Proposed legislation related to labor, unions, and NIL: July 17, 2025 – August 22, 2025

H.R.4640 - Stop AI Price Gouging and Wage Fixing Act of 2025. To prohibit certain uses of algorithmic decision systems to inform individualized prices and wages.
Introduced July 23, 2025 by Greg Casar (R-TX). Twenty-six Democratic cosponsors, no Republicans. Referred to Energy and Commerce and Judiciary and Education and Workforce the same day.
Comment: This is an important bit of legislation. Even if the federal version is not enacted, I hope blue states will do so. The protections it provides for consumers and workers are critical.

July 23, 2025 alert: The Committee advanced the “SCORE Act” and “OMUFA Reauthorization” to the full House for a vote.
The SCORE Act (HR 4312) “protects the name, image, and likeness rights of student athletes and to promote fair competition with respect to intercollegiate athletics.” The OMUFA reauthorization (HR 4273) revised and extended FDA user fees for OTC monograph drugs.

H.R.4740 – No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for certain overtime compensation.
Introduced July 23, 2025 by Emilia Strong Sykes (D-OH). No cosponsors. Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means the same day.
Snarky comment: I thought this was a Republican issue? Strong Sykes wishes to codify exactly what Trump et al said they were doing. So why no Republican cosponsors? The bill is short and sweet. No hidden agendas or catches.

S.2470 - College Athlete Economic Freedom Act. To establish name, image, and likeness rights for college athletes at institutions of higher education.
Introduced July 28, 2025 by Christopher Murphy (D-CT). No cosponsors. Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation the same day.
Snarky comment: I expected this to be a bill introduced by a Trump Republican. C’mon Chris. We need to stay in our lane! Let the NCAA handle its own business. I hate NIL on behalf of normal athletes.
And if you want to pass legislation that states that NIL regs must be equal regardless of sex, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or age, then great, go for it. But leave college sports to their own devices. They are doing a good enough job of screwing things up without Congress getting involved.

S.2473 - Federal Firefighters Families First Act. To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for pay equality and the more accurate computation of retirement benefits for certain firefighters employed by the Federal Government.
Introduced July 28, 2025 by Ruben Gallego (D-AZ). Cosponsored by Bernie Moreno (R-OH). Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs the same day.
Comment: If anyone is a firefighter or has family or friends who are firefighters, this is a critical bill. The Office of Personnel Management calculated most (all?) other payrolls assuming standard 2087 working hours per year. Therefore if $50,000 were allocated to a position, hourly pay rate would equal $23.95. Overtime would therefore be calculated at a base rate of $23.95 x 1.5 or 2, depending on position.
See 5 U.S. Code § 5545b - Pay for firefighters - it treats firefighters’ payroll differently. Instead of 2087 working hours per year, Office of Personnel Management used 2756 hours to derive hourly pay. So still using $50,000, $18.14 per hour. This impacts not only overtime calculation, but also annuity.
S.2473 additionally established a maximum regular workweek for firefighters. Under S.2473, firefighters could not work more than sixty hours per week.

July 28, 2025 alert: S. Rept. 119-48 – “Combating CCP Labor Abuses Act of 2025.” Accompanies Bill: S.580.

S.2495 - Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025. To require the Secretary of Labor to maintain a publicly available list of all employers that relocate a call center or contract call center work overseas, to make such companies ineligible for Federal grants or guaranteed loans, and to require disclosure of the physical location of business agents engaging in customer service communications.
Introduced July 29, 2025 by Ruben Gallego (D-AZ). Cosponsored by James Justice (R-WV). Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation the same day.
Snarky comment: If American citizens could vote on a single topic as a nationwide referendum, and if this were the bill voted upon, there would likely be 100% vote in favor of this! But it still would not pass, because 100% of the rich SOBs who make financial decisions are the ones who have decided to take customer service offshore.
Hey Ruben and James: Remove tax benefits (i.e., do not allow expenditures for offshore contractors as tax deductible expenses, and DO impose tax penalties on anyone using offshore CS contractors—that’ll do it!).

S.2535 - Protecting Jobs in American Ports Act. To enable passenger vessels that were not built in the United States to receive coastwise endorsement.
Introduced July 30, 2025 by Mike Lee (R-UT). No cosponsors. Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation the same day.

EC1422 – July 30, 2025. From the General Counsel, Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, transmitting, pursuant to law, the Office's Biennial Report on the Occupational Safety and Health Inspections conducted during the 117th Congress received in the Office of the President pro tempore.

S.2563 - Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2025. To direct the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, to conduct an interagency review of and report to Congress on ways to increase the global competitiveness of the United States in attracting foreign direct investment.
Introduced July 31, 2025 by Todd Young (R-IN). Cosponsored by Gary Peters (D-MI). Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation the same day.
Bill summary from Congress fot gov: The Secretary and the Comptroller General of United States, in consultation with the Federal Interagency Investment Working Group and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall conduct an interagency review of the global competitiveness of the United States in attracting foreign direct investment from responsible private sector entities based in trusted countries that addresses key foreign trade barriers that firms in advanced technology sectors face in the global digital economy.
Snarky comment: Don’t we know what’s preventing us from being competitive? Hint: He plays golf a lot, loves interior decorating, doesn’t work much. Has illusions of being a king.

H.R.4868 - College Athlete Economic Freedom Act. To establish name, image, and likeness rights for college athletes at institutions of higher education.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by Lori Trahan (D-MA). No cosponsors. Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and Judiciary the same day.

H.R.4896 - Warehouse Worker Protection Act. To establish protections for warehouse workers.
Introduced August 5, 2025 by Donald Norcross (D-NJ). Cosponsored by fourteen Democrats and one Republican (Michael Lawler (D-NY)). Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce and Energy and Commerce the same day.

H.R.4905 - Energy Workers Health Improvement and Compensation Fund Act. To establish the Energy Workers Compensation Fund to compensate energy workers for certain medical expenses.
Introduced August 5, 2025 by Gabe Vasquez (D-NM). No cosponsors. Committee on Education and Workforce and Committee on Ways and Means the same day.

H.R.4932 - National Manufacturing Advisory Council for the 21st Century Act. To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish the National Manufacturing Advisory Council within the Department of Commerce.
Introduced August 8, 2025 by Joe Neguse (D-CO). Cosponsored by Tracey Mann (R-KS). Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce the same day.
Snarky comment: Love how the House wants to add things to federal agencies, while simultaneously cutting their budget.

H.R.4949 - Apprenticeships for Small Businesses Act of 2025. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a credit for certain employers of qualifying career and technical education students.
Introduced August 12, 2025 by Josh Harder (D-CA). Cosponsored by Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA). Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means the same day.

H.R.4954 - Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025. To require the Secretary of Labor to maintain a publicly available list of all employers that relocate a call center or contract call center work overseas, to make such companies ineligible for Federal grants or guaranteed loans, and to require disclosure of the physical location of business agents engaging in customer service communications.
Introduced August 12, 2025 by Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI). Cosponsored by Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and Education and Workforce and Oversight and Government Reform and Armed Services the same day.

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