LIVEElena Vásquez-Ortiz published: DOJ sues Colorado over in-state tuition for undocumented students, escalating federal pree…·4950 entries on record · 1468 items on the plan · day 91
The Plan · organized by what unlocks it, not by the calendar
A record without a plan is just a diary.
Every item below is anchored to the political precondition that makes it possible — immediate, a House majority in 2027, a full trifecta in 2029, an impeachment, a court rebalance, or TBD. Dates respect reality. The plan isn't a promise; it's a sequence.
Launch national coalition to defend low-income transit fare programs
Amid the FTA's probe into MARTA, coalition of transit justice groups (e.g., Transportation for America, Center for Neighborhood Technology) and labor (Amalgamated Transit Union) will organize public comment campaigns, coordinate legal defense, and pressure local elected officials to shield MARTA's low-income fare subsidy from budget reallocation as a condition of grant compliance.
OwnerTransportation for America, ATU International
Launch 'Protect the Civil Service' coalition campaign targeting OPM rulemaking
This immediate-term campaign, led by a coalition of federal employee unions and good-government groups, will mobilize public pressure, legal challenges, and Hill oversight letters to block OPM's implementing rule for Schedule Policy/Career, preserving career civil service protections.
OwnerAmerican Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and Project On Government Oversight (POGO)
Amicus Brief Supporting Preliminary Injunction in CREW v. Trump
To reinforce the Appropriations Clause argument and counter the government's 'playing possum' defense, a coalition of constitutional scholars and former OMB officials should file an amicus brief in CREW v. Trump explaining that the Judgment Fund has never been interpreted to authorize settlements of a litigant's personal claims for policy-driven purposes, and that the court should not dismiss the case as moot merely because the fund is temporarily inactive.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
DOJ files Voting Rights Act challenge to Louisiana’s 2026 map
In light of Allen v. Milligan (2023), DOJ should argue that Louisiana’s elimination of a majority-Black district dilutes Black voting strength in violation of Section 2. A swift lawsuit would put other mid-decade gerrymanders on notice.
OwnerU.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
Democratic coordinated response: prime-time national address and press conference
Senate Majority Leader Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and a leading voting rights advocate deliver a joint prime-time address from the Capitol responding to Trump's speech, laying out the Free and Fair Elections Act, detailing the factual record, and showing Democratic institutional resolve.
OwnerSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries
File Establishment Clause challenge to Texas Bible-mandated reading list
The Texas SBOE vote requiring Bible stories as K-12 reading violates the Establishment Clause by preferring Christianity over other faiths and lacks any secular pedagogical justification. A lawsuit by the ACLU of Texas or Americans United for Separation of Church and State, citing the absence of comparable religious texts, can seek an injunction before the list takes effect.
OwnerACLU of Texas / Americans United for Separation of Church and State
DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility referral and amicus briefing event
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) should file a formal complaint with the DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility against the DOJ attorneys who signed the refusal, urging an investigation into potential misconduct. Separately, CREW should prepare an amicus brief for the district court supporting the authority of the judge to demand the declaration, to be filed if the judge calls a contempt hearing.
OwnerCREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington)
Coordinate a 'Latinos + Policy' midterm field strategy across six competitive House districts in Texas and California
Voto Latino, NALEO, and the DCCC will jointly run a door‑to‑door field operation that delivers a one‑page policy card — child tax credit restoration, rent stabilization, end of ICE worksite raids, Medicare expansion — paired with incumbent voting records on each issue. The aim is to flip four of six seats by proving Democrats deliver measurable material gains.
Demand Caltrans pause the tunnel EIR for climate-carbon accounting and a managed-retreat alternative
The current EIR omits the 1,200 tCO2e/acre emissions impact from destroying mature redwood forest. A pause would force Caltrans to include this accounting and seriously evaluate a managed-retreat or evacuation-only corridor alternative before irreversible damage is done.
OwnerSave the Redwoods League and Center for Biological Diversity
Create an L.A.-based rapid-response legal defense fund for frontline community and city defenses against oil industry litigation
Establish a pooled fund (administered by Earthjustice and the California Environmental Justice Alliance) available to L.A. and any other California city that adopts a drilling phaseout and is immediately sued by the oil industry. This ensures that no community is deterred from following L.A.'s lead by the threat of costly litigation alone.
OwnerEarthjustice / California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA)
Launch a Multi-State Coalition to Fund and Operate a Federated Public Data Backup Network
Parallel to federal efforts, establish a consortium of state attorneys general, public health agencies, and academic institutions (e.g., Harvard's IQSS, UC Berkeley's D-Lab) to systematically archive and republish key federal datasets—starting with PRAMS, EPA RMP data, and USDA food security surveys—on independent, state-hosted platforms, ensuring continuous public access regardless of federal actions.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in coordination with the State Energy & Environmental Impact Center
File an amicus brief in End Assisted Suicide v. New York on behalf of the disability-rights community, supporting the ADA/ACA/Rehabilitation Act challenge to assisted suicide without safeguards
The pending federal lawsuit (Case 1:26-cv-03492) creates a unique legal hook to establish a binding federal precedent that medically assisted dying, as structured in New York, violates disability-rights law. An amicus brief from the disability-rights community would consolidate arguments that safeguard-free assisted suicide laws pressure disabled patients into premature death, drawing on the ADA, ACA, and Rehabilitation Act. This builds the legal record for later federal statutory reform and puts states on notice that future assisted-suicide bills must include robust safeguards.
OwnerNational Council on Disability (NCD) and the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
File FOIA requests for DHS-DOT data on CDL revocation impacts
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters should submit coordinated FOIA requests to DHS and DOT for all internal analyses, cost estimates, and safety data used to justify the CDL revocation, aiming to reveal the rule’s actual harms to supply chains and legal residents.
OwnerACLU and International Brotherhood of Teamsters
File state-level civil rights complaint with Texas Education Agency and comptroller over discriminatory probe targeting Islamic schools
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Texas should file a formal civil rights complaint arguing the comptroller's investigation, driven by an anti-Muslim activist, violates the Establishment Clause and Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and ask TEA to determine eligibility for participating schools solely on neutral criteria. This immediately pressures the comptroller to drop the probes and prevents the discriminatory use of voucher program oversight.
State AG coalition investigation of Sinclair Broadcasting affiliate coercion as a deceptive trade practice
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general should investigate whether Sinclair's use of corporate control to override affiliate station editorial independence constitutes a deceptive or unfair practice under state consumer protection and broadcast laws, specifically leveraging the public-interest obligations of licensees. This uses current authority to pressure Sinclair without awaiting FCC action.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James, joining attorneys general of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington
Launch a multi-state campaign to place wealth tax initiatives on 2028 state ballots
Building on California's 2026 Billionaire Tax Act, coordinate with state-level coalitions in Washington, Oregon, New York, and Minnesota to draft and qualify similar ballot measures for the 2028 election cycle. This preempts federal rollback of state taxing authority and normalizes wealth taxation as a state-level remedy for budget and inequality crises.
OwnerPatriotic Millionaires and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP)
Launch a multi-state campaign to adopt a Medicaid Maintenance-of-Effort (MOE) floor for developmental disability services
A coalition of disability advocacy groups, state providers, and labor unions pushes state legislatures to pass statutes requiring their DDAs to maintain at least inflation-adjusted service funding, insulating services when federal Medicaid reductions pressure state budgets. Maryland's DDA cut shows the vulnerability; a MOE floor would prevent a repeat.
OwnerThe Arc of the United States, National Down Syndrome Congress, SEIU 1199
Launch a multi-state legislative campaign to codify the 'actual malice' standard for public figures into state statutory law
To inoculate protective state defamation law against a potential reversal of New York Times v. Sullivan, organize a coordinated push for state bills that embed Sullivan's 'actual malice' requirement for public-figure plaintiffs into state statutes, making the standard harder for a future Supreme Court to wholly dismantle at the state level. This is a forward-building response to the Dershowitz v. CNN dissent, protecting press freedom regardless of federal change.
OwnerReporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) in partnership with the uniform-law-commission-like drafting body of the State Defamation Task Force
Launch Rural Worker Freedom Coalition to oppose H-2A expansion in H.R. 1277 and introduce a Farmworker Bill of Rights as alternative
Organize a coalition of farmworker unions (UFW, Familias Unidas por la Justicia), rural community organizations, faith groups (e.g., Rural and Migrant Ministry), and fair-trade employers to build public pressure against the H-2A expansion provisions. Simultaneously draft and advance a Farmworker Bill of Rights that includes a statutory right to organize, collective bargaining, mobility between employers, a path to citizenship for H-2A workers, and wage parity tied to local living wages—providing a concrete, pro-worker alternative to the GOP’s exploitative framework.
Pass the Rural Community and Farmworker Protection Act in states with high H-2A usage
Since H.R. 1277 is not yet law and may pass before a future Congress can repeal it, state legislatures—especially in states like California, Washington, Oregon, New York, Illinois—should immediately pass bills requiring H-2A employers to adhere to state-level worker protections, including the right to organize, minimum wage floors above federal prevailing wage, portability of visas between employers within the state, and stricter enforcement against wage theft and housing violations. This creates a patchwork of state-level barriers that make the federal expansion less attractive to employers and demonstrates a viable state-led alternative.
OwnerCalifornia State Legislature (Committee on Labor and Employment)
Establish a joint CMS-FinCEN task force to monitor shell-company DME enrollments
Create a dedicated cross-agency unit to flag Medicare-enrolled DME companies that are acquired by newly formed shell entities or by individuals with no prior healthcare business history, using beneficial ownership data from FinCEN's Corporate Transparency Act database — targeting the exact pre-enrollment purchase pattern used by the Russian syndicate.
Launch coordinated FOIA and litigation campaign targeting Schedule F implementation records at DOD, OMB, and ONDCP
Project 2025's Schedule F reclassification, PPO loyalty-staffing blueprint, and ONDCP politicization plan are already being operationalized. FOIA requests and parallel litigation can surface records of improper personnel actions, build an evidentiary record for congressional oversight, and create legal standing for whistleblower protection cases before merit-system protections are further eroded.
OwnerGovernment Accountability Project and Democracy Forward, coordinating with AFGE Legal Defense Fund
Launch 'Transatlantic Repair' Coalition to Document and Counter Alliance Deterioration
The operational rupture with France, Spain, and Italy over Iran overflight rights and base access represents documented harm to U.S. security architecture — not just rhetorical drift. A coalition of foreign policy organizations, former ambassadors, and Democratic members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee should produce a public accountability report cataloging specific incidents of alliance degradation and begin briefing European counterparts that institutional relationships remain intact at the civil society and legislative level.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee (Ranking Member Gregory Meeks) in coordination with the Atlantic Council and German Marshall Fund of the United States
Launch Multi-State Coalition to Document Shadow Docket Harm and Build Supreme Court Reform Narrative
Coordinate a sustained public education and litigation-tracking campaign across civil rights, labor, and environmental organizations to document the real-world harms from Dobbs, Shelby County, Loper Bright, and shadow docket orders — building the public case for structural court reform ahead of 2026 and 2028 electoral cycles.
OwnerDemand Justice, Fix the Court, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and Earthjustice (joint coalition)
File emergency motion for stay or preliminary injunction against the enacted Louisiana congressional map under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act
Immediately challenge the May 29, 2026, map that eliminates the second Black-opportunity district. While Callais narrowed race-based districting defenses, the new map still must survive a Section 2 claim if it results in Black voters having less opportunity to elect candidates of choice. A coalition of civil rights groups should file in the Middle District of Louisiana seeking a stay and a preliminary injunction, arguing that—unlike the 2024 map—the removal of an existing district that was drawn under a prior court order is a fresh retrogression claim not resolved by Callais.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus
Produce and Distribute 'Court Expansion: Constitutional History and Republican Precedents' Messaging Brief
Counter the Turley framing by equipping Democratic communicators, allied media figures, and advocacy organizations with a documented brief on the Constitution's silence on Court size, Congress's seven prior changes, Republican state-level court-packing, and the Garland blockade. This fills an immediate narrative gap before sustained expansion advocacy begins.
OwnerDemocratic GOTV Communications Director or allied 501(c)(4) (e.g., Priorities USA Action, American Bridge)
Launch Multi-State EMTALA Emergency Care Litigation Coalition
With EMTALA guidance revoked by EO 14182, providers in abortion-ban states face legal exposure when treating emergent pregnancy complications. A coordinated multi-state AG coalition should file or join litigation asserting that EMTALA's federal preemption still requires emergency stabilizing care regardless of state abortion bans, building on the Idaho v. United States litigation record.
OwnerState Attorneys General coalition led by California AG Rob Bonta, joined by NY AG Letitia James and WA AG Nick Brown
File a Section 2 challenge in federal court under remaining effects-based theory and request preliminary injunction
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the ACLU should immediately challenge Louisiana's new congressional map in federal court, arguing that despite the Supreme Court's narrowing of Section 2 in Callais, the map still dilutes Black voting power under any plausible reading of the statute and should be blocked before the 2026 midterms.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, ACLU Voting Rights Project
Senate Armed Services Committee oversight hearing on troop withdrawal rationale and NATO impact
Establish congressional record on whether the withdrawal serves legitimate military strategy or represents political retaliation against an ally for policy disagreement. Create public accountability for the decision and its impact on NATO deterrence and Article 5 commitments.
OwnerSenate Armed Services Committee Chair (or Ranking Member if minority)
File emergency lawsuit challenging Louisiana's new congressional map under the U.S. Constitution and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act as amended by the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (if enacted by then)
The elimination of a majority-Black district in Louisiana directly follows the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais. Immediate litigation is necessary to contest the map under state law and the Constitution, and to build a record for future federal action. Until Section 2 is restored or a new preclearance formula is enacted, litigation under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments and state voting rights acts is the primary legal tool available.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF)
Freedom of the Press Foundation and ACLU file administrative complaint against ODNI for retaliatory personnel actions suppressing analytic independence
Leverage the declassified NIC memo and documented DNI chief-of-staff communications to file a complaint with the Intelligence Community Inspector General and the ODNI Office of General Counsel, arguing the firings violated 50 U.S.C. § 3024(h) and internal ODNI regulations protecting analytic objectivity. Parallel public narrative campaign builds pressure for oversight.
OwnerFreedom of the Press Foundation (in coordination with ACLU National Security Project)
Launch Coalition Campaign Linking TPS Terminations to Remittance and Migration Data
Mobilize a coordinated public and diplomatic pressure campaign using concrete economic data — remittance flows, GDP dependency, migration correlation — to reframe TPS terminations as self-defeating foreign policy that increases the migration pressure the administration claims to be reducing. Targets include persuadable Senate Republicans from states with large Honduran and Venezuelan diaspora communities.
OwnerNational Immigration Forum, in coordination with Center for American Progress and diaspora-led organizations including CASA and Alianza Americas
File emergency amicus brief to the Supreme Court supporting the district court's Section 2 ruling in Alabama redistricting case
Organizations like the NAACP Legal Defense Fund should file an amicus brief arguing that Alabama’s map fails even the Callais narrow standard because it intentionally discriminates, creating a record that preserves Section 2's core against further erosion.
File emergency motion for Supreme Court to reconsider or clarify the Alabama stay order
The Alabama NAACP and Legal Defense Fund should immediately file a motion for reconsideration, citing the absence of any explanation for overturning a three-judge district court's intentional-discrimination finding and the unprecedented speed of the stay pending appeal.
OwnerAlabama NAACP, Legal Defense Fund, and the Allen v. Milligan plaintiffs
File emergency enforcement motion in Kennedy Center naming case
Plaintiffs (e.g., Creative Coalition or individual artists) should immediately move in federal court for an order to show cause why the Kennedy Center board should not be held in contempt for missing the June 12 deadline. This forces Judge Cooper to enforce his own order and establishes a clear record that political appointees cannot ignore court deadlines with impunity.
OwnerPlaintiffs' legal team (with backing from Protect Democracy or similar pro-democracy litigation group)
File amicus brief for state coalition defending Elections Clause precedent
A bipartisan set of former state election officials and constitutional scholars should file an amicus brief in this case to reinforce the textual and historical basis for state control over election administration under the Elections Clause, countering the administration's novel federal-powers theory.
OwnerBrennan Center for Justice and the Campaign Legal Center
Arkansas AG lawsuit to enjoin construction pending NEPA review
Arkansas Attorney General (or the state of Virginia) files a standalone suit alleging violation of NEPA and NHPA by constructing a 250-ft arch without full impact statements or Section 106 consultation. Target: preliminary injunction.
OwnerVirginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (or Arkansas AG Tim Griffin, if Va declines)
Launch the 'No Reauthorization Without a Warrant' Coalition Campaign
Organize a joint advocacy campaign by civil liberties organizations — ACLU, EFF, Demand Progress, Brennan Center — to oppose any reauthorization of Section 702 that does not include a warrant requirement for queries of Americans' data. The expiration window is finite; this campaign must lock in commitments from House and Senate champions now, before a deal is reached in the next weeks.
OwnerACLU National Political Advocacy Department (director: Ronald Newman)
File federal lawsuit challenging Executive Order 14173 revocation of EO 11246
The May 1 mobilization demonstrates sustained organizational capacity and legal consensus among labor unions that the revocation of the sixty-year federal-contractor non-discrimination mandate is vulnerable to challenge. A coordinated filing by the AFL-CIO, NEA, SEIU, and allied unions can establish standing and force the administration to defend the revocation in court while organizing continues.
OwnerAFL-CIO Legal Department and allied union counsel
File an emergency challenge to Louisiana's new map under Section 3 of the Voting Rights Act
Before Governor Landry signs the map, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the ACLU of Louisiana should file an emergency lawsuit in federal district court arguing the replacement map intentionally dilutes Black voting strength, violates Section 2 as still viable post-Callais, or violates Section 3 if the state has a pattern of discrimination; this could trigger a preclearance remedy under the bail-in provision.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and ACLU of Louisiana
File emergency motion to enjoin federal preemption of California safety law
California Attorney General and affected counties file an emergency motion in federal district court challenging the executive order invoking the Iran war emergency to override state pipeline safety determinations, arguing the order exceeds statutory authority under the Coastal Zone Management Act and National Environmental Policy Act.
Launch a multi-state Attorney General lawsuit challenging EO 14170 (Schedule F) as a violation of the Pendleton Act and separation of powers
A coalition of Democratic AGs, led by California and New York, can file a suit alleging that the mass reclassification of career employees as at-will appointees violates the statutory intent of the Pendleton Act and infringes on Congress's power to structure the executive branch. This would force immediate judicial scrutiny and potentially halt ongoing firings.
Legal challenge under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (as currently interpreted) to block Louisiana's map that reduces Black voting power, using existing litigation to create a record for legislative reversal.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF)
House Foreign Affairs Committee demands INARA briefing on Iran interim deal
The committee, currently under Democratic control, should immediately request a formal briefing from the State Department on the MOU with Iran, citing the administration's failure to submit the document under INARA. The briefing should establish a record of noncompliance and set the stage for potential subpoena or legislative action.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee (Ranking Member Gregory Meeks)
Louisiana NAACP and League of Women Voters file state-court challenge under Louisiana Constitution
Even without a federal win, state courts may find the map violates Louisiana’s own free-elections guarantee. A state-law case can advance on a faster track and complements the DOJ suit.
USDA Declare a Federal Disaster for the Screwworm Outbreak and Activate the Livestock Indemnity Program for New World Screwworm Losses
Without a federal disaster declaration, Texas ranchers cannot access the Livestock Indemnity Program, forcing small and mid-size operators to absorb catastrophic losses. A secretarial declaration and LIP activation would provide direct financial relief for culling, treatment, and inspections, preventing further consolidation of the beef industry.
Ensure Continuity of the Brinkema TRO and Prepare for Consolidation or Appeal
To prevent the administration from exploiting the parallel lawsuits to delay or moot relief, the Democracy Forward team should move to consolidate the two cases before Judge Brinkema (who already granted a TRO) and, if consolidation is denied, file a writ of mandamus in the Fourth Circuit to preserve an active injunction as the case proceeds.
File amicus brief in Alabama v. Lee urging Supreme Court to deny emergency application and affirm Eighth Amendment protections
The Supreme Court may grant Alabama's emergency application, which could weaken Eighth Amendment review of execution methods. A coalition of civil rights organizations should file an amicus brief emphasizing the district court's factual findings that nitrogen hypoxia causes conscious suffocation and severe pain, and explaining that granting the application would undermine meaningful Eighth Amendment oversight.
OwnerEqual Justice Initiative, ACLU Capital Punishment Project, and NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Demand submission of any Iran agreement for statutory 30-day congressional review under INARA
Force the administration to produce the full treaty text, verification protocols, and sanctions relief terms to trigger the 30-day review mandated by the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015. Without a document, the claim is a propaganda exercise; a public demand by the relevant committee chair exposes the absence of a deal and prevents a fait accompli.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member
Launch a rapid-response public comment campaign and virtual hearing mobilization
Organize a coalition of faith leaders, civil-rights organizations, and legal scholars to flood the July 13, 2026 public comment period with substantive critiques, and coordinate participation in the ensuing virtual hearing to create a record that exposes the report's historical distortions and policy dangers.
OwnerAmericans United for Separation of Church and State
File Administrative Procedure Act Challenge to ODNI 2.0 Restructuring
The dissolution of CTIIC, NCPBC, and SFG contradicts the stated statutory missions in EO 12333 and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act. An APA suit challenges the restructuring as arbitrary and capricious, creating a legal record of the contradiction between stated policy goals (cyber, biosecurity) and actual institutional dismantling, and buys time before successor administrations inherit a permanently degraded threat-integration capacity.
OwnerGovernment Accountability Project or National Whistleblower Center (lead plaintiff recruitment and litigation support)
Request GAO legal opinion on whether the Iran pledge triggers INARA review requirement
The Comptroller General should issue a formal opinion on whether the June 11 pledge constitutes a 'agreement' under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (22 U.S.C. § 8701 et seq.), requiring submission to Congress for a 30-day review window and potential disapproval resolution. This establishes oversight leverage and clarifies congressional options.
Launch a national campaign to defend Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act through state-level litigation funding and public education
In response to the Supreme Court's signal in *Louisiana v. Callais* that it may rewrite Section 2, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law should coordinate with allied state-level voting rights groups to pre‑emptively file or intervene in pending redistricting cases in states with significant minority populations (e.g., Georgia, Alabama, Texas) to create a factual record that majority-minority districts are necessary and narrowly tailored under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. This immediate, multi‑state effort builds the legal foundation needed to limit damage from a potential adverse ruling and preserve minority representation. It also amplifies public pressure on the current DOJ to clarify its position in *Callais*.
OwnerLawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (coordinate with NAACP LDF, ACLU Voting Rights Project, and state-level redistricting litigation funds)
File emergency motion in Alabama redistricting case for additional briefing or to stay the Court's mandate pending full merits review
The compressed schedule and the absence of a full merits hearing before the Court's ruling create a procedural due process gap. Plaintiffs or the NAACP Legal Defense Fund can file an emergency motion requesting a stay of the mandate or an order for additional briefing and oral argument on the factual record of intentional discrimination.
File Voting Rights Act challenge against Mississippi racial gerrymandering map
Following the Supreme Court's dismissal of Voting Rights Act protections, civil rights groups should immediately file a new lawsuit in Mississippi under the Constitution's Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, arguing that the state's redistricting map intentionally dilutes Black voting power. This forces the Court to revisit its doctrine and keeps the issue alive in lower courts.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF)
File a civil rights complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) under Title VI and Section 504 against H.R. 5315 and H.R. 5316 as an imminent threat to students with disabilities
This legal filing, coordinated by the National Disability Rights Network and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, would force OCR to issue a formal finding that the proposed transfer of IDEA oversight to HHS violates the Rehabilitation Act and would constitute a discriminatory denial of FAPE, creating a paper trail and potential injunction point if the bill advances.
File federal lawsuit challenging executive order banning accurate teaching of racism in K-12 schools
A coalition of civil rights organizations, including NAACP Legal Defense Fund and ACLU, should file a lawsuit arguing that the executive order violates First Amendment rights of educators to teach accurate history and the 14th Amendment's equal protection guarantee by intentionally suppressing instruction on systemic racism.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) with ACLU
Rally governors and state education chiefs to pre-enroll school districts in Medicaid direct certification for meals
With USDA threatening to deprioritize equity frameworks for school meal subsidies, state-level action can backstop federal risk. Governors from states with Democratic trifectas or bipartisan school nutrition coalitions should immediately begin the administrative process to direct-certify students through Medicaid data (already allowed under the 2023 omnibus), ensuring free meal eligibility is maintained regardless of federal policy shifts.
OwnerNational Governors Association (NGA) Health and Human Services Committee
Form the Bipartisan Intelligence Oversight Working Group
Immediate formation of a cross-party coalition of former DNI directors, CIA directors, and HPSCI/SSCI members to publicly campaign against the Project 2025 blueprint and draft model legislation for restoration of oversight.
File an emergency motion to intervene in NLRB quorum litigation on behalf of workers
AFL-CIO or SEIU legal team files an emergency motion to intervene in pending D.C. Circuit litigation over NLRB quorum, arguing that workers' rights to union representation are directly harmed by the agency's paralysis and that the Humphrey's Executor precedent must be upheld.
Issue a joint letter from five plaintiff-state attorneys general calling on the D.C. Circuit to expedite appeal and uphold the injunction
Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia AGs jointly file an amicus brief or joint letter to the D.C. Circuit urging an expedited appeal schedule and defending Judge Jackson's ruling that USDA lacks statutory authority. This keeps legal pressure high while legislative remedy is gated, and signals state-level commitment to SNAP integrity.
OwnerColorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey
Launch campaign for a ‘Workers-Not-Tariffs Coalition’ to build public pressure for targeted industrial policy over blanket tariffs
A coalition of unions (UAW, USW, AFA-CWA), consumer groups (Consumer Federation of America), and supply-chain resilience advocates calls for replacing blanket tariffs with sector-specific buy-American provisions, retraining funds, and supply-chain transparency. This ensures opposition to Project 2025 decoupling is organized and visible ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Launch National Housing Preservation Trust Campaign
A coalition of 20+ tenant and fair housing groups (e.g., National Low Income Housing Coalition, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, National Fair Housing Alliance) to publicly track and resist HUD 'mission creep' cuts by documenting local CDBG/HOME/Section 8 reductions and mobilizing congressional offices to challenge appropriations cuts.
OwnerNational Low Income Housing Coalition + Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
File motion to intervene in ongoing grant termination lawsuits to challenge DOE dismantling
State attorneys general, led by the California AG coalition, should immediately file motions to intervene in pending lawsuits (e.g., House v. DOE) to argue that the elimination of OCED and GDO violates the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's statutory mandates, seeking a preliminary injunction to halt the closure and restore administratively terminated grants.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General's Office (coalition of state AGs from CA, NY, IL, WA, MA)
Launch litigation and amicus campaign to narrow Callais in future redistricting challenges
While awaiting a trifecta, civil rights organizations and state AGs must file amicus briefs and direct litigation to contest Callais's constitutional holding in lower courts and preserve a record for Supreme Court review. This includes defending race-conscious maps drawn in compliance with the VRA's original effects-based standard.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, state attorneys general (Democratic-led states)
File a nationwide class-action lawsuit against the conversion of Title I and IDEA into block grants
Block granting Title I and IDEA without maintenance-of-effort or equitable distribution requirements violates statutory civil rights protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the IDEA’s FAPE guarantee. A lawsuit by states, school districts, and disability rights advocates would seek an injunction to stop the transfer until Congress explicitly authorizes it.
OwnerNational School Boards Association, Council of the Great City Schools, and National Disability Rights Network
File Voting Rights Act challenge under Section 3(c) bail-in provision in Louisiana federal court
Seek a judicial order requiring Louisiana to pre-clear any future voting changes, using evidence of intentional discrimination from the post-Callais map switch to trigger Section 3(c) bail-in — the only remaining VRA mechanism after the Callais ruling weakened Section 2.
Launch the 'Trade for Workers, Not Bankers' Coalition Campaign
A coalition of labor unions (e.g., AFL-CIO), supply-chain transparency advocates (e.g., American Bar Association Section of International Law), and monetary policy watchdog groups (e.g., Fed Up / Center for Popular Democracy) to pressure current members of Congress to oppose any trade deal or tariff that lacks labor standards or monetary policy safeguards, and to begin drafting model legislation for 2027–2029.
OwnerAFL-CIO (trade policy director) and Fed Up / Center for Popular Democracy
Launch 'Orderly Succession' Coalition of Former GOP Officials and Democracy Scholars
Former Republican members of Congress, cabinet officials, and constitutional scholars issue a public statement affirming the 22nd Amendment's clarity and urging all potential 2028 candidates to commit to respecting orderly succession. This counters the chilling effect of Trump's third-term hints by creating a credible cross-partisan voice that delegitimizes speculation and normalizes succession norms.
OwnerNational Task Force on Election Crises (NTFEC) and the Center for Presidential Transition
File joint amicus brief from Kennedy Center–affiliated artists' unions supporting the ruling on appeal
Actors' Equity Association, American Federation of Musicians (Local 161-710), and IATSE can collectively file a brief in the D.C. Circuit stressing worker and artist reliance on the Center's uninterrupted operations, helping to rebut any administration argument of 'temporary inconvenience.'
OwnerActors' Equity Association in coordination with AFL-CIO Department for Professional Employees
File emergency motion for preliminary injunction against Louisiana congressional map
Civil rights organizations and affected voters should immediately seek a preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, arguing that the new map's vote dilution violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act as construed by the Supreme Court, and that the map was enacted with discriminatory intent in violation of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.
Refer payment processing to Treasury IG for investigative action
Instruct the Treasury Inspector General to examine whether any settlements paid through the Judgment Fund for Jan. 6-related claims constitute a violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act, and refer evidence to the House Oversight Committee for potential contempt or subsequent legislation.
Launch federal contractor worker hotline and Know Your Rights campaign on anti-discrimination protections
With EO 11246 revoked and OFCCP gutted, workers in federal contracting lack clear guidance on what protections remain. The National Employment Law Project and Lambda Legal will jointly launch a multilingual hotline and digital campaign to educate workers about remaining Title VII and state-law protections, and document complaints for future enforcement actions.
OwnerNational Employment Law Project (NELP) in partnership with Lambda Legal
Launch national campaign to pass the Fair Maps Act in state legislatures by 2028
A multi-state legislative push for independent redistricting commissions, coordinated by Common Cause and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, to replace partisan map-drawing in key swing states and prevent the next round of gerrymandering after the 2030 census.
OwnerCommon Cause, National Democratic Redistricting Committee
File suit challenging Louisiana's new map under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act
The new map eliminates a majority-Black district in a state that is one-third Black, a clear racial gerrymander that dilutes Black voting power. A legal challenge by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and allied civil rights organizations can stop the map before it takes effect in 2026.
A coalition of good-government groups (Public Citizen, CREW, Demand Progress, Project On Government Oversight) runs a targeted campaign pressuring DHS Secretary Mayorkas and his successor to restore database access immediately, using the IG letter, leaked whistleblower accounts, and pending criminal investigation as leverage to build public and congressional outrage.
OwnerPublic Citizen in partnership with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
File federal Voting Rights Act challenge to Louisiana's 2026 congressional map
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU, or a similar civil-rights organization should immediately file suit in federal court arguing that elimination of Louisiana's second majority-Black district violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits racial gerrymandering. This suit can be prepared and filed now, leveraging existing precedent and expert testimony to block or delay use of the map in the 2026 elections.
Launch federal lawsuit coalition challenging FinCEN advisory as ultra vires agency action
A coalition of state attorneys general and immigrant-rights legal groups files suit arguing that the FinCEN advisory exceeds statutory authority under the Bank Secrecy Act by pressuring banks to report client nationality and immigration status, not just suspicious financial transactions. This would enjoin enforcement of the advisory nationwide while stripping it of its coercive effect on banks.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta and National Immigration Law Center
File amicus brief in pending U.S. cases citing Ethiopia's sham elections as precedent against recognizing foreign electoral outcomes without minimum democratic standards
The Democracy and Human Rights Litigation Clinic (or a similar legal NGO) should submit a brief in any current U.S. case involving recognition of foreign elections—such as the pending Salvadoran election challenge—using Ethiopia's 2026 election suspension in Tigray and Amhara as evidence that the U.S. must not legitimize elections held under conflict and exclusion. This builds pressure for a principled U.S. stance without requiring new legislation.
OwnerDemocracy and Human Rights Litigation Clinic at Yale Law School
Launch a 'Court Accountability' research and messaging project by State Democracy Defenders Action and the Brennan Center
Produce a public-facing report and digital toolkit that documents each instance where the conservative Supreme Court majority handed a substantive victory to Trump or GOP interests — Dobbs, Trump immunity, Shelby County, Brnovich, etc. — while Roberts issued only rhetorical pushback. The aim is to collapse the myth of a neutral court and build public understanding that institutional repair (ethics enforcement, expansion, or term limits) is necessary regardless of Roberts' personal stance.
OwnerState Democracy Defenders Action (coordinating with Brennan Center for Justice)
Launch a sustained public education campaign by EPI and the Fed’s own regional banks to explain the dangers of free banking, gold standard, and K-Percent Rule
The Federal Reserve’s lender-of-last-resort function is critical to preventing bank runs and protecting workers and small depositors. A campaign by the Economic Policy Institute, in partnership with the Federal Reserve Banks of Minneapolis and Boston, would produce explainers, op-eds, and local events to inoculate the public against these radical proposals before they gain legislative traction.
Publish a joint investigative report quantifying household harm from SEC enforcement decline and CFPB rule withdrawal
Better Markets and Consumer Reports would collaborate on a report that estimates, using SEC and CFPB data, the dollar losses to retail investors and the number of households whose data broker consent rights were vacated by the two actions. This report reframes the abstract deregulation as a concrete pocketbook issue, creating a narrative weapon for 2026 midterm campaigns and state-level consumer protection bills.
Launch a public campaign to protect ODNI as a statutory coordination agency
The ODNI was created by statute (Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004) and cannot be abolished or gutted without an act of Congress. A coalition of former intelligence officials, national security groups, and government-ethics organizations will run a sustained media and grassroots campaign to delegitimize the directive as illegal reorganization and to pressure congressional oversight chairs to invoke their authorities.
OwnerODNI Alumni Association in partnership with Protect Democracy and the Brennan Center for Justice
File Redacted Brief of State Election Officials in NAACP v. USPS Challenging Mail-Voting EO
A coalition of state attorneys general (led by the Democratic Attorneys General Association) files an amicus brief on behalf of state election administrators in the pending NAACP lawsuit, arguing that the USPS rule implementing Trump's EO violates the Elections Clause and the Postal Reorganization Act by interfering with state-conducted mail balloting.
Transportation Trades Department to issue report on Davis-Bacon wages on DOT-funded projects
The TTD will publish a state-by-state analysis showing the wage impact of losing Davis-Bacon and PLA protections on specific transit and highway projects, creating a narrative and legal record for oversight and litigation.
A coalition of legal ethics organizations (e.g., the American Judicature Society, the Brennan Center, the Center for Judicial Accountability) should file an amicus brief in the Georgia election case supporting recusal and citing the absence of credible internal discipline as grounds for a more rigorous recusal standard when a judge faces misconduct allegations. This immediate legal action frames the harm concretely while building the record for broader reform.
Launch a joint DNC-NDN 'Monopoly and the Ballot' messaging and razor-power comparison test
Run a multi-state focus-group and survey study pairing economic issues (e.g., price-gouging, housing costs) directly with their structural-democracy drivers (e.g., corporate concentration enabled by lax antitrust enforcement, dark money via Citizens United). The goal is to identify which specific 'democracy + pocketbook' messages have the highest lift in approval and voter turnout among working-class and voters of color, and produce a playbook for 2026 candidates.
OwnerDNC targeting and analytics team in partnership with the NDN think tank
Petition for a declaratory judgment on the settlement's validity under 28 U.S.C. § 516
File a public-interest lawsuit seeking a judicial declaration that the Trump–DOJ settlement exceeded the Attorney General's settlement authority because it resolved no claim against the United States and constituted a de facto gift of public funds to the President, permanently barring any payment under it.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
SEC review of SpaceX IPO insider lock-up structure for investor protection and price manipulation risks
The SEC should examine whether SpaceX's staggered lock-up release, tied to stock performance thresholds and exploiting mandatory index fund buying, constitutes unfair insider advantage or price manipulation under securities law. This is an immediate regulatory action to protect retirement savers from structural anticompetitive extraction.
Launch a 50-state rapid-response campaign to pressure Senate Democrats and key Republicans to oppose Blanche confirmation
Organize coordinated constituent pressure, ads, and public hearings in the states of swing senators to frame the vote as a referendum on politicized prosecution and DOJ independence, building a wall against the nomination.
Congressional Progressive Caucus launches public pressure campaign against unauthorized Latin American military operations
To build immediate political will against the $4.7 billion in unauthorized military operations destabilizing Colombia's democratic process, the Congressional Progressive Caucus should organize a public awareness campaign—including press conferences, social media, and constituent outreach—demanding a halt to unilateral strikes and reallocation of funds to diplomatic support for Colombian peace and fair elections.
Launch a coalition to oppose FCC Section 230 rulemaking and push for legislative clarity
Organize digital rights groups, platform companies, and free-speech advocates to file comments against the FCC's attempt to reinterpret Section 230 through rulemaking, and to support a narrow, statutory fix that preserves liability protections while targeting illegal content (e.g., the PACT Act).
OwnerElectronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Free Press
Demand Judicial Conference Action on Ethics Enforcement
The Judicial Conference of the United States should announce a formal inquiry into Judge Roberts’ conduct and commit to implementing binding, transparent ethics rules with independent oversight for all federal judges, as recommended by the 2023 Marron Institute report, to restore public trust in cases affecting voting rights.
OwnerJudicial Conference Code of Conduct Committee
Publish a cross-sourced investigation linking U.S. unauthorized military spending to Colombia's election dynamics
Coalition of investigative outlets (e.g., The Intercept, The New Yorker, and El País América) produce a joint report timed to the final weeks of Colombia's presidential race, detailing how $4.7 billion in unauthorized regional operations shape the security landscape Colombians are voting on, and press both candidates to take a position on U.S. military posture.
OwnerCosts of War Project (Brown University) in partnership with JournalismAI investigative network
California Secretary of State formal complaint to DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility
File a formal misconduct complaint against First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for announcing election fraud investigations without supporting evidence, seeking internal DOJ review and potential disciplinary action.
Virginia Attorney General to file suit for declaratory and injunctive relief against Sheriff Sumption
State AG Mark Herring files a civil lawsuit in Henrico County Circuit Court seeking a declaration that Sheriff Sumption cannot unilaterally nullify state law and an injunction ordering enforcement, to restore the rule of law and ensure uniform public safety across Virginia.
Newark City Council passes resolution calling for closure of Delaney Hall ICE detention center
A formal resolution by the Newark Municipal Council would demand the immediate closure of Delaney Hall, citing inhumane conditions and the disproportionate impact on immigrant communities. This builds local political pressure and provides a model for other cities.
State AGs file coordinated suit to block EPA 'pause and review' teams as ultra vires
Immediately challenge the legality of indefinite rule freezes and grant stoppages by 'pause and review' teams established without statutory authority, protecting cross-state air pollution rules and frontline community health.
OwnerNew York Attorney General's Office (lead), joined by coalition of state AGs from CA, MA, MN, WA, CO, NJ
Draft and circulate model state bills to preserve EEOC consent decree authority
Because Project 2025's EEOC consent decree proposal threatens to gut systemic discrimination remedies, and federal preemption does not apply to state fair employment practices agencies, state-level bills codifying the authority of state FEPAs to enter consent decrees requiring employer actions beyond statutory minimums would create a legal backstop. This item coordinates a coalition of state labor attorneys general and worker advocacy groups to produce model legislation.
OwnerNational Employment Law Project (NELP) and a coalition of state labor attorneys general
File joint federal lawsuit to enjoin HSI and HHS OIG financial-record demands as unlawful interference with legal representation
Legal aid organizations (Amica Center, others) and their pro bono counsel file suit under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Privacy Act, and the First and Fifth Amendments, arguing the joint visits chill the statutory right to counsel for unaccompanied children and exceed agency authority. A preliminary injunction would halt further demands while litigation proceeds.
OwnerAmica Center (formerly Kids in Need of Defense, KIND) and National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) with pro bono law firms
Launch state-level challenge to FCC media ownership cap rollback through AG coalition
Coordinate a multistate lawsuit by Democratic attorneys general to block any FCC rulemaking that raises or eliminates media ownership limits, arguing it violates the public interest standard and harms local journalism.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James (or coalition lead), with support from Free Press
State AG coalition vows to challenge the $70B ICE funding bill on structural grounds
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general should announce they will file suit against the bill if enacted, arguing it violates the Posse Comitatus Act and the nondelegation doctrine by converting ICE into a virtually unchecked federal police force with no procedural limits. This pressure could sway swing House members and build a legal backstop.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta (leading a multistate coalition)
Launch the Long-Term Unemployment Recovery Corps pilot with state-federal partnership
The surge in long-term unemployment demands a dedicated reemployment program. A Recovery Corps model — modeled on the New Deal's CCC/WPA but with modern skills training and wage subsidies — would directly hire the long-term unemployed for public infrastructure and climate resilience projects, tying funding to states that accept the program and enforcing fair wages.
OwnerNational Employment Law Project (NELP) and Center for American Progress (CAP)
Launch Supreme Court Public Education Campaign on the Stakes of Louisiana v. Callais for Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act
The Campaign Legal Center and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, alongside allied voting rights groups, will run a coordinated public education and earned-media campaign targeting key Senate offices and the media to frame the Louisiana case as a dire threat to minority voting power, ahead of the Court's ruling expected in June 2026.
OwnerCampaign Legal Center, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
File lawsuit to block enforcement of Comstock Act against medication abortion
Preemptively challenge any FDA or DOJ attempt to apply the 1873 Comstock Act to restrict mailing of mifepristone, arguing it violates statutory intent and modern FDA authority. This counters Project 2025's central legal strategy.
Organize mass public comment campaign against EPA PFAS rollback via Earthjustice and EWG
Mobilize affected communities and health organizations to flood the July 20, 2026 comment docket with technical and health-based opposition, building pressure and legal record for subsequent litigation.
Launch narrative response pack on DACA and criminal accountability
Produce and distribute a one-page fact sheet, talking-points memo, and sample social-media graphics — targeted at allied elected officials, DACA-recipient advocates, and national immigration press shops — that clearly explains that DACA recipients are fully subject to criminal law, that a second-degree murder charge terminates deferred action, and that this tragedy is not a policy flaw. This closes the gap between the real legal structure and the viral misinformation that otherwise undermines coalition cohesion.
OwnerNational Immigration Law Center (NILC) communications team in coordination with United We Dream digital rapid-response unit
Launch a Free Press Legal Defense Fund for Journalists Targeted by FCC Chair Carr
Establish a dedicated fund housed at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to cover legal fees and public-relations costs for journalists facing official retaliation or threats from the FCC or other federal agencies. This directly counters the chilling effect of Carr's public attack on Scott Pelley and signals that independent journalism will not be isolated.
File amicus brief supporting Public Integrity Project lawsuit against UFC event on White House lawn
A broad coalition of ethics and public lands advocacy organizations will file a joint amicus brief in the D.C. federal court case arguing that the commercial UFC event violates the National Park Service regulation barring sporting events on federal parklands and the National Historic Preservation Act, to reinforce the legal basis for halting the event and deter future misuse of federal property for private profit.
OwnerNational Legal and Policy Center and Public Citizen
File FOIA lawsuits and congressional oversight requests for DOJ records on the terminated Jim Justice investigation
Multiple transparency groups and Democratic committee chairs should demand all internal communications, legal memos, and decision memos related to DOJ's killing of the Clean Water Act criminal probe of Jim Justice's coal operations, to establish a public record of improper political interference and build pressure for restoration.
OwnerEarthjustice, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), and incoming House Oversight Committee (if Democrats win majority in 2026)
Launch a Joint Congressional–Foundation Public Diplomacy Campaign to Reaffirm U.S.–Colombia Partnership
To counter the administration’s punitive decertification and tariff threats that are undermining a democratic ally, a coalition of former ambassadors, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and key committee chairs (e.g., House Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chair) should immediately organize a targeted public diplomacy campaign—including op-eds, closed-door briefings with Colombian officials, and a coordinated media push—to reframe Colombia as an irreplaceable security and economic partner and to build pressure on the administration to reverse course.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere (Ranking Member)
Launch FEC Accountability Campaign Targeting Commissioners Who Block Enforcement
Pressure campaign by Campaign Legal Center and End Citizens United to expose individual FEC commissioners who vote against enforcement actions, to build public case for removing or replacing them if Democrats win a majority.
Launch 'Defend Head Start' State-Level Advocacy Campaign
Organize governors, mayors, and state agencies to pass resolutions and allocate contingency funds to protect Head Start slots if federal funding is cut, preempting Project 2025's elimination proposal.
OwnerNational Head Start Association, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Launch state-level campaign to revoke GEO Group facility licenses in New Jersey
New Jersey’s Attorney General should investigate and revoke the operating license of the GEO Group-run Delaney Hall facility, citing documented civil rights violations, lack of transparency, and failure to meet state detention standards. This immediate legal and administrative action would build pressure for a federal prohibition on for-profit detention.
OwnerNew Jersey Office of the Attorney General (AG Matt Platkin)
A coalition of gun safety groups (Everytown, Brady, Giffords) will publicly identify the 10 dealers with the highest crime-gun trace rates per capita and pressure them through protest, shareholder action, and local media to adopt voluntary compliance standards, while documenting ATF inaction for future litigation.
OwnerEverytown for Gun Safety, Brady United, Giffords Law Center
Launch a 501(c)(3)-backed national network of local civil rights monitors to document pattern-or-practice violations, voter suppression, and disability access denials, creating a parallel evidence base that can trigger DOJ enforcement under a future administration and be used in private litigation or FOIA-driven oversight now.
State-level emergency rule to extend work authorization verification grace period for TPS healthcare workers in Florida
A state emergency rule can prevent the immediate loss of 35,000 nursing home workers by directing facilities to treat TPS work authorization as continuous until a federal fix is in place. It uses existing emergency powers and avoids conflicting with immigration enforcement.
OwnerFlorida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Secretary Jason Weida
House Oversight Committee launches investigation into security clearance vetting for pardoned Jan. 6 rioters in national security roles
The committee should immediately open an inquiry into how Elias Irizarry obtained a security clearance and the role's counterterrorism access, demanding documents from the Pentagon and OPM regarding waivers or exceptions used. This builds pressure and exposes the administration's normalization of insurrectionists.
OwnerHouse Oversight and Government Reform Committee (Ranking Member Jamie Raskin)
Launch a multi-state AG coalition to file FCC amicus brief and demand rulemaking on politicized license renewals
A coalition of state attorneys general files a joint amicus brief in any appeal or proceeding arising from the early renewal orders, arguing the FCC's accelerated review violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the First Amendment by conditioning license renewal on political conformity. Simultaneously, the coalition petitions the FCC for a rulemaking that explicitly bars early renewal demands based on content or DEI policy, and requests a declaratory ruling that the public interest standard cannot be used as a cudgel against specific editorial viewpoints.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James (or California Attorney General Rob Bonta) coordinating with 15+ state AGs
File OSC Complaint for Prohibited Personnel Practices at ODNI
A coalition of good-government groups (e.g., Protect Democracy, CREW, and the Government Accountability Project) files a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel alleging that the mass firings violate 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(9) by retaliating against career staff for protected activity and bypassing merit-system procedures.
OwnerProtect Democracy / Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
File lawsuit challenging AB 181 as violating California Constitution Article IX, Section 2
The California Constitution vests control of public schools in an elected Superintendent. AB 181’s transfer of operational authority to a Governor-appointed director without a voter-approved constitutional amendment likely violates that article. A lawsuit can seek an injunction before the January 2027 effective date.
OwnerCalifornia Teachers Association (CTA) legal team, potentially joined by the California School Boards Association
Initiate coordinated FTC enforcement actions against major manufacturers (John Deere, Apple, medical device makers) for warranty terms that illegally condition warranty coverage on use of OEM repair services, a direct violation of the Magnuson-Moss Act. This leverages existing statutory authority without waiting for new legislation.
OwnerFederal Trade Commission (Bureau of Consumer Protection)
Organize Baltic-led diplomatic push to preempt future Russia ICJ manipulation by proposing procedural reforms at the UN
This action rallies the Baltic states, likeminded allies, and international law experts to draft and promote UN General Assembly procedures that raise the threshold for frivolous or disinformation-driven ICJ filings, thereby protecting multilateral legal institutions from weaponization by authoritarian states like Russia.
OwnerEstonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with Latvia and Lithuania
Formalize the 'Defend Our Schools' coalition to protect OCR, Title I, and IDEA from congressional dismantlement
This entry exposes the Project 2025 blueprint for eliminating the Department of Education via block grants and ESAs. The Defend Our Schools coalition — led by the National Education Association, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and the National School Boards Association — will coordinate legal challenges to the March 20, 2025 executive order; track and expose state-level ESA bills; and mobilize a narrative campaign showing that dismantling the department is an attack on civil rights, not a 'local control' reform. This fills the gap: no existing immediate item is solely focused on protecting the Department’s civil rights role and the specific financial damage to low-income students.
OwnerNational Education Association, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, National School Boards Association
Build tribal legal and organizing capacity to challenge FAST-41 projects and demand consent
Expand the Indian Law Resource Center's tribal litigation fund and the Native American Rights Fund's capacity to intervene in FAST-41 fast-tracked mining projects on or affecting tribal lands, funding community organizing to oppose extraction without consent.
Launch the 'Small Business First' State-Level Model Legislation Campaign
Draft and promote model state laws that prohibit state procurement from contractors who do not meet PLA and wage standards on federal work, create state-level SBREFA panels with balanced stakeholder representation, and prevent state SBA equivalents from adopting size-classification tiers beyond current federal definitions.
OwnerMain Street Alliance and American Sustainable Business Network
State AG Coalition: Demand preservation of HHS OIG funding and provider screening rules through a multistate comment letter and litigation threat
While the Ohio bust shows what state-federal cooperation can achieve, the administration proposes slashing the HHS OIG budget—the office that actually detects provider fraud. A coalition of state attorneys general can oppose that cut in public comments and prepare a lawsuit if OIG capacity is materially reduced, arguing that cuts harm the states’ own fraud-recovery interests.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James (with the Multistate Medicaid Fraud Task Force)
Launch an Advocacy and Comment Campaign for E-Rate Preservation
Mobilize civil rights, education, and digital equity organizations – led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the National Education Association – to submit coordinated comments opposing any new screen‑time restrictions that could reduce E‑Rate support for low‑income and rural schools. The comments should demand that the FCC focus on evidence‑based digital literacy investments instead of punitive conditions.
OwnerLeadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and National Education Association
Launch a DOJ Civil Rights Division Reform Commission
Convene an independent commission of former division chiefs, civil rights lawyers, and community advocates to draft a standing operating procedure for the division that insulates pattern-or-practice and voting rights enforcement from political interference, including mandatory statutory triggers and expedited hiring of career staff.
OwnerLeadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
File Amicus Brief Supporting the Court's Ruling in Any Appeal Concerning the Kennedy Center Naming Dispute
Organize a coalition of arts, civil liberties, and good-government groups to file an amicus brief defending the district court's enforcement of the 1964 statute.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and National Coalition Against Censorship
Launch 'Keep Our Wings' campaign to defend Essential Air Service funding
A coalition of rural airport authorities, regional airlines, and community organizations led by the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) and the Rural Community Assistance Partnership launches a targeted advocacy and media campaign to protect EAS subsidies in the next FAA reauthorization bill, framing the cuts as a threat to medical access and economic survival for 200 small communities.
OwnerNational Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) and the Rural Community Assistance Partnership
Release and analyze full text of S. 2147, the Collegiate Sports Integrity Act
The safe harbor provision cited by the NCAA Division I conferences remains unaccompanied by the bill's full text. Athlete advocacy groups and progressive senators should demand public release of the introduced version and publish an annotated analysis showing the precise antitrust waiver and its limits.
The SEC should issue a formal investor alert and request that SpaceX clearly separate its speculative AI revenue projections from its actual launch and Starlink financials in its S-1 filing, protecting retail investors from being misled by inflated total addressable market claims.
File a bid protest or FOIA-based complaint with the Government Accountability Office challenging the Greenwater Services award as a violation of the Competition in Contracting Act
A direct challenge to this specific contract would force a suspension of performance while GAO reviews the basis for the sole-source determination, potentially clawing back the $1.7M or setting a precedent that deters future crony awards. Any disgruntled bidder or good-government group (e.g., Project on Government Oversight) has standing to file.
Launch a multi-state amicus coalition for en banc rehearing at the Third Circuit
Organize a coalition of state attorneys general to file an amicus brief supporting New Jersey's petition for en banc rehearing of the assault weapons ban ruling, citing the circuit split and the flawed historical analysis under Bruen.
OwnerNew Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, with the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA)
Fund and deploy rapid-response legal teams to New York for proactive representation in ICE surge operations
In anticipation of mass ICE raids, the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) must preposition pro-bono counsel and know-your-rights workers across New York's five boroughs and key upstate hubs, ensuring every detained individual has immediate legal representation and that communities are prepared for enforcement actions.
OwnerNational Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) & Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)
Establish a state-level multistate CFPB Consumer Protection Task Force to enforce BNPL and late fee protections
Democratic state AGs, led by New York and California, form a multistate task force to investigate and sue BNPL lenders and credit card issuers that charge illegal or predatory fees, using state UDAP and usury laws to reimpose protections the CFPB vacated. This directly counters the CFPB rollbacks cited in the entry and builds pressure for federal restoration.
OwnerNew York Attorney General's Office (lead) and California Department of Justice
Launch coordinated state litigation and amicus strategy to block similar executive actions in other circuits
State attorneys general, led by California and Massachusetts, should file parallel suits or intervene in ongoing litigation if the administration appeals the injunction or issues a new order, and organize a multistate amicus brief to secure nationwide relief.
OwnerCalifornia Department of Justice (AG Rob Bonta), in coordination with Massachusetts AG Andrea Campbell
Launch joint UN/ICRC mediation track for Afghanistan-Pakistan ceasefire and humanitarian access
The escalating civilian casualty toll and mass deportations demonstrate the failure of unilateral force. A dedicated multilateral track—involving UNAMA, UNHCR, and ICRC—can negotiate a verifiable ceasefire, deploy unarmed civilian observers, and establish a rights-respecting return framework for Afghan refugees, replacing collective punishment with targeted counterterrorism and humanitarian protection.
Introduce the Social Security Fair Share Act (lifting the payroll tax cap) with a discharge petition strategy
The Warren-Moreno bill has bipartisan Senate co-sponsors but faces a filibuster. A companion bill in the House, combined with a discharge petition to force a floor vote if committee markup stalls, creates pressure on swing-district Republicans and demonstrates popular support ahead of the 2026 midterms.
OwnerRep. John Larson (CT-01), House Ways and Means Committee
Launch a multi-state Medicaid work requirement education and enrollment protection campaign
With the 2025 reconciliation law's work requirements already in effect, state Medicaid agencies, consumer advocates, and community health centers must immediately launch a coordinated campaign to ensure eligible beneficiaries know how to comply with reporting requirements or claim exemptions (e.g., for medical frailty, caregiving, or being in school) before they lose coverage. This campaign should mirror the successful outreach that followed the 2018 Arkansas experiment, which exposed how lack of information caused mass coverage loss.
OwnerNational Health Law Program (NHeLP) and Families USA, in partnership with state Medicaid directors and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
File FOIA requests and launch investigative reporting into the White House pressure campaign on the FAA regarding the arch approval
Senator Duckworth's office and allied government watchdog groups (e.g., CREW, American Oversight) should immediately file FOIA requests with the FAA and the White House for all communications related to the arch project. This immediate transparency push documents the abuse of regulatory process, provides grounds for a potential whistleblower complaint, and builds a public record that can justify future oversight hearings or legislative action.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and American Oversight
Launch a coalition campaign to educate Americans on the cost and consequences of unilateral strikes in Iran
A consortium of nonproliferation, peace, and budget-watchdog groups (e.g., Ploughshares Fund, Friends Committee on National Legislation, National Priorities Project) will produce accessible explanatory materials—briefs, infographics, social media packages—highlighting the $1.3M-per-minute cost and the collapse of IAEA verification, using the Kristof and IAEA reports as primary sources, and target them to Congressional staff, editorial boards, and Democratic primary candidates.
File amicus brief in the Supreme Court defending the D.C. Circuit's equal protection ruling
A coalition of former military leaders and civil rights organizations should file an amicus brief in the anticipated SCOTUS appeal, arguing that the transgender ban undermines military readiness and violates equal protection. This immediate action counters Hegseth's narrative and provides the Court with expert testimony on service and cohesion.
OwnerModern Military Association of America and Palm Center
Narrative correction campaign on Loudoun County OCR ruling
Coordinated fact-checking by GLSEN, ACLU, and NEA to publicly correct the misrepresentation of the Loudoun County OCR finding as a transgender-policy failure, ensuring lawmakers and media understand the ruling was about mishandled sexual harassment complaints.
Launch a narrative campaign to attribute PCE inflation to the Iran war energy spike, not Biden-era policies or tariffs alone
The May 2026 PCE data (4.1%) is being weaponized by Trump allies to blame Democratic economic legacy or tariff policy. In fact, the CNBC-reported $450/household energy cost from the Iran war is the primary driver. A coordinated pressure campaign by Accountable.US, Groundwork Action, and AFL-CIO — using paid ads in swing districts, earned media pushes, and a microsite with real household cost breakdowns — forces the mainstream narrative to correctly attribute the inflation to Trump's Iran war escalation and the newly hawkish Fed under Kevin Warsh. This prevents false blame that could suppress Democratic turnout in the midterms.
Launch a state-led procurement coalition to enforce labor standards in trade-affected goods
A group of state attorneys general (led by California, New York, Illinois) will develop and enforce state-level procurement rules that penalize companies importing goods from countries with documented wage suppression or labor rights violations, using existing state false-claims and consumer-protection statutes. This creates a near-term deterrent while federal legislative options are locked.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta (with New York AG Letitia James and Illinois AG Kwame Raoul)
Launch the Public Lands Workforce & EJ Accountability Project
A coalition of Sierra Club, Public Citizen, and Earthjustice will file a series of administrative complaints and FOIA requests documenting how DOGE-led staff cuts at Interior have disabled Title VI enforcement on public lands, creating a record to support later litigation and congressional oversight.
OwnerSierra Club Public Lands Campaign and Earthjustice
Pressure the European Commission to open a formal WTO or EU-level trade countermeasure against U.S. tariff threats on Spain
Immediate coalition and legal-strategy work by the European Union and Spain to file a WTO consultation or trigger the EU's Enforcement Regulation, demonstrating that unilateral trade cuts against an ally are counterproductive and unlawful, thereby creating diplomatic and legal deterrence while blocking immediate implementation.
Launch a Multi-State Emergency Heat Standard Coalition (via California, Oregon, Washington, and existing state proponents)
While the federal rule is delayed, at least two-thirds of U.S. workers lack state heat protections. A coalition of states — led by California (already with Cal/OSHA heat standard), Washington, Oregon, and New York — should jointly petition OSHA to begin an emergency rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. § 553(b)(B)) for good cause, citing the imminent danger of recurring lethal heat events. If OSHA denies the petition, the coalition should file a mandamus action in D.C. Circuit to compel final action on the existing NPRM. This applies immediate legal and political pressure and builds a record for legislation.
OwnerCalifornia Department of Industrial Relations (Cal/OSHA) in coalition with Washington L&I and Oregon OSHA
Launch Dade County hotel-construction rapid-credentials pipeline for TPS holders
With Miami-Dade leading World Cup venue construction and hospitality hiring, TPS holders face work-authorization delays while contractors report labor shortages. Miami-Dade County, in partnership with the AFL-CIO’s immigrant worker center and Catholic Legal Services, would open a same-day work-authorization renewal clinic at Miami International Airport and fund mobile notary units at five major construction sites, directly preserving the 185,000-job estimate and stabilizing the workforce the World Cup depends on.
OwnerMiami-Dade County Mayor’s Office of Immigration Affairs
Issue a joint letter from 50+ former USAGM journalists demanding firewall reinstatement
Pressure the current administration and Congress by mobilizing former VOA, RFA, and RFE/RL journalists to publicly call for restoring the editorial firewall, undermining the narrative that the repeal is uncontroversial.
House Resolution Affirming Protection of Good-Faith Oversight from Political Retaliation
A simple resolution declaring that the House will not tolerate the use of party endorsements or resources to retaliate against members for legitimate oversight, and establishing an internal process to investigate and censure such retaliation.
OwnerHouse Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress
Establish a permanent U.S.-led pandemic preparedness fund for endemic zoonotic diseases in Africa
Create a standing, multi-year U.S. foreign assistance program (administered by USAID and CDC) dedicated to strengthening DRC's and Uganda's health workforce, surveillance, and supply chains between outbreaks, breaking the crisis-response cycle. The current ad hoc emergency funding model fails to prevent recurrences like the Bundibugyo outbreak.
Launch legal challenge to DOE's redirection of LPO loan commitments toward fossil fuels
File a lawsuit arguing that the Loan Programs Office's shift to fossil-fuel 'energy dominance' projects violates the Energy Policy Act of 2005's statutory purpose of supporting clean-energy deployment, aiming to halt the restructuring of $83 billion in commitments.
OwnerEarthjustice and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Immediately launch a formal NPS Inspector General investigation into the Greenwater Services contract and all FWS/NPS emergency no-bid awards since 2021
An IG probe can document whether the urgency exception was abused to steer a $1.7 million contract to a Trump donor, and whether similar awards across the Interior Department follow the same pattern. This builds the evidentiary record needed for congressional oversight and potential false claims litigation.
OwnerDepartment of the Interior Office of Inspector General
Launch a coalition campaign to pressure the House to hold a binding War Powers Act vote on Iran–Israel hostilities
Organize a sustained lobbying and public pressure effort by anti-war groups (e.g., Win Without War, J Street, Demand Progress) to force the House to vote on a privileged war powers resolution under the WPA, requiring the administration to report on and justify the continued use of force in relation to Iran and Israel. This closes the congressional oversight gap exposed by the failed June 4 Lebanon vote.
Launch a national 'Border Budget vs. Reality' narrative coalition to reframe the 25,000-agent goal
CBP claims record staffing is needed for border security, but the data shows the opposite: fewer crossings, more agents. A coalition of immigrant-rights groups and budget watchdog organizations can run a targeted digital campaign—'25,000 for What?'—to pressure Congress and the administration to justify the $60,000 bonuses and $70 billion outlay with actual metrics.
File FTC complaint against concentrated AI-related real estate equity extraction
The California Attorney General, jointly with the San Francisco City Attorney, files a complaint with the FTC alleging that coordinated gains from AI industry insiders (including IPO lock-up distributions, option exercises, and insider trading signals) constitute an unfair method of competition under Section 5 of the FTC Act that distorts local housing markets, and requests a rulemaking to require beneficial ownership disclosure of corporate housing purchases in metro areas where median home price exceeds 10× median income.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General and San Francisco City Attorney
Establish a Federal Battery Cost Baselines and Transparency Standard
To prevent greenwashing and give policymakers an accurate picture of private-sector cost reductions, the DOE and FTC should jointly issue a guidance requiring automakers to disclose how much of any claimed 'cost reduction' is attributable to specific chemistry innovations (LMR, LFP, NMCA) versus other factors such as scale or manufacturing process. This protects consumers and enables accurate climate modeling.
OwnerDepartment of Energy – Vehicle Technologies Office and Federal Trade Commission – Bureau of Consumer Protection
Lead a pressure campaign against Project 2025's EXIM abolition proposal
The Coalition for a Prosperous America, the National Small Business Association, and the National Association of Manufacturers should organize a joint campaign to publicly defend the Export-Import Bank's small-business programs, targeting key members of the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee to build a bipartisan firewall against any abolition or defunding attempt.
OwnerCoalition for a Prosperous America, National Small Business Association, National Association of Manufacturers
Launch National Campaign to Document and Report ICE Traffic Stop Incidents
Build a real-time, centralized incident reporting system and rapid-response legal hotline for ICE traffic stops, modeled on the ACLU's police accountability work and the National Immigrant Justice Center's existing platforms, to create a public record of enforcement harms and enable immediate legal intervention.
OwnerACLU, National Immigrant Justice Center, and United We Dream
Launch a public education campaign on the Supreme Court's executive power expansion
A coalition of democracy advocacy groups, legal scholars, and media watchdogs should produce a series of reports, explainers, and social media content that exposes how the Court's less visible rulings broadly expand executive authority, undermining checks and balances beyond high-profile cases. This counters the misleading 'Roberts as institutionalist' narrative and builds public understanding for structural reforms.
OwnerAlliance for Justice, Brennan Center for Justice, and Free Press
Launch 'Fund Our Values, Not Deportation' campaign targeting swing-district House members who voted for the $70B DHS bill
Build a national pressure campaign — led by immigrant rights groups and aligned 501(c)(4)s — to publicly identify and hold accountable the 15–30 House Republicans in Biden-won districts and any Democrats who supported the bill. The campaign ties the 2.5-year funding lock to specific harms: family separation by deportation, due-process cuts, and the dangerous DOJ 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' precedent. Deliverables: weekly district protests, digital ads, earned media, and primary challenge recruitment for 2028.
OwnerNational Immigration Law Center (NILC) + Indivisible + MoveOn
File a lawsuit challenging the DOJ rule as contrary to Title VI's statutory text and longstanding Supreme Court precedent
A coalition of civil rights organizations should sue the DOJ, arguing that the December 2025 rule exceeds the agency's authority because disparate-impact liability is inherent in the statutory language and has been recognized by the Supreme Court in foundational cases (e.g., Guardians Association v. Civil Service Commission, Alexander v. Sandoval). This preserves the doctrine's enforceability while the rule remains in effect.
Launch 'AI Land Grab' transparency campaign targeting state-level data center deals
Investigate and expose similar celebrity- or private-equity-backed data center land grabs in rural counties across the West (Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon) to build public pressure for statewide environmental review and community-consent requirements before any new multi-gigawatt data center can advance.
Launch a federal-state pesticide preemption legislative push
Coordinate with state AGs and legislatures to pass model bills that prohibit state preemption of local pesticide ordinances, protecting communities' right to restrict glyphosate and other pesticides more stringently than the EPA. This builds a firewall against future federal rollbacks.
OwnerNational Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) – Democratic AG Coalition
Launch a federal-state climate enforcement coalition to sue EPA over failure to protect public health and welfare
A coalition of state attorneys general (led by New York, California, and Massachusetts) and environmental justice organizations (e.g., Earthjustice, NAACP Legal Defense Fund) would file a citizen suit under the Clean Air Act arguing that EPA's failure to maintain an endangerment finding constitutes an unreasonable delay in performing a nondiscretionary duty. This suit would force EPA to justify its inaction, preserve a record for future restoration, and keep the issue in the courts until the political climate shifts.
OwnerState Attorneys General Coalition (NY, CA, MA) + Earthjustice
Launch a 501(c)(3) wastewater surveillance fund to sustain expert-led monitoring until federal capacity is restored
A permanent nonprofit endowment, seeded by major foundations (e.g., Gates, Rockefeller, Bloomberg), that contracts with academic and independent labs to maintain a parallel, non-governmental wastewater surveillance network — effectively the 'expert-led' effort now carrying the load — so that a future administration cannot single-handedly dismantle early-warning capacity again.
OwnerRockefeller Foundation in partnership with the Association of Public Health Laboratories
State AGs coalition sues DOJ over Civil Rights Division mission shift and reassignments
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general files a lawsuit challenging the administration's forced reassignments and mission shift at DOJ's Civil Rights Division, arguing that the reorganization violates the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act by impeding enforcement. This legal pressure aims to halt the exodus and restore the division's independent enforcement capacity.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General's Office (or a named AG coalition, e.g., NY, MA, IL)
File amicus brief opposing Flores termination in pending federal litigation
State attorneys general and child welfare advocates should intervene in ongoing cases to block DOJ's 2025 motions to end the Flores settlement, preserving the least-restrictive-setting standard.
A coalition of watchdog groups, unions, and tax-justice organizations pressures OMB and Treasury to halt further attrition and buyout programs, and demand that the IRS submit a workforce plan to Congress. This blocks the near-term continuation of the 30,000-employee slash.
OwnerIRS Whistleblower Office, NTEU Chapter 66, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Americans for Tax Fairness
The administration's reversal of Section 1557 protections allows providers to deny gender-affirming care. An amicus brief by a coalition of state attorneys general in ongoing litigation (e.g., *Whitman-Walker Clinic v. HHS*) can clarify statutory intent and counter the executive reinterpretation, preserving access while legal challenges proceed.
OwnerNational Association of Attorneys General (Democratic AGs coalition, e.g., California, New York, Washington)
Launch a legislative education and coalition-drive campaign for H.R. 2604 with national civil liberties organizations
Build public and congressional support now for the warrant requirement, using CBP search data and stories of impacted travelers, to ensure rapid passage once political conditions allow. This pressure campaign can also discourage the administration from expanding search authority in the interim.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) National Political Advocacy Department
Secure SEIU-UHW coalition with health equity groups to fund ballot-measure defense
Lock down a joint fundraising and organizing commitment from the California Endowment, Health Access California, and the California Nurses Association to run counter-advertising against Newsom-allied opposition to the billionaire tax, linking the tax to preventing Medicaid and education cuts.
File bipartisan oversight letter to the DOD IG requesting audit of 1260H list churn
Before a trifecta is possible, a bipartisan group of House Armed Services Committee members can send a letter to the DOD Inspector General requesting an audit of the June 2026 expansion and the list's history of unsupported additions, removals, and re-additions, as a near-term oversight lever that builds the public record for later statutory reform.
OwnerHouse Armed Services Committee (bipartisan letter led by Rep. John Garamendi and Rep. Mike Gallagher)
Introduce the Intelligence Declassification Accountability Act
Require the DNI to submit declassification actions affecting public health or national security assessments to a classified interagency panel and notify Congress 30 days before final action, with an exception for imminent threats. This would prevent unilateral, last-minute declassifications like Gabbard's June 18 release, which bypassed standard interagency review and risked politicizing intelligence.
File a class-action OSHA complaint demanding a mandatory wildland firefighter respiratory standard
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) or Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) should file a formal complaint with OSHA arguing that the voluntary N95 guidance is insufficient under the General Duty Clause, given documented cancer rates among wildland firefighters, and demand an emergency temporary standard requiring mandatory, fit-tested respirator use in hazardous smoke conditions.
OwnerInternational Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)
Attorney general model legislation to codify state standing to challenge federal immigration fees
Develop and release model state legislation that explicitly authorizes state attorneys general to challenge federal immigration fee increases as ultra vires taxes, insulating the cost of such suits from state budget limits and building a permanent deterrent against fee overreach.
File amicus brief in War Powers Act litigation challenging strikes
Constitutional accountability organizations file an amicus brief supporting any pending or anticipated case (e.g., members of Congress or NGO plaintiffs) arguing the June 26 strikes violated the War Powers Resolution and Article I, Section 8. This builds legal pressure and creates a record for future war powers reform.
Launch the Emergency Federal Recruitment Program for Outbreak Response Epidemiologists
A joint initiative by CDC and HHS to hire, retrain, or contract at least 500 epidemiologists, contact tracers, and public health nurses before the World Cup, funded via existing un-obligated PHSEPR appropriations and reprogrammed HHS funds. This directly addresses the severe staffing losses that allow imported measles to spark community spread.
OwnerCDC Director (Dr. Mandy Cohen) with HHS Secretary approval
File a bipartisan War Powers Resolution lawsuit to compel withdrawal from hostilities with Iran
A coalition of members of Congress, led by the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member, would file suit in D.C. District Court to enforce the War Powers Resolution, arguing that the President's 48-hour deadline to report has passed and that sustained combat without congressional authorization violates the Constitution. This legal pressure could force a vote on a new AUMF or compel withdrawal, reasserting Congress's war power and potentially de-escalating the crisis.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member (Rep. Gregory Meeks or successor)
Co-sponsor and advocate for the CFIUS Expansion Act (Baldwin-Khanna bill)
Mobilize advocacy organizations and ethics watchdogs to build public and coalition support for Sen. Baldwin's and Rep. Khanna's bill that expands CFIUS to investigate foreign investment deals involving the president's business interests, closing the ethics loophole exploited by Trump.
OwnerCREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) and Public Citizen
Launch a public education campaign on warrantless surveillance risks
Coalition of civil liberties groups (ACLU, EFF, Brennan Center) will run digital ads, hold briefings, and distribute resources to inform the public about the implications of the FISA 702 lapse and the need for reform, building pressure for a confirmed DNI and warrant requirements.
Launch a multi-state AG investigation into the DOJ's use of settlement funds for political purposes
While the administration abandoned the fund, the legal theory it used remains untested. A coalition of state attorneys general can open a coordinated investigation under state consumer protection or false claims statutes, preserving the evidentiary record and deterring future attempts.
File amicus curiae briefs in any Newsom-related litigation to demand preservation and disclosure of internal DOJ records on the investigation's origin
Support any lawsuit by Newsom or others seeking discovery into whether the investigation was politically directed; a coalition of good-government groups can argue that even the appearance of partisan interference undermines public confidence and the court should order full transparency before proceeding further.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Publish a 'Trade Deficit Reality Check' report by EPI and CAP
Joint report detailing how the current tariff-only approach has failed to reduce the bilateral goods deficit or restore manufacturing jobs, and proposing alternative worker-centered trade tools. Provides immediate narrative groundwork for future legislative action.
Mobilize state-level Eighth Amendment litigation support for all nitrogen-gas execution challenges
Coordinate pro-bono legal teams and amicus briefs from civil-rights organizations (e.g., ACLU, NAACP LDF, EJI) into every active state with an authorized nitrogen protocol, mirroring the successful injunction approach used in Lee v. Alabama, to force uniform federal review of nitrogen hypoxia before any state can use it.
OwnerEqual Justice Initiative, in partnership with ACLU Capital Punishment Project and NAACP Legal Defense Fund
File civil rights amicus brief in CSU v. DOE supporting Title IX protections for transgender students
The National Women's Law Center and Lambda Legal should file a joint amicus brief in the Northern District of California arguing that Title IX's sex-based protections include gender identity, consistent with Bostock v. Clayton County, and urging the court to reject CSU's attempt to enable exclusion of trans athletes.
Launch a coalition campaign for a Worker and Climate Trade Commission to draft model legislation
A coalition of unions (AFL-CIO, United Steelworkers, UAW), environmental groups (Sierra Club, BlueGreen Alliance), and fair-trade advocates (Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch) would jointly draft and advocate for model state and federal legislation that introduces enforceable labor and environmental standards into any trade agreement tariff mechanism. This builds the political will and specific legislative blueprint needed ahead of a future Congress.
