stay Informed
Follow Political Awareness’s newsletter, current legislation, committee hearings, and policy debates. Websites like Congress.gov or GovTrack make it easy to track bills and see how your representatives vote.

✅ Vote in Every Election
Federal, state, and local elections all shape the laws and policies that affect your life. Register to vote, learn about the candidates, and show up on Election Day—or vote early or by mail.

✅ Join Civic Organizations
Whether it’s advocacy groups, nonprofits, or political organizations, joining a cause you care about can amplify your impact and connect you with others working for change.

✅ Spread the Word
Speak up on social media, in conversations, or at community events to motivate others to get involved too.

Take Action Today

Find your representatives at house.gov and senate.gov, and let them hear from you. Democracy doesn’t end at the ballot box—it begins with you raising your voice.

Because if you don’t speak up, someone else will decide for you.