Monica De La Cruz

Freedom to Build Act

The proposal would allow the Department of Housing and Urban Development to officially recognize certain cities and towns as "Freedom to Build" communities if they reduce zoning restrictions and housing regulations that limit new construction. Communities earning this designation could potentially receive federal benefits or recognition for making it easier to build homes and other developments. The goal is to encourage local governments to remove barriers that make housing more expensive and difficult to develop.

WATER for Farmers Act

The bill would protect water deliveries to the United States under a 1944 treaty with Mexico and create a compensation program for American farmers who lose income when they don't receive their promised water share. This affects agricultural producers in western states who depend on cross-border water agreements for irrigation and farming operations. The proposal is being reviewed by committees handling foreign relations, taxes, and agriculture to determine how to fund and implement the compensation system.

Lance Corporal Dustin Sekula Congressional Gold Medal Act

The proposal would award the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation's highest civilian honors, to Lance Corporal Dustin Sekula, a Marine from Edinburg, Texas who died in service to his country. This medal recognizes his heroic actions and sacrifice, and would be presented posthumously to honor his memory and contributions. The award serves as a formal acknowledgment of exceptional bravery and service to the United States.

Saving Lives on Campuses Act of 2026

Colleges and universities would be required to keep opioid overdose rescue kits (naloxone/Narcan) readily available on campus to help students and staff who may experience an overdose. The kits would need to be placed in accessible locations so they can be used quickly in emergencies, similar to how fire extinguishers are positioned throughout buildings. This measure aims to save lives by ensuring these life-saving medications are available at higher education institutions where young adults gather.

Improving Medicare Services Act of 2026

The bill aims to improve how Medicare operates and delivers healthcare services to seniors and disabled Americans, though the specific changes are not yet detailed in the referral stage. Congress is sending it to two committees to review different aspects—one focusing on Medicare's finances and payment systems, and another on healthcare delivery and quality standards. Once the committees examine the proposal, they will determine what modifications to Medicare's rules, coverage, or operations should be made.

Strengthen Taxpayer Rights Act of 2026

This bill would give taxpayers new protections and rights when dealing with the IRS, likely including things like clearer explanations of tax decisions, easier ways to appeal IRS rulings, and stronger privacy safeguards for personal financial information. The changes would affect millions of Americans who file taxes or interact with the IRS, potentially making it simpler for them to understand what the agency is doing and to challenge decisions they disagree with. The bill is currently being reviewed by the House committee that handles tax policy.

Community Bank Representation Act

This bill would increase the representation of community banks on the Federal Reserve's boards and advisory committees, giving smaller regional banks more say in how the central bank operates. Community banks—which typically serve local areas rather than operating nationwide—would have better opportunities to influence Federal Reserve policies that affect lending, interest rates, and financial regulation. The change aims to ensure that the concerns of smaller financial institutions are heard alongside those of large national banks.

Bringing the Discount Window into the 21st Century Act

Bringing the Discount Window into the 21st Century Act This bill requires the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to review and develop a remediation plan for its discount window lending program, which provides loans to depository institutions to support an institution’s security and liquidity. The review must consider topics such as the sufficiency of the technology infrastructure, the effectiveness of the existing operating hours of the discount window, and how the discount window interacts with other liquidity providers during normal operations and in times of financial distress. The remediation plan must address any identified deficiencies, establish timelines and milestones for implementation, and be approved by the board. The bill requires annual reports to Congress regarding the plan.

Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act

Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act This act excludes compensation received for a military service-connected disability from a veteran's income when determining eligibility for assistance under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The CDBG program provides grants to urban communities for development activities focused on revitalizing neighborhoods, economic development, and providing improved community facilities and services. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must report on how service-connected disability compensation is treated when determining eligibility for all programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This includes identifying instances where the treatment of such compensation is inconsistent with the requirement under this act.

Whistleblower Protection Act of 2025

This bill would protect people who report violations of housing and community development laws from being fired, demoted, or punished by their employers for speaking up. It applies to workers in government agencies, nonprofits, and private companies involved in housing programs, giving them legal recourse if they face retaliation for whistleblowing. The bill aims to encourage people to report fraud, safety violations, and other wrongdoing in housing programs without fear of losing their jobs.

Ensuring Predictable and Reliable Water Deliveries Act of 2025

This bill likely addresses water-sharing agreements or disputes between the United States and other countries, possibly involving shared rivers or water resources along borders. The legislation would probably establish clearer rules or commitments to ensure that water deliveries to communities and farms remain steady and dependable, affecting farmers, cities, and water utilities that rely on international water sources. By treating water agreements as a foreign policy priority, the bill aims to prevent conflicts and protect American water security in regions where the U.S. shares water resources with neighboring nations.