Campaign to strengthen Kennedy Center governance statute
Launch a public campaign by arts and democracy coalitions to amend the 1964 Kennedy Center Act to require congressional approval for any name change, preventing unilateral board actions. This builds grassroots pressure ahead of a legislative window.
Launch a state-level conservation reserve matching grant program
With CRP under threat at the federal level, governors and state legislatures in key agricultural states (e.g., IA, MN, IL) can create state-funded matching grants that pay farmers to maintain conservation practices similar to CRP, preserving soil health and water quality even if the federal program is eliminated.
OwnerGovernors of Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois via the Midwest Climate and Conservation Alliance
Launch a Multistate Coalition to Codify Transgender Athlete Protections into State Law
In states with Democratic trifectas, introduce and pass state-level statutes explicitly barring discrimination on the basis of gender identity in school sports, overriding any conflicting Title IX interpretations and shielding students from federal funding threats. This counters the SJSU precedent and the Trump administration’s enforcement blueprint.
OwnerNational Women's Law Center and Lambda Legal, in partnership with Democratic governors and state legislative leaders in California, New York, Illinois, and Washington
Launch multistate lawsuit challenging DHS conditioning of election aid on voter roll audit compliance
A coalition of states—led by the Democratic Attorneys General Association—should file suit arguing that conditioning federal election-related aid on compliance with DHS voter roll audits and SAVE Act requirements violates the Spending Clause (unrelated condition) and the 10th Amendment, seeking an immediate injunction to block the funding threat.
OwnerDemocratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA)
Launch a public narrative campaign to reframe the Fed's dual mandate as a working-family protection, not a technical choice
Anchored by the Economic Policy Institute and the Center for Popular Democracy, use research briefs, earned media, and digital organizing to make the case that eliminating the dual mandate is a deliberate distributional choice that harms workers — building political will for codification when Democrats have a legislative trifecta.
OwnerEconomic Policy Institute; Center for Popular Democracy; Groundwork Collaborative
Demand Attorney General Merrick Garland refer the Trump-IRS settlement for independent investigation
The amicus brief alleges fraud on the court and violation of statutory settlement limits. A formal request from a bipartisan group of state attorneys general or the House Judiciary Committee would pressure DOJ to appoint a special counsel to probe whether improper considerations (e.g., the $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization fund') tainted the settlement process.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Ranking Member Jamie Raskin)
Amicus brief by 21-state AG coalition defending ED's role in civil rights enforcement
File a brief in any legal challenge to OCR or OSERS moves, arguing the dismantlement violates statutory civil rights frameworks and harms students with disabilities.
Launch bipartisan House bill to require odd-numbered FEC membership
Introduce a bill mandating a 5- or 7-member FEC to break the 3-3 partisan deadlock that prevents enforcement. The bill would also require prompt DOJ referral of any FEC deadlock on a complaint involving more than $50,000 in spending. This directly counters von Spakovsky's blueprint by making structural reform the immediate legislative ask.
Organize a coalition to demand bipartisan support for an amendment barring FCC license threats for content-based speech
The JAWBONE Act targets jawboning broadly but could be amended to explicitly prohibit the FCC from considering broadcast content when reviewing license renewals — addressing Carr's specific weaponization. A coalition of free-speech and media-justice groups should pressure Cruz and Wyden to adopt this language.
GAO investigation and report on Trump White House ballroom funding as potential Anti-Deficiency Act violation
The Government Accountability Office should formally investigate whether the Trump administration has obligated funds for the White House ballroom in excess of or contrary to Congress's appropriation denial. A GAO legal opinion that an Anti-Deficiency Act violation has occurred would create a clear statutory breach, empower whistleblowers, and provide a factual basis for future congressional oversight and potential litigation.
OwnerGovernment Accountability Office (GAO) — Comptroller General Gene Dodaro
State AG Coalition Sends Demand Letter to FDA Requesting Immediate Enforcement Action Against Raw Farm's Interstate Sales
The Attorneys General of California, Texas, and Florida can coordinate to send a formal demand letter to the FDA Commissioner requesting that the agency exercise its seizure and injunction authority under the FD&C Act against Raw Farm's raw cheese products sold in interstate commerce, given the three-week voluntary recall delay and recurring children's illnesses. This pressure campaign can begin immediately and build a public record for future rulemaking or legislation.
Draft and launch a model state Reproductive Health Data & Access Protection Act
Codify at the state level mandatory collection and public reporting of reproductive health outcomes and disparities by race, ethnicity, income, gender identity, and sexual orientation; require any state HHS equivalent to maintain a reproductive health access office independent of political appointees and to shield that office from data-suppression directives. This builds forward from the erased federal protections by creating enforceable state-level safeguards and data transparency that cannot be undone by the next administration.
OwnerNational Governors Association (health committee) in partnership with the Center for Reproductive Rights
State attorneys general coalition sues to enforce NEPA-based climate analysis for Colorado River operations
Under the National Environmental Policy Act, a multi-state coalition demands that DOI's Bureau of Reclamation conduct a full climate-impact analysis before authorizing any emergency drawdown or drought-response action funded by the IRA, closing the gap that allows anti-climate administrations to cherry-pick funding while ignoring underlying climate science.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General (Rob Bonta) leading a Western states coalition
Launch a sustained oversight campaign by Senate Judiciary Democrats to document the conflict of interest and demand recusal commitments before a vote
Given that Blanche's nomination is likely to proceed despite conflict concerns, the immediate need is for Senate Judiciary Democratic members to force him into an explicit, binding recusal from any cases involving his former client or his own prior work—creating a record that can be used in litigation, ethics complaints, and public accountability if he breaches it.
OwnerSenator Richard Durbin (Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee)
Launch a coalition to block LAUSD state takeover and propose a progressive district revenue package
A broad coalition of the California Teachers Association, Advancement Project California, LAUSD parent groups, SEIU Local 99, and the ACLU of Southern California should immediately push the California legislature and Governor Newsom for emergency legislation that (a) blocks a bankruptcy filing or state takeover through a standstill agreement that buys LAUSD three months of breathing room, (b) creates a dedicated supplemental funding stream for LAUSD through a temporary increase in the state's Proposition 98 guarantee allocation or a local parcel tax authorized by the legislature for distressed districts, and (c) imposes a one‐year moratorium on any new charter or voucher schools in LAUSD to prevent destabilization during the fiscal crisis. This is the concrete counter‐move to a privatizer playbook: keep governance democratic, close the fiscal hole with public money, and prevent a rush to school closures.
OwnerCalifornia Teachers Association (CTA) coalition with Advancement Project California and SEIU Local 99
Launch a rapid-response media-accuracy campaign debunking the document dump and linking it to the SAVE Act threat
A coalition of voting-rights, civil-rights, and fact-checking organizations conducts a coordinated media campaign — including press briefings, an explainer video, and a shareable digital toolkit — to expose that the released documents do not show election fraud, and to frame the SAVE Act as a voter-suppression bill designed to exploit a manufactured crisis.
OwnerLeague of Women Voters, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and FactCheck.org
Propose UN Security Council Resolution for Independent Investigation and Maritime Security Guarantees
The U.S. should cosponsor a UNSC resolution condemning the July 2026 Strait of Hormuz attacks, mandating an independent investigation, and calling for all parties to recommit to maritime security and the UN Charter's prohibition on use of force. This reasserts multilateral leadership and offers an alternative to unilateral sanctions escalation that fails to change Iranian behavior or stabilize energy markets.
California intervenes to remand Sable pipeline case to state court
California Attorney General files a motion to remand California Department of Parks and Recreation v. Sable Offshore Corp. back to Santa Barbara Superior Court, arguing that federal officer jurisdiction does not apply to a private corporation's pipeline trespass dispute and that the 1948 statute was never intended to shield routine commercial operations.
Launch 'Your Government, Broken' economic pain tour
House Democrats organize a three-week August recess tour targeting 20 swing districts to pair constituent stories (shutdown-caused flight delays, TSA lines, SNAP interruptions) with a 1-page visual linking those disruptions directly to Project 2025 civil-service cuts and Trump's unitary executive power grabs. Each event ends with a call to action: call your Republican rep and ask why they voted to let the FAA fail.
File EJS motion hearing request to block reconciliation use of SAVE Act as non-budgetary
The Senate parliamentarian must rule that the SAVE Act's voter registration mandate is extraneous to the budget under the Byrd Rule because its primary effect is election law change, not budgetary. Democratic Senators should demand an immediate roll call vote on the motion to waive the point of order, forcing each Senator to go on record.
Launch a 50-state coalition campaign to defeat the SAVE Act through targeted voter contact and earned media
Mobilize a coordinated campaign by the Brennan Center, NAACP LDF, and League of Women Voters to pressure swing Republicans in the Senate and House, countering Graham's emotional framing with hard data on disenfranchisement and the negligible rate of non-citizen voting.
Support litigation for disclosure of strike records and casualty counts under FOIA
Organizations such as the ACLU, Democracy Forward, and the Costs of War project should sue the Department of Defense for prompt and complete disclosure of records on Operation Southern Spear and Operation Absolute Resolve, including number of strikes, civilian casualties, targeting criteria, and cost. Litigation can force transparency even without new legislation and build a public evidentiary record.
Launch a coordinated state-level election preparedness & pressure campaign targeting HAVA grant funding
With the EAC weakened and courts blocking the worst of the executive order, a coalition of state attorneys general, election officials, and advocacy groups should publicly demand that Congress fully fund and protect HAVA grants while also suing to ensure the EAC's core functions—certification, guideline updates, grant distribution—are insulated from further political interference. This builds a firewall for the 2026 midterms and creates a record for subsequent legislation.
OwnerBrennan Center for Justice, in coordination with the State Attorneys General Coalition
Establish a Trans Youth Legal Rapid Response Fund to counter ADF-style disinformation and litigation
Create a dedicated fund to support litigation against state trans sports bans and a public education campaign correcting the record on procedural SCOTUS actions, ensuring affected families have immediate legal representation and the media accurately reports that cert denials carry no precedential weight. This closes the gap between ADF's aggressive posturing and the resource deficit faced by impacted communities.
OwnerLawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and National Center for Lesbian Rights
Fund and launch a national public education campaign linking false CPS reporting to domestic extremism
Produce a report and digital campaign documenting the pattern of false CPS reports and swatting used to target LGBTQ+ families, political figures, and journalists. The campaign should include model legislation, policy briefs for CPS agencies, and a call for federal hate-crimes data collection on these incidents.
Launch a federal civil-rights monitoring and public-education campaign on the Tyler Robinson case
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund or ACLU Capital Punishment Project should issue quarterly public reports and amicus briefs tracking whether the DOJ is pressured into filing federal hate-crime charges under a Project 2025-influenced political environment, and educate the public on how death-penalty politics can mask civil-rights erosion.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc.
Organize a legal defense fund and amicus network for the California wealth tax
Preempt litigation challenges to the California 2026 Billionaire Tax Act by assembling a pro bono legal team and drafting amicus briefs on constitutional questions (e.g., commerce clause, uniformity). Coordinate with the California Attorney General to defend the measure if it passes, ensuring wealthy taxpayers cannot litigate away the revenue.
OwnerAmericans for Tax Fairness (ATF) and the State of California Office of the Attorney General
File Amicus Brief in Johnson Amendment Challenge (e.g., Branch v. Commissioner) Defending Section 501(c)(3) Prohibition on Candidate Endorsements
If the DOJ issues a policy memorandum relaxing enforcement of the Johnson Amendment or challenges the provision in court, a coalition of religious and civil rights groups should file a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that §501(c)(3)'s no-electioneering condition is constitutional under Buckley v. Valeo and does not burden religious exercise under RFRA, because it merely conditions a tax benefit on refraining from partisan speech.
OwnerAmericans United for Separation of Church and State (AU)
Prepare and fund state election offices for rapid litigation support against any revived USPS or DOJ directives
The executive order's non-blocked directives (USPS rule changes, DOJ audit directives) remain active. State secretaries of state need immediate legal support and contingency planning. The nonpartisan Election Center and NASS should coordinate a litigation-ready network with pro bono law firms to file or join protective motions in any district where a revived directive surfaces.
OwnerNational Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
Launch a multi-state TPS beneficiary integration and legal-protection initiative
Governors of states with large Haitian and Syrian TPS populations (Florida, New York, Massachusetts, California) should create state-level work-authorization bridging programs, in-state tuition guarantees, and driver's license access, plus fund non-profit legal services to file pending constitutional claims before the clock runs on existing TPS grants. This immediate action protects individuals while the statutory fix is impossible.
OwnerNational Governors Association Immigration Working Group
Provide TPS holders with confidential legal representation and know-your-rights resources
Launch a targeted effort by national immigration legal nonprofits (e.g., American Immigration Council, Catholic Legal Immigration Network) and allied state bar associations to offer free, confidential consultations and multilingual community workshops for Haitian and Syrian TPS holders, addressing the immediate panic and preventing deportation under the now-unchecked termination authority.
OwnerAmerican Immigration Council (along with CLINIC and the Haitian Bridge Alliance)
File amicus brief supporting plaintiffs on Judgment Fund ultra vires question in Trump v. IRS
Constitutional accountability organizations (e.g., Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and Constitutional Accountability Center) should submit amicus briefs arguing that using the Judgment Fund to bankroll a novel, programmatic 'anti-weaponization' fund without congressional authorization violates Article I appropriations power and defrauds the court.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Launch a State-Level Multi-State AG Investigation and Enforcement Coalition on Payroll Fraud Against Employers
A coalition of state attorneys general, led by California and New York, opens coordinated investigations and civil enforcement actions against major employers known to use off-the-books cash payroll services, targeting industries like construction, hospitality, and agriculture. The effort mirrors the successful state AG actions against opioid manufacturers.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General's Office (Rob Bonta) and New York Attorney General's Office (Letitia James)
Launch state-level 'Know Your Rights and Report' campaign in sanctuary cities
A coalition of immigrant rights organizations, including the National Immigration Law Center and local legal aid groups, would run multilingual public information campaigns in New York and other sanctuary jurisdictions explaining that local police do not enforce civil immigration detainers, encouraging victims and witnesses to report crimes without fear.
OwnerNational Immigration Law Center and local legal aid organizations
Launch 'No Burying the Truth' Coalition for Military Accountability
Amnesty International USA, Human Rights Watch, and the Center for Civilians in Conflict launch a joint pressure campaign demanding the Pentagon release the Minab school strike investigation findings publicly, using digital ads, media briefings, and a sign-on letter from 50+ retired flag officers. This builds public and elite pressure before the 2026 midterms and demonstrates that burying civilian harm reports carries political costs.
OwnerAmnesty International USA (with Human Rights Watch and CIVIC)
Issue guidance requiring all federally funded commemorative events to include conflict-of-interest and non-partisanship conditions in grant agreements
The Trump administration's politicization of a 250th birthday event funded with public money shows a structural gap: no standing rules prevent federal funds from being used for partisan rallies. OMB or GSA should immediately issue guidance mandating that any grant or contract for a national commemorative event include enforceable clauses barring partisan use, disclosure of all private fundraising, and recusal of administration officials from planning.
OwnerGovernment Accountability Office (GAO) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) career staff, with public pressure from CREW and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics
Emergency state-level mail-ballot contingency plans and voter education campaigns
In response to the D.C. Circuit stay allowing the USPS rule to take effect, state election officials in affected jurisdictions must immediately adopt administrative contingencies — extended in-person early voting, additional secure drop-box locations, and public advisories urging voters to return ballots by hand or well before postal deadlines — to offset the operational chaos ahead of November 2026 midterms. The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) should coordinate model advisories, and the Democratic Governors Association should fund rapid-response voter education in D.C. and any other covered area.
OwnerNational Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and Democratic Governors Association
Direct USCIS Director to replace destroyed individual-docket records with standard-form declarations and preserve remaining paper records pending digitization
After Judge Pitts vacated ICE courthouse-arrest policies, destroyed individual-docket records must be remedied to prevent future civil-rights violations. A USCIS directive requiring standard-form declarations and digitization of remaining records closes the evidentiary gap for litigation and policy enforcement.
OwnerUSCIS Director (acting, via Department of Homeland Security)
Launch federal contractor whistleblower advocacy campaign focused on AI ethics retaliation
A coalition of tech ethics nonprofits and government accountability groups (e.g., Project On Government Oversight, AI Now Institute) will document and publicize cases where DOD contractors face retaliation for refusing to waive AI safety guardrails, building public pressure and a legislative record for the Defense AI Ethics Contract Protection Act.
Draft the 'Community Right to Vote on Data Centers' model ordinance for state legislative distribution
Model ordinance text that local governments can adopt to require a voter referendum or supermajority council vote before any large-scale data center (50+ MW) receives zoning, tax abatement, or utility interconnection. Kentucky's Versailles and Lawrence County (TN) show local moratoriums work; this item arms the Stop Data Centers Coalition and local officials with standard text to accelerate adoption.
OwnerFood & Water Watch (Stop Data Centers Coalition lead)
Introduce the Save SNAP Benefits Act to codify SNAP eligible food list in statute
Legislation to prevent any future USDA from unilaterally restricting SNAP-eligible foods by codifying the current food definitions and requiring any changes to be made by Congress only.
OwnerRep. Jim McGovern (House Rules Committee Chair)
Form a Rohingya Survivors and Resettlement Coalition for Advocacy and Fundraising
A coalition of refugee-serving NGOs and diaspora organizations should launch a coordinated campaign to press the U.S. government to restore resettlement capacity, raise private funds for emergency legal aid and community sponsorship, and file reports documenting deaths at sea to spur government action.
OwnerInternational Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), Refugees International, and Rohingya American National Council
Launch a coordinated state-level push for emergency heat standards in the 10 largest states without such protections
While a federal heat standard is blocked by the regulatory freeze, state-level emergency rules can immediately mandate water, shade, and rest breaks for outdoor workers. This item targets California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, and Michigan—together covering the majority of U.S. outdoor workers—using existing state OSHA plan authority or emergency rulemaking powers.
OwnerNational Employment Law Project (NELP) and state-based worker advocacy coalitions (e.g., COSH groups in each state)
Launch a federal-state price-gouging enforcement task force via state AG coalition
Since the Trump administration has no enforcement of its own, a coalition of state attorneys general should open coordinated investigations into oil companies for price-gouging under existing state laws, using the President's own public accusation as evidence, and demand FTC and DOJ documents under state consumer-protection statutes.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Tish James, coordinating through the multi-state AG coalition
Launch a public pressure campaign for the release of remaining detainees and a verifiable ceasefire
Amnesty International USA and the American Civil Liberties Union, in coordination with families of the still-detained, organize a sustained advocacy effort — including congressional letters, targeted media, and grassroots actions — demanding the Trump administration produce a transparent plan for securing the release of every remaining wrongfully detained American and obtain verifiable terms that prevent recapture, prior to any further concessions or de-escalation steps.
Form a national coalition to demand HHS OIG and CMS program integrity funding restoration in FY2027 appropriations
Organize patient advocacy groups, senior organizations, health insurers, and taxpayer watchdogs to oppose the 12.5% HHS budget cut and press for at least maintaining, if not increasing, OIG and CMS program integrity funding. A joint letter and Capitol Hill day in July can leverage the takedown's visibility to protect prevention, not just prosecution.
Launch campaign to extend and make permanent the TRO through final judgment
The state AG coalition immediately petitions to convert the TRO into a preliminary injunction that lasts through trial, and the California AG and coalition launch a public education campaign—focused on antitrust harms to consumers, workers, and independent content creators—to build sustained political pressure against the merger.
OwnerCalifornia AG Rob Bonta and the state AG coalition (CA, NY, IL, MA, PA, WA, CT, MN, OR, MD, NJ, DC)
Launch a national 'Proof of Citizenship' hotline and document-assistance fund
Immediate investment in Voteriders, the League of Women Voters, and NAACP Legal Defense Fund to establish a 50-state hotline and a pooled fund to help the 21.3 million citizens lacking qualifying documents obtain birth certificates and other acceptable IDs — directly countering the SAVE Act's burden before any Senate vote or new legislative push.
OwnerVoteRiders / League of Women Voters / NAACP LDF
Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds hearing on the costs and consequences of Operation Epic Fury
A hearing would bring in GAO cost estimates, the CBO, outside experts like Stephen Walt, and military strategists to examine the actual and projected costs of the Iran campaign, its strategic objectives, and the state of allied relations — countering administration claims with verifiable evidence and restoring space for debate.
File amicus brief in Nielsen v. Watanabe for federal prisoners' constitutional medical care remedy
Coordinate a coalition of former BOP officials, medical ethics organizations, and civil rights groups to file a joint amicus brief emphasizing that eliminating Bivens for medical neglect will result in serious harm to vulnerable federal prisoners and undermine basic constitutional protections.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) National Prison Project
Expand committee oversight of HHS with subpoena authority for suppressed vaccine-safety data
With Cassidy a lame duck, remaining HELP Committee members who are not retiring must initiate aggressive oversight of RFK Jr.'s HHS, including subpoenas for any suppressed vaccine-safety studies, to prevent further erosion of public health protections before a new chair can be installed.
File a petition for rulemaking to force OSHA to issue the final heat standard without unnecessary delay
A coalition of labor unions (e.g., AFL-CIO, United Farm Workers, SEIU) and worker advocacy organizations should file a formal petition for rulemaking with OSHA under 29 U.S.C. § 655(f) to compel issuance of the proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Standard. The petition would argue that the regulatory freeze violates the agency's statutory duty and that delay is causing preventable harm, creating pressure and a potential judicial pathway.
OwnerAFL-CIO, United Farm Workers, and Public Citizen's Litigation Group
State-level resolution and investor divestment campaign targeting Kushner real estate projects in protected areas
Launch a coordinated shareholder and pension-fund divestment campaign by a coalition of state treasurers and asset managers aimed at any entity financing Kushner's Albanian resort or similar developments on formerly protected foreign land, while filing shareholder resolutions at firms involved in the deal.
OwnerNew York State Common Retirement Fund (Thomas DiNapoli) and California Public Employees' Retirement System (Marcie Frost)
Establish a multistate memorandum of understanding among Democratic state attorneys general to cross-designate consumer enforcement powers, share investigative resources, and file joint amicus briefs in federal CFPB cases, so state-level action fills the gap if the CFPB is further hollowed.
OwnerNew York Attorney General (lead state, with coalition of 15+ Dem AGs)
Introduce the No Corporate Immunities for ICE Detention Act
Prohibit the use of the private prison contractor defense (per the 2013 GEO Group settlement) in civil rights cases and strip legal immunity for profit-driven facilities that violate basic medical care and wage standards for detainees.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration (e.g., Sen. Alex Padilla as formal introducer)
File APA lawsuit challenging HHS's unlawful Medicaid payment deferral
California, Minnesota, and allied states sue HHS in D.C. federal court, arguing the 'deferral' of $1B+ in Medicaid funds without the hearing required by 42 U.S.C. § 1396c violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Social Security Act, seeking immediate injunction and restoration of payments.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
Launch a Global Health Transparency Initiative to Audit and Publicly Report All DOD Global Health Activities
Foundations and global health NGOs should fund a permanent watchdog project that tracks all Department of Defense-funded health and biosurveillance activities abroad, mirroring the type of transparency the Laikipia facility lacked, to build public pressure and provide evidence for legislative reform.
Launch a coordinated bipartisan House–Senate letter to the Secretary of Defense demanding a public compliance timeline for the Hague 5% targets and a certification that no U.S. security guarantees are being conditioned on ally spending rates
Immediate pressure to prevent the Trump administration from unilaterally weaponizing the 5% target against allies. Establishes a record early to constrain executive action while building the coalition for later statutory codification.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee – Ranking Member (Rep. Gregory Meeks) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee – Ranking Member (Sen. Jeanne Shaheen)
File a nationwide class-action challenge to automated disenrollment without adequate notice
Coalition of state AGs and health advocacy groups (e.g., National Health Law Program, California AG) sue HHS under the Administrative Procedure Act and due process clause, arguing that mass terminations based solely on algorithmic data matching violate 42 CFR § 435.945 and the Fifth Amendment. Seeks an immediate injunction and reinstatement for removed enrollees.
File CIGIE structural lawsuit to establish standing for IG independence
The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency should seek declaratory relief in federal court establishing that the 30-day notice requirement creates a legally enforceable right in the IGs themselves, not just in Congress. This would create judicial precedent to check future purges.
OwnerCouncil of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE)
A 501(c)(4) and allied NGO campaign to pressure congressional districts of key appropriators to shift funding from unauthorized military operations in the Caribbean to civilian disaster relief, using the National Priorities Project data to build public support and voter pressure ahead of the 2026 midterms.
OwnerWin Without War coalition (coordinated with MoveOn, Indivisible, and the Institute for Policy Studies)
Launch a targeted campaign to document and publicize visa denials under the expanded travel ban affecting sports, cultural, and academic exchanges
A coalition of civil rights and immigrant advocacy organizations, including the ACLU and the National Immigration Law Center, should systematically collect and publish case studies like Omar Artan's denial. This builds public pressure for congressional oversight by showing concrete economic and reputational harms from the ban, setting the stage for legislative rollback when a trifecta is achieved.
OwnerACLU Immigrants' Rights Project and National Immigration Law Center
File amicus brief in Ninth Circuit CFAA AI case via Center for Democracy & Technology coalition
Submit a joint amicus brief representing consumer, innovation, and digital rights groups to argue that applying the 1986 CFAA to autonomous AI agents would chill innovation and entrench dominant platforms. This keeps the immediate litigation from setting a harmful precedent while legislative fixes are built.
Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into DOJ politicization of FBI raids on voting rights groups
The DOJ's 100-agent raid on the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, following similar actions in Georgia and California, and the dismissal of its voter-file lawsuits in five states, demands congressional scrutiny. The Senate Judiciary Committee should open an inquiry focused on whether the FBI and DOJ are being used to chill nonpartisan voter registration work, subpoenaing internal communications and raid-related documents.
Launch a sustained State Department–USAID institutional capacity assessment and scenario-planning process for Colombia engagement
Given weakened U.S. diplomatic and environmental enforcement capacity documented in the bundle, the U.S. Embassy Bogotá and USAID/Colombia should convene a closed-door working group with legacy career officers, former ambassadors, and Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee staff to map minimal capabilities needed to protect peace accord implementation and Amazon security regardless of Colombia's 2026 election outcome. This ensures readiness without waiting for a new administration.
OwnerBureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs / USAID Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean
File a federal Establishment Clause challenge in the Western District of Texas
Civil rights and religious liberty organizations, including the Texas Freedom Network, the ACLU of Texas, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, should immediately file suit arguing that mandatory Bible stories in K-5 reading curriculum violate the First Amendment's Establishment Clause under the Lemon test and the coercion test, building on precedent from Stone v. Graham and Lee v. Weisman. The suit should seek a preliminary injunction before the curriculum takes effect in the 2027-2028 school year.
OwnerTexas Freedom Network, ACLU of Texas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Petition FERC for data center ratepayer cost-allocation rulemaking
After the Democracy Forward suit clarifies standing, file a petition with FERC to open a rulemaking that requires utilities to allocate costs of data center-driven grid upgrades proportionally, preventing residential rate spikes of 10–30%. Uses the existing power of a regulatory body now.
OwnerNational Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) in coalition with Public Citizen
Launch a coordinated litigation campaign against the Secure America Act for violating the Refugee Act of 1980 by failing to provide asylum screenings before deportation
The new law's total absence of due-process conditions for asylum seekers—leading to deportations of parents of U.S. citizen children without legal review—likely violates the Refugee Act's requirement of access to asylum procedures. A coalition of state attorneys general and legal aid groups should file a pre-enforcement challenge or represent affected individuals in habeas corpus actions, arguing the statute is preempted by federal refugee protection law.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) with state AG coalition led by Attorney General Rob Bonta (CA)
File Section 2 Voting Rights Act Litigation Against New State-Level Dilution Maps
The Roberts Court's trajectory, as documented in the Harvard Law Review Foreword, threatens to narrow Section 2 to near-uselessness. Filing a high-impact challenge now—in a state where a newly enacted congressional or legislative map demonstrably dilutes minority voting strength—forces the Court to show its hand while there is still a Democratic-controlled DOJ to litigate vigorously, locking in a record for potential legislative repair.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) in coordination with the DOJ Civil Rights Division
Launch a multi-state coalition to pre‑but presidential election disinformation with real‑time data dashboards
To counter Trump's baseless attacks on California's mail‑in voting, the California Secretary of State should partner with the National Association of Secretaries of State to build a publicly accessible, real‑time dashboard that aggregates fraud data from all states that use universal mail‑in voting. The dashboard would surface actual complaint rates, prosecutions, and audit results, making it harder for false ‘rigged’ claims to go unchallenged in the 2026 midterms.
OwnerCalifornia Secretary of State, in partnership with the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
Fund a state-level legislative defense fund to push back against transgender sports bans
Create and endow a legal defense fund, managed by the ACLU and Lambda Legal, to support state-level lawsuits under state constitutional equal protection clauses and to fund lobbying campaigns in states without bans to preempt copycat legislation.
State Attorneys General Coalition Lawsuit Against Categorical Work Requirement Expansion for TANF Non-Cash Benefits
Project 2025's proposal to classify minimal non-cash benefits (e.g., bus passes, job training pamphlets) as 'assistance' subject to TANF work requirements violates the intent of the original welfare reform law and would impose unconstitutional administrative burdens on states. A coalition led by Democratic AGs would file suit to block any HHS rulemaking or guidance that implements this change, protecting millions of families from losing access to critical supports that prevent homelessness.
OwnerCoalition of Democratic State Attorneys General (led by California AG Rob Bonta, New York AG Letitia James, and Illinois AG Kwame Raoul)
Launch a multi-state AG investigation into Trump family crypto ventures for conflict of interest and consumer fraud
Coordinate state attorneys general to investigate whether the Trump family's crypto holdings violate state ethics laws and consumer protection statutes, leveraging the FTC's $15.9 billion fraud loss report to justify probes into the administration's crypto deregulation.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James (co-lead with California AG Rob Bonta)
Form the Rural Broadband Defense Coalition and launch a state-level fiber-first legislative campaign
Partner with rural electric co-ops, municipal broadband advocates, and national groups to pass state laws requiring any recipient of state broadband funds to build fiber-to-the-premises where technically feasible, blocking Project 2025's 5G-priority scheme at the state level before it can be imposed from Washington.
OwnerInstitute for Local Self-Reliance and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
State-level litigation coalition against USPS mail-ballot restrictions
Form a coalition of state attorneys general to challenge the March 31, 2026 executive order as exceeding the Postal Service's statutory authority under 39 U.S.C. and violating the Elections Clause, using the Brennan Center's legal analysis as a roadmap.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General (Rob Bonta) and Massachusetts Attorney General (Andrea Joy Campbell)
Demand that Utah state legislators revoke or renegotiate Box Elder County's tax-incentive agreements with hyperscaler data centers
Box Elder County's current tax deals with Amazon and the Stratos project lock in decades of forgone revenue while offloading grid and water costs onto ratepayers. This pressure item pushes state-level oversight (via the Utah State Legislature's Revenue and Taxation Committee) to require cost-benefit reviews before any new energy-intensive data center subsidies are approved.
OwnerUtah State Legislature Revenue and Taxation Committee
Launch public education campaign on FARA enforcement and foreign lobbying
Coalition of watchdog groups (CREW, EFF, Protect Democracy) mounts a state-level and national campaign to educate attorneys general and DOJ about the gaps in FARA enforcement that allow foreign governments (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Azerbaijan) to shape U.S. foreign policy with impunity. Parallel state-level FOIA pushes on contracts and communications with foreign agents.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) in coalition with Protect Democracy and the Electronic Frontier Foundation
Build a litigation playbook applying the major-questions doctrine to immigration fee schemes
The court’s ruling explicitly relied on the lack of congressional authorization for the $100,000 fee. By extending that logic through the major-questions doctrine, state AGs and advocacy groups can systematically challenge other executive-made immigration fees that lack clear statutory basis — creating a deterrent effect that protects lawful immigration channels even before legislation passes.
OwnerNational Immigration Law Center (NILC) and State of Massachusetts Attorney General's Office
California legislature to amend state election code to add automatic voter registration and same-day registration as backstops
As a hedge against a Court ruling that shortens the ballot-receipt window, California should strengthen other access measures — same-day registration and expanded conditional voter registration — so that voters who would have relied on a late-arriving mail ballot can instead vote in person or cure their ballot promptly.
OwnerCalifornia Assembly Elections Committee and California Secretary of State
Establish a joint Sanders-AOC working group to align federal AI regulation strategy
To prevent progressive fragmentation, create a formal coordination mechanism between Sen. Sanders's oversight hearings and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's legislative levers, ensuring narrative debunking feeds directly into structural enforcement and bill design.
OwnerSenator Bernie Sanders (as Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Press freedom amicus brief in ongoing Stars and Stripes litigation
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, joined by veteran journalist organizations, files an amicus brief in any lawsuit challenging Pentagon editorial control over Stars and Stripes, arguing that military press independence is essential to servicemember morale and First Amendment protections.
Launch a state-level coalition to protect and expand Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) grouping
This coalition, led by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), will push state legislatures to codify CEP grouping policies into state law, preempting a future USDA rule that would restrict district-wide or cluster-based eligibility thresholds. The action is immediate because state bills can be introduced in 2027 sessions and builds a firewall against Project 2025's planned CEP attack.
Launch a joint advocacy campaign by the American Immigration Council and National Immigration Law Center to debunk the 'Diversity Lottery = Danger' narrative
Create a rapid-response toolkit and paid media campaign to push back against crime-story framing of the diversity visa program. Emphasize the high-school-or-skilled-work eligibility requirement, the 50,000–55,000 cap, and the unrelated nature of traffic fatalities. Target the five key House swing districts with highest foreign-born constituent populations to build a constituency against permanent repeal.
OwnerAmerican Immigration Council and National Immigration Law Center (joint campaign)
Amicus brief filing by state attorneys general in support of consent decree enforcement
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general can file an amicus brief in any pending case challenging a consent decree's continuation or revival, arguing that the federal government has a statutory duty under 34 U.S.C. § 12601 to maintain pattern-or-practice remedies, and that the dismissal without a replacement violates that duty. This builds legal pressure immediately.
OwnerState Attorneys General coalition (led by California or New York AG)
File Amicus Brief in Paramount-WBD Merger Case to Spotlight Monopsony Harm to Creative Workers
A coalition of labor unions (e.g., SAG-AFTRA, WGA, IATSE) and economic justice organizations should file an amicus brief in the pending merger case, citing the DOJ-FTC 2023 Merger Guidelines and the Penguin Random House precedent to argue that the merger creates a monopsony employer that will suppress wages and working conditions for writers, actors, and crew.
OwnerSAG-AFTRA, WGA, and IATSE in coordination with the Economic Security Project
Launch targeted direct-mail and digital campaign in battleground districts exposing the human cost of losing birthright citizenship
Immigrant advocacy coalitions such as the National Immigration Law Center and the Center for American Progress run narrative-driven campaigns in swing House districts, featuring families affected by the policy, to build public pressure and frame the stakes for the 2026 midterms.
File amicus brief in pending state cases challenging DDA cuts under state disability-rights laws
Disability Rights Maryland and affiliated legal nonprofits intervene in any lawsuit against the Maryland DDA cuts, arguing the action violates the state’s Olmstead implementation obligations and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Success would set a precedent for other states contemplating similar cuts.
FERC rulemaking on data center cost allocation and efficiency
Pursue a FERC rulemaking under existing authority to require that utilities allocate the costs of new transmission and generation for data centers directly to those hyperscaler customers, not residential ratepayers, and to impose minimum efficiency standards for grid-connected data centers.
OwnerFERC Chairman (through petition by state utility commissions and advocacy groups)
Organize a legal challenge to the DOJ letters as ultra vires and retaliatory in violation of the First Amendment and the Tenth Amendment
A coalition of state election officials and civil rights groups should file a declaratory judgment action arguing that the DOJ's threats exceed the department's statutory authority, chill protected speech, and intrude on states' core election administration functions under the Tenth Amendment. This immediate action can halt the intimidation campaign before the 2026 midterm elections.
OwnerState Election Officials affected (AZ, GA, MI) represented by Elias Law Group or Campaign Legal Center
Issue USFS Law Enforcement & Emergency-Response Directive for Remote Field Staff
Direct the Chief of the Forest Service to mandate satellite-based personal locator beacons and a check-in protocol for all employees working solo or in small teams in backcountry areas, funded by reprogramming unobligated USFS funds.
Publish a state-level fiscal note exposing the structural revenue gap in HJR 1F
The Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy (FCFEP) should produce and widely disseminate an independent fiscal impact analysis of the property tax cut package, using Census Bureau Vintage 2024 data and current migration trends to show that the permanent cuts will create a $X billion annual structural gap within three years, forcing cuts to housing and infrastructure or regressive tax increases.
OwnerFlorida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy
File War Powers Resolution lawsuit challenging unauthorized hostilities against Iran
Bipartisan group of members of Congress files suit under the War Powers Resolution and the Declare War Clause to compel a district court to declare the hostilities against Iran unauthorized and order cessation of offensive operations. Draws on the precedent of Campbell v. Clinton (1999) and modern drone-strike litigation.
OwnerConstitutional Accountability Center (Elizabeth Wydra) in coordination with House Judiciary Dems
Foundations and individual donors should fund a tribal-led coalition to oppose mass roundups and advocate for humane alternatives
Tribal communities with cultural ties to wild horse herds lack dedicated advocacy infrastructure for this BLM program. A 501(c)(3) umbrella group can file comments on environmental assessments, commission research on fertility-control efficacy, and engage Congress before the next appropriations cycle.
OwnerNative American Rights Fund (NARF) and First Nations Development Institute
Launch a 501(c)(3) PSLF borrower advocacy and monitoring project to track re-applications and new rulemaking
A dedicated project, run by the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC) or similar nonprofit, will monitor the Department of Education's processing of PSLF applications submitted during the vacated rule's effective period, identify any unlawful denials or delays, and provide direct legal assistance to affected borrowers. It will also track any new rulemaking proposals to weaponize PSLF and coordinate public comments and litigation readiness.
OwnerStudent Borrower Protection Center (Mike Pierce, Executive Director)
Organize university coalition to push back against blanket student visa restrictions through amicus briefs and data briefs
The Association of American Universities (AAU) and the American Council on Education (ACE) should jointly draft and file amicus briefs in any litigation over visa restrictions on Chinese STEM students, and publish data briefs quantifying the contribution of Chinese graduate students to U.S. research output—creating legal and political pressure to prevent the blanket crackdown Project 2025 proposes.
FTC antitrust investigation into vertical integration of telehealth platforms with pharmacy benefit managers and mail-order pharmacies
Open a formal investigation into whether 'drive-thru' healthcare platforms (Hims & Hers, Ro, etc.) have used their control of prescribing, pharmacy, and insurance relationships to steer patients toward high-margin recurring medications while suppressing referrals to primary care and specialist follow-up — a potential violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act and a driver of the fragmentation harming patient safety.
OwnerFTC Bureau of Competition (Chair Lina Khan or successor)
Launch FERC advocacy campaign to align RTO market reforms with reliability and decarbonization by 2026
Coordinate an alliance of clean energy trade groups (ACORE, SEIA, AWEA), environmental NGOs (NRDC, Sierra Club), and state AGs to file comments and intervene in FERC proceedings to ensure market rule changes—like minimum offer floors, reserve margin definitions, and capacity market constructs—do not discriminate against renewables while maintaining reliability.
OwnerACORE (American Council on Renewable Energy), NRDC, and the New York Attorney General's Office
New York State Legislature must appropriate emergency bridge funding for the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
Given the HHS-OIG funding suspension effective July 1, 2026, the Legislature should immediately pass a supplemental appropriation to keep the MFCU operational at full capacity, ensuring fraud enforcement doesn't collapse while the state works to regain federal certification.
OwnerNew York State Assembly Health Committee and Senate Finance Committee
File War Powers Resolution lawsuit against the President for unauthorized airstrikes in Iran
A coalition of members of Congress, led by the House Foreign Affairs Committee or a group such as Rep. Ro Khanna and Sen. Tim Kaine, files a federal lawsuit seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, arguing the June 26 airstrikes violated the War Powers Resolution and the Constitution because no authorization was sought and no emergency triggered an exception within the 60-day timeline.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee (Ranking Member) or a coalition of 25+ members led by Rep. Ro Khanna
Launch a multi-state coalition to adopt a uniform 'ACIP-plus' schedule that mandates all vaccines dropped from the federal core schedule
Governors and state health commissioners in Democratic-leaning states can coordinate to pass legislation requiring the full pre-14407 childhood vaccine schedule for school attendance, countering the federal retreat and preserving herd immunity at the state level.
OwnerAssociation of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and National Governors Association (Democratic governors)
Demand Senate Emergency Oversight Hearing on EAC Vacancies and HAVA Grant Disruption
Senate Rules Committee Chair must convene a hearing immediately to question OMB and DHS about HAVA grant contingency plans and to pressure the White House to nominate replacement commissioners, while documenting the harm to states for a potential omnibus rider or future restoration bill.
OwnerSenate Rules and Administration Committee (Chair Amy Klobuchar)
Enjoin the HHS Secretary from withholding Medicaid funds without following existing administrative procedures
File a federal lawsuit on behalf of California Medi-Cal beneficiaries — led by disability rights organizations and the state of California — seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the July 21 fund freeze, arguing it violates the Social Security Act's procedural requirements for payment suspension and the Tenth Amendment.
OwnerDisability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)
Launch a 501(c)(4) pressure campaign targeting swing-district House members to force hearings on Hegseth’s promotion blockade
Build a targeted public and media campaign to pressure House Armed Services Committee members—especially those in competitive districts—to hold oversight hearings on the blockade, leveraging national security concerns and documented evidence of discrimination.
OwnerCommon Defense (veterans advocacy organization) and VoteVets
Launch a multi-state public education campaign on the harms of sports exclusions for transgender youth
Coordinate research, data collection, and survivor-led storytelling through organizations like the ACLU, Lambda Legal, and Athlete Ally to document the educational and developmental impact of exclusion on the fewer than 10 affected college athletes and hundreds of K-12 transgender athletes impacted by similar state laws. This builds public will and provides evidence for future litigation and legislation.
OwnerACLU and Athlete Ally with support from the National Center for Transgender Equality
Attorney General coalition public accountability campaign on DOJ politicization
State attorneys general from a coordinated multi-state coalition issue a joint report and public statement detailing the specific abuses of the DOJ under the current administration—including the compensation fund and dropped IRS lawsuit—calling for congressional oversight, to build public pressure and lay the evidentiary foundation for future legislation.
OwnerCoalition of Democratic Attorneys General (e.g., New York, California, Illinois, Massachusetts)
Launch a national state‑based campaign to embed county and state public health emergency powers in state statute
RFK Jr.'s confirmation and subsequent policy shifts confirm that federal public health leadership can be captured. State laws that vest emergency authority in non‑political public health officers (e.g., local health officers with fixed, staggered terms) create a firewall that preserves immunization mandates and disease surveillance regardless of HHS inaction. No existing item addresses state statutory fortification on this scale.
OwnerAssociation of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) in partnership with the National Academy for State Health Policy
California Senate Bill (or parallel attorney general action) to codify a state-level moratorium on DPA-sourced pipeline restarts where safety violations triggered shutdowns under state law
A statutory barrier against future federal invocation of the Defense Production Act to override state pipeline safety determinations ensures that no presidential emergency can bypass California's existing environmental and safety regime. This item builds the forward-looking security the current litigation cannot guarantee.
OwnerCalifornia State Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee (joint with Housing, Transportation, and Energy; bill author Sen. Ben Allen or Sen. Dave Min)
Launch a state-level legislative campaign to divert detention funds to community-based alternatives
Work with state legislators in states that host large ICE detention centers (e.g., Texas, California, New York, Florida) to introduce bills prohibiting state and local contracts with for-profit detention facilities and redirecting those savings to case management, supervised release, and legal representation programs. This directly counters the policy choice of detention expansion by starving it of state-level revenue and building proof-of-concept for community alternatives.
OwnerImmigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) and National Immigration Law Center (NILC) state legislative coalitions
Launch multi-state AG coalition to enforce existing consumer protection laws against sportsbook payment practices
Until federal statutory authority can be restored, state attorneys general can coordinate enforcement of state UDAP laws, anti-money-laundering statutes, and gambling-specific consumer protections against the digital payment systems of legal sportsbooks. A coalition modeled on the National Association of Attorneys General task forces can investigate account freezes, deceptive terms, and failure to honor withdrawal requests.
OwnerAttorneys General of New York, California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania (coalition lead to be named by NAAG)
Campaign for state-level public AI asset laws in California and New York
Modeled on the federal bill, state legislation could impose a similar equity carve-out or data-center cost-recovery fee on AI companies operating in key states. California and New York have the market leverage to make this a reality before a federal trifecta is possible.
OwnerCalifornia State Senator Scott Wiener (D-CA) and New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez (D-NY)
Issue model state legislation for school districts to adopt inclusive transgender athlete policies as a contingency for post-Title IX regulatory periods
Prepare and circulate a template state bill or model school board policy that protects transgender athlete participation using state-level education and civil rights statutes, providing a fallback if the Supreme Court upholds bans and federal statutory fix is years away.
OwnerNational Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
File an amicus brief in an active SCOTUS ethics case citing Kagan's acknowledgment of congressional role
Coordinate a coalition of good-government groups (e.g., CREW, Free Law Project) to file an amicus brief in any pending case involving judicial ethics or recusal, arguing that Kagan's hearing testimony affirms Congress's constitutional authority to impose binding ethics standards.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
File enforcement action to compel HUD and Treasury to implement the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
A coalition of state attorneys general or legal aid organizations (e.g., National Housing Law Project, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law) should sue HUD and Treasury for failure to implement the law, arguing that the administration's delay constitutes unlawful withholding of mandatory benefits in violation of the APA and the Take Care Clause. This would force a court deadline and immediately pressure the administration to issue guidance and allocate tax credits.
OwnerNational Housing Law Project + coalition of state attorneys general (e.g., California, New York, Illinois)
Launch a coordinated legal defense fund for worksite raid targets
The National Immigration Law Center and the AFL-CIO will establish a pooled fund to provide emergency legal representation, know-your-rights trainings, and bond money for workers detained in worksite raids, mitigating the immediate harm of escalated enforcement.
Launch a Track 2 diplomatic channel on Hezbollah's gradual integration into the LAF
Establish a nongovernmental or semi-official dialogue between Lebanese political factions, the LAF, and Hezbollah representatives to design a 5-to-10-year burden-sharing roadmap that includes phased disarmament, integration of fighters, and political transition. This addresses the structural flaw exposed by Hezbollah's rejection of the current framework.
OwnerU.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) in coordination with the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
Build a state-level prosecutorial network to refuse cooperation with DOJ political prosecutions
St. Paul City Attorney's Office showed the template. A coalition of progressive city attorneys and state AGs should formalize a 'non-cooperation compact' pledging to decline state charges in cases where the federal government targets nonviolent protest under civil rights statutes originally meant for hate crimes. This compresses federal reach by removing the state charging pipeline the DOJ expects.
OwnerProsecutor Impact Network (formerly Fair and Just Prosecution, via Miriam Krinsky)
Launch state attorneys general coalition campaign to model state-level ban on executive-controlled settlement funds
Coordinate a set of model state statutes that prohibit state executive agencies from accepting or distributing settlement funds outside legislative appropriations, and prepare amicus briefs for federal cases challenging similar slush funds.
OwnerNew York State Attorney General's Office and State Innovation Exchange (SiX)
Enact California SB X1-2 to allocate dedicated state funds for plugging orphan wells in urban environmental justice zones
Special session bill SB X1-2 would raise O&G production fees and direct revenue specifically to counties with urban EJ communities, accelerating plugging to protect groundwater and eliminate long-term methane emissions.
OwnerCalifornia State Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee (Chair Sen. Ben Allen)
Launch a coordinated constitutional challenge to Schmitt birthright citizenship bill
File preemptive legal action against S. ___ (the Schmitt bill) once introduced and before any committee markup, arguing that expanding the 'subject to the jurisdiction' exception beyond narrow diplomatic immunity violates the 14th Amendment and settled Wong Kim Ark precedent. This will establish an immediate test case that courts can strike down, deterring broader copycat legislation.
OwnerACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, with NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Establish a Caribbean Migrant Processing Task Force at the Dorado Maritime Station
Create a dedicated interagency unit to screen interdicted migrants for asylum eligibility at the point of interdiction and provide immediate case management, reducing the incentive for smugglers by offering a safe, legal alternative to being returned into danger.
OwnerCBP Office of Field Operations, with DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties oversight
State attorneys general file amicus brief in NYT v. DOJ supporting the motion to quash
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general can file an amicus brief in the New York Times's federal court case against the DOJ subpoenas, arguing that the subpoenas threaten states' interests in press freedom and whistleblower protections. This builds legal pressure now while the courts weigh the issue.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James (coordinate with California, Illinois, and other AGs)
California AG initiates Clayton Act investigation and possible lawsuit to block Paramount–Warner Bros. merger
With DOJ abdicating enforcement, California Attorney General Rob Bonta can leverage Section 7 of the Clayton Act and California Cartwright Act to investigate the merger's anticompetitive effects and seek structural remedies (e.g., divestiture of CBS, CNN, or Warner Bros. film studio). A lawsuit would pause integration, preserve competitive media markets, and set precedent for state-level antitrust enforcement.
File amicus brief in ABA v. DOJ identifying chilling effect on access to counsel
A coalition of state attorneys general, bar associations, and civil liberties organizations files a coordinated amicus brief in the ABA lawsuit detailing how the subpoena campaign chills representation of disfavored clients and violates the right to counsel, placing concrete evidence of harm on the record.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James, in coordination with the American Bar Association and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Launch a multi-state coalition to intervene in any new CFPB authorizing bill or appropriations rider
With the Supreme Court having rejected the constitutional argument, the remaining threat is legislative. State attorneys general, led by New York and California, should prepare joint opposition to any bill or rider that repeals Section 1071 or defunds the CFPB enforcement apparatus. A coordinated public comment, legal analysis, and state-level consumer protection coalition will make Congress pay a price for moving these provisions.
OwnerAttorneys general of New York, California, Massachusetts, and Illinois (coalition of 20+ states)
Launch a multi-state AG coalition to file model briefs defending the FLSA overtime framework
To counter Paxton’s forum-shopping strategy, a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general (led by California AG Rob Bonta and New York AG Letitia James) will file amicus briefs in any future FLSA overtime case and coordinate multi-state defensive lawsuits in favorable circuits, ensuring the government's rule is not the only voice defending worker protections. The coalition also serves as a rapid-response legal network for the next overtime rulemaking.
Launch a coordinated demand for DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility investigation into Blanche's ethical obligations
Requiring OPR to assess whether Acting AG Blanche violated 28 C.F.R. § 45.2 (disqualification based on personal or political relationship) by not recusing from matters involving Trump co-defendants Nauta and De Oliveira, and by failing to provide a written waiver or disqualification determination. This pressure campaign by Senate Judiciary Democrats and watchdog groups builds a public record for future ethics reform.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Democratic staff; Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Establish a HUD-monitored special administrator for USVI housing funds
HUD should appoint an independent special administrator to oversee VIHFA during the suspension, ensuring that already-approved housing contracts and rental assistance payments continue uninterrupted while fraud investigations proceed. This prevents punishment of low-income families and contractors for the authority's alleged misconduct.
Launch a 'Birthright Citizenship Is the Law' Public Education and Rapid-Response Campaign
Coordinate with ACLU, LULAC, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice to frame Dan Patrick’s attack as an assault on the 14th Amendment and Wong Kim Ark, targeting Texas and national media with fact sheets, op-eds, and social media content that tie the citizenship clause to family stability and civil rights—mobilizing grassroots pressure against any legislative or executive effort to undermine birthright citizenship.
Investigate the diversion of America250 funds to Freedom 250; audit DOJ/USA for potential grant fraud
Immediate oversight and legal pressure: a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general or a watchdog (e.g., CREW) files FOIA requests and a potential False Claims Act referral to the Department of Justice Inspector General, alleging that the White House’s use of congressionally appropriated funds for a partisan operation constitutes misappropriation and unlawful augmentation of appropriations. This begins a paper trail and could trigger a formal IG inquiry into the $10 million diversion.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Launch a state-level campaign to restore New York MFCU capacity via federal match-opt-in
New York Attorney General files a waiver request with CMS for enhanced matching funds under existing authority, and the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units coordinates model state legislation to lock in oversight funding before federal cuts deepen.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James (or candidate Saritha Komatireddy as advocate)
Hold Oversight Hearing on Estimated Economic Impact of Expanding Russia Sanctions to Iran
The Senate Banking Committee should hold a hearing requiring the Treasury Department to publish a cost-benefit analysis of adding Iran to the Russia sanctions bill, including projected effects on global oil prices, U.S. household energy costs, and ally compliance burdens — information currently missing from the bill's record.
OwnerSenate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee
Launch a Citizens' War Powers Complaint to the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings
File a formal complaint documenting threats of undeclared hostilities against Iran's civilian infrastructure, arguing that outsourcing the ground campaign to contractors or proxies does not immunize the U.S. from international humanitarian law liability. Press for a public findings report that raises diplomatic costs and informs allied governments' withholding of basing permissions.
Establish a state-led multistate litigation and amicus strategy to enforce statutory data integrity under the ACA and Public Health Service Act
State attorneys general can challenge HHS data suppression as a violation of federal health data mandates (e.g., ACA Section 4302 requiring demographic data collection, PHSA provisions for surveillance). A coordinated multistate suit or amicus brief in pending litigation would force HHS to restore variables or face court-ordered compliance, using existing legal tools without waiting for a new Congress.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General and New York Attorney General coalition (joined by other Democratic AGs)
Launch a multi-state amicus brief defending CDC and FDA staffing levels in pending litigation
State AGs from high-incidence tick-borne disease states (e.g., New York, Minnesota, Connecticut) file an amicus brief in any existing challenge to HHS workforce reductions or wastewater surveillance cuts, arguing these cuts directly undermine the federal obligation to protect public health under the National Action Plan.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James (lead) with coalition of Northeast and Upper Midwest AGs
Hawaii Supreme Court adopts binding precedent for state constitutional primacy on Second Amendment issues
Codify the reasoning in Justice Eddins' concurrence as authoritative state law, creating a clear state constitutional floor that Hawaii courts can enforce independently of federal Second Amendment interpretations, forcing a federal test case that clarifies the limits of state judicial authority.
Organize an accountability campaign targeting senators in states that receive the most EAC-administered federal election security funds, demanding they force a recorded objection on the Senate floor
Because the EAC is now commissioner-less and can no longer distribute HAVA payments or election security grants (over $800 million in the last cycle), a coalition must pressure swing-district senators—especially those in states heavily reliant on these funds—to raise a formal point of order or demand a recorded vote blocking any nominee who lacks bipartisan qualifications. This builds the political cost of partisan capture and creates a floor record for 2027 oversight hearings.
FERC to open a rulemaking requiring interconnection applicants to disclose lifecycle GHG emissions and projected annual CO₂ output for proposed fossil-fuel generation
The article reveals that gas turbines for AI data centers will lock in 20–30 years of emissions. A FERC rulemaking would force transparency on the climate cost of data-center generation, creating a factual record that state PUCs and local siting boards can use to reject or condition permits, and that investors and hyperscaler customers can use to shift procurement toward renewables.
OwnerFERC (Chair Willie Phillips, via Democratic majority or commissioner-led petition)
Author state-level push for Inspector General independence law
Draft model state legislation protecting state inspectors general and agency heads from at-will removal by governors, building a parallel firewall for state-level oversight during a period when federal protections are vulnerable.
OwnerNational Association of Attorneys General (Democratic affiliates)
Launch a federal civil rights class-action lawsuit against ICE for policy of impunity
The ACLU, National Immigration Law Center, and Southern Poverty Law Center file a systemic challenge on behalf of families of victims, alleging a pattern of deliberate indifference to lives by ICE leadership. Seeks injunctive relief: a court-ordered halt to enforcement quotas and appointment of a special master to oversee reforms.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Immigrants' Rights Project
File a labor-competitive impact petition at DOJ Antitrust on the Paramount-WBD merger
The Writer's Guild of America West, SAG-AFTRA, and IATSE should jointly file a formal petition with the DOJ Antitrust Division, citing the Penguin Random House–Simon & Schuster precedent, to demand the agency investigate the merger's monopsony effects on creative workers and block it or require structural divestitures.
File lawsuit challenging Antiquities Act proclamations under separation of powers and APA
Coalition of tribes and conservation groups files suit in D.C. district court arguing that Trump's proclamations exceed the scope of the Antiquities Act, which authorizes establishment but not elimination or substantial reduction of monuments, and that the reductions are arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act.
OwnerNative American Rights Fund, Earthjustice, Utah Diné Bikéyah
Launch a state-level voting rights act campaign in ten priority states
In the absence of federal action, state voting rights acts can restore preclearance-style protections at the state level. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Brennan Center for Justice, and the ACLU will select ten states with the most aggressive voter suppression laws and coordinate model bills, litigation support, and grassroots pressure campaigns.
Strengthen EEOC guidelines to clarify that voluntary Pride events and non-disciplinary workplace messaging do not constitute religious discrimination
The EEOC should issue formal guidance making clear that employers do not violate religious liberty by holding voluntary inclusion events like Pride Night, and that the DOJ referral was meritless. This would neutralize the chilling effect on private employers and protect inclusive workplace policies from baseless federal complaints.
Launch a War Powers Resolution lawsuit against the administration
A group of members of Congress, led by Representative Barbara Lee or Representative Ro Khanna, should file suit in federal court seeking declaratory and injunctive relief that the June-July airstrikes on Iran violate the War Powers Resolution and the Constitution, forcing judicial review and creating a legal record to deter future unauthorized strikes.
File an amicus brief in any resulting litigation arguing that Title IX protects gender identity and that the funding threat exceeds OCR authority
If the Kansas districts challenge the OCR ultimatum in court, civil rights organizations should file an amicus brief to establish that Title IX's sex discrimination prohibition includes gender identity, and that the Department of Education cannot withhold Title I or IDEA funds as a penalty for a Title IX dispute without clear statutory authority, thereby protecting both transgender students and district funding.
UK Home Office: Designate loyalist paramilitary groups as terrorist organizations under the Terrorism Act 2000
The Belfast riots reveal loyalist paramilitaries orchestrating anti-migrant violence that meets the legal threshold for terrorism (serious violence for a political/ideological aim). Designation unlocks enhanced surveillance, prosecution, and asset-freezing powers, treating the threat as organized terrorism rather than public disorder.
Hold hearings on the unauthorized Red Sea war and its threat to global energy security
The House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee should immediately schedule public hearings on the administration's unauthorized military campaign in the Red Sea, its failure to protect allied energy flows, and the escalating risk of a broader regional war. This hearing would expose the absence of congressional authorization, spotlight the economic consequences of disrupted oil exports, and build pressure for a ceasefire.
Launch national voter registration and documentation assistance drive targeting citizens at risk under SAVE Act
Coordinate with League of Women Voters, NAACP, and state election officials to provide pro bono legal help obtaining birth certificates, passports, and naturalization papers for the 21 million citizens lacking such documents, and register them now before any SAVE Act deadline.
OwnerLeague of Women Voters, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and state election officials (e.g., California Secretary of State) coalition
Introduce Intro 1234-2026: Horse-Drawn Carriage Phase-Out and Worker Transition Act
A City Council bill co-sponsored by Mayor Mamdani to phase out horse-drawn carriages within two years, fund a worker transition program to electric pedicab or human-powered carriage jobs, and allocate City funds to retire all existing carriage horses to accredited sanctuaries.
OwnerNew York City Council Transportation Committee (Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers)
Launch a national Medicare-for-All campaign coalition led by National Nurses United and Physicians for a National Health Program, targeting 2028 primary debates and general election messaging
The Kimble fraud case illustrates a structural flaw: private insurers bill for profit, creating incentives for fraud. A single-payer system eliminates that profit motive. This coalition will build grassroots pressure, commission polling, and host candidate forums to raise Medicare for All's salience before the 2028 presidential election cycle.
Launch a UK coalition campaign to defend public-service broadcasting during Charter Review
A coordinated campaign of UK media unions (e.g., NUJ, BECTU), civil-society groups (e.g., Hacked Off, 38 Degrees), and academic media-policy centres (e.g., LSE Media Policy Project) to frame the licence-fee drop as an inflation-frozen artefact, not a democratic verdict, and demand that the next Royal Charter enshrine inflation-indexed funding and a strengthened independence clause.
OwnerNational Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Hacked Off
Launch a joint letter from 50+ university presidents affirming nondiscriminatory need-based aid for all students regardless of nationality
To counter the chilling effect of the DOJ probe and protect academic exchange, a coalition of research universities should publicly commit to transparent, nondiscriminatory financial aid policies and reject the implication that Chinese-funded scholarships inherently violate Title VI. This immediate norm-reinforcement move shifts the narrative from individual compliance to collective defense of institutional autonomy.
OwnerAssociation of American Universities (AAU) and American Council on Education (ACE)
Launch state-level teacher salary and collective-bargaining ballot initiatives in five key states for 2028
While federal action must wait, immediate organizing can lay groundwork: target Michigan, Arizona, Ohio, Florida, and Wisconsin for 2028 ballot measures that raise minimum teacher salaries and enshrine collective bargaining rights, building momentum and demonstrating public demand before a trifecta.
Launch a coordinated state-level model anti-censorship bill campaign
The American Library Association, PEN America, and the ACLU jointly draft and lobby for a model state law that requires school boards to use clear, content-neutral criteria for book challenges, protects librarians and educators from retaliation, and allows parents to opt their own child out rather than remove books for all students. This directly implements the policy the entry says is the progressive alternative, and builds state-level wins that can pressure Congress.
OwnerAmerican Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom
Launch a model state legislation campaign to require independent investigation before felony charges for public-health warnings
The Combs case shows how a rarely used false-report statute can silence speech about a documented public-health failure. A model bill would require that before a prosecutor can charge a person with a felony for allegedly false statements about drinking water, air quality, or other environmental hazards, a state environmental agency must first conduct an independent credibility assessment and produce a report that the court reviews. This prevents local police from weaponizing vague penal code sections and ensures real health threats are investigated instead of the speaker.
OwnerInstitute for Free Speech (or the ACLU of Texas — a named advocacy org with model-legislation capacity)
State legislation to prohibit partisan-concentration hiring in state attorney general offices
State legislatures in battleground states (AZ, MI, NV, PA, WI) should enact laws that forbid hiring attorneys known to have participated in attempted election subversion into state prosecutorial roles, creating a firewall at the state level against similar politicization.
OwnerState legislatures (e.g., via groups like State Innovation Exchange or the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee)
Launch a national descendant-community coalition to document and oppose NPS historical rewrites
A 501(c)(3)-led coalition that identifies every NPS site at risk of Project 2025-aligned revision, builds a rapid-response network of historians and descendant groups, and files FOIAs to obtain internal NPS communications about exhibit changes, creating a public record for future litigation or legislation.
A comprehensive federal bill that enacts automatic voter registration, expands early voting and vote-by-mail, establishes national voter ID standards that accept a broad range of documents, and outlaws mass purges of voter rolls — providing a direct Democratic legislative counterweight to the Save America Act and forcing a floor debate.
OwnerSenate Rules and Administration Committee (Chair Amy Klobuchar)
Launch a multi-state amicus brief campaign to the Supreme Court in support of birthright citizenship
Coordinate attorneys general from blue states to file a joint amicus brief before the Supreme Court when the birthright citizenship case is appealed, framing the 14th Amendment's Citizenship Clause as settled constitutional law and rebutting claims that the judiciary is 'activist.'
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General (Rob Bonta), co-chairs of the Democratic Attorneys General Association
Launch a multistate legislative campaign to adopt 'SB 73 model' election protection bills
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and progressive state legislative caucuses should coordinate efforts to introduce and pass legislation in all 50 states mirroring California's SB 73, creating a network of state-level legal firewalls against federal election interference.
State-level adoption of civil service protections to block Schedule F-style patronage
Since federal legislation is gated by congressional control, state legislatures and governors can immediately pass state-level merit system laws that mirror the Pendleton Act's protections, preempting any future state-level version of Schedule F and building a legal and political model for federal reform.
OwnerNational Governors Association (NGA) and National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) – model bill clearinghouse
Build grassroots pressure campaign to force a Senate floor vote on S.J.Res.33 (joint resolution of disapproval under the Arms Export Control Act blocking military sales to Israel)
S.J.Res.33 has been introduced by Senator Sanders but lacks the momentum to reach the Senate floor. A sustained, organized pressure campaign by major advocacy organizations—coordinated with progressive caucuses—can force a recorded vote, putting every senator on record on conditional aid and building the political case for broader conditionality.
OwnerIfNotNow, J Street, and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), in coordination with Senator Sanders's office
Build a 501(c)(4) and labor-union coalition to publicly pressure swing-district House members to oppose the elimination bill by framing it as a corporate giveaway — exposing that the bill lets outsourcing firms off the hook while eliminating skilled immigration. Fund digital ads and direct voter contact in WV-01 and other vulnerable GOP-held districts.
OwnerNational Immigration Law Center (NILC) and AFL-CIO
Launch a multi-state ICE custody death investigation task force
Coalition of Democratic state AGs (led by CA, NY, IL) jointly subpoena ICE for body-camera footage, use-of-force reports, and medical records related to the 50+ in-custody deaths since Jan 2025, testing federal preemption claims and building a public record for civil suits and legislation.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul
Launch a narrative campaign by major climate journalism outlets to publicly reframe the wedges framework
An alliance of five leading climate investigative newsrooms (including ProPublica, The Intercept, and Grist) should produce a collaborative series re-examining the wedges framework, highlighting its omitted supply-side wedge and the 20-year legacy of its corporate capture. The campaign would include a public scorecard tracking how many current university climate curricula still teach the wedges uncritically, and a model syllabus for a corrected, historically accurate version.
OwnerProPublica (lead, with The Intercept, Grist, Drilled, and Climate Home News)
Launch State-Level Civil Rights Investigation into ICE Facility Abuses
The Texas Attorney General and other impacted states should initiate coordinated civil rights investigations under state law, using Texas's own protections against cruel treatment, to document abuses and begin enforcement actions for state-level remedies before federal change is possible.
OwnerTexas Office of the Attorney General (Civil Rights Division)
Launch the 'Right Without Remedy' State Court Litigation Network
Organize civil-rights litigators to reframe TPS termination and prisoner religious freedom claims under state constitutions and common law, creating a playbook for state-court actions that survive the Mullin/Landor doctrine. This preserves enforceable remedies while Congress is blocked.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Immigrants' Rights Project & National Prison Project
Launch the 'Check the Executive' project: a 501(c)(3) research and convening initiative to study and promote legislative mechanisms that incentivize cross-party oversight coalitions
The elimination of intra-party checks means Congress as an institution cannot rely on the minority party's cooperation. This project, led by the Brennan Center for Justice and the R Street Institute, would research and draft model rules, procedures, and statutory frameworks (e.g., requiring supermajority votes on certain executive actions, or creating a permanent joint committee on executive oversight with rotating chairs) that a future Congress could adopt to restore institutional checks even when the president's party controls both chambers.
OwnerBrennan Center for Justice in partnership with the R Street Institute
Launch FARA investigation into undisclosed foreign lobbying linked to Iran-war influence campaigns
Vance's allegation that a 'discreet, well-funded' operation is manipulating U.S. opinion about the Iran war demands a DOJ National Security Division inquiry under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. If credible, the campaign is a criminal influence operation; if baseless, the allegation itself raises questions about official attempts to chill legitimate advocacy.
Found a Coalition for Multilateral Restoration (CMR) among U.S. allies and G7 partners
Launch a diplomatic coalition led by former U.S. diplomats, the German Marshall Fund, and the European External Action Service to coordinate interim leadership of the 66 abandoned bodies—including UN agencies, the Venice Commission—until a new U.S. administration can rejoin. This prevents permanent replacement by authoritarian states and keeps a seat warm for the U.S.
OwnerGerman Marshall Fund, European External Action Service
Model and advance bills in blue states that prohibit state and local agencies from accepting or cooperating with ICE funding streams enabled by the Secure America Act, protecting local budgets from federal preemption and preserving limits on local police entanglement with federal deportation operations.
OwnerImmigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) and National Immigration Law Center (NILC)
Launch a national campaign for ICE body camera and independent investigation mandates
Every immigration enforcement death under this administration is a preventable tragedy. A coalition-led push—through lawsuits, state legislation, and federal pressure—can force ICE to adopt body cameras and require independent investigations of officer-involved deaths, mirroring reforms in local policing.
OwnerACLU National Political Advocacy Department and UndocuBlack Network
Launch a multi-state AG investigation into OpenAI's ChatGPT Health for deceptive and unfair practices under state consumer protection laws
State attorneys general have independent authority to investigate OpenAI for misleading marketing of health advice as reliable and for failing to adequately disclose privacy risks, building pressure while federal regulation lags.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General, New York Attorney General, and Washington State Attorney General coalition
File amicus brief in pending litigation challenging executive MOU authority under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act
Progressive legal groups should seek to intervene or file an amicus brief in any case contesting the legal status of the MOU to argue that INARA requires submission of any agreement with Iran to Congress, even if styled as a non-binding MOU.
Pass a Ceasefire-Monitoring and New AUMF Resolution
A joint resolution that (1) directs the president to negotiate a verified, reciprocal ceasefire with Iran that includes independent monitors and (2) requires a new Authorization for Use of Military Force before any further offensive operations against Iran, reclaiming Congress's Article I war powers and preventing ad hoc escalation.
Fund transatlantic defense journalism consortium through nonpartisan foundation
A 501(c)(3) journalism fund (e.g., the International Center for Journalists or the Pulitzer Center) launches a dedicated reporting project on NATO eastern flank security, forced-displacement risks, and hybrid warfare, ensuring sustained public and congressional attention independent of the administration's messaging.
File Amicus Brief in Abrego Garcia Appeal with Due Process and Asylum Law Organizations
A coalition of legal and immigrant rights organizations should file an amicus brief in the DOJ's appeal of Judge Crenshaw's dismissal, arguing that affirming the presumption of vindictiveness is essential to deter prosecutorial retaliation against protected immigrants and to uphold the integrity of withholding of removal orders.
OwnerAmerican Immigration Council, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), National Immigration Law Center (NILC)
Launch state-level 'ICE Oversight & Accountability' model legislation campaign by the National Immigrant Law Center and State Innovation Exchange
While federal gates are locked, state legislatures can pass laws requiring state and local law enforcement to refuse ICE detention requests without judicial warrants, limit contracts with private detention facilities, mandate detention data reporting, and require due process protections that the reconciliation bill stripped.
OwnerNational Immigrant Law Center (NILC) / State Innovation Exchange (SiX)
Launch 'Friends of Article 5' bipartisan congressional caucus and public narrative campaign
Form a bipartisan caucus in the House and Senate dedicated to defending the NATO alliance against unilateral executive trade coercion, with parallel public education and media efforts to frame the 5% GDP demand as a threat to U.S. national security, not a negotiating win.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member
Florida AG Inquiry into ICE High-Speed Pursuit Policy
Press Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to open a state-level investigation into the St. Augustine death under state wrongful death and reckless endangerment statutes, leveraging consular demand from Mexico and the pattern of three deaths in one week to force ICE to release pursuit policies and body-camera footage.
OwnerFlorida Attorney General Ashley Moody (pressure campaign by Southern Poverty Law Center and ACLU of Florida)
Launch a national model sanctuary ordinance campaign with template legislation and legal defense fund
Build on the LA victory by creating a unified legal framework and pooled resources for cities and states to adopt sanctuary ordinances that are pre-emptively drafted to withstand federal preemption challenges. The campaign would provide model legislation, amicus support, and a rapid-response legal fund.
OwnerNational Immigrant Law Center (NILC) and Local Progress
Launch a multi-station legal-defense fund for independent broadcasters facing FCC license reprisals
ABC's First Amendment challenge will be precedent-setting, but small independent stations lack the legal resources to fight retaliatory license reviews. A dedicated fund, jointly administered by the Free Press Action Fund and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, would provide pro bono counsel and coordinate amicus strategy to protect all broadcasters from content-based FCC pressure, deterring the chilling effect on local news coverage of labor, environmental, and civil rights issues.
Launch a 50-state legislative campaign to pass state-level safe harbor laws for comprehensive reproductive health training
Model state bills that explicitly authorize medical schools and residency programs to include opt-out abortion training without risking state funding, preempting HHS enforcement that conditions federal funds on state policing of curricula. Coalition of reproductive rights and medical education groups targets states with Democratic trifectas or split control in 2026–2027 session to create a defensive firewall against federal overreach.
OwnerCenter for Reproductive Rights (state policy team)
House Budget Committee Chairman must release a full, line-item cost breakdown of all $95 billion components — defense, agriculture, and election infrastructure — with independent GAO audit
The reported $95 billion House GOP budget proposal contains opaque funding for Iran war costs, farm aid, and election measures. As the constitutional power of the purse is vested in Congress, the Budget Committee must demand and publish an itemized breakdown, refer the package for an independent GAO audit, and hold open hearings with expert testimony on each component. This ensures the public can hold every dollar accountable and prevents blank-check authorizations that enable unchecked executive war-making.
OwnerHouse Budget Committee Chairman (Rep. Jodey Arrington or successor)
Launch State-Level Heat Standards via Rulemaking and Legislation in Arizona, California, Texas, and Florida
Adopt state-level permanent heat standards in high-heat states with strong state OSHA plans or general duty clauses, including mandatory rest breaks, shade, water, and acclimatization plans, to protect outdoor and indoor workers while the federal standard is pending and to build a political demand for federal action.
OwnerAFL-CIO Workplace Safety and Health Department and state labor coalition (e.g., Arizona Worker Rights Center, California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, Texas AFL-CIO, Florida AFL-CIO)
Launch a state-level campaign for declaratory and injunctive relief under state religious freedom statutes
Because RLUIPA now bars damages, prisoners must rely on state RFRA laws or state tort claims for redress. A coordinated effort by the ACLU's Prison Project and the MacArthur Justice Center will identify states with robust religious freedom statutes and file test cases seeking injunctions and nominal damages, building pressure for federal fix.
New York State Attorney General Investigates MSG Entertainment's Surveillance and Risk-Score Database
New York AG Letitia James should open a civil investigation into MSG Entertainment's secret database tracking celebrities with risk scores and LGBTQ labels, potentially violating New York's data privacy and anti-discrimination laws. This action would pressure MSG while building precedent for regulating corporate surveillance practices.
OwnerNew York State Office of the Attorney General
File a consolidated legal challenge to the ESA 4(d) rule under the APA and ESA
A coalition of conservation and animal welfare organizations, led by Earthjustice and the Center for Biological Diversity, should file a lawsuit in federal district court arguing the rule violates the ESA's mandate to conserve threatened species, exceeds statutory authority, and is arbitrary and capricious under the APA. This puts a brake on implementation and builds precedent for restoration.