New World Screwworm Preparedness Act of 2025

The federal government would establish new programs and funding to prepare for and prevent the spread of New World screwworms, parasitic insects that infect livestock and wildlife and can cause serious disease or death. The bill would support research, surveillance systems, and emergency response plans to detect and control outbreaks before they damage the U.S. agricultural industry and animal populations. Farmers, ranchers, and wildlife managers would benefit from these preparedness efforts to protect their animals and livelihoods.

HUD Transparency Act of 2025

HUD Transparency Act of 2025 This bill requires the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to annually testify before Congress. Specifically, the office must testify regarding efforts to detect and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse; ability to conduct and supervise audits, investigations, and reviews; actions to identify opportunities for HUD programs to progress and succeed; recommendations to improve overall efficiency and public accountability; the extent to which HUD has resources sufficient to carry out its statutory mission; and ongoing activities regarding any such additional work.

Housing Affordability Act

This bill likely aims to make housing more affordable by adjusting financial rules or programs that affect home buying and renting. It could involve changes to mortgage lending, down payment requirements, or how banks handle housing loans, which would impact homebuyers, renters, and financial institutions. The bill is currently being reviewed by the House Committee on Financial Services to determine what specific measures it proposes.

HUD-USDA-VA Interagency Coordination Act

This bill would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Veterans Affairs to work together more closely on housing programs and share information to help people find and access housing assistance. The coordination would likely help veterans, rural residents, and low-income families avoid confusion when applying for different government housing benefits and ensure these agencies don't duplicate efforts. By streamlining how these three departments operate, the bill aims to make it easier for eligible people to get the housing support they need.

Bracero Program 2.0 Act

The proposal would create a new temporary worker program allowing foreign agricultural workers to come to the United States on a seasonal basis to fill labor shortages on farms. American farmers and agricultural companies would be able to hire these temporary workers through a regulated system, while the workers would have legal status and protections during their employment. The program is designed to address labor shortages in agriculture while providing a structured alternative to illegal immigration.

VA Home Loan Awareness Act of 2025

This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase outreach and education efforts to help veterans understand and use their home loan benefits, which allow eligible veterans to buy homes with favorable terms and no down payment. The legislation aims to make sure more veterans are aware these benefits exist and know how to apply for them, potentially helping more service members and their families achieve homeownership. Veterans Affairs, lenders, and veterans' organizations would be involved in spreading information about these loan programs.

SPEAK Act of 2025

The legislation would establish new protections for healthcare workers and patients to report safety concerns, fraud, or other violations in medical settings without fear of retaliation from their employers or healthcare facilities. Workers who speak up about problems like unsafe practices, billing fraud, or patient abuse would have legal protections and remedies if they face punishment for coming forward. This would affect doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and other healthcare workers across the country.

To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 620 East Pecan Boulevard in McAllen, Texas, as the "Agent Raul H. Gonzalez Jr. Memorial Post Office Building".

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 620 East Pecan Boulevard in McAllen, Texas, as the "Agent Raul H. Gonzalez Jr. Memorial Post Office Building".

Texas Agricultural Producers Assistance Act

Texas Agricultural Producers Assistance Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to submit a report to Congress on USDA assistance available for agricultural producers in Texas related to Mexico's non-compliance with a 1944 treaty with the United States concerning water utilization. Specifically, the USDA report must list all of the existing USDA authorities and programs that are or could be made available to provide assistance to agricultural producers in Texas that have suffered economic losses due to Mexico not delivering water to the United States in accordance with the Treaty on Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande, including the Supplementary Protocol.

Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program Enhancement Act

Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program Enhancement Act This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter into a contract to evaluate the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program. Under the program, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service works in coordination with the Texas Animal Health Commission to combat the spread of cattle fever ticks, which can spread a serious cattle disease called bovine babesiosis or cattle fever. Specifically, USDA must enter into a contract to review and report on the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program with a (1) land-grant college or university, or (2) non-land-grant college of agriculture. The review must include an evaluation of the program's (1) effectiveness with respect to preventing and reducing the spread of tick-borne illnesses in cattle; and (2) benefits, and the burdens of compliance, to cattle producers. The review must also evaluate the treatment protocols developed and implemented under the program. Further, the review must evaluate the federal and state funds allocated to support the program for the most recent fiscal year.

Southern Border Farmers and Ranchers Protection Act

Southern Border Farmers and Ranchers Protection Act This bill directs the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to provide payments to agricultural producers to implement certain conservation practices in counties at or near the Texas southern border. In general, this Department of Agriculture program provides technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers and forest landowners to address natural resource concerns. Specifically, EQIP must provide payments to agricultural producers to implement conservation practices to address and repair damage to agricultural land and farming infrastructure that is in a county at or near the Texas southern border and contributes to natural resource concerns or problems.

Honor Inauguration Day Act

Honor Inauguration Day Act This bill requires the U.S. flag to be flown at its highest peak on each presidential Inauguration Day.