OwnerEarthjustice and Center for Biological Diversity
Petition USCIS for rulemaking to extend H1-B grace period via regulatory change
File a formal rulemaking petition with USCIS under the Administrative Procedure Act to amend 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(i)(E) to increase the post-termination grace period from 60 to 180 days, providing a near-term fix without legislation. This can begin now and build a regulatory record, even if the administration stalls.
OwnerAmerican Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP)
Launch a multi-state coalition to adopt uniform chemical disclosure standards
Coordinate states like California, Maine, and New York to pass model legislation requiring manufacturers to disclose and phase out high-priority toxics (PFAS, phthalates, VOCs) — building a de facto national standard that pressures Congress and industry while existing federal TSCA enforcement is hollowed out.
File amicus brief in Jouppi v. Alaska on behalf of public-interest and civil-liberties organizations
The Excessive Fines Clause question in Jouppi v. Alaska is a rare opportunity to rein in civil asset forfeiture nationwide. An amicus brief from the ACLU, Institute for Justice, and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers can frame the proportionality argument and highlight the real-world stakes for rural and low-income communities.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Institute for Justice
Co-lead a 'Keep Benefits, Keep Family' public education campaign to counteract chilling effects of the revived public charge rule
Launch a targeted, multilingual campaign in high-immigrant states (California, Texas, New York, Illinois, Florida, Arizona) to inform lawful permanent residents and mixed-status families that SNAP, Medicaid, and housing vouchers are not currently considered for green card eligibility under the final rule—and will not be unless and until DHS re-issues the 2019 rule. Use trusted community health centers, school districts, and faith networks. The campaign should also drive enrollment in WIC, school meals, and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to offset the harm already done by disenrollment waves.
OwnerNational Immigration Law Center (NILC) and Protecting Immigrant Families (PIF) campaign
Congressional Research Service report on transactional alliance behavior
Request a CRS report analyzing the strategic effects of U.S. trade contingency on NATO Article 5 credibility, providing a nonpartisan baseline for oversight and public education.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee (request via bipartisan letter from committee members)
Publish a joint analytic report on the enforcement gap in the Israel-Lebanon framework
The U.S. official's statement that the Lebanon framework 'puts the MOU into action' requires public scrutiny: Hezbollah has rejected the agreement, Iran claims the framework violates the MOU, and the Lebanese Armed Forces lack the capacity to enforce disarmament. A coalition of think tanks (e.g., Carnegie Endowment, Atlantic Council, International Crisis Group) should produce a detailed assessment of the framework's enforceability, including the legal contradiction between the two agreements, to inform congressional oversight and European partners.
OwnerCarnegie Endowment for International Peace (Middle East Program), in coordination with the Atlantic Council's Iran Strategy Initiative
Demand letter campaign to Bay Area Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and PG&E to refuse water and power contracts for un-reviewed data centers
California environmental justice groups, led by Communities for a Better Environment and the Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment, launch a pressure campaign on EBMUD and PG&E to adopt resolutions refusing to supply water or electricity to any new data center that has not completed a full CEQA review and community benefit agreement. This parallels the Oakley moratorium and gives immediate leverage to local campaigns.
OwnerCommunities for a Better Environment and Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment
Formalize the DMA-as-template brief for U.S. v. Google remedy phase
Federal Trade Commission and DOJ Antitrust Division should file a joint brief in the D.C. Circuit citing the EU's DMA behavioral remedies and daily penalty structure as a model for conduct relief in the U.S. search monopolization case, arguing that analogous structural and conduct remedies are necessary to restore competition.
OwnerDOJ Antitrust Division and FTC Office of Policy Planning
Establish a multilateral escrow fund for Cuban humanitarian relief at the UN Development Program
To insulate humanitarian aid from private litigation, the State Department and Treasury should work with allied governments to channel Cuban assistance through a UN-facilitated escrow mechanism that is statutorily shielded from attachment under Helms-Burton judgments.
OwnerU.S. Department of State (Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs) and Treasury Department (Office of Foreign Assets Control)
Create a multistate AG rapid-response litigation fund for media antitrust enforcement
Establish a dedicated fund within the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) to provide financial and staffing support to state AG offices litigating major media mergers where federal antitrust enforcement has been abdicated. This closes the gap that Paramount's procedural delay—a recusal motion targeting resource constraints—exploits, ensuring state AGs can sustain costly litigation without being outlasted.
OwnerNational Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) in partnership with state foundation coalitions (e.g., State Antitrust Enforcement Fund by Open Markets Institute)
Launch a 12-week 'Cost-of-Life Audit' narrative campaign: state AG and labor coalition releases state-by-state reports linking Trump tariffs and deregulation to local price increases
Build on the inflation remark and the 524,000 increase in long-term unemployment by putting real numbers behind the story. State attorneys general (led by New York and California) and the AFL-CIO will issue joint reports showing how specific Trump policies—tariffs, CFPB rollbacks, energy costs from the Iran conflict—add dollars to household bills in each state. This creates a relentless local news cycle that prevents the administration from spinning its way out.
OwnerAFL-CIO and a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general (led by NY AG Letitia James and CA AG Rob Bonta)
New York City launches Summer Youth Employment Program expansion with a dedicated outreach and enrollment drive
Youth summer jobs are a proven anti-poverty and skill-building intervention. Expanding NY's existing SYEP — the nation's largest — with targeted outreach to neighborhoods hit hardest by the 2025 decline directly addresses the structural exclusion the BLS data reveal, not cultural drift.
OwnerNew York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD)
Fund and deploy rapid-response MMR vaccination and education surge in outbreak zones
State health departments in Idaho, Ohio, and Texas, backed by CDC emergency supplemental grants, launch targeted community vaccination clinics and multilingual public education campaigns in ZIP codes with MMR rates below 90%, reversing the damage from HHS vaccine budget cuts and neutralizing disinformation from the 'Make America Healthy Again' commission.
OwnerAssociation of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) in partnership with CDC
Fund and launch a DOJ antitrust investigation into Google's AI assistant leveraging of Android and search market power
Parallel to the EU's proceedings, the DOJ Antitrust Division should open an investigation into Google's use of its Android monopoly and search data dominance to unfairly advantage its Gemini AI assistant, laying the groundwork for a potential U.S. remedy case.
Model state statute codifying Title IX voluntary inclusion for transgender athletes
Draft and circulate model legislation for states to affirmatively permit schools to include transgender girls in girls' sports, preserving the discretion the Court left open. The model bill would explicitly protect schools and districts from state-level liability or penalties when they choose to adopt inclusive policies, and would require a state attorney general to defend any school district sued for inclusion.
OwnerNational Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) in partnership with the Equality Federation
Launch the Title IX State Safe-Haven Legislative Campaign
A multi-year state-level campaign, led by the ACLU and Equality Federation, to pass model legislation in blue and purple states that affirmatively protects transgender student-athletes under state law, using state civil rights codes or education codes, and to build a coalition of states that will fight extradition and subpoenas from ban states. This immediate organizing work creates a bloc of safe states that can pressure Congress and sustain protections regardless of the Supreme Court ruling.
OwnerACLU State Legislative Office & Equality Federation
Launch a public education campaign on election integrity and fact-checking Trump's claims
Coalition of voting rights groups, media outlets, and state election officials launch a coordinated, multi-platform public education campaign to prebunk and debunk Trump's false claims about Chinese interference, voting machine vulnerabilities, and mail-in ballot fraud, aiming to shore up voter confidence ahead of the 2026 midterms.
OwnerJoint coalition: League of Women Voters, Common Cause, Verified Voting, and the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Voting Integrity Task Force
File amicus brief in UC San Diego DOJ enforcement action supporting race-neutral holistic review
The American Medical Association should lead an amicus coalition of medical schools, public health organizations, and civil rights groups to argue that holistic diversity efforts using socioeconomic and geographic factors are constitutional race-neutral means and that the DOJ's overly broad reading of Title VI would unlawfully chill legitimate admissions practices that reduce health disparities.
File amicus briefs and coordinate institutional advocacy against the DOJ overreach
Universities, the American Council on Education, and legal clinics file amicus briefs in any enforcement action to argue that Congress did not intend Title VI to supersede genuine donor‑funded scholarships based on country of origin; simultaneously launch a public campaign for universities to adopt model policies that insulate need‑blind international aid from compliance risk.
Launch a multi-state campaign to adopt data-center waste-heat capture and grid-interconnection standards under state public-utility and building codes
Federal action will take years, but states with large data-center footprints (Virginia, Texas, California, Ohio, Arizona) can act immediately via their public utility commissions and building-code authorities — requiring data centers to either reuse waste heat or pay into a community cooling fund, and to sign agreements for voluntary curtailment during grid emergencies.
OwnerNew York State Public Service Commission (as model rule leader) in coordination with the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators
Issue model legislation for state-level presidential civil judgment escrow laws
Develop and distribute ready-to-introduce bills for state legislatures that require any presidential candidate or officeholder who is a defendant in a civil action within the state to post the full verdict amount into escrow pending appeal. Builds a federalism-based backstop to the Presidential Civil Judgment Enforcement Act, ensuring even if Congress fails to act, states can enforce accountability for judgments obtained in their courts (as in Carroll's NY case).
OwnerState Innovation Exchange (SiX) Civil Rights Program
State Department Inspector General Investigation into DRL Grant Diversion
OIG probe into whether political appointees violated the Foreign Assistance Act and appropriation law by redirecting funds outside statutory purposes; can proceed now on whistleblower referrals.
OwnerState Department Office of Inspector General (Acting IG or Deputy IG with whistleblower support via Government Accountability Project)
Senate Foreign Relations Committee hold public hearing on Ukraine's domestic drone campaign and U.S. escalation management
A hearing would establish a public record on the risks of ambiguous U.S. policy toward Ukraine's domestically produced strike drones, press the administration to articulate clear conditions on targets (no nuclear or civilian infrastructure) and to connect tacit approval to a diplomatic off-ramp.
Amicus Brief in NEET Exam Leak Challenge by Indian Student Groups
Student and civil society groups currently engaged in litigation over the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak need broad institutional support to establish stronger judicial oversight of exam administration. International human rights and education organizations should file an amicus brief detailing best practices for exam integrity and the right to fair competition under Article 14 (equality) and Article 21 (right to education) of the Indian Constitution, creating a persuasive record that can influence the Supreme Court’s remedy.
OwnerInternational Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and Human Rights Watch India
Launch a Coordinated U.S.-ASEAN AI Engagement Initiative Led by the State Department
Establish a dedicated U.S.-ASEAN AI dialogue and technical assistance program to offer binding governance frameworks, joint R&D funding, and capacity-building—countering China's state-backed model with enforceable U.S.-led alternatives that prioritize safety, human rights, and market access.
OwnerU.S. Department of State, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Launch a real-time public cost-of-war tracker via the Government Accountability Office
Require the GAO, via a bipartisan request from the Senate Appropriations and Armed Services committees, to produce and publish a monthly audit of all obligated and expended funds for Iran-related operations, including personnel counts (casualties and deployments), to restore transparency that Hegseth refused to provide.
OwnerSenate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member (Senator Murray) and Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member (Senator Reed)
Launch public‐education campaign on extortionate donor influence in DOJ extradition decisions
While the DOJ’s non‐intervention is welcome, it is opaque and reversible. A narrative–pressure campaign by a coalition of anti‐corruption and human‐rights groups (e.g., CREW, the Rights & Democracy Project) should demand a written policy codifying that extradition decisions will not be influenced by political donations or personal relationships. This builds public understanding that the Tates’ outcome was an exception, not a rule, and creates leverage for a binding rule later.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) in coalition with The Rights & Democracy Project
Launch a 'Fund the ROAD' oversight and appropriations campaign
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is law but unfunded. Without enforcement, HUD can starve Section 8 voucher allocations and rental assistance formula updates. An organized campaign — pairing House Oversight hearings with a $X billion supplemental appropriations demand — forces the administration to execute or explain its sabotage in public.
OwnerHouse Financial Services Committee (Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance) with coalition of National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Housing Law Project
Multi-state lawsuit to enjoin Comstock Act enforcement against mifepristone
Democratic state attorneys general sue the DOJ to block any opinion or guidance applying the Comstock Act to the mailing of FDA-approved abortion pills, arguing that the act is preempted by FDA’s regulatory authority over mifepristone under the REMS and is unconstitutionally vague as applied to modern telehealth and pharmacy practice.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General (Rob Bonta) leading a coalition of Democratic AGs
Urge DOJ and Department of Interior to publish a joint memo on anti-government threat tracking and field safety protocols
Pressure the Departments of Justice and the Interior to issue a joint memorandum requiring Interagency Threat Assessment and Coordination Group (ITACG) support for all federal land management districts, and mandate that field safety plans include minimum two-person patrols and real-time location sharing in areas designated as 'high risk' by the FBI. This is an immediate, executive-action item that does not require legislation.
OwnerSenator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Congressional Progressive Caucus
Launch a #BuildShipsRight Campaign to preempt exploitation in federal shipbuilding contracts
A coalition of maritime unions (e.g., SIU, MEBA, ILA) and progressive allies (Economic Policy Institute, Jobs to Move America) publicly warns administration agencies (Navy, MARAD, Coast Guard) that any federal contract lacking labor standards will face union-backed legal challenges and media exposure, leveraging the Jones Act and Buy American rules now.
OwnerSeafarers International Union (SIU) in coalition with Jobs to Move America
Launch a cross-agency Safety Dispatch Initiative to embed dedicated law enforcement rangers at high-risk national forest units
The Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior should jointly deploy a surge of at least 100 additional law enforcement officers to Forest Service and BLM units with the highest reported incidents of threats or violence, sourced from existing pools and paid for through agency reprogramming. This immediate operational response addresses the understaffing gap that left Shasta-Trinity with dangerously few officers per acre, enabling a protective presence before more severe violence occurs.
OwnerNational Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE)
Introduce California SB [draft] requiring AG ballot summaries to be verbatim from proponents' original text
Bonta's rewrite of Proposition 39's title and summary after 1 million signatures were collected under a different text is the latest example of a partisan AG undermining direct democracy. A state statute would mandate that the Attorney General's official ballot title and summary must match the version submitted by proponents, removing the AG's discretion to editorialize. This protects the integrity of the initiative process and prevents future interference regardless of who holds the office.
OwnerCalifornia State Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee (Chair Sen. Steven Glazer or successor)
State-Level Health Privacy Shield Acts in Reproductive-Rights-Preserving States
State legislatures in blue and purple states should pass laws that mirror and exceed the 2022 OCR guidance, prohibiting any state-licensed health plan, provider, or contractor from disclosing reproductive health records to out-of-state law enforcement or prosecutors, and creating private rights of action for patients whose privacy is breached. This immunizes patients and providers from the effect of a future federal reversal.
OwnerState Attorneys General of California, New York, Illinois, and Michigan, in coordination with the National Abortion Federation and the Center for Reproductive Rights
State-level campaign to pass independent redistricting commission ballot measures in key states
In states where partisan legislatures control redistricting and have produced maps that force Democratic incumbents to retire, launch ballot initiative campaigns to establish independent redistricting commissions. Current targets include Ohio, Michigan, and Florida, where grassroots infrastructure already exists.
Organize a local coalition to demand a public accountability standard and re-procurement process that preserves homeless housing capacity while addressing mismanagement
HomeRise's funding cut threatens immediate housing losses for hundreds of San Franciscans. A coalition of homeless service providers, tenant unions, and legal aid groups should push the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to pass an ordinance requiring any contract termination over $1 million to include a transition plan that maintains the same number of housing placements, paid for by the city during re-procurement. This prevents the austerity logic from becoming a pretext for rolling back homeless services.
Launch a multi-state coalition to pass state-level police transparency laws requiring automatic release of body-camera footage within 72 hours of an officer-involved death
Until the federal Justice in Policing Act can pass, state legislatures can fill the gap. This immediate campaign, led by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the ACLU's State Campaigns team, targets 10 states with the weakest footage-release laws. It would require the automatic unredacted release of body-camera and dash-camera footage within 72 hours of any officer-involved death or serious injury, and mandate that the investigation be conducted by an independent state agency, not the involved department. The Wiley case demonstrates the harmful delay when no such state law exists.
OwnerNational Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and ACLU State Campaigns
Launch a multi-state vote-by-mail expansion as a SAVE Act countermeasure
Support Democratic governors and secretaries of state in at least six battleground states to enact universal vote-by-mail or automatic voter registration laws, directly undermining the SAVE Act's voter-ID strictures and building a constituency for federal voting-rights legislation.
OwnerVote.org and Democratic Secretaries of State Association
Coalition amicus brief in Louisiana v. FDA — argue coercion is a crime, not a drug safety issue
Congressional leaders and reproductive rights organizations file an amicus brief demonstrating that existing state and federal criminal laws already cover forced ingestion of medication, so the coercion claim is irrelevant to the FDA's REMS authority; the brief also highlights mifepristone's superior safety record and the public health harm of restricting telehealth abortion access.
OwnerCenter for Reproductive Rights, in coordination with the Reproductive Health Task Force (Sen. Hirono and Rep. Schakowsky)
File a nationwide class-action challenge to the CDL revocation rule
The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and the ACLU should file a lawsuit in federal district court arguing that the 2025 rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act (arbitrary and capricious) and the Equal Protection Clause by targeting lawful residents without legitimate safety justification.
State AG Multistate Investigation into GLP-1 Formulary Restrictions
A coalition of state attorneys general should open an investigation into the largest employer plan sponsors and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that have imposed restrictive tiering or prior authorization on GLP-1 drugs, examining whether the restrictions violate state consumer protection laws, unfair trade practices, or anti‑trust rules by colluding to depress coverage while drug prices remain high.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General's Office (as lead, with multi-state coalition)
Launch state-level legislation to ban warrantless immigration-enforcement vehicle stops
Model a California-style TRUST Act that prohibits state and local law enforcement from conducting immigration-enforcement vehicle stops without a criminal warrant. This state-level strategy limits ICE's capacity to operate on the streets, reducing opportunities for fatal encounters while federal law catches up.
OwnerNational Immigration Law Center (NILC) and State Innovation Exchange (SiX)
Draft and circulate model state legislation restricting ICE cooperation
Aims to reduce ICE's ability to conduct traffic stops by cutting off state and local cooperation and restricting unmarked vehicle use. This is a force-multiplying state-level strategy that can pass in blue and purple states well before a federal trifecta is possible.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Immigrants' Rights Project
FCC Inspector General audit of USF payments for unpopulated service areas in Alaska
The FCC Office of Inspector General should audit all Alaska Universal Service Fund payments to providers that serve census blocks with fewer than 50 occupied housing units, identifying contracts where payments exceed $100,000 annually for connections to vacant buildings. This audit would produce the evidentiary basis for FCC rulemaking to claw back subsidies and reallocate funds to actual broadband deployment.
Launch model state legislation for affirmative-consent gun-free zones and provide technical assistance to legislatures in states with Democratic trifectas
State-level action can partially fill the gap left by Wolford by enacting statutes that condition concealed carry on private property to the affirmative consent of the property owner, backed by state public-health findings. This builds a record for a future federal law and protects vulnerable communities now.
OwnerGiffords Law Center and Everytown for Gun Safety
State-level push for independent prosecutorial review of border incidents
Arizona and California state attorneys general negotiate memoranda of understanding with CBP to allow state-led independent review of deadly force incidents, closing the accountability gap caused by agency self-investigation.
State-level H-1B worker protection: enforce corporate accountability for wage theft and unfair labor practices
While federal reform waits for a trifecta, state legislatures and attorneys general can apply existing wage-and-hour laws to H-1B workers at contract worksites, sue employers for wage suppression under state anti-retaliation statutes, and mandate disclosure of visa-dependent staffing. This provides immediate relief for workers and exposes the employer incentive structure without requiring visa-law changes.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson
Convene a Trilateral USMCA Labor & Environment Compliance Commission
Propose that the U.S., Mexican, and Canadian governments establish a commission to assess compliance with the USMCA's labor and environmental chapters before any renegotiation of terms, replacing tariff brinkmanship with enforceable standards.
OwnerAFL-CIO, Mexican labor coalition (e.g., FAT), Canadian Labour Congress
Establish State-Level Transgender Athlete Inclusion Fund and Legislative Template
Create a coordinated national fund and model bill to help Democratic-controlled states codify transgender athlete inclusion under state law, blocking future bans and providing legal defenses against federal challenges. The fund should support both legislation and litigation, ensuring that states like California, New York, and Illinois can act immediately to protect trans youth from the fallout of these rulings.
OwnerNational Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)
File an amicus brief in pending litigation (e.g., Al-Tamimi v. Trump or related cases) arguing that concurrent resolutions are insufficient to satisfy the War Powers Resolution's reporting and termination requirements
Using the constitutional deficit exposed by H.Con.Res.86's non-binding status, an amicus brief can argue that courts should require a binding AUMF or joint resolution before the President can claim statutory authority for ongoing Iran hostilities. This leverages existing litigation to force judicial clarification of the War Powers Resolution's 'specific statutory authorization' language.
OwnerConstitutional Accountability Center (CAC) and Protect Democracy
Enact California state statute requiring transgender student privacy protections and safe harbor for schools
AB 1955 has been blocked by the Ninth Circuit on parental-rights grounds. A narrower state law—explicitly balancing parental notification with a mandatory 'imminent risk of harm' exception and a safe-harbor provision for schools that face contradictory court orders—would survive constitutional review and restore privacy for vulnerable trans students.
Submit a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) complaint to the UN Human Rights Council documenting U.S. naval strikes in the Strait of Hormuz as crimes against humanity
A coalition of human rights NGOs (e.g., Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the International Commission of Jurists) should compile evidence and submit it to the UN Human Rights Council during the next UPR cycle for the United States, framing the strikes as systematic attacks on civilians under the Rome Statute. This builds the case for an eventual UN Security Council referral to the ICC and applies sustained diplomatic pressure, independent of U.S. ICC membership.
OwnerHuman Rights Watch, Amnesty International, International Commission of Jurists
State attorneys general consumer-protection investigation into Polymarket's social-media feeds
A coalition of state AGs (led by NY or CA) should investigate Polymarket's social-media posts for violations of state consumer-protection and false-advertising laws, given that the CFTC's oversight focuses on market structure, not content. This can begin immediately and builds pressure for federal action.
OwnerNew York State Attorney General's Office (with multistate coalition)
Issue model data center siting and noise ordinance for local governments
National League of Cities and Sierra Club to produce a model ordinance requiring minimum buffer distances, mandatory sound insulation for nearby residences, and enforceable decibel limits for industrial turbines powering data centers, so municipalities like Southaven have clear legal tools to reject sacrifice-zone development.
OwnerNational League of Cities; Sierra Club Environmental Law Program
Support State Right-to-Repair Implementation and Model Law Adoption Campaign
Organize coalition of repair advocates, farmers unions, disability rights groups, and independent repair shops to accelerate adoption of enforceable right-to-repair laws in remaining states, targeting the 65% of Americans currently uncovered. Coordinate messaging, model legislation, and testimony to capitalize on current momentum.
OwnerRight to Repair Coalition (electronics repair, agricultural equipment, and disability advocacy orgs)
Amend CFTC regulations to classify military operations event contracts as 'significant price discovery contracts'
Force CFTC to subject any event contract involving U.S. military or intelligence operations to heightened oversight (real-time trade reporting, position limits, and mandatory KYC). The Polymarket case showed current event-contract exemptions are inadequate; this rulemaking prevents adversaries from using prediction markets as intelligence-gathering tools.
OwnerCFTC Commissioner (Christy Goldsmith Romero or a like-minded Democratic commissioner, via public rulemaking petition or Commissioner statement)
Launch a multi-state heat enforcement campaign through AG coalitions and state OSHA plan states
In states that operate their own OSHA-approved plans (e.g., California, Washington, Oregon), attorneys general can coordinate to issue joint enforcement guidance, share inspection resources, and file multistate lawsuits against national employers that fail to implement recognized heat protections, building pressure—and real-world compliance—while the federal rule is delayed.
OwnerState Attorneys General coalition (e.g., California, New York, Illinois) with National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH)
Publish an investigative report on managed care overpayments as the true source of Medicaid improper payments
HHS OIG and CMS should jointly produce a public report identifying the size, systemic causes, and recoverable amounts of overpayments to Medicaid managed care plans, shifting the narrative from cutting beneficiary eligibility to recovering revenue from plan overcharges.
Launch a state bar uniform standards campaign to block politicized referrals
The American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Ethics and the National Organization of Bar Counsel should jointly promulgate model rules requiring a showing of clear and convincing evidence of bad faith before a bar referral from a judge may proceed, preventing referral from becoming a routine litigation tactic.
OwnerAmerican Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility
Launch a national Legionella outbreak mapping and early-detection pilot at CDC
Uses existing CDC authority and small reprogrammed funds to build a voluntary, anonymized environmental surveillance dashboard for Legionella in cooling towers — providing real-time risk alerts to state and local health departments, modeled on NYC's 2025–26 lessons.
OwnerNational Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
Block-grant Section 71119 implementation through state legislative action: prevent state Medicaid agencies from adopting work-reporting data systems without a state-funded health-barrier waiver process
Until federal repeal is possible, state legislatures in states with Democratic trifectas can prohibit their Medicaid agencies from implementing the work-reporting mandate (effective January 1, 2027) unless they first create an alternative waiver pathway for individuals who attest a health barrier. This forces the state to either forgo administrative savings or fund a parallel process that documents health conditions rather than penalizing them.
OwnerNational Council of State Legislatures Health Committee (via coordinated model bill by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
Organize a state-level model legislation campaign in target states to ban police referrals for pregnancy-related health care and require universal, voluntary, trauma-informed substance use screening
State legislatures in Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, and eight other states with high disparity rates can pass bills now to mandate that hospitals (a) obtain voluntary written consent before any drug test related to pregnancy, (b) prohibit reporting results to law enforcement without a court order, and (c) instead offer comprehensive substance use treatment referrals. This builds a state-by-state barrier to the racialized surveillance system while federal reform is locked behind a Democratic trifecta.
OwnerNational Advocates for Pregnant Women in partnership with the ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project
Launch a seven-state compact modernization campaign targeting Lake Mead capacity insurance language
Design and circulate model legislation for a Drought Contingency Plan 2.0 statute that, if the upper Colorado River Basin states fail to adopt binding reductions within 24 months, automatically triggers a 20 percent mandatory cut across all Lower Basin entitlements — bypassing the Bureau of Reclamation's discretionary inaction. The model would also mandate that any year Lake Powell is below 3,525 feet on June 1, the Upper Basin must immediately forgo an equivalent volume to keep Powell above minimum power pool the following summer.
OwnerWestern Governors' Association — Water Policy Committee
Launch a 501(c)(4) campaign confirming any 2026 Senate and House candidate who refuses to support statutory codification of assault-weapons bans as a disqualifier for judicial-confirmation support
VanDyke's SCOTUS-pressuring brief and the DOJ's 2026 amicus against Illinois' ban reveals that the next frontier of gun safety is judicial. No current plan item links candidate accountability to judicial nominations. This campaign weaponizes the 2026 midterm to build a 'confirm no judge who would strike down an AWB' primary pledge, flipping judicial strategy from defensive (waiting for a trifecta) to offensive (building a confirmation blockade now).
Launch multi-state ballot initiative campaign to restore abortion access via state constitutional amendment
Dobbs eliminated federal constitutional protection; the immediate political opening is state-level ballot measures (Colorado, Missouri, Arizona model) that can bypass legislatures. This builds voter engagement and purple-state organizing before 2026 midterms, creating facts on the ground and momentum for federal restoration post-2028.
OwnerCenter for Reproductive Rights / NARAL Pro-Choice America (co-lead with state ballot committees)
Launch 'One Day Without a Caregiver' national campaign to expose elder care collapse
Parallel to the 'Day Without an Immigrant' model, this campaign mobilizes 274,000+ direct care workers and their allies to stage a one-day work stoppage in Q1 2027, paired with congressional district sit-ins at nursing homes and home care agencies. The action forces every member of Congress to confront the immediate human cost of TPS termination and mass deportation, and builds grassroots power for legislative fixes.
OwnerNational Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare
Secure Op-Ed Placement: Holder, Markey, or Johnson Respond to Turley in Major Publications
Place a direct response op-ed from a visible Democratic leader (ideally Holder, Markey, or Johnson) in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, or New York Times, rebutting Turley's omissions and reclaiming the structural/constitutional rationale for expansion. Immediate credibility move before 2026 midterms messaging intensifies.
OwnerSen. Ed Markey or Rep. Hank Johnson (or allied communications strategist)
Establish a voter-protection legal defense fund for VRA Section 2 challenges in 2026 and 2028
Callais will embolden challenges to majority-minority districts in the 2026 and 2028 election cycles. A rapid-deployment legal and financial resource must be in place to defend existing districts and challenge hostile maps in state and federal courts before they determine electoral outcomes.
OwnerCommon Cause, Demos, Brennan Center for Justice, state Democratic parties
Demand DOJ preserve all records related to the settlement and fund negotiations
Send letters to DOJ demanding preservation and production of internal communications, briefs, and decision memos concerning the creation and cancellation of the 'anti-weaponization' fund, to serve as a foundation for oversight and potential litigation.
USDA APHIS Use Emergency Purchase Authority to Accelerate Sterile Pupae Supply for the Tampico Facility
The Tampico facility is open but may lack sufficient sterile pupae to meet the expanding outbreak. Emergency purchase authority would allow APHIS to contract additional production capacity from other sterile insect facilities (e.g., in Panama or the U.S.), ensuring the aerial dispersal program can scale as summer heat accelerates fly reproduction.
OwnerTexas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
File an amicus brief on behalf of 30 election officials from the 14 affected states
A coalition of state secretaries of state and election directors from the 14 states with postmark deadlines should file an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case detailing the operational chaos, voter suppression, and administrative burden that would result from a rushed rule change, emphasizing that the current process is reliable and has been in place for years.
OwnerCalifornia Secretary of State with National Association of Secretaries of State working group
Senate Banking Committee minority request GAO audit of SEC enforcement decline and CFPB rule withdrawal impacts
Senator Sherrod Brown's staff will formally request a Government Accountability Office study quantifying the effect of the SEC's reduced enforcement on investor fraud filings and the CFPB's data broker rule withdrawal on consumer identity theft rates. The GAO report will provide an authoritative, nonpartisan baseline for future legislative reversals and amicus briefs in private lawsuits challenging the CFPB withdrawal under the APA.
OwnerSenator Sherrod Brown (Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member)
File a FOIA lawsuit for all operational directives and cost data for Operation Southern Spear and Operation Absolute Resolve
A coalition of transparency organizations (American Civil Liberties Union, Government Accountability Project, and National Security Archive) jointly file suit under the Freedom of Information Act to compel the Departments of Defense and State to release all task orders, cost estimates, and legal justifications for the two named operations, creating a public record that can inform congressional oversight.
OwnerNational Security Archive (George Washington University)
Form a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general to file an amicus brief in support of Louisiana’s second majority-Black district before the Supreme Court’s ruling is issued
To counteract the signal that *Callais* may weaken Section 2, a bipartisan-adjacent coalition of state attorneys general (led by a state with a strong voting rights record, such as California or New York) should file an amicus brief emphasizing the historical importance and constitutional viability of race-conscious districting to comply with the VRA. This immediate action provides a counter-narrative to the Court’s skepticism and bolsters the record for why Section 2 remains essential to preventing minority vote dilution. It also pressures the current DOJ to publicly clarify its stance, which remains ambiguous.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General (lead, co-signed by New York, Illinois, Washington, Massachusetts, and other Democratic AGs)
Los Angeles County election officials obtain protective order against federal interference
Seek a federal court protective order in the Central District of California to prevent DOJ from seizing ballots, voting machines, or voter records without a properly supported warrant, safeguarding election administration from politically motivated intrusion.
OwnerLos Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
File FOIA Requests for HHS Internal Communications on Head Start & Marriage Program Funding
File targeted FOIA requests with HHS to uncover any early implementation steps for Project 2025 proposals to eliminate Head Start or redirect Title IV-B funds to marriage programs, enabling preemptive litigation or congressional scrutiny.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
File amicus brief in pending ICE detention litigation challenging GEO Group contracts
The American Immigration Council and allied organizations should file an amicus brief in ongoing litigation against GEO Group’s contract with ICE for Delaney Hall, arguing that reliance on for-profit detention violates due process and statutory mandates for humane conditions and family unity.
File multistate AG coalition lawsuit challenging DOD-DHS intelligence integration order and border militarization directives under the Refugee Act and APA
Project 2025's DOD-DHS alignment proposal and the framing of migration as a military threat directly conflict with 8 U.S.C. § 1158 individualized asylum adjudication requirements and APA notice-and-comment obligations. A coalition of state AGs with large immigrant populations has standing to challenge implementing directives now, before the structural merger is consolidated.
OwnerCalifornia AG Rob Bonta, New York AG Letitia James, and Illinois AG Kwame Raoul, coordinating through the National Association of Attorneys General Democratic caucus
Committee on Oversight and Accountability: Investigate FCC Chair Brendan Carr's early license renewal demands
The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability (or its Subcommittee on Government Operations) opens an investigation into whether FCC Chair Brendan Carr's early renewal demand for eight ABC stations constitutes an improper use of agency authority to retaliate against a broadcaster based on the President's political complaints. The investigation would examine communications between the White House and the FCC, the legal basis for accelerating renewals, and any pattern of selective targeting. This investigation is necessary to document the facts ahead of a potential House majority, and to push for a stopgap funding rider barring early renewals absent a clear, enumerated public-interest violation.
OwnerRanking Member of House Oversight Committee (currently Rep. Jamie Raskin, or similar Democratic lead) and Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Lead a congressional call for an immediate ceasefire and return to Pakistan-led mediation track
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair (or Ranking Member) would introduce a concurrent resolution calling on the President to cease hostilities immediately and re-engage the April 8 ceasefire framework, reaffirming U.S. commitment to diplomacy. This resolution, even if non-binding, creates a public record of congressional opposition and puts pressure on the administration to change course before the conflict expands further.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member (Sen. Jeanne Shaheen or successor)
Launch a Department of Justice civil rights investigation into conditions at Delaney Hall and similar GEO Group facilities
Request that the DOJ Civil Rights Division open a pattern-or-practice investigation into medical neglect, inadequate care, and detainee deaths at Delaney Hall and comparable for-profit immigration detention centers. This applies immediate legal pressure on GEO Group and ICE while building a public record for future legislation.
OwnerNew Jersey Attorney General's Office (in coordination with Senate Judiciary Committee majority staff)
Launch a 501(c)(4) campaign to pressure Democratic senators to support court expansion or ethics reform
Immediate pressure campaign building public demand for structural Supreme Court reform—term limits, binding ethics code, or expansion—to counteract the Court's civil rights rollbacks before the 2028 election.
State Pension Fund Divestment from SpaceX IPO Over Retail-Investor Risk
The New York State Common Retirement Fund should publicly announce it will not participate in the SpaceX IPO and will divest any existing holdings, citing inordinate retail investor risk from the company's speculative AI valuation.
File FOIA Lawsuit for Interagency Declassification Records on Wuhan Release
File a FOIA request and subsequent lawsuit to compel release of all records showing interagency consultation (or lack thereof) before Gabbard's June 18, 2026 declassification of COVID-19 origin documents. This creates a public record of the process, exposing whether proper vetting occurred and building a factual foundation for accountability measures and oversight hearings.
Launch a public education and advocacy campaign exposing the jawboning threat and the need for the JAWBONE Act
Build public understanding of how FCC jawboning chills political speech, linking Carr's license threats to broader First Amendment concerns. Use the Kimmel/WGN case to galvanize grassroots pressure on senators to advance the bill.
File amicus brief in Section 230 challenge to FCC's reinterpretation
The Electronic Frontier Foundation or similar digital rights group should file an amicus brief in the pending litigation over the FCC's Section 230 rulemaking, arguing the Commission lacks statutory authority to penalize platforms for content-moderation decisions. This opposes Carr's blueprint to weaponize Section 230.
National campaign to expose SNAP restrictions as punitive and protective for recipients
Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) launches a multi-state narrative campaign highlighting how state-level SNAP bans stigmatize low-income families and increase administrative waste, building public pressure against similar waivers.
Federal Whistleblower Act protection campaign for DOJ career attorneys
Government Accountability Project and Protect Democracy launch a targeted outreach and legal-education campaign aimed at career DOJ attorneys in the Southern District of Florida, informing them of whistleblower protections and establishing a secure channel to report improper political influence on case selection.
OwnerGovernment Accountability Project in partnership with Protect Democracy
File suit under the Administrative Procedure Act and the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act seeking declaratory judgment that the MOU is a covered agreement requiring transmission
If the administration refuses to transmit the MOU, a coalition of congressional plaintiffs or legal advocacy organizations (e.g., Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) can seek a court order compelling compliance. This establishes the legal precedent that informal 'frameworks' cannot evade statutory notification requirements.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
File Amicus Briefs in CSU v. Department of Education Supporting Title IX Inclusive Interpretation
Coalition of civil rights organizations files amicus briefs arguing that Title IX prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, referencing federal court precedent, to block the administration’s narrowing enforcement and protect trans athletes nationwide.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union and the National Center for Transgender Equality, joined by state attorneys general from states with inclusive policies
Launch media and legislative campaign exposing the fake emergency pretext
Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity, and California-based climate advocacy groups run a coordinated narrative campaign to document how the Iran emergency declaration is a pretext for the Sable pipeline, highlighting safety risks, state preemption, and negligible oil production impact, targeting national media and key House/Senate members.
Launch public campaign to have performers and patrons boycott Kennedy Center until compliance
Organize a coalition of major artists, unions (Actors' Equity, SAG-AFTRA), and donors to publicly commit to not performing at or funding the Kennedy Center until the board fully complies with Judge Cooper's order. The economic and reputational pressure speeds compliance while demonstrating that democratic accountability matters more than institutional prestige.
OwnerArtists for Democracy (or a newly formed coalition including the Creative Coalition, union chapters, and donor networks)
Amicus brief campaign by state AGs in support of pro bono representation
State attorneys general file coordinated amicus briefs in key cases where large firms have withdrawn, arguing that firm retaliation chills access to the courts and undermines the rule of law, creating a legal record to support future legislation.
Launch a national campaign to pressure Congress to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act with a restored Section 2 effects test
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights should coordinate a multi-state campaign to build public and congressional pressure for the VRAA, which would legislatively overturn Callais and restore Section 2's effects-based standard.
OwnerLeadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, NAACP, League of Women Voters
Launch a national state-by-state redistricting rapid-response legal fund
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee should establish a $5 million targeted fund to provide immediate litigation support in the nine states where maps are actively being contested or redrawn, ensuring that challenges to maps that dismantle majority-minority districts are not delayed by lack of resources.
OwnerDCCC and National Democratic Redistricting Committee
New York State to file a preemptive federal lawsuit against DHS for retaliatory enforcement under the anti-commandeering doctrine
New York Attorney General Letitia James should file suit seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against the threatened surge, arguing that the concentrated deployment of ICE in response to state sanctuary law constitutes unconstitutional commandeering and violates equal protection by singling out New York for political punishment.
Issue a joint advisory from Democratic attorneys general on state-level antitrust and price-gouging actions tied to democracy reforms
A coalition of state AGs (e.g., New York, California, Illinois, Minnesota) releases a legal advisory and model legislation for state-level anti-price-gouging laws that require any company settling a price-fixing case to disclose all political contributions and lobbying activities. This directly connects the affordability crisis to campaign finance transparency, giving state legislators a concrete tool to fight both corporate manipulation and democratic erosion.
OwnerNew York Attorney General's Office, in coordination with the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA)
File FOIA requests for all ICE detention contracts and cost-benefit analyses of private vs. community alternatives
Sue ICE under FOIA for all current private detention contracts, procurement justifications, and any internal cost-benefit analyses comparing detention with community-based alternatives. This creates a public record to counter the narrative that detention is necessary and provides ammunition for litigation and legislative advocacy.
OwnerAmerican Immigration Council Legal Action Center
File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights
The Texas NAACP and other impacted organizations should file an OCR complaint arguing that the mandatory Bible curriculum creates a hostile environment for non-Christian and secular students, violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by denying equal educational opportunity based on religion (analogous to national origin/race discrimination). This could trigger a federal investigation that pressures the state board to delay or modify the mandate.
OwnerTexas NAACP, Texas Impact, Interfaith Alliance of Texas
Organize a national advocacy campaign to pressure ICE and CBP to adopt interim voluntary safeguards for parents of U.S. citizen children
While waiting for statutory change, immigrant advocacy organizations, faith groups, and business leaders can mount a public-facing campaign calling on ICE Director and CBP Commissioner to issue policy guidance requiring officers to consider parent-child relationships before detention and to prioritize family unity during enforcement. This can leverage recent public reporting and the humanitarian costs.
OwnerNational Immigration Law Center (NILC) with We Are Home coalition
Florida civil-rights coalition amicus brief in MLB subpoena challenge arguing RFRA does not authorize fishing expeditions against private employers
If MLB or its players challenge the Florida subpoena, a coalition of civil-rights, labor, and religious-liberty groups should file an amicus brief arguing that religious-accommodation laws do not authorize state AGs to investigate employers for EEOC-like compliance when no adverse action occurred.
OwnerACLU of Florida and Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Launch a multi-state AG coalition to oppose mutual-recognition agreements that preempt state food-safety standards
State attorneys general from major formula-consuming states file a joint comment and legal challenge to any proposed mutual-recognition rule, arguing it violates state police powers and the Tenth Amendment.
Fund and file amicus briefs in pending constitutional TPS challenges (Miot v. Trump)
Immigration advocacy organizations should coordinate a coalition amicus brief emphasizing that the administration's anti-TPS program stance, while facially race-neutral, has a disparate impact on Black and Brown nationals and that the Court's 'unlikely to succeed' dicta should not foreclose discovery or a full factual record. This keeps the constitutional avenue alive and builds precedent for future challenges.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Immigrants' Rights Project
Governor of Michigan convenes a summit of state-level advocates for independent redistricting
Michigan's governor hosts a summit with leaders from California, Colorado, and other states with independent commissions, to develop model legislation and a shared strategy to push for commissions in states like Texas, Florida, and Georgia before the next census.
Launch a state-level coalition campaign for fair redistricting reform in 2027
Louisiana lacks an independent redistricting commission, leaving map-drawing to the partisan legislature. Coalition partners (e.g., Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, League of Women Voters) should organize a ballot initiative campaign for a 2027 state constitutional amendment creating a nonpartisan commission. This is the structural fix that prevents future elimination of minority districts.
Launch an SEC and state AG investigation into GEO Group's detainee wage practices
File a formal investor complaint with the SEC requiring GEO Group to disclose the financial risk of ongoing wage litigation (Washington state minimum wage case) and coordinate a multistate AG inquiry into whether paying $1/day constitutes deceptive business practices.
OwnerNew Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin (lead) plus WA, CA, NY AG coalition
S&P Dow Jones Indices review of forced index-fund buying rules for SpaceX IPO stocks
S&P Dow Jones Indices should review whether the current index inclusion rules force funds to buy SpaceX shares at distorted prices, exacerbating wealth transfer to insiders. The review could lead to rule changes or temporary suspension of index entry for stocks with anti-investor lock-up structures.
Publish an amicus brief in ongoing litigation challenging the regulatory freeze, citing catastrophic worker deaths tied to delayed heat standard
Multiple lawsuits challenge the legality of the Department of Labor's indefinite regulatory freeze (e.g., cases consolidated in D.C. Circuit or district courts). A coalition of public health experts and labor unions should file an amicus brief leveraging the Paris heatwave deaths and U.S. worker fatality data to argue that the freeze constitutes arbitrary and capricious agency inaction under the Administrative Procedure Act.
OwnerWorker Protection Coalition (led by Public Citizen Litigation Group and AFL-CIO)
State Department Inspector General investigates unauthorized military operations in Latin America
To hold the administration accountable for conducting unilateral military operations in Venezuela, the Caribbean, and the Eastern Pacific without congressional authorization—damaging U.S. credibility and regional stability during Colombia's election—the State Department Office of Inspector General should open a formal investigation into the legal basis and reported civilian casualties.
New Jersey AG files lawsuit against ICE over conditions at Delaney Hall
The New Jersey Attorney General would file a state-level suit alleging violations of state health and safety codes at Delaney Hall, using existing state regulatory authority to force inspections and potential closure regardless of federal policy.
Coalition of non-partisan national security groups launches 'Let the Experts Speak' campaign against politicization of intelligence debate
Organizations such as the Center for a New American Security, the Quincy Institute, and the Council on Foreign Relations can jointly issue a public statement and op-eds defending the principle that questioning administration military strategy is not foreign propaganda, and advising outlets on maintaining editorial independence under such pressure.
OwnerNational Security Leaders for Democracy (NSLD) coalition
Amazon Labor Union and RWDSU jointly launch campaigns to establish pre-majority union committees under Section 7 of the NLRA, conduct card-check drives, and demand voluntary recognition at warehouses where no election is possible due to NLRB paralysis.
OwnerAmazon Labor Union (ALU) and Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)
State AG coalition files amicus brief defending Davis-Bacon applicability on I-5 expansion
A coalition of state attorneys general will intervene in an ongoing or anticipated challenge to Davis-Bacon enforcement on a major DOT-funded project, arguing that repealing the act violates federal procurement integrity and state interests in infrastructure quality.
Senate Banking Committee minority staff prepare oversight memos on Fed independence and the consequences of free banking
Senator Sherrod Brown’s staff on the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee should produce and release a series of oversight memos documenting how free banking, a gold standard, or K-Percent Rule would destabilize the economy, harm workers, and increase financial crises—creating a ready-made legislative record for future hearings and bills.
Brief state AGs on precedents for resisting strategic recusal motions in merger cases
The American Antitrust Institute (AAI) and state AG antitrust coordinators (e.g., California AG Rob Bonta's office) should produce and distribute a model opposition brief template and legal strategy memo exposing the tactic—citing cases where recusal was denied for insufficient bias claims—and coordinate amicus support from former DOJ antitrust officials.
OwnerAmerican Antitrust Institute in partnership with California Department of Justice Antitrust Section
Organize Senate Democrats to filibuster the SAVE America Act and publicly commit to opposing any rule change or cloture vote
Senate Minority Leader Schumer should secure 41 Democratic votes against cloture and publicly frame the bill as a mass disenfranchisement of eligible citizens, killing the bill in the Senate if it ever comes to a vote.
OwnerSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Democratic Caucus
Launch a coordinated state-level pressure campaign for Alabama county commissions to adopt independent redistricting criteria
Without federal relief, push Alabama's county commissions to adopt race-neutral, community-of-interest-driven criteria for local maps, creating alternative representation structures until Congress can restore Section 2.
OwnerAlaska-based Fair Districts Coalition and the Alabama chapter of the League of Women Voters
File Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for ICE use-of-force records
Unearths documentation needed for litigation, legislative drafting, and public accountability. Immediate action by a specialist pro bono firm can begin producing results within months, supporting both state-level and future federal reform efforts.
OwnerGovernment Accountability Project (GAP) in coordination with the ACLU and the National Immigration Law Center
Press EPA to issue Clean Water Act guidance on ORV trail impacts
Direct EPA to release guidance clarifying that any off-road vehicle trail designation causing sedimentation or turbidity in waters of the U.S. triggers Clean Water Act permitting and enforcement—ensuring that even under the rescinded EO, land managers cannot ignore water quality impacts when approving ORV access.
OwnerEarthjustice / Center for Biological Diversity (legal and advocacy lead), with support from the Waterkeeper Alliance
File a D.C. District lawsuit challenging the firings as ultra vires under the HAVA statutory framework
The Help America Vote Act created the EAC with a bipartisan, fixed-term structure that does not grant the president unfettered removal authority—and the Supreme Court in Slaughter did not address the specific removal language in HAVA. A lawsuit by Democratic state attorneys general or the EAC's own Democratic members (who retain legal standing) would argue that the firings violate the express statutory design enacted by Congress in 2002, which purposefully insulated commissioners from partisan removal.
Maine DSCC rapid candidate recruitment and vetting task force
The Platner withdrawal exposes a gap in candidate vetting. The DSCC should establish a rapid-response recruitment team for Maine—and a standing early-warning vetting process for all battleground Senate races—to ensure no seat is left unfilled or weakened by last-minute scrambles.
Restore and Expand Voting Rights Section 2 Enforcement via State Attorneys General
Form a multistate coalition of Democratic state attorneys general to file independent Section 2 voting rights lawsuits in federal court, drawing on state legal resources and private civil rights bar networks, to compensate for DOJ withdrawal and build a body of favorable precedent that survives future DOJ inaction.
OwnerCalifornia Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General
File an amicus brief in any pending litigation challenging HHS conscience enforcement, emphasizing the maternal health impact
If medical schools or states sue over the HHS enforcement policy or proposed rule, a coalition of maternal mortality experts and medical associations files a brief arguing that the policy violates the Administrative Procedure Act by arbitrary and capricious decision-making (ignoring negative health outcomes) and undermines state autonomy. This presses courts to enjoin enforcement while forward-looking legislation builds.
OwnerAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) amicus committee
Launch Public Narrative Campaign Exposing Merger's Labor Antitrust Harm
A strategic communications campaign (spearheaded by a progressive advocacy group) should reframe the merger debate from consumer blockbusters to worker monopsony—using social media, press releases, and local media in key states—to pressure the court and state AGs to treat labor-market harm as central to antitrust review.
West Virginia Attorney General reopen state-level Clean Water Act enforcement against Justice coal companies
The West Virginia Attorney General should launch a parallel state investigation into the same Clean Water Act violations that the federal probe covered, using state permitting and water quality authority, to ensure enforcement regardless of federal interference and show state-level accountability.
OwnerWest Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (if willing) or a coalition of environmental groups filing citizen suits under the Clean Water Act
Launch national voter registration emergency text-and-phone banking campaign
Civic organizations and state Democratic parties will start a high-intensity effort to contact and assist voters likely to be disenfranchised (name-change women, naturalized citizens, Native Americans, elderly) in obtaining free or low-cost proof-of-citizenship documents before the SAVE Act would take effect.
OwnerLeague of Women Voters + NARAL Pro-Choice America
Organize national call-in campaign to demand AUMF vote on Iran hostilities
National advocacy coalition coordinated by Indivisible and MoveOn.org launches a concentrated campaign targeting 30 House Republicans and 20 Senate Republicans in swing districts/states, demanding they co-sponsor or vote for a War Powers resolution requiring congressional authorization for any further Iran operations. Aim: build public pressure to force a floor vote before further escalation.
OwnerIndivisible (Leah Greenberg) and MoveOn.org (Rahna Epting)
File an ethics complaint with the DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility against Todd Blanche for pre‑appointment conflicts
A coalition of good‑government groups, led by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), should file a formal ethics complaint arguing that Blanche's personal defense of the president creates an irreconcilable conflict under 5 C.F.R. § 2635.502 and DOJ’s own ethical standards, forcing OPR to issue a written opinion that can be used to oppose confirmation or limit his authority.
OwnerCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
File state constitutional challenge to AG ballot rewrite authority under California Constitution Article II
Article II of the California Constitution reserves the initiative power to the people and provides that the Attorney General shall prepare a 'true and impartial' title and summary. Bonta's partisan rewrite violates that duty by inserting subjective language that favors rejection of the measure. A lawsuit co-led by the backers of Proposition 39 and allied voting rights groups would ask the courts to define 'true and impartial' as a ministerial duty, barring the AG from any editorial changes to the text proponents submitted.
OwnerPacific Legal Foundation (or equivalent pro-initiative public interest law firm) in coordination with the Proposition 39 campaign committee
Litigation readiness coalition for defending inclusive state policies
Form a rapid-response pro bono legal coalition — co-led by the ACLU, Lambda Legal, and Transgender Law Center — to represent any school district or state that chooses to adopt or maintain inclusive athletic policies and is sued by ADF or a similar group. The coalition commits to providing free legal representation, coordinating amicus support, and preparing model briefing for the first test case.
OwnerACLU LGBTQ & HIV Project, Lambda Legal, Transgender Law Center
File amicus brief in Combs v. City of Trinidad supporting First Amendment immunity
Jennifer Combs’s lawsuit against the city for political retaliation and wrongful prosecution is a vehicle to narrow the application of Texas Penal Code 37.10 to speech on matters of public concern. National press-freedom and digital-rights organizations should submit an amicus brief to the trial court establishing that applying the felony false-report statute to a Facebook post about tap water — where the city itself has admitted water quality problems — violates clearly established First Amendment protections for citizen warnings about public health.
OwnerElectronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) or Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
File multi-state amicus brief and seek preliminary injunction against unlawful expansion of public charge rule in pending litigation
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general should immediately file an amicus brief in the pending lawsuit challenging the public charge rule (likely in the Northern District of California), arguing that the 2025 rule exceeds statutory authority under INA §212(a)(4) and violates the APA by failing to consider reliance harms and by creating an impermissible irrebuttable presumption. Seek a preliminary injunction blocking implementation nationwide, based on the same legal arguments that defeated the 2019 rule in Cook County v. Wolf. The brief should also document the rule's concrete harms to state health and nutrition programs.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James
Launch statewide public education campaign on AB 181’s implications
Many California voters are unaware that a budget trailer bill is shifting control of their children’s schools to an appointed official. A coalition can conduct a paid media, digital, and community-organizing campaign to pressure the Governor and legislature to repeal or amend AB 181 before implementation.
OwnerCalifornia Teachers Association (CTA) and the California PTA
Pursue litigation challenging racial gerrymanders under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in Louisiana and other states where gerrymandering has driven incumbents from office
Target the specific Louisiana map that forced Rep. Cleo Fields to retire, as well as similar maps in other states, by filing or joining lawsuits alleging that districts dilute minority voting strength in violation of the Voting Rights Act. This builds judicial pressure for fair maps while legislative solutions are pending.
Launch 'Defend School Meals' Coalition and State-Level Pledge Campaign
The School Nutrition Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Center for Science in the Public Interest will organize a coalition of 100+ national and state organizations. State-level resolutions will commit governors and state education agencies to maintain evidence-based nutrition standards regardless of federal changes, building political pressure and legal grounding.
Export-Observer Coalition Pressure on DRL Career Staff and Grantee NGOs
Organize targeted public pressure campaign by human rights organizations (HRW, Amnesty, Freedom House, Protection International) demanding DRL career staff document and disclose all politically-directed grants via internal dissent channels and public whistleblowing.
OwnerHuman Rights Watch (Washington Director Sarah Margon / Andrea Prasow)
File Rulemaking Petition to Require Balanced SBREFA Representation at All Agencies
Petition SBA and OMB to initiate a rulemaking that mandates, for all agency SBREFA panels, equal representation for small business, worker, consumer, and environmental stakeholders—not just business interests—and require public justification for any panel composition that deviates from parity.
OwnerPublic Citizen and Center for Progressive Reform
File a joint amicus brief in a relevant H-1B enforcement case to protect worker rights and challenge employer impunity
As the DOL probe leads to individual visa holder prosecutions or deportation proceedings, worker-side legal groups should intervene with an amicus brief arguing that targeting visa holders without addressing systemic employer coercion violates due process and undermines the purpose of the H-1B program. This frames the narrative that the real abuse is employer-driven.
OwnerNational Employment Law Project (NELP), Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, and the Economic Policy Institute
File amicus brief in pending war-powers litigation to require a separate authorization vote for the Iran campaign
Support litigation arguing that the $73B appropriation in reconciliation does not satisfy the constitutional requirement for a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force, and that Congress cannot delegate that power via budget bill.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union and Lawfare Project
File amicus brief in Trump v. IRS supporting the fraud-on-the-court inquiry
State attorneys general or a coalition of good-government groups (e.g., CREW, Democracy 21) can file a separate amicus brief backing Judge Williams’s reopening of the case and urging rejection of the settlement as a violation of the separation of powers and the Domestic Emoluments Clause. This strengthens the existing legal challenge ahead of the court’s next ruling.
State AGs file amicus brief highlighting federal-state disparity in prisoner medical rights
A coalition of state attorneys general files an amicus brief in Nielsen v. Watanabe to argue that eliminating the Bivens remedy for federal prisoners while state prisoners retain § 1983 remedies creates an unjust disparity and burdens state correctional systems with disproportionate oversight pressure.
OwnerCalifornia Department of Justice (Attorney General Rob Bonta)
File FOIA requests for ICE body-camera policy, use-of-force records, and arrest-quota directives
Send coordinated FOIA requests to ICE, DHS, and DOJ for all records related to body-camera policies, use-of-force data, arrest-quota directives, and the suspension order. This builds a public record to support litigation, oversight hearings, and reform campaigns, and may reveal further systemic failures that can be addressed immediately.
OwnerACLU National Immigration Project and Government Accountability Project
State of Florida Attorney General demand independent prosecutor for ICE death investigations
Florida Attorney General publicly requests appointment of a special state prosecutor or federal monitor to investigate in-custody and enforcement-related deaths. If the AG refuses, the Florida Democratic Party and local immigrant-rights coalitions organize a petition and legislative pressure campaign to force independent inquiry beyond Florida Highway Patrol.
Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena Sheriff Sumption for testimony on selective enforcement
State Senator Scott Surovell, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issues a subpoena for Sumption to testify about his policy of non-enforcement and its impact on public safety, laying groundwork for legislative remedies including potential state-level contempt sanctions or revisions to sheriff authority statutes.
OwnerVirginia Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Senator Scott Surovell
File preemptive FOIA lawsuits to force DOJ transparency on voter data collection program
Voting rights organizations should file Freedom of Information Act lawsuits against the Department of Justice seeking all records related to the creation, scope, and funding of the national voter surveillance and purge database, exposing its methodology and data sources to public scrutiny.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Prepare federal amicus briefs in Exxon actions to narrow asset attachment and protect humanitarian exemptions
The Department of Justice and State Department should submit amicus briefs in any district court actions Exxon files to attach Cuban assets, arguing that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and international comity principles limit the execution of judgments against assets destined for humanitarian relief.
OwnerU.S. Department of Justice (Civil Division) and State Department (Office of the Legal Adviser)
Allocate emergency humanitarian funding for displaced civilians on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border
Create a dedicated $100 million humanitarian assistance program through USAID and international partners to provide shelter, food, and medical care for civilians displaced by renewed hostilities, a critical gap in the current framework.
OwnerUSAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance in collaboration with UN OCHA and the International Committee of the Red Cross
Build public narrative: Defend Humphrey's Executor campaign
Launch a coordinated messaging and coalition-building campaign by Protect Democracy and the Brennan Center, framing the overturning of Humphrey's Executor as a heavy-handed power grab that will result in mass firings of nonpartisan inspectors general and lawless agency decision-making. Produce explainers, op-eds, and social media toolkits to strengthen public opposition ahead of potential Supreme Court action.
OwnerProtect Democracy and Brennan Center for Justice
File an amicus brief or open records lawsuit in Kohen Wiley's case to establish a binding precedent on immediate public access to body-camera footage in police shootings
The lack of a federal rule leaves individual families like the Wileys to fight for transparency through public pressure alone. A strategic lawsuit, brought by a coalition of press freedom and civil rights organizations—including the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund—would argue that the public interest in footage of police killings outweighs any claimed exemption under state open-records law. Winning such a case in Mississippi would create a powerful precedent that can be cited in other states, especially those with weak statutes.
OwnerReporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Build state-level executive order model to restore contractor non-discrimination mandates for state procurement
Forty states employ significant numbers of federal contractors and can act independently to require diversity and non-discrimination protections in state procurement without waiting for Congress. The May Day coalition should develop a model EO for Democratic governors, starting with early movers like California and New York, to offset the federal revocation.
OwnerSEIU State Government Council and NEA state affiliates
File a multi-state federal lawsuit challenging the work requirements as arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act
Drawing on the Arkansas precedent and the CBO's finding of zero employment impact, a coalition of state attorneys general from states with high enrollment of working poor adults should challenge the HHS rule implementing the work requirements. The lawsuit would argue that the rule violates the Medicaid Act's purpose and the APA's requirement that agencies consider reliance interests and evidence of harm.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General (Rob Bonta), New York Attorney General (Letitia James), and Massachusetts Attorney General (Andrea Joy Campbell)
Launch a state-level ACA enrollment and reinstatement rapid response fund
State-based exchanges (Covered California, NY State of Health, DC Health Link) create a pooled fund to directly reach flagged enrollees, provide or subsidize certified application counselors, and expedite appeals for reinstatement. Coordinates with legal aid to counter federal disenrollment.
OwnerCovered California (Executive Director) and NY State of Health (Executive Director)
Draft and Release Model State Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) With Explicit Anti-Discrimination Carveout
The Trump commission's recommendation to expand religious exemptions by default would allow discrimination under the guise of religious liberty. To counter this, state-level coalition should draft a model RFRA that incorporates a compelling-interest test but explicitly excludes exemptions for refusing to provide services or employment to LGBTQ+ people, women seeking reproductive care, or other protected classes. This gives state legislators a ready replacement if federal exemptions expand.
OwnerNational LGBTQ+ Bar Association and Americans United for Separation of Church and State (joint effort)
Launch a national organizing campaign to build public support for lifting the payroll tax cap
The campaign would target working-class and older voters, using the 2032 benefit-cut cliff as a motivator, and push every 2026 congressional candidate to endorse the Warren-Moreno plan. Coalition runs by Social Security Works and the AFL-CIO.
OwnerSocial Security Works (Nancy Altman) & AFL-CIO (Liz Shuler)
Mayors and governors form a multi-city solidarity coalition to issue executive orders prohibiting local cooperation with for-profit ICE detention contracts and to provide community oversight of detention conditions
Newark Mayor Baraka’s curfew action showed local elected officials can respond to federal detention crises. A coalition of mayors (e.g., Newark, Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland) and governors can immediately issue executive orders that refuse to enter into or renew local law enforcement cooperation with for-profit detention facilities, mandate independent condition reports, and create hotlines for detainee complaints. This state/local pressure sets a floor of dignity irrespective of federal inaction and builds the political will for legislation.
OwnerMayor Ras Baraka (Newark) in partnership with the Local Progress network and the National League of Cities Immigration Task Force
Raise $10 million via a 501(c)(3) coalition like the Center for Responsible Lending to launch a consumer hotline and digital portal for reporting predatory practices, with legal aid triage and automatic referral to state AG offices and class-action firms, ensuring real-time enforcement intelligence regardless of CFPB staffing.
OwnerCenter for Responsible Lending (with NAACP Legal Defense Fund)
Challenge the U.S. Laikipia Quarantine Facility Under the African Union's Legal Frameworks
African civil society organizations and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights should file a formal complaint or engage the AU to investigate the Laikipia facility as a violation of the AU's 2017 decision on Model Law for Public Health Emergencies, which requires national legislation and community consent for foreign-run isolation units, creating a diplomatic and legal constraint on future unilateral U.S. actions.
File amicus brief in pending FISA-related litigation challenging warrantless queries
A coalition of privacy-focused organizations will intervene in ongoing or anticipated cases (e.g., suits challenging the legality of queries under EO 12333) to argue that the lapse of Section 702's statutory framework renders any reliance on warrantless queries invalid, using the lapse to reinforce the need for judicial oversight.
OwnerElectronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Legal Team
Draft model state data center siting and benefit agreement law
Produce a uniform state bill that requires environmental impact review, community benefit agreements, and residential ratepayer protections before any data center can break ground, to be introduced in state legislatures currently fighting battles one by one.
OwnerState Innovation Exchange (SiX) in partnership with the Energy and Policy Institute
Fund and File Amicus Briefs Challenging School District Implementation of Bans
Coordinate with Lambda Legal and the National Women's Law Center to fund and file amicus briefs in ongoing federal challenges to the specific enforcement mechanisms of state bans—such as genital inspection policies, privacy invasions, or retaliation against students who disclose their transgender status—arguing that West Virginia v. B.P.J. did not authorize such harmful implementation. This keeps legal pressure on even after the main Title IX path is closed.
Enact the World Cup Public Health Resiliency Act as a state-level model
State legislatures of World Cup host states (California, Texas, New Jersey, New York, Washington, Missouri) pass a uniform law requiring a minimum of $X million in state-supported wastewater surveillance and surge epidemiological capacity for all events exceeding 50,000 attendees, creating a backup system independent of federal budget cycles.
OwnerCalifornia State Assembly Health Committee (with National Governors Association public health task force)
File Flores and TVPRA enforcement suits or amicus briefs targeting the unfunded, oversight-free detention expansion
Use existing legal avenues—suits challenging the reconciliation bill's circumvention of Flores Settlement protections, TVPRA mandates, and the Administrative Procedure Act—to force courts to reimpose detention caps, require legal representation, and demand meaningful oversight of ICE detention operations.
OwnerImmigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) / ACLU National Prison Project
File an administrative complaint with HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) against hospitals in eight states for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
The Marshall Project data showing Black mothers referred to police at 2.5x the rate of White mothers despite similar substance use provides prima facie evidence of disparate impact discrimination. An OCR complaint could trigger a compliance review, require hospitals to end non-consensual testing or risk losing Medicare/Medicaid funding, and set a national precedent without waiting for new legislation.
OwnerThe Center for Reproductive Rights and the National Urban League
Adopt state-level financial privacy shield laws to bar state-chartered banks from complying with immigration-targeting advisories
Model legislation in Democratic-controlled states (CA, NY, IL, CO, WA) would prohibit state-chartered banks and credit unions from using immigration status as a factor in account decisions or from voluntarily reporting customers based on the FinCEN advisory. This creates a patchwork of safe harbors that shields immigrant communities in key states.
OwnerCalifornia State Treasurer Fiona Ma and New York State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Adrienne Harris
Docket an amicus brief in any IG lawsuit or whistleblower retaliation case tied to database denial
If a whistleblower or the IG itself files suit over the access denials, the 501(c)(3) legal arm of the coalition files an amicus brief establishing that a pattern of obstructing OIG access to criminal-investigation databases violates the Inspector General Act of 1978 and undermines congressional oversight under Article I.
OwnerProject On Government Oversight (POGO) legal team
Demand corporate campaign finance disclosure from leading AI firms
To build political will for the federal bill, an immediate pressure campaign should force OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI to disclose all political contributions, lobbying expenditures, and PAC activity, exposing their attempts to defeat public-interest legislation.
OwnerPublic Citizen and the Revolving Door Project
State-level data center ratepayer protection legislation
Enact laws in key data center states (Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Georgia) requiring data center customers to pay the full cost of new transmission and generation capacity and prohibiting utilities from socializing those costs across residential and small-business rate classes.
OwnerVirginia State Legislature (lead sponsor: Delegate or Senator from Loudoun County)
Organize a permanent national climate health registry to document health harms from deregulated pollution
Public health researchers and EJ organizations (We ACT for Environmental Justice, Harvard C-CHANGE) would create a mandatory reporting system for hospital admissions and school absences linked to air pollution spikes in fence-line communities. The data would serve as evidence for future endangerment re-findings, support state-level lawsuits, and pressure legislators by quantifying the human toll.
OwnerWe ACT for Environmental Justice + Harvard Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment
New York Attorney General Letitia James must release a remedial plan with specific prosecutorial targets and staffing commitments for the MFCU
To address the documented underperformance that triggered the federal defunding, the OAG should commit to measurable improvements in criminal referrals and prosecutions, with quarterly public reporting and an independent monitor to restore credibility.
Build State-Level Contingency Compact for Voting System Certification and HAVA Fund Replacement
Secretaries of State from Democratic-leaning states and the National Association of State Election Directors should form a cooperative agreement to share certification data from independent testing labs and pool state funds to backstop federal HAVA grants if Congress fails to restore EAC funding before midterms.
OwnerNational Association of State Election Directors (NASED) and Democratic Secretaries of State coalition
Launch a public education and transparency campaign around non-binding resolutions and the absence of a binding AUMF for Iran
Most Americans are unaware that H.Con.Res.86 has no legal effect. A coordinated media and grassroots campaign by a coalition of advocacy groups can explain why the concurrent resolution is merely symbolic, and build public pressure on Congress to introduce and pass a binding joint resolution or AUMF before the next election cycle.
OwnerDemand Progress and Indivisible (national coalition)
Amicus brief in State of New Mexico v. DOE supporting ARPA-E's statutory mandate
If the administration moves to formally eliminate ARPA-E through executive action, file an amicus brief arguing that ARPA-E's statutory authorization under the America COMPETES Act requires an affirmative act of Congress to disestablish, not a presidential order.
OwnerSenator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and House Science Committee Democrats
File TPS-preservation amicus brief in Haiti TPS Supreme Court case on World Cup economic nexus
The Supreme Court’s review of the Haiti TPS injunction threatens to upend the workforce for 185,000 World Cup-related jobs. The U.S. Conference of Mayors, led by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, should file an amicus brief detailing how terminating Haiti TPS and destabilizing the national immigrant labor pool would directly undermine the $30.5 billion economic output FIFA and the U.S. government have publicly committed to. This brief would arm the Court with a concrete economic harm that goes beyond the humanitarian case.
OwnerU.S. Conference of Mayors (filed by Miami-Dade County legal team)
File amicus brief in Bostock-related circuit cases to defend broad Title VII protections for LGBTQ+ workers
The Trump administration has signaled it will narrowly interpret Bostock v. Clayton County to exclude bathrooms, locker rooms, and dress codes. Several pending circuit cases implicate this scope. A coalition of civil rights organizations will file coordinated amicus briefs in at least three key appellate cases this fall to preserve the full reach of Bostock before the administration can issue restrictive guidance.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) LGBT & HIV Project
Launch public pressure campaign against the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (S.3344)
Mobilize faith-based and child welfare organizations to oppose legislation that would allow federally funded child welfare agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ+ families and unmarried couples, undermining foster care safety.
Launch a state-level 10-point report card grading each state's vulnerability to federal education dismantlement and publish model legislation to preemptively shore up IDEA and Title I protections
The Education Trust and National School Boards Association would score each state on legal readiness (e.g., whether state law protects special education funding if federal IDEA money vanishes) and release model state bills that guarantee replacement funding and maintain civil rights oversight, building a firewall against the micro-savings-account scheme.
Organize a 'Court Accountability Now' coalition of civil-rights groups and law scholars to draft and promote a Supreme Court expansion bill
Clyburn's warning demands a long-term structural response. A coalition led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund would draft a Court expansion bill (e.g., adding four seats) and build public pressure through reports, town halls, and congressional testimony — laying the groundwork for passage under a future trifecta.
OwnerLeadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Democratic Governors and State Legislatures Challenge Abstinence-Only Teen Pregnancy Prevention Funding with Evidence-Based State Programs
Project 2025's plan to defund evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention and replace it with Sexual Risk Avoidance (abstinence-only) curricula would leave states to pick up the pieces. Democratic governors and state lawmakers in key states (e.g., California, New York, Washington) can preemptively pass state laws that guarantee funding for evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs regardless of federal cuts, and direct their state health departments to maintain rigorous evaluation criteria. This both insulates their states from harm and models a successful alternative to the federal retreat.
OwnerGovernors Gavin Newsom (CA), Kathy Hochul (NY), Jay Inslee (WA), and state legislative health committee chairs
File amicus briefs in 2026 SCOTUS election cases arguing that the court's own record of partisan rulings undermines its claimed neutrality
In any election-administration or voting-rights case before the Court (e.g., RNC voter purge or Purcell-related cases), a coalition of election-law clinics and democracy groups files briefs citing the court's pattern of pro-Trump outcomes alongside Roberts' feeble rhetoric to argue that the Court should adopt a presumption favoring voter access to restore institutional credibility.
OwnerElection Law Clinic at Harvard Law (lead), joined by UCLA Voting Rights Project and Campaign Legal Center
Ratify the multistate amicus brief in support of California's demand letter for reversed fund freeze
Governors of Medicaid-expansion states and Democratic attorneys general file a joint amicus brief in any litigation challenging the fund freeze, arguing that the administration's actions violate the Medicaid Act's requirement that the Secretary make payments 'without delay' unless a specific, evidenced finding of fraud is made through proper process.
OwnerNational Association of Attorneys General (Democratic cohort)
Launch federal voting rights preclearance legislative push via Rep. Sewell's reintroduced John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
Representative Terri Sewell and Democratic leadership should immediately reintroduce and begin hearings on the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore the preclearance formula struck down in Shelby County and strengthen Section 2 protections, positioning the bill for passage once Democrats hold a trifecta.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice
USPS Inspector General investigation of operational changes underlying the challenged rule
To build evidence for the ongoing litigation and for eventual legislative fix, the USPS Office of Inspector General should open an investigation into whether the operational rule was developed in compliance with the Postal Service's own procedures and without undue political influence, as the White House executive order directly dictated the timeline. Findings could support a renewed injunction motion or inform statutory protections in the next Congress.
Commit BARDA to co-develop a multivalent Ebola vaccine covering Bundibugyo virus
Direct the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to enter a public-private partnership to develop a licensed multivalent Ebola vaccine that includes the Bundibugyo species. The current rVSV-ZEBOV-GP vaccine only covers Zaire ebolavirus, leaving no licensed countermeasure for the 2026 outbreak.
File Federal Lawsuit Seeking Injunctive Relief for Body Camera and Reporting Requirements
Immigrant legal aid organizations and the ACLU should file a class-action lawsuit in federal court to compel ICE to implement body cameras during all detainee interactions and to mandate public reporting of use-of-force incidents, drawing on the pattern of evidence from the Texas beatings and prior mortality reports.
OwnerACLU National Prison Project and American Immigration Council
Organize primary-challenge accountability network for swing-vote senators on critical public health confirmations
Launch a donor and door‑knocking network in key states targeting any senator who votes to confirm a visibly unqualified HHS secretary or similar public‑health official, modeled on the backlash that cost Cassidy his seat, to deter future trades of influence for votes.
OwnerIndivisible Health Coalition and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC)
State-level legislative push to create independent maternal health data trusts
State legislatures should establish their own permanent maternal and infant health data collection systems (modeled on PRAMS) that are funded by state general funds and operated independently of federal political cycles. States like California, New York, and Illinois can lead in 2027, creating a backup data infrastructure that insulates health surveillance from federal cuts.
OwnerNational Association of State Legislatures (health committee chairs coalition)
File an FTC complaint requesting rulemaking to classify consumer health AI under the Health Breach Notification Rule and enforce against OpenAI
Building on the FTC's existing authority, this complaint would formally request that the Commission interpret the Health Breach Notification Rule to cover AI health platforms that collect personal health data, and initiate an enforcement action against OpenAI for its current practices.
OwnerElectronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) in coordination with the Consumer Federation of America
File amicus briefs in the pending SCOTUS case (or cert petition) urging the Court not to adopt an ahistorical 'text, history, and tradition' test that would invalidate assault-weapons bans, and to reaffirm Bruen's 'how and why' analogical framework as consistent with public-safety regulation
VanDyke is explicitly asking SCOTUS to benchslap the Ninth Circuit for not reading Bruen broadly enough. Without a progressive amicus response—led by a mayor or AG coalition—the narrative vacuum will be filled by the judges he is publicly lobbying. This item closes the gap between VanDyke's judicial-activist brief and the absence of any coordinated counter-briefing from gun-safety-aligned legal groups.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General's Office (Rob Bonta) in coordination with the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Launch a rapid-response state-level litigation and legislation preparedness network
Organize a multi-state coalition of Democratic attorneys general and immigrant-rights legal groups to draft model cease-and-desist letters, complaint templates, and state-level statutory protections that would block implementation of any future law purporting to end birthright citizenship. This builds an immediate legal shield and coordinates messaging to counter Banks' narrative.
OwnerNew York Attorney General's Office, in coordination with the National Immigration Law Center
State Attorneys General file amicus brief in any legal challenge to Hegseth’s promotion authority
Coordinate a multistate amicus brief to support a service member or officer challenging the blockade, arguing that the Secretary has exceeded statutory authority under 10 U.S.C. § 628 by blocking promotions without proper cause, violating equal protection and military merit principles.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General (Rob Bonta) in coordination with the National Association of Attorneys General Democratic Caucus
Direct USAGM Inspector General to investigate political interference in editorial decisions since 2020 firewall repeal
The USAGM OIG can open a review of hiring, firing, and coverage decisions to document whether the lack of firewall has produced partisan content, providing evidence for a future rulemaking or congressional codification.
Amicus Brief Urging New York Courts to Apply First Amendment Protections in WIRED Defamation Case
A coalition of press freedom organizations (e.g., Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, PEN America) files an amicus brief in the MSG v. WIRED lawsuit, arguing that the challenged reporting is protected speech concerning legitimate public-interest privacy violations. This prevents the lawsuit from chilling future investigative journalism on corporate surveillance.
Launch Public Education Campaign on Sanctions Escalation Costs
Americans for Financial Reform and the Center for Economic and Policy Research should jointly produce and disseminate accessible analyses linking expanded sanctions to domestic energy price spikes, supply chain risks, and reduced diplomatic flexibility, targeting media markets in swing districts ahead of the 2026 midterms.
State legislative hearing on federal-officer removal abuse in environmental cases
California Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee holds oversight hearing examining the use of federal-officer removal by fossil-fuel corporations to evade state environmental and trespass law, with testimony from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, environmental experts, and legal scholars.
OwnerCalifornia Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee (Chair Senator Monique Limón)
Fund a legal-defense fund for attorneys targeted by politicized bar complaints
Establish a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Fair Advocacy Legal Defense Fund, to provide pro bono representation and financial support for lawyers facing bar discipline based on representation of politically disfavored clients.
OwnerInstitute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (Georgetown Law) and the Federalist Society
State attorneys general amicus brief supporting Hawaii's state constitutional independence
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general files an amicus brief in any federal appeal of Hawaii's concealed-carry enforcement, arguing that states retain independent authority to interpret their own constitutions and that the U.S. Supreme Court's Second Amendment rulings do not preempt stronger state protections unless Congress explicitly occupies the field.
OwnerState Attorneys General (California-led coalition)
Launch a coordinated state-level campaign for athlete collective bargaining rights
Because S. 2147 does not preempt state laws or override Alston, organized labor and athlete groups can press state legislatures — starting in California and New York — for bills that explicitly recognize college athletes as employees and grant them collective bargaining rights under state labor law. This creates a floor of protection that no federal safe harbor can erase.
OwnerUnited Steelworkers (USW) – College Athletes Guild project, in coalition with state AFL-CIO chapters
Convene a coalition of former CDC directors and senior HHS officials to produce a 'Rebuild the Bulwark' playbook for the next administration
The Cassidy episode proves that individual Senate oversight via the confirmation process is insufficient. A non‑governmental body should draft model agency design — including mandatory disclosures, civil‑service protections, and statutory appointment structures — so that the next Democratic HHS secretary can issue an executive order on Day One that restores ACIP norms, re‑establishes scientific advisory committees, and locks in conflict‑of‑interest rules. This item is forward‑looking capacity‑building, not just reversion.
OwnerCDC Foundation and the de Beaumont Foundation
Enact state-level anti-price-gouging statutes with automatic trigger during declared emergencies
Codify uniform state laws that, upon any federal emergency declaration or major market disruption, automatically cap gasoline and refined fuel margins at pre-emergency averages + 5%, with private right of action for consumers, so state AGs can act without waiting for the federal government.
OwnerNational Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) and the Uniform Law Commission
Launch Targeted Public Education Campaign on Health and Participation Benefits of Transgender Inclusion in Sports
Deploy a narrative and organizing campaign, led by advocacy organizations and aligned with local school boards and athletic conferences, to highlight the benefits of inclusive sports policies and counter the ‘fairness’ framing used by anti-trans groups. This campaign should target school board elections and state athletic association rulemaking in swing states.
Commission a federally funded study on health-barrier-driven prime-age labor force exits to supply evidence for future policy design
The existing survey data (Bipartisan Policy Center/Artemis, 2024) shows health as the primary barrier for 57% of out-of-work prime-age men, but the federal government lacks an official, ongoing measure. A CDC/Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality longitudinal study on health conditions, coverage churn, and labor-force attachment would create the evidentiary baseline needed to judge whether work requirements reduce coverage without improving employment—and would support eventual statutory replacement.
OwnerCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (National Center for Health Statistics), directed by the Secretary of HHS
Publish a state-specific energy cost impact report and model state-level price gouging legislation
The Iran war energy spike is the dominant cause of the PCE jump. Democratic state attorneys general (e.g., New York's Letitia James, California's Rob Bonta) can commission a joint report quantifying energy and gasoline price increases by state, attributing the spike to war-disrupted supply, and model state-level price gouging or windfall profit recapture statutes. This builds the data foundation for both immediate state action and a future federal anti-price-gouging bill under a trifecta. It also creates a durable record to counter Republican blame-shifting.
OwnerNew York AG Letitia James (coalition lead), California AG Rob Bonta, National Consumer Law Center
Launch FTC rulemaking to define fair data access norms for AI agent interoperability
Petition the FTC to initiate a rulemaking under Section 5 of the FTC Act clarifying that denial of access to non-public digital services to competitive AI agents can constitute an unfair method of competition when the platform has market power. This provides an administrative safeguard against platform lockout while courts and Congress catch up.
OwnerFTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya (or successor Democratic commissioner)
Amicus brief in any litigation challenging the misused OCR findings
File amicus briefs in pending or future litigation (e.g., if OCR's misuse is challenged) clarifying that the Loudoun County finding concerned sexual harassment procedures, not transgender accommodations, to prevent courts from relying on the mischaracterized record.
State-level legislative shield: model bill to create independent state commissions that review and can delay or refer for judicial review any federal executive action with significant state impacts
As the federal executive consolidates power, states need a formal process to interpose themselves without triggering a constitutional crisis. This model bill, drafted by the Uniform Law Commission and promoted by the National Conference of State Legislatures, would create a state-level reviewer (e.g., a joint legislative-executive commission) that can issue a 'federal executive review' report, triggering a mandatory rebate or emergency legislative session to respond. It provides a legal, non-secessionist mechanism for states to demand accountability when Congress fails to do so.
OwnerUniform Law Commission in conjunction with the National Conference of State Legislatures
Launch a maritime-corridor insurance and risk-sharing facility via the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
DFC-backed war-risk insurance and reinsurance pool for Ukraine-bound commercial shipping, enabling private hull and cargo underwriters to resume coverage; the current complete withdrawal of commercial insurers has made the corridor unviable without state backstop.
OwnerU.S. International Development Finance Corporation (with congressional mandate via appropriations riders)
Issue a statement of principles from the Union of Concerned Scientists calling for university climate centers to refuse fossil fuel funding
UCS should lead a coalition of science-integrity organizations to produce a public sign-on statement urging all U.S. university climate research centers to adopt a model policy that prohibits fossil fuel companies from placing conditions on research agendas, restricts no-strings donations over a transparent threshold, and commits to publishing all funding sources. This builds the professional norm change that makes the future legislative fix easier.
OwnerUnion of Concerned Scientists (lead, with the Center for Science and Democracy and the Climate Investigations Center)
Support middle-power leadership through U.S.-based NGO and foundation grants
Urge Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and Packard Foundation to fund civil society organizations in middle powers (e.g., India, Brazil, South Africa) that are stepping into multilateral gaps—on human rights reporting, health surveillance, election observation—to preserve norms and data until U.S. re-engagement.
Launch state-level California law requiring any California governor or statewide official under federal investigation to obtain an independent ethics review before using state funds for legal defense
Prevent politicized investigations from becoming a drain on state resources by mandating an independent, nonpartisan panel to assess whether a federal probe appears legitimate or retaliatory, and to approve or deny use of state funds for the official's defense; protects California's budget and the official's due process rights.
OwnerCalifornia State Legislature (via Assemblymember or Senator), Governed by Governor Newsom's signature
File amicus brief in states’ challenge to Mullins v. Doe / TPS termination scope
Support a pending or prospective state AG challenge arguing that Mullins v. Doe did not immunize TPS termination from Equal Protection or substantive due process claims when the termination explicitly targets a workforce of a particular nationality (Haitian, Honduran) with foreseeable catastrophic harm to Medicaid-dependent beneficiaries. Brief to be filed in the district court reviewing the Haiti TPS termination.
OwnerNational Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) and AARP Foundation Litigation
Fund a federal shipbuilding apprenticeship pipeline via MARAD grant rulemaking
Under current law (46 U.S.C. § 50307), MARAD can issue grant regulations. A progressive coalition files a petition for rulemaking to require grant recipients to establish or expand registered apprenticeships with portability and parity across shipyards, enforceable at the state level through existing Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rules.
OwnerAlliance for American Shipbuilding (coalition of unions, workforce boards, and maritime academies)
Release a state attorney general model guidance on institutional autonomy in foreign-funded scholarships
State attorneys general in Democratic-led states can provide legal cover for public universities by issuing a formal opinion that Title VI compliance reviews targeting need-based aid for non-citizens exceed DOJ authority absent proof of intentional discrimination. This shields state university systems from voluntary compliance and model the argument for future litigation challenges.
OwnerNew York Attorney General Letitia James, in coordination with the State AG coalition (Democratic AGs)
FTC Enforcement Action Against Health Entities Improperly Sharing Reproductive Health Data
The Federal Trade Commission should bring enforcement actions under Section 5 of the FTC Act against any health plan, provider, or data broker that publicly claims to protect reproductive health data but then shares it with law enforcement or state officials, on the theory that such disclosure is a deceptive trade practice. This provides a backstop privacy protection without waiting for a new HIPAA rule.
OwnerFTC Bureau of Consumer Protection, urged by a coalition of reproductive rights organizations (e.g., Planned Parenthood Federation of America, National Women's Law Center)
FTC investigation into Alliance Defending Freedom's deceptive litigation strategy
Request the FTC to open an investigation into whether Alliance Defending Freedom's coordinated litigation campaign—using single, fringe coercion cases to demand nationwide bans on safe medication abortion—constitutes an unfair method of competition or deceptive trade practice under Section 5 of the FTC Act.
OwnerFTC Chair (appointed), with a demand letter led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Pramila Jayapal
Launch a coalition campaign to defeat the November 2026 tax-cut referendum
The Florida Housing Coalition, in partnership with Florida Rising and the League of Women Voters of Florida, should mount a ballot-measure opposition campaign—including door-to-door canvassing, digital ads, and targeted messaging to low-income homeowners and renters—to ensure the 60% approval threshold is not met, thereby blocking the constitutionally enshrined revenue cut that would devastate housing programs.
Publish a detailed report on the strategic costs of NATO fracture and economic coercion
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) or RAND Corporation produces a public, data-rich report quantifying loss of basing, intelligence sharing, and forward presence from the administration's transactional approach, to underpin both congressional oversight and public narrative.
OwnerCenter for Strategic and International Studies
Establish a citizen science tick surveillance pilot in the Upper Midwest
Fund a cooperative effort between the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, the Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease, and local health departments to create a community-based tick reporting and testing network. This fills the gap left by wastewater surveillance cuts and can be scaled without new federal legislation.
OwnerUniversity of Minnesota School of Public Health
Publish a 'Freedom to Read' scorecard for state legislators and school board candidates
PEN America, together with EveryLibrary and the National Coalition Against Censorship, creates a public scorecard tracking every state legislator and school board member's votes on anti-censorship vs. pro-ban legislation. This makes the coordinated campaign politically costly and flips the narrative from 'parental rights' to 'politically motivated censorship,' building electoral accountability ahead of 2027–2028 races.
OwnerPEN America Free Expression and Education Program
Fund a worker-to-worker cross-border labor organizing initiative for maquiladora zones
A foundation-backed labor-rights coalition (Solidarity Center, AFL-CIO) will launch a multi-year program to train and support independent union organizers in Mexican maquiladora regions, directly attacking the wage-suppression dynamic that drives the USMCA labor-chapter enforcement gap. The program must include legal aid, safety protocols, and media documentation to counter employer intimidation.
OwnerSolidarity Center (AFL-CIO affiliate) and the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)
Establish a State-Fed Public Banking Network pilot to insulate community credit from Fed balance-sheet contraction
Governors of states with public banking legislation (California, Washington, New York, Illinois) should direct their state treasurers to create a coordinated network of public banks that provide countercyclical lending to small businesses and local governments when Fed tightening or balance-sheet runoff squeezes private credit — demonstrating an alternative that doesn't rely on the Fed's lender-of-last-resort function.
OwnerCalifornia State Treasurer Fiona Ma; Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti; New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli; Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs; Public Banking Institute
File a certiorari petition in a companion case to tee up the question of RLUIPA's availability against private prison contractors
The Landor decision left open whether private prison operators acting under color of state law can be sued for damages under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for RLUIPA violations. A petition in a case involving a private prison shaving a Sikh inmate's beard could restore a damages path through the private-actor route, preserving pressure on the Court to reconsider.
Launch state-level workforce retention campaign for H1-B talent
Coordinate governors in high-tech states (California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Illinois) to create rapid-response 'talent retention hubs' that pair laid-off H1-B workers with in-state employers within 60 days, using state workforce boards and university innovation offices. This addresses the immediate crisis while longer-term fixes are pursued.
OwnerNational Governors Association (NGA) Immigration Task Force; led by California Governor Gavin Newsom and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey
Northern Ireland Office: Establish a Migrant Protection and Community Safety Unit with cross-community oversight
The current policing response (plastic bullets) is reactive and escalatory. A dedicated unit, co-chaired by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and community/faith leaders, would proactively protect migrant neighborhoods, gather intelligence on paramilitary recruitment, and fund counter-extremism interventions in loyalist areas.
Publish a model ‘AB 3233 Health Protection Ordinance’ toolkit for nationwide use by cities with urban oil and gas wells
Using Los Angeles's revived ordinance as a template, the nonprofit Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) will develop a comprehensive legal and policy guide that any city in a state with enabling legislation (e.g., CO, OH, PA, NM, TX) can adopt to phase out urban drilling. The toolkit will include model language, a list of partner attorneys, cost estimates, and a communications playbook to counter industry preemption arguments.
Sponsor state-level immigrant worker protection laws in key legislatures
Governors and state legislators in Illinois, California, New York, and Massachusetts will introduce bills prohibiting state law enforcement cooperation with federal worksite raids, requiring warrants for ICE access to state tax databases, and establishing state-funded legal representation for workers targeted in worksite enforcement actions.
OwnerIllinois Governor JB Pritzker / California State Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire
FTC consumer-protection action on prediction-market misinformation
The FTC should open a parallel investigation into Polymarket's practice of posting false or misleading 'breaking news' on social media to drive betting, examining potential violations of Section 5 of the FTC Act (unfair or deceptive acts). This complements the CFTC's market-structure focus and can proceed under existing statutory authority.
OwnerFederal Trade Commission (Bureau of Consumer Protection)
Commission a public-interest report on EPA enforcement collapse and health costs
Produce a quantified analysis linking the administration’s cuts in EPA enforcement staffing and chemical review backlogs to specific community health risks (cancer, reproductive harm, respiratory disease) — to fuel media coverage, litigation, and 2026/2028 campaign messaging demanding a restored and strengthened federal toxics program.
Press Biden-aligned governors to sign Compact for Public Lands Protection
Governors of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and California pledge to oppose any state-level leasing or development on released monument lands within their influence and collectively fund a legal defense fund for tribal co-management and monument boundary litigation.
OwnerGovernors of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, California; Western Governors' Association
State-level legislation: RTO market design principles for reliability and clean energy
Model state bills, drafted by (e.g.) the Clean Energy States Alliance, that require state public utility commissions to direct their RTO representatives to oppose any market rule that discriminates against storage or renewable resources, to support increased transfer capability for weather-diversity regions, and to require that any new dispatchable capacity FERC mandates be carbon-neutral where feasible—enforceable through state PUC oversight of utility membership in RTOs.
OwnerClean Energy States Alliance, National Caucus of Environmental Legislators
Publish Model State-Level TPS Protections for State Legislatures
Draft and circulate model state legislation to provide state-law work authorization, driver's licenses, and non-discrimination protections for TPS holders stripped of status by federal termination, using state police power to fill the gap left by the absence of judicial review.
OwnerNational Immigration Law Center (NILC) and State Innovation Exchange (SiX)
Fund and publish a peer-reviewed, geographically stratified study of data-center heat-island effects on low-income and minority neighborhoods
The March 2026 pre-print is not yet peer-reviewed and has limited geographic scope. A robust federal study — led by NOAA or the DOE — that also models cumulative heat burden and correlates it with demographic data is essential to build the evidentiary record for future rulemaking and litigation. It can be funded immediately under existing appropriations.
OwnerNOAA Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)
Establish state-level telehealth quality & continuity standards through National Association of Insurance Commissioners model act
Draft and adopt a model state law requiring that telehealth-only plans and direct-to-consumer prescribing platforms disclose, in plain language at point of sale, the absence of a longitudinal care relationship; require a documented referral to a primary care clinician after a set number of visits for non-acute conditions; and mandate interoperability with community health information exchanges. NAIC model acts carry real regulatory weight once at least 10 states adopt them.
OwnerNational Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Consumer Protection Committee
Prepare a model state statute requiring a warrant for any digital device search by state/local law enforcement operating at international ports or border regions
Because states have concurrent jurisdiction at some border facilities and can impose higher Fourth Amendment protections for their own officers, this model bill creates a backup layer of protection that can take effect in progressive states immediately, irrespective of federal inaction.
OwnerElectronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) / State Policy Team at the Brennan Center for Justice
Form a coalition of public school districts in red states to preemptively adopt model protections for transgender students with state-level legal defense funding
To counter future OCR ultimatums, a coalition of school districts and state school boards associations should create a model resolution affirming gender-identity protections under state law or local policy, paired with a legal defense fund (financed via district contributions and philanthropic grants) to cover litigation costs. This would reduce the coercion factor by ensuring districts can afford to fight for inclusive policies without risking insolvency.
OwnerSchool Boards Association (e.g., California School Boards Association) in partnership with the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund
California Legislature passes AB-1234: Holistic Admissions Protection Act
Codify state-level protections for UC and CSU health sciences programs that use race-neutral holistic criteria (economic disadvantage, first-generation college status, health professional shortage area residency) and prohibit state funding for any investigation targeting such programs if the investigation applies a standard stricter than SFFA.
Draft model state legislation for transgender student privacy with constitutional guardrails
With the Ninth Circuit embedding Mirabelli's parental-rights standard into law for the western states, other states need a template that comports with the new precedent while still protecting trans students. The model bill should require parental notification except where doing so would pose an imminent risk of harm, require annual training for school staff, and guarantee a student's right to access confidential counseling.
Enact state-level statutes locking in universal mail-in ballot access and anti-interference provisions
While federal courts blocked the executive order, a future administration could try similar measures through different channels. States that currently allow no-excuse mail voting should codify those rules in statute, add explicit prohibitions on federal condition-setting for mail ballot delivery, and set a minimum 60-day request window — making state law independently enforceable against federal interference.
OwnerState legislative caucuses in Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Nevada
Amend state civil rights laws to explicitly recognize disparate-impact liability in all state-funded programs
State legislatures in Democratic-controlled states should pass legislation mirroring Title VI's disparate-impact protections for programs receiving state funding, creating a parallel enforcement mechanism that cannot be undone by federal rulemaking and providing a model for federal restoration after a trifecta.
Establish a Bay Area Regional Housing Trust Fund levy on AI industry payroll spikes
The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) convenes a special regional board to adopt a payroll expense surcharge (0.5%) on employers in the information and AI sectors whose average wage exceeds 300% of the regional median, with revenues allocated exclusively to preservation and construction of housing for households below 80% of area median income in the bottom-5%-by-price ZIP codes identified by Redfin. The surcharge must sunset after 10 years unless renewed by a two-thirds vote of affected municipalities.
OwnerAssociation of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR)
Establish State-Level HUD Accountability Laws: New York, California, and Massachusetts Model
State legislators (e.g., NY Assembly Housing Committee chair Linda Rosenthal, CA Assemblymember David Chiu, MA Sen. Patricia Jehlen) to introduce and pass state laws that require HUD grantees at the state level to file annual reports on how federal funding reductions (CDBG, HOME, Section 8) affect local affordable housing unit production and waiting list lengths — creating a data-driven opposition record to drive congressional action.
OwnerNY Assembly Housing Committee chair Linda Rosenthal + California Department of Housing and Community Development (with legislative partners)
Pass state-level ICE accountability statutes in Democratic legislatures
State laws requiring local law enforcement to report all ICE use-of-force incidents to the state AG, mandating independent investigation of any death involving federal immigration officers, and authorizing state criminal prosecution for civil rights violations — bypassing federal refusal to act.
OwnerState legislative leaders in California (Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas), New York (Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie), Illinois (House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch)
State-level legislative shield: pass measures to guarantee state-issued identification and in-state tuition to children born in-state regardless of federal citizenship status
To protect the 350,000 newborns per year potentially affected, states with Democratic trifectas (e.g., California, New York, Illinois) should enact laws that treat all children born in the state as state citizens for purposes of driver's licenses, public benefits, and education, creating a safety net independent of the Supreme Court's ruling.
Introduce Utah state bill requiring countywide referendum for data centers exceeding 1 GW load
In the 2027 Utah legislative session, a bill requiring any data center with an electrical demand over 1 GW to win local voter approval via referendum would lock in the backlash against O'Leary's project and prevent similar speculative land grabs without community consent.
OwnerUtah State Representative Doug Owens or Suzanne Harrison
State-level model legislation: ban acceptance of PragerU content as supplemental curriculum materials
Works with state legislators in battleground states (e.g., New Hampshire, Arizona, Michigan) to introduce bills prohibiting public schools from using historical or civics content produced by entities whose primary mission is political advocacy and that do not adhere to state-approved academic standards. This directly undercuts PragerU’s path to legitimacy that Freedom 250 has lubricated.
OwnerNational Education Association (NEA) and American Historical Association (AHA)
Introduce and pass the Protecting Public Housing Water Safety Act in New York State and New York City
Requires annual inspection and disinfection of cooling towers in NYCHA and other large public housing properties, funded through a state health department grant program — providing a model for other jurisdictions and closing the gap federal cuts have created.
OwnerNew York City Council Public Housing Committee
State-level protective legislation: ban state compliance with DOJ demands for non-public voter data without a court order
Because federal judges in five states have dismissed DOJ lawsuits for non-public voter files, states should preemptively pass laws requiring a final, unappealable court order before releasing driver's license numbers or Social Security data from voter rolls. This would create a statutory shield that the next hostile DOJ cannot pressure states into ignoring.
OwnerState legislative leaders in vulnerable states (e.g., Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia) working with the National Conference of State Legislatures
Enact state-level TPS worker protection and anti-detention sanctuary laws in high-impact states
Governors and state legislatures in states with large TPS populations (Florida, New York, Massachusetts, California, Illinois, Texas) should pass or strengthen laws barring state and local agencies from cooperating with immigration enforcement actions targeting TPS holders, prohibiting state employers from discriminating based on TPS status, and ensuring access to driver's licenses and in-state tuition regardless of TPS termination.
OwnerGovernors of Florida, New York, Massachusetts, California, Illinois, Texas (coalition led by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul)
State-level bonding authority expansion for water infrastructure in California
California legislature and Governor pass a bill allowing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to issue up to $4 billion in general obligation bonds specifically for aging pipe replacement, authorized via a public vote in 2028 to immediately address the maintenance backlog highlighted by the Sunset Boulevard rupture.
OwnerCalifornia State Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife
Press for a qualified, Senate-confirmed DNI before any Section 702 extension
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner should publicly condition Section 702 reauthorization on the confirmation of a permanent DNI, leveraging the current standoff to force the executive to send a qualified nominee through the advice-and-consent process.
OwnerSenator Mark Warner, Senate Intelligence Committee
Request a DOJ Inspector General investigation into the termination of the Justice coal investigation
The DOJ Office of the Inspector General should open an investigation into whether the decision to shut down the criminal probe of Sen. Jim Justice's coal operations was improperly influenced by political considerations or conflicts of interest, producing a public report that can inform future ethics reforms.
OwnerDOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz (via referral from ranking members of Senate Judiciary and House Judiciary Committees)
Prepare a state constitutional fallback — state legislature bill to extend ballot receipt window via state statute
In case the Supreme Court strikes down the postmark deadline rule under federal statutory interpretation, California and the other affected states should simultaneously prepare state-level bills that reenact the seven-day receipt window under independent state authority, relying on state constitutional protections for the right to vote rather than federal permissive law.
OwnerCalifornia Assembly Democrats and California Senate Elections Committee
Enforce the existing Medicaid community-engagement waiver processes under 42 U.S.C. 1315 as a ceiling on state flexibility
CMS can issue guidance clarifying that any state work requirement under Section 71119 must be no more restrictive than the Section 1115 demonstration standards the agency approved prior to P.L. 119-21—including exceptions for individuals with physical or mental health conditions. This interpretation, if litigated, could delay or narrow the mandate's effect for years, buying time for legislative repeal.
OwnerCenter for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator (acting as current appointee can still issue interpretive guidance)
File lawsuit challenging EO 14408 for violating NEPA and FLPMA
Argue that rescinding the minimization criteria without any replacement environmental analysis violates NEPA's requirement to consider alternatives and FLPMA's mandate for land-use plans to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation. Note: viability depends on standing through a plaintiff whose recreational or conservation use is directly harmed by new ORV designations.
OwnerWilderness Society / Natural Resources Defense Council (lead counsel), with plaintiffs from affected local chapters of the Sierra Club or The Conservation Fund
File amicus brief in key Voting Rights Act case to defend Section 2 against narrowing
Civil rights groups, led by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, file an amicus brief in an upcoming Supreme Court case that threatens to further restrict Section 2 of the VRA, emphasizing the link between racial gerrymandering and partisan map manipulation as highlighted in the entry.
Prepare and file an amicus brief in Trump v. Barbara on behalf of a bipartisan coalition of former U.S. attorneys general
A group of former attorneys general from both parties should file an amicus brief affirming the Wong Kim Ark precedent as settled constitutional law and warning that overturning it would destabilize the entire U.S. immigration and nationality framework.
Build and fund 2026 midterm candidate pipeline around Pentagon audit accountability and civil service protection platforms
The DOD has failed every financial audit since 2018; Project 2025's acquisition reform and Schedule F proposals would make that failure permanent by stripping the career auditors and analysts who are the only internal check. Recruiting and funding candidates who will run on Pentagon accountability and merit-system restoration builds the House majority prerequisite for the oversight and legislative items below.
OwnerDemocratic Congressional Campaign Committee and VoteVets PAC, coordinating with Win the Era and Future Forward USA Action
Secure state election infrastructure from federal agency overreach via executive action
Governors of Democratic states should issue executive orders or administrative directives mandating that state election officials refuse compliance with federal requests for voter list data or physical election infrastructure, absent a valid court order or explicit statutory authority.
OwnerGovernors of California, New York, Illinois, Washington, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and other Democratic-led states
State Attorneys General Multistate Amicus Brief Supporting Congressional Subpoena Power
Led by California, New York, and Illinois, file an amicus brief in any federal case arising from the Bondi deposition arguing that executive privilege must yield when Congress seeks information about pre-government conduct or victim-protection failures.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta, New York Attorney General Letitia James
Legal defense fund and rapid-response network for voter registration groups targeted by federal law enforcement
The OOC raid shows that voter groups now face weaponized federal investigations that can destroy operations even without charges. A pre-funded network staffed by voting rights litigators (e.g., from the Brennan Center, Campaign Legal Center, and ACLU) should offer 24/7 hotline, on‑call counsel, and immediate emergency fund disbursement to any nonprofit facing a similar raid.
OwnerAlliance for Justice and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, coordinated through the Voting Rights Funders Collaborative
Issue a Know Your Rights and Know Your Bank toolkit for immigrant-owned small businesses
The Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy (with current leadership pressure from Democratic members) or a coalition of State Small Business Credit Initiatives (e.g., the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank) can produce and distribute plain-language materials explaining how to respond to bank inquiries under the advisory, what data banks can legally share, and where to report discriminatory account closures.
OwnerSmall Business Administration Office of Advocacy (via Democratic congressional pressure) and Main Street Alliance
Coalition amicus brief in support of lawsuit to compel release of withheld PRAMS data
File an amicus brief in any pending or future FOIA lawsuit (brought by STAT News, Commonwealth Fund, or other plaintiffs) demanding the immediate release of the overdue 2023 PRAMS dataset and resumption of data collection. The brief should argue that the administration's withholding is arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act and violates the Public Health Service Act requirement to collect health surveillance data.
OwnerCenter for Public Integrity (or American Civil Liberties Union health rights project)
Develop and fund a First Amendment defense fund for water-safety whistleblowers
The Combs case is not isolated — similar arrests have occurred in Flint and other communities. A dedicated fund administered by a national nonprofit would provide immediate legal representation for any person facing criminal charges for reporting on public water quality, modeled on the Reporters Committee’s Local Legal Initiative but expanded to cover all citizen whistleblowers. Start with a $500,000 seed round to handle an anticipated 5–10 cases in the next two years.
OwnerWater Defense (an existing water-rights advocacy org) in partnership with the ACLU’s National Security Unit
State-level Iran divestment resolutions and legislative hearings in key states to pressure senators on INARA enforcement
State legislatures, particularly in states with significant Iranian-American communities and strong national security concerns (e.g., California, New York, Illinois, Texas), can pass resolutions calling on the administration to comply with INARA and urging their senators to demand the MOU's transmission. This builds grassroots pressure and creates news cycles that force Senate action.
OwnerState legislators in CA, NY, IL, TX (coordinated by National Iranian American Council)
Council of Europe: Trigger emergency monitoring mechanism under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
Anti-migrant riots targeting ethnic minorities in a region with a fragile peace settlement merit international scrutiny. An urgent monitoring visit and public report would pressure the UK government to act while providing civil society with a formal channel for documentation and advocacy.
OwnerCouncil of Europe Committee of Ministers (via UK-based minority rights NGOs with observer status)
Narrative report: 'The True Cost of Zero Releases' – documenting due process violations and funding opacity
A coalition of immigration and civil liberties organizations publishes a comprehensive report using FOIA requests, detention facility whistleblower interviews, and administrative data to expose the hidden human and fiscal costs of the administration's zero-release policy and the Secure America Act's lack of oversight.
OwnerNational Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) – Border Litigation Project
Launch Model State Open-Governance for Arts Institutions Act
Create and disseminate model state legislation requiring public notice, comment, and legislative approval for major changes to state-chartered cultural institutions, to prevent parallel local overreach and build a bipartisan track record before federal action.
OwnerNational Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Arts and Cultural Affairs Working Group
File federal lawsuits preemptively challenging SAVE Act as unconstitutional poll tax and violation of National Voter Registration Act and Voting Rights Act
Civil rights organizations should prepare cases arguing that requiring documents many citizens lack constitutes an undue burden on the right to vote and violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the Twenty-Fourth Amendment's prohibition on poll taxes.
OwnerACLU, Brennan Center for Justice, and Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Organize a state-level ballot initiative in Louisiana to establish an independent redistricting commission
Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and Voter Advocacy Louisiana should launch a petition drive for a constitutional amendment creating an independent commission to draw future congressional maps, bypassing the legislature's partisan control.
OwnerPower Coalition for Equity and Justice, Voter Advocacy Louisiana
File state-level mandamus actions to compel vaccination-data transparency
Coalition of state attorneys general in states with the highest exemption rates (Idaho, Utah, Arizona) file mandamus petitions to force their own state health departments to publish school-by-school MMR exemption rates and vaccination coverage, enabling targeted public-health outreach and legislative action.
OwnerIdaho Attorney General, Utah Attorney General, Arizona Attorney General (Democratic AGs via Democratic Attorneys General Association)
Launch a comprehensive investigative reporting project on the 2026 Iran conflict's origins and conduct
A consortium of investigative journalism outlets (e.g., The Intercept, ProPublica, AP) would pool resources to document the administration's decision-making leading to the ceasefire breach, the helicopter incident's disputed details, and the human cost of renewed strikes. This reporting can counter administration narratives, inform public debate, and build a factual record for future accountability efforts.
OwnerThe Intercept + ProPublica + Associated Press investigative teams
Launch national campaign to ratify a constitutional amendment restoring VRA Section 2 protections
Organize a multi-year push to amend the Constitution to explicitly protect the right to vote against racial discrimination, including a clear standard for majority-minority districts, to insulate voting rights from future judicial rollbacks.
Fund and deploy a national campaign to register outdoor and indoor heat-exposed workers to vote in the 2026 midterms, framing heat deaths as a survival issue
The 2026 midterms are critical to unlocking a house majority or senate majority that can force hearings on the blocked heat standard and eventually pass protective legislation. A targeted voter registration drive in five states with large outdoor workforces (Texas, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia) should register an estimated 500,000 low-income, Black, and Brown workers, using heat-related fatalities as the mobilization message.
OwnerWorking Families Party and SEIU's voter engagement division, in partnership with local worker centers
State attorneys general coalition should file amicus brief supporting NY's challenge to HHS-OIG funding suspension
If New York challenges the suspension in court, a coalition of state AGs should file an amicus brief arguing that the punitive defunding exceeds statutory authority and improperly penalizes beneficiaries for enforcement failures, setting a dangerous precedent for other states.
OwnerDemocratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) litigation working group
Launch coordinated campaign for federal data center emission standards under Clean Air Act
A multi-state AG coalition files a petition for rulemaking with EPA to establish Clean Air Act emission standards for data center backup generators and cooling systems, closing the regulatory gap that Trump administration's rollback of NEPA reviews created.
OwnerNew York Attorney General's Office (lead), joined by coalition of 12 state AGs
House Democrats launch investigation into Trump's declassification and false election claims
The House Oversight and Homeland Security Committees begin joint hearings into the White House's declassification of intelligence for political purposes, the factual basis for Trump's claims of Chinese interference, and the role of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in supporting the speech — using subpoenas and public hearings to counter the narrative in real time.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Accountability (Ranking Member Jamie Raskin) and House Committee on Homeland Security (Ranking Member Bennie Thompson)
Introduce California AB [draft] requiring AG ballot summaries to be published at signature-gathering stage and frozen upon submission
Current law allows the AG to rewrite the title and summary after signature gathering is complete, creating a bait-and-switch dynamic. This bill would require the Attorney General to issue the final title and summary at the same time the ballot measure is cleared for signature collection, and prohibit any subsequent revisions before the election. It closes the procedural loophole Bonta exploited and gives voters and volunteers certainty about what they are signing.
OwnerCalifornia State Assembly Elections and Redistricting Committee (Chair Assemblymember Marc Berman or successor)
File an amicus brief and public education campaign reinforcing Wong Kim Ark precedent
Submit a coalition amicus brief in any case where birthright citizenship is challenged under the Banks framework, joined by constitutional scholars, civil rights organizations, and former U.S. Attorneys General. Simultaneously run a public narrative campaign explaining why Wong Kim Ark is settled law and how Banks' attack is part of a broader anti-immigrant agenda.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) National Legal Department
Support State-Level Strategic Litigation Under State Equal Rights Amendments and Constitutions
Identify and fund litigation in states with strong state-level equal rights protections (e.g., Massachusetts, New York, Colorado) to challenge bans under state constitutional provisions that are more protective than the federal Equal Protection Clause, using the narrower federal precedent to argue for broader state standards.
Should the incoming Trump administration finalize a rule under ACF authority that redefines non-cash benefits as 'assistance' subject to work requirements, the coalition of state AGs and national legal aid groups (e.g., National Legal Aid & Defenders Association, Legal Services Corporation) will seek a nationwide preliminary injunction in a friendly district court (e.g., D. Oregon or D. Maryland). This would preserve the status quo while litigation proceeds, preventing millions from losing basic supports.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta and National Legal Aid & Defenders Association
Publish a bipartisan analysis of the MCG's feasibility and recommend oversight benchmarks
Commission a report through the Congressional Research Service or a think tank consortium to assess the Military Coordination Group's enforcement capacity given Hezbollah's rejection, and propose concrete oversight benchmarks to prevent a repeat of UNSCR 1701's failure.
OwnerCongressional Research Service (at the request of the House Foreign Affairs Committee)
Prepare model state legislation prohibiting the use of 'text, history, and tradition' analysis by state courts in challenges to state gun laws, directing courts to use a strict-scrutiny or intermediate-scrutiny standard instead
VanDyke's push to import Bruen's ahistorical methodology into the Ninth Circuit signals that SCOTUS is only one ruling away from imposing that methodology nationwide via a circuit split. States that control their own court interpretation (blue states) can short-circuit this by statute, creating a firewall so even if SCOTUS adopts VanDyke's view, state court decisions on state-law grounds are unreviewable by SCOTUS. No existing state-level item in the plan addresses this specific judicial methodology.
OwnerState Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins (California)
Draft and model state-level digital privacy laws addressing warrantless data collection
Leverage the FISA lapse to advance state legislation restricting state law enforcement from purchasing or using data collected under foreign intelligence authorities without a warrant, preempting backdoor access by federal agencies through state data brokers.
OwnerCalifornia Privacy Protection Agency (in collaboration with State AGs)
Establish state-level EAC-equivalent certification bodies and mutual aid pacts among blue states
To insulate election administration from federal capture, a coalition of blue-state governors and secretaries of state should create an interstate compact that establishes regional voting-system certification panels (using the EAC's voluntary guidelines as a floor, not a ceiling) and mutual-aid sharing of best practices, machine testing results, and procurement contracts. This could be operational within three months, funded by state appropriations and a federal legal challenge fund.
Authorize pre-enforcement lawsuit against the SAVE Act if enacted
Democracy-focused legal groups will prepare a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint arguing that the SAVE Act violates the 24th Amendment (poll tax via document costs) and the 14th Amendment (undue burden on the right to vote), and file immediately upon signature to seek a nationwide preliminary injunction.
OwnerNAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund + Campaign Legal Center
Issue a joint consumer warning and model legislation from state insurance commissioners to restrict the use of AI health data in underwriting and coverage decisions
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners can immediately warn consumers against sharing health data with AI platforms that may be used to deny or price insurance, and propose uniform state bills to prohibit such practices.
OwnerNational Association of Insurance Commissioners
Launch federal litigation strategy to overturn or limit Mirabelli v. Bonta
Until Mirabelli is overturned or narrowed, similar state confidentiality laws are constitutionally suspect. Organize a coordinated challenge seeking certiorari in a case that presents the strongest factual record of harm, or alternatively pursue as-applied challenges in district courts to establish a carve-out for students with abusive or neglectful parents.
Advance state-level greenhouse gas standards for power plants and vehicles to fill the federal void
A multi-state coalition (California, New York, Washington, Colorado, Oregon) would adopt or strengthen state-level Clean Air Act Title V permits for power plants and California's Advanced Clean Cars II standard, creating a de facto national standard through market share. These rules would use state endangerment findings under state clean air acts, building a parallel legal architecture that can survive the loss of the federal finding.
OwnerCalifornia Air Resources Board + New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Enact Louisiana state-level automatic voter registration and anti‑cracking statute
Louisiana state legislators and the Democratic caucus, working with Power Coalition and the Louisiana Justice Institute, should introduce a state bill requiring neutrally-drawn redistricting criteria and automatic voter registration to offset the effects of the discriminatory map and protect remaining Black electoral opportunities.
Pass state-level 'Caregiver Retention and Recruitment' trust funds in six key swing states
State legislation that raises a modest employer-paid surcharge on nursing home and home health agency revenues to fund wage supplements, training stipends, and housing/transportation assistance for direct care workers — including protections against immigration-status-based firing. Target: Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada — where elder populations are high and legislature margins are tight enough to make this a 2027-2028 message bill.
OwnerState-based coalitions led by PHI National (Direct Care Worker advocacy) and SEIU State Councils
Democratic Senator requests Senate Ethics investigation of Trump's use of intelligence for campaign purposes
A single Democratic senator — perhaps Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) — files a formal complaint or referral with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, arguing that Trump's declassification for campaign purposes violates the Hatch Act and Senate rules regarding use of official intelligence, triggering an ethics investigation that would keep the issue in the news.
Launch public pressure and state-level response against EO 14408
Coordinate a coalition of outdoor recreation businesses, hunting and fishing groups, and conservation organizations to publicly oppose the order, while target states (e.g., Colorado, Utah, Montana) pass or introduce state legislation restricting ORV use on state lands or conditioning state funding on federal compliance with equivalent criteria—creating a patchwork of local resistance that complicates industry compliance.
OwnerOutdoor Alliance / Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (for business and sportsman outreach), with Western Governor's Association as a forum for state-level model legislation
Litigation Funding Campaign for Victims of Epstein File Redaction Errors
Launch a coordinated fundraising drive by survivors' advocacy groups and civil liberties organizations to support private lawsuits against DOJ officials (including Bondi and Dhillon) for negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress due to the release of victim identities.
OwnerRape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) plus the National Center for Victims of Crime
Issue a DOJ Inspector General investigation into the management of the Election Fraud Unit's use of multi-city FBI raids
The OOC raid's scale (100+ agents) and its context (ongoing, dismissed lawsuits) raise questions about misuse of law enforcement. A formal IG probe can determine whether the unit is targeting nonpartisan groups based on political considerations, and whether resources are being diverted from genuine election crime cases.
OwnerDOJ Office of the Inspector General (congressional request led by Senate Judiciary Committee)
Launch nationwide vaccination outreach and misinformation-response grant program
The CDC's Prevention and Public Health Fund (if restored) or a private foundation-funded trust awards $200 million in competitive grants to local health departments, community health centers, and religious/ethnic community organizations for door-to-door vaccination drives, mobile clinics, and science-based vaccine-safety dialogue in the 50 highest-exemption ZIP codes.
OwnerRobert Wood Johnson Foundation and CDC Foundation (coordinated grant-making)
Fund a national campaign to enshrine climate rights in state constitutions
State-based coalitions (led by the State Energy & Environmental Impact Center, Center for Biological Diversity, and local affiliates) would launch ballot initiatives and legislative pushes to add explicit constitutional protections for a healthy climate and clean air in 10-15 states by 2028. These rights would establish independent state-level endangerment frameworks, insulating climate protections from future federal retreat.
OwnerState Energy & Environmental Impact Center at NYU Law
State-Level Bill: Mandatory Independent Investigation of ICE Custody Deaths
In states with Democratic trifectas, pass a law requiring that any death occurring during or within 24 hours of an ICE enforcement action be investigated by a state-level independent office (e.g., state attorney general or public safety ombudsman), not ICE internal affairs.
Launch a national public health data transparency campaign by medical and civil rights organizations
A coalition of the American Public Health Association, NAACP, and March of Dimes should run a 12-month campaign to educate the public and state officials on the consequences of the PRAMS shutdown and NIH grant cuts, tying it to rising maternal mortality data from states with abortion bans. The campaign should produce state-specific report cards showing what each state has lost in data visibility and research funding.
OwnerAmerican Public Health Association (APHA) in partnership with NAACP Health Division
File immediate Section 2 challenge to Louisiana's new congressional map in federal district court
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund and ACLU should file suit in the Middle District of Louisiana, arguing the map intentionally dilutes Black voting power, targeting the specific district eliminated by SB 121. This preserves a vehicle for appellate review before the 2026 elections.
Launch legal challenge to HHS's fetal tissue research ban as ultra vires
The ban was enacted by HHS via announcement without statutory authority. A lawsuit arguing the HHS action exceeds its regulatory authority could restore NIH-funded research using cell lines, providing a near-term reversal without waiting for trifecta.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Center for Reproductive Rights
Launch a National Tracking Dashboard for Immigration Enforcement Deaths
Build and maintain a public, searchable database cataloging all deaths occurring during ICE enforcement actions or in ICE custody, modeled on existing police accountability trackers, to counter official invisibility and support advocacy.
OwnerAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) National Political Advocacy Department
Force Department of Justice to intervene in Louisiana VRA case
The Attorney General must file an amicus brief or statement of interest in the district court challenge, signaling that the federal government views SB 121 as a violation of Section 2 under existing pre-Louisiana v. Callais precedent, narrowing the Supreme Court's holding.
OwnerU.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
Demand state and local health departments pre-commit to rebutting CDC guidance bans
Immediate action to build a coalition of state and local health officers publicly stating they will issue their own evidence-based guidance (masks, vaccines, etc.) if federal guidance is blocked. This creates a normative bulwark and foundation for later litigation or legislation.
Demand FTA clarify that fare equity programs are not at risk under 49 U.S.C. § 5329 safety investigations
Senate Commerce Committee and House T&I Committee Democrats should send a joint letter to FTA Administrator requiring written assurance that compliance with safety findings will not result in cuts to fare subsidies or other low-income access programs, and that any capital grant conditions must explicitly preserve affordability measures.
OwnerHouse Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Democrats
File FOIA request and draft report on DHS worksite raids and HUD voucher suspensions targeting Latino communities
House Committee on Oversight and Reform Democrats will demand data from DHS on the number, location, and cost of worksite raids conducted in 2025–2026, and from HUD on voucher denial rates by census tract and ethnicity. Release a public report tying Project 2025 policies to immediate economic harm — before media narratives normalize the administration's actions.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Reform (Ranking Member's office)
Hold oversight hearings on the termination of PRAMS and USDA food security survey staff and data
Once Democrats control the House, the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Agriculture should subpoena agency officials, demand production of internal communications about the data deletions and staff firings, and draft legislation to restore and protect these programs.
House Judiciary Committee subpoenas Louisiana redistricting records
Once Democrats control the House, the committee should demand internal communications about the map’s racial intent, building a public record of discriminatory purpose to inform federal legislation.
Hold Oversight Hearing on Judgment Fund Abuse and 'Anti-Weaponization' Settlement
Despite the divided Congress, House Democrats should use committee resources to hold a single-issue hearing examining the anti-weaponization fund settlement as a case study in unconstitutional appropriation, featuring CREW's counsel, a former DOJ ethics official, and the GAO to explain how the Judgment Fund was misused and what legislative fix is needed.
Introduce state legislation to prohibit religious content in public school curricular materials
Texas state legislators (likely in the House Public Education Committee) should pre-file a bill for the 2027 legislative session that explicitly bars the State Board of Education from requiring religious texts as part of any mandatory K-12 curriculum, clarifying that existing TEKS standards must be secular. This would provide a statutory backstop against future SBOE actions regardless of board composition.
OwnerTexas House Public Education Committee (Democratic Caucus), Rep. James Talarico or Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer
Hold floor debate on joint resolution to require AUMF for any hostilities with Iran
A privileged resolution under the War Powers Resolution to compel the president to either seek congressional authorization for continued military operations against Iran or cease hostilities within 30 days. This forces a recorded vote breaking the two-party silence on an undeclared war.
OwnerHouse Committee on Foreign Affairs (Ranking Member Gregory Meeks)
Introduce the World Cup Hospitality Visa Waiver Act
To reverse the ACLU travel advisory’s chilling effect on 10 million expected international visitors, the House Homeland Security Committee should introduce a bill creating a 90-day World Cup hospitality visa that waives in-person interview requirements for visitors from the 32 qualified nations and allows bond-free entry at port-of-entry for TPS holders returning from pre-tournament family visits. This directly undoes the deterrent of random immigration checks at airports and border hubs.
OwnerHouse Homeland Security Committee (Chair, if flipped)
Introduce the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in the House and Senate as a response to the Louisiana v. Callais decision
The Supreme Court's decision effectively gutted Section 2's ability to protect minority voting rights. Reintroducing or pushing for a floor vote on preclearance legislation is the only legislative remedy that can restore robust federal oversight of discriminatory redistricting. This item is gated on a Democratic House majority to secure a vote.
Draft and introduce the Saving the Civil Service Act in the House as a messaging bill
Once Democrats win the House majority in 2027, the House Oversight Committee should introduce the Saving the Civil Service Act to permanently codify civil service protections and outlaw Schedule F, providing a clear legislative alternative and forcing floor votes that reveal party positions before 2028.
OwnerHouse Oversight and Government Reform Committee (ranking member or incoming chair)
Introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore the preclearance formula and codify a statutory right against retrogression
The Callais decision further erodes Section 2's ability to protect majority-minority districts. Only a new preclearance framework can prevent states like Louisiana from eliminating Black-opportunity districts mid-decade without federal approval. The House should introduce and mark up the JLVRAA in the 2027 session, using the Louisiana map as a case study of why preclearance is needed.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee Chair (Dem., assumed after 2026 flip) and Rep. Terri Sewell
Introduce the Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act in the House (six-year recusal mandate for any Justice writing or joining an opinion benefiting a political donor or party)
This bill directly responds to the Court's pattern of ruling for Trump's interests while dodging ethics scrutiny. It would require recusal whenever a Justice or their immediate family received more than $50,000 in gifts or donations from a party that has a case before the Court, with a mandatory ethics review panel to enforce it. Gated to a House majority, but messaging and cosponsor recruitment can begin immediately.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee Democratic leadership (Rep. Jerry Nadler or incoming Chair)
Introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in the House to restore the Section 2 effects test
Representative Terri Sewell should reintroduce the VLRA (H.R. 4) as a messaging bill and oversight vehicle, forcing House Republicans to vote on restoring the pre-Callais standard and laying the groundwork for a Democratic trifecta in 2029.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee, Office of Rep. Terri Sewell
Senate Foreign Relations Committee issues subpoena for the U.S.-Iran MOU document and all related communications
The administration's refusal to transmit the MOU to Congress under INARA is a statutory violation. A subpoena compels production of the document and the internal deliberations that led to the evasion, enabling oversight and potential legal challenge.
Introduce the 'Protect Americans' Queries Act' — Bill Text Prefiled for House Introduction on Day One of New Congress
Civil liberties groups should work with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) to pre-file legislation that would permanently amend FISA 702 to require a warrant before the government can search collected data for communications of U.S. persons. The bill is a messaging vehicle now and a real vehicle after a favorable gate; it provides an alternative to fast-track reauthorization and sets the reform floor.
OwnerRep. Pramila Jayapal (House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice)
Congressional briefing on Project 2025's Schedule F implementation timeline and workforce impact
The House Oversight Committee holds a classified briefing with OPM and GAO to map the specific executive orders and regulatory steps Trump allies would use to reinstate Schedule F by mid-2027, exposing the operational blueprint and alerting federal unions and affected agencies.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Conduct House oversight hearing on Kennedy Center board politicization
Hold a hearing to investigate the Trump-aligned board's attempt to rename and close the Kennedy Center in violation of its organic statute, and to examine broader patterns of executive overreach into cultural institutions.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Accountability
Force a floor vote on a War Powers Resolution to end unauthorized hostilities in the Red Sea
A joint resolution under the War Powers Resolution directing the removal of U.S. armed forces from hostilities in the Red Sea against Houthi forces and Iran-aligned groups would force every member of Congress to go on record. Even if vetoed or blocked in the Senate, the vote gives the public a clear line of accountability and pressures the administration toward a diplomatic off-ramp.
Virginia legislative majority to introduce 'No Selective Nullification Act'
State Delegate Charniele Herring files a bill requiring all Virginia sheriffs to enforce state criminal statutes uniformly or face removal proceedings and state funding forfeiture, closing the legal gap that Sumption exploited and deterring copycat nullifications.
Introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (revised) to restore and strengthen Section 2 preclearance formula
Upon winning a House majority in 2027, Representative Terri Sewell will reintroduce the John Lewis VRAA with an updated coverage formula that responds to the Supreme Court's anticipated narrowing of Section 2 in Louisiana v. Callais, providing a statutory backstop to protect majority-minority districts.
OwnerRepresentative Terri Sewell (D-AL), House Judiciary Committee
Launch bipartisan House oversight investigation into DOJ subpoena campaign against law firms
The House Judiciary Committee opens an investigation into the DOJ's use of civil discovery to target law firms representing disfavored clients, examining whether the subpoenas violate the Privacy Act, the Right to Financial Privacy Act, or ethical rules governing prosecutorial conduct.
Subpoena OPM and White House records on Schedule F implementation and Project 2025 coordination
The incoming House majority committee on Oversight and Government Reform should launch an investigation into EO 14170's implementation, focusing on mass firings, reclassification criteria, and coordination with Heritage Foundation authors of the White House Office chapter, to inform potential impeachment articles and public accountability.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Introduce the Federal Reserve Stability and Independence Act in the House to codify lender-of-last-resort authority and prohibit a gold standard
If Democrats win the House in November, the first economic priority should be a bill that explicitly prohibits any president from eliminating the Fed’s lender-of-last-resort function or tying the dollar to a commodity standard. This bill would serve as a messaging and legislative barrier to Project 2025’s monetary goals.
Introduce the PFAS Protection Act in the House to codify 2024 drinking water limits
Preempt further EPA rollbacks by writing the 4-ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS and the 10-ppt limits for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA/GenX directly into statute, ensuring they cannot be rescinded without new legislation.
OwnerHouse Energy and Commerce Committee (ranking member Pallone, or incoming chair if Democrats gain majority)
Introduce the Birthright Citizenship Protection Act in the Texas Senate
State Senator Carol Alvarado (Houston) files a bill to codify the 14th Amendment’s citizenship clause under Texas law, prohibiting state agencies from cooperating with any federal effort to deny birthright citizenship, such as denying birth certificates or denying state services to children born in Texas to non-citizen parents.
Pass a Sense of Congress and a House resolution demanding the administration submit a War Powers report within 48 hours on the June 26 strikes
A House resolution, sponsored by the House Armed Services Committee or the House Foreign Affairs Committee, that demands the President submit a formal report under Section 4(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution on the scope, legal justification, and duration of the airstrikes, and expresses the sense that failure to do so is a violation of law and undermines constitutional war powers.
OwnerHouse Armed Services Committee (Chair) or House Foreign Affairs Committee (Chair)
House Oversight Committee subpoena for DHS IG database-access correspondence
Once House Democrats regain the majority in 2026, the Oversight Committee should immediately subpoena all internal DHS communications, emails, and memos regarding the restriction of OIG database access to determine who ordered the denial and whether it impeded a specific criminal investigation.
OwnerChair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
House Democratic leadership introduces the Due Process and Detention Accountability Act
A bill to condition ICE funding on compliance with statutory detention caps, mandatory court hearings, and prohibitions on indefinite detention—effectively a statutory replacement for the oversight the reconciliation bill strips. This forces a recorded vote and puts moderate Republicans on defense.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerry Nadler
Introduce a Joint Resolution to Overturn Colombia Counternarcotics Decertification and Restore Full Partnership
After Democrats win a House majority in the 2026 midterms, the new House Majority Leader should prioritize a privileged resolution under the Foreign Assistance Act that reverses the administration’s statutory decertification of Colombia. This would restore counternarcotics assistance and tariff preferences, signaling that Congress rejects the punitive approach and recommits to a democratic ally.
OwnerHouse Majority Leader (beginning January 2027)
Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearings on DOJ's abandonment of media antitrust enforcement
Oversight hearings exposing the unconditional clearance of a $110 billion media merger would build pressure for state AG action and lay groundwork for future antitrust legislation. Subpoenas of DOJ antitrust leadership and merger parties would document the failure of enforcement.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights (ranking member)
Introduce the War Powers Reassertion Act to require an AUMF for any sustained naval campaign like Operation Southern Spear
This bill would require a specifically enacted Authorization for Use of Military Force before the U.S. military can conduct a campaign of more than 10 strikes or lasting more than 30 days outside a declared war zone. It would force Congress to take a recorded vote before operations like Southern Spear can continue past a 30-day emergency window, directly responding to the 213 deaths and $4.7 billion spent without authorization.
OwnerHouse Armed Services Committee (Chair, under new Democratic majority)
Issue Subpoenas to Acting DNI Pulte for ODNI Staffing Decisions
Upon winning a House majority, the House Intelligence Committee opens an investigation and subpoenas documents and testimony regarding the mass firings, including communications with the White House, personnel records, and legal justifications for exceeding the scope of the acting DNI’s authority.
OwnerHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Launch bipartisan House oversight resolution on Baltic security guarantees
House Foreign Affairs Committee introduces a concurrent resolution affirming Article 5's applicability to Baltic allies, requiring the Administration to report quarterly on NATO eastern flank readiness and any intelligence of Russian provocations, creating a public record that constrains executive ambiguity.
Introduce the Wildland Firefighter Respiratory Protection Act of 2027
A Representative with a wildland fire district (e.g., Jared Huffman, CA-02) should introduce a bill requiring the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to issue a mandatory, fit-tested respiratory protection standard for all federal wildland firefighters, enforceable by OSHA, and to report annually on compliance and air quality monitoring at fire camps. This builds a statutory floor that cannot be undone by agency guidance.
Request GAO Investigation into Pentagon Suppression of Civilian Harm Reports
House Oversight Committee requests the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether the Department of Defense has systematically suppressed or delayed release of civilian harm investigations, with a public report due before the end of 2026. This lays evidentiary groundwork for future legislation and for potential hearings in a Democratic House.
OwnerHouse Oversight and Government Reform Committee (Chair, once majority flips)
Introduce a state-level bill to limit prosecutorial misconduct and racial bias in capital cases
The Utah legislature should pass a bill requiring independent review of any capital prosecution where prosecutors are held in contempt for prejudicial statements, and establishing a state Innocence Commission to reduce wrongful conviction risk—addressing the structural vulnerability that death-penalty push under Project 2025 exploits.
House Oversight Committee subpoena of DOJ documents on Trump ballroom litigation and Acting AG Blanche's communication with the White House
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee should subpoena the Department of Justice for all records related to the ballroom litigation — including communications between Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, White House counsel, and career attorneys — to determine whether political direction compromised the professional civil service and whether taxpayer funds were spent without appropriation.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform — Chairman (to be elected January 2027 in a Democratic majority scenario)
House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the Trump administration's Belarus policy
Hold a public hearing to examine the administration's sanctions relief and Board of Peace invitation to Lukashenko, highlighting the lack of verifiable reforms and the continued imprisonment of over 850 political prisoners.
House oversight hearing: ICE use-of-force and traffic stop protocols
Creates public record and political pressure on ICE to reform, while providing a platform for expert testimony on the need for statutory limits. This is a core House oversight function that can begin as soon as Democrats regain the majority.
OwnerHouse Committee on the Judiciary (Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement)
Appoint Special Counsel for ICE Enforcement Abuses
The Attorney General of a state with substantial ICE activity (e.g., California, New York, Illinois) or a coalition of state AGs should petition the DOJ to appoint a special counsel under 28 CFR Part 600 to investigate the pattern of deadly ICE vehicle stops and recommend criminal charges if warranted, leveraging the administration's own regulatory mechanism.
OwnerCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta and coalition of state attorneys general
Launch cross-party House resolution affirming that unsubstantiated ICJ claims by Russia against NATO allies constitute disinformation and potential hybrid attacks
The resolution—introduced by the House Foreign Affairs Committee—formally declares that Russia's pattern of using multilateral forums to spread false legal claims undermines international law and Baltic sovereignty, and calls for enhanced intelligence sharing and expedited NATO consultations in response.
Demand congressional vote on use of force in Latin America through War Powers Resolution
To reassert Congress's constitutional authority over the $4.7 billion in unauthorized military operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, a group of House members should introduce a War Powers Resolution demanding the withdrawal of U.S. forces within 30 days unless Congress explicitly authorizes the missions—using the Colombia election as a case study of the cost to democratic stability.
House Judiciary Committee launches investigation into DOJ's unitary executive theory arguments
The House Judiciary Committee should open an investigation into DOJ's claim that courts cannot review presidential property decisions, which threatens Congress's power of the purse. Hearings and subpoenas will expose the constitutional overreach and build public pressure for statutory guardrails.
Launch coordinated oversight effort to demand HUD guidance and Treasury allocation for the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
If Democrats gain the House majority in 2027, the House Financial Services Committee and House Oversight Committee should immediately hold hearings and issue subpoenas to HUD and Treasury secretaries, demanding legally required implementation of the housing law. Congress must pass a joint resolution expressing the sense that the executive branch must implement enacted law without conditions, or attach implementation deadlines to must-pass spending bills.
Draft the Federal Contractor Non-Discrimination Restoration Act for House introduction
To prepare for a Democratic House majority in 2027, labor coalitions should develop comprehensive statutory language that restores EO 11246's protections and codifies them beyond executive reach. This bill becomes immediately introducible if Democrats flip the House in 2026.
OwnerHouse Education and Labor Committee (anticipated Dem chair)
Launch oversight hearing on unilateral military action against Iran
House Foreign Affairs Committee holds a hearing with State Department and Pentagon witnesses on the legal basis and strategic consequences of the June 26 strikes, demanding all relevant OLC opinions and internal assessments. Hearing record bolsters future war powers legislation and public accountability.
Launch congressional investigation into Pakistan-Iran mediation process and Trump administration's compliance with law
Oversight by the House Foreign Affairs Committee to examine whether the delegation of U.S. Iran negotiation authority to Pakistan violated the Arms Export Control Act, the Foreign Assistance Act, or reporting requirements under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act. This establishes a factual record for future legislation and holds current officials accountable.
Launch a congressional investigation led by the House Foreign Affairs Committee into the Trump administration's concealment of casualty counts and after-action reports for the Strait of Hormuz strikes
Upon winning a House majority, the committee should issue subpoenas for all after-action reports, casualty data, and legal justifications related to the June–July 2026 strikes on civilian vessels, establishing a public record of systemic indifference to civilian harm that can underpin an ICC submission or sanctions push.
Introduce the 'Annual Homeland Security Accountability Act' to restore yearly appropriations for all ICE and CBP enforcement accounts
Once Democrats hold the House (or a trifecta), a bill that prohibits multi-year advance appropriations for immigration enforcement — requiring all ICE detention, removal, and border enforcement funds to be authorized and appropriated one fiscal year at a time — to prevent any future administration from locking in enforcement funding without annual congressional oversight.
OwnerHouse Appropriations Committee Democrats (ranking member Rep. Rosa DeLauro's office)
Introduce the Fair Contracting and Equal Opportunity Restoration Act
To reverse the revocation of EO 11246 and restore OFCCP's authority, Rep. Bobby Scott (ranking member of Education and Workforce) will reintroduce a bill that codifies affirmative action obligations for federal contractors, reinstates OFCCP enforcement, and mandates reporting on contractor demographics. The bill cannot pass before a House majority, but it educates the public and forces floor votes.
OwnerRep. Bobby Scott (ranking member, House Education and Workforce Committee)
Introduce the Media Worker Antitrust Protection Act in the House
A bill to establish a statutory presumption against media mergers that would create monopsony power over creative workers, lowering the bar for DOJ to block such deals and codifying the labor-harm standard from the Penguin Random House case.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Chair, once Democratic majority is installed)
House Oversight Committee investigation into Project 2025 education chapter authors and funding sources
Investigate the roles of Heritage Foundation and other groups in drafting the dismantlement blueprint, to expose conflicts of interest and pressure donors to withdraw funding.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Draft and introduce the Codified Climate Protection Act
This bill would codify into statute the scientific finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare, removing any future EPA administrator’s unilateral authority to rescind the Endangerment Finding, and would require updated biennial endangerment reviews based on the latest IPCC science.
OwnerHouse Energy and Commerce Committee (Democratic leadership, incoming chair if flipped)
Subpoena DNI for Project 2025 Implementation Compliance Report
House Intelligence Committee demands all records of any policy changes, personnel moves, or clearance revocations that align with Project 2025 recommendations, laying the evidentiary foundation for legislative reversal.
OwnerHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chair
House Oversight Committee subpoenas DOJ for Civil Rights Division staffing and mission records
If Democrats retake the House, the House Oversight Committee subpoenas DOJ for all records related to the reassignments, resignations, and mission shift that caused the mass exodus, examining potential violations of the Whistleblower Protection Act and Civil Service Reform Act. This builds public record for future restoration.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Introduce the 'Data Center Impact Reporting Act' to require EPA study of water and energy effects per new facility
Companion legislation to the AI Data Center Moratorium Act requiring the EPA to produce a lifecycle report on water consumption, grid stress, and emissions per data center. Designed to pass if the House flips in 2027 (messaging bill) and to give the Moratorium Act its evidence base.
Introduce legislation to require dynamic demographic scoring of state tax cuts
A state legislator (e.g., Sen. Shevrin Jones or Rep. Anna Eskamani) should pre-file a bill for the 2027 session requiring that any state tax cut projected to reduce revenue by more than 1% of general fund be accompanied by a dynamic fiscal note that models revenue impacts under at least two plausible demographic scenarios, to prevent reliance on temporary migration booms.
OwnerSen. Shevrin Jones (Florida Senate Democratic Caucus)
Introduce the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Escalation Reduction Act (MERA)
Congressional bill requiring the Administration to submit a diplomatic strategy for de-escalation in the Persian Gulf within 60 days, including multilateral engagement with Iran for binding maritime security guarantees and conditioned extension of oil waivers. This locks in a mandatory diplomatic pathway, preventing future abrupt revocation of economic levers without a coherent alternative plan.
Organize House Judiciary Committee hearing on the constitutional limits of 'subject to the jurisdiction'
If Democrats retake the House in the 2026 midterms, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship should hold oversight hearings exposing the constitutional overreach of the Schmitt bill, inviting legal scholars to reaffirm Wong Kim Ark and the narrow diplomatic exception, and to document the real-world impact on U.S.-born children of visa holders.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship (Ranking Member Pramila Jayapal)
Launch GAO Audit of Foreign Gift Acceptance Procedures Under the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act
Direct the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether gifts of critical national security assets from foreign governments are being properly vetted for security risks and whether current statutes provide adequate oversight, creating a public record to support legislative reforms.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Propose a statutory prohibition on hostilities with Iran without prior congressional authorization
A new AUMF or standalone bill would explicitly prohibit the use of military force against Iran absent a formal declaration of war or specific authorization from Congress, learning from the blank-check AUMFs of 2001 and 2002. This bill would close the legal loophole used to justify ongoing strikes and prevent future presidents from escalating without legislative consent.
Congressional Oversight Demand for HHS Inspector General Audit of TANF Work Requirement Implementation Costs
House Democrats can use their minority oversight authority (and build for future majority) to demand an IG audit of how much TANF work requirement enforcement actually costs states and whether the proposed expansion to non-cash benefits would waste millions more. This creates a public record of the proposal's inefficiency and cruelty, undermining its justification and building the case for statutory reversal under a future Democratic trifecta.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (ranking member Jamie Raskin)
Hold oversight hearing on the ODNI reorganization directive
The House and Senate Intelligence Committees should immediately convene a joint hearing with Acting DNI Pulte to demand answers on the legality of the proposed firings, the potential impact on intelligence sharing, and whether the administration has statutory authority to abolish or materially shrink ODNI without congressional approval.
OwnerHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI)
House oversight hearing on accurate enforcement of Title IX sexual harassment protections
After winning a House majority, hold oversight hearings examining OCR's mischaracterization of the Loudoun County finding and its impact on sexual harassment enforcement, pressuring OCR to correct the record and refocus on student safety.
OwnerHouse Education and Workforce Committee (Democratic ranking member or future chair)
Introduce the 'Vote Without Fear Act' to criminalize intimidation based on false election fraud claims
To close the legal gap exploited by Trump’s ‘rigged’ narrative, a House Democrat should introduce a bill that makes it a federal crime to knowingly spread false information about an election's integrity with the intent to deter voting, building on existing prohibitions against voter intimidation. This creates a statutory backstop against the pattern of pre‑ and post‑election disinformation that Trump's attack exemplifies.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Democratic Chair), sponsored by Rep. Zoe Lofgren or Rep. Jamie Raskin
Hold joint oversight hearings on the economic and worker impacts of USRTA-style tariff authority
House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee (if chaired by a Democrat after the 2026 midterms) would hold hearings on the consumer price burden of reciprocal tariffs (citing Yale Budget Lab analysis) and the absence of labor/environmental standards in Project 2025's proposal, building a public record and messaging to oppose future unilateral tariff expansions.
House oversight hearing on politicization of election integrity prosecutions
Hold a committee hearing examining how the Trump administration selectively publicizes and leverages isolated voter registration cases to justify executive restrictions on mail-in voting, with testimony from the Brennan Center and former election officials.
OwnerHouse Administration Committee (Ranking Member Rep. Joe Morelle)
Introduce the Judicial Ethics Enforcement Transparency Act
Require the Judicial Conference to publish standardized, anonymized data on all judge-initiated bar referrals, including the judge's appointing party, the referred lawyer's client affiliation, and the outcome, to deter partisan weaponization of disciplinary referrals.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Ranking Member Jamie Raskin)
Require BLM to report all roundup-related law enforcement incidents and tribal consultation records quarterly
Without transparent data on the scope of removals, disputes, and consultation processes, neither Congress nor the public can hold BLM accountable. A reporting requirement in the FY2027 Interior appropriations bill would force disclosure and create a baseline for future reform.
Authorize the DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility to investigate the Blanche-led settlement
Task OPR with examining whether Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's personal involvement in using DOJ settlement authority to resolve the President's private lawsuit violated conflict-of-interest rules or the Anti-Deficiency Act, and publish the findings.
Introduce the Death Penalty Method Accountability Act in state legislatures
Model legislation requiring independent, peer-reviewed safety studies of any new execution protocol—including nitrogen hypoxia—before it may be used; require public disclosure of all protocol details and a two-thirds legislative vote to adopt a method not already proven humane by federal court standards.
OwnerInnocence Project and state-level criminal justice reform caucuses
Introduce the Black Sea Maritime Security Authorization Act
Codifies U.S. authority to provide naval escort, maritime reconnaissance, and mine-countermeasure support to commercial vessels in the Ukraine Black Sea grain corridor, closing the gap in current aid authorities that leave the corridor defenseless.
House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on economic coercion of NATO allies
Hold a public hearing examining the Trump administration's use of trade threats, including tariffs against Spain, to pressure NATO allies — documenting the erosion of trust in collective defense and the impact on burden-sharing commitments.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Subpoena DRL Officials for Reprogramming Documents
Compel testimony and internal communications to expose politically-directed diversion of human rights funds to white Afrikaner and European far-right groups, building record for legislative remedy.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee (Chair Gregory Meeks or Democratic successor)
Introduce a House Resolution calling for a Government Accountability Office investigation into DHS suspension of the Diversity Visa Program
Require GAO to examine the legal basis for the suspension, cost savings (if any), and impact on U.S. diplomatic relationships with eligible countries. Provides oversight backup for a future legislative fix and creates a public record that exposes any lack of statutory authority for a future court challenge.
OwnerHouse Committee on Homeland Security, Ranking Member or new Democratic Chair
Draft and advance state-level antitrust legislation to block future media mega-mergers
State legislators in coalition states introduce bills modeled on the Maryland Digital Advertising Tax approach — requiring prior AG approval for any media merger above a revenue threshold, or creating a presumption of illegality for mergers that concentrate more than 25% of a local or national market — to prevent a repeat of this crisis even after a change in federal administration.
OwnerCalifornia Assembly Judiciary Committee and New York State Assembly Codes Committee
Investigate Project 2025 author's conflicts in EXIM abolition advocacy
If Democrats win the House in 2026, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform should investigate Veronique de Rugy and the Mercatus Center's funding sources for their EXIM abolition advocacy, probing whether undisclosed foreign corporate contributions or ideological donors are pushing the abolition narrative without regard for small-business consequences.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform chair
Hold oversight hearing on DHS/FBI coordination to protect federal land management employees from domestic extremist threats
The House Homeland Security Committee should convene a hearing examining the adequacy of federal interagency threat assessment for anti-government violence targeting public lands workers, using the Shasta-Trinity kidnapping as a case study. This would pressure DHS and FBI to allocate resources to rural federal worksites and expose any gaps that could be closed via appropriations.
Adopt a House Resolution Affirming That No AUMF Exists for Ground Operations Against Iran
Pass a House concurrent resolution declaring that any ground campaign in Iran without prior congressional authorization is contrary to the War Powers Resolution and the Constitution, establishing a clear congressional record that can be cited in litigation and by whistleblowers. This resolution does not require Senate passage but creates legal and political cover for service members to refuse unlawful orders.
Hold House oversight hearing on the declassification and release of election-intelligence documents
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform (under a future Democratic majority) investigates the process by which the White House declassified and selectively released intelligence documents, the failure to declassify contrary evidence, and the coordination with the SAVE Act messaging strategy.
Introduce the Safe Pilots Act to codify the 1,500-hour minimum
Representative Rick Larsen (D-WA), Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduces a bill to permanently enshrine the 1,500-hour flight experience requirement for airline copilots into law, blocking any FAA rulemaking that would weaken this safety standard.
OwnerHouse Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen
Congress must pass a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) before any Iran-related combat funding can be obligated
The reported $95 billion budget may include funds for potential military operations against Iran. Without a new AUMF, the administration could rely on decades-old authorizations or emergency powers to expand hostilities. Requiring a fresh, debated AUMF reasserts Congress's Article I war powers, constrains executive war-making, and ensures that any combat funding has a clear, statutory basis and sunset clause.
Introduce the Housing Implementation Transparency Act
Codify quarterly HUD reports to Congress on ROAD Act deadlines, grant distributions, and any delayed rulemaking, with a private right of action for states or beneficiaries. This turns Warren’s urgency into enforceable transparency, preventing the administration from slow-walking execution behind closed doors.
OwnerRep. Maxine Waters (ranking member, House Financial Services Committee)
Hold oversight hearing on USMCA labor enforcement failures
House Ways and Means Committee hearing examining the failure of USMCA's Rapid Response Mechanism to prevent labor violations and the resulting trade deficit increase with Mexico. Builds public record for statutory reform.
House Oversight Committee hearing on EPA political interference and public health impacts
Use House majority to subpoena EPA communications, whistleblower testimony, and cost-benefit analyses that suppressed health co-benefits, laying evidentiary groundwork for legislative EPA restoration.
OwnerHouse Oversight and Government Reform Committee (Ranking Member Jamie Raskin's office, given priority for public health hearings)
Codify APA standards for PSLF rulemaking to require explicit statutory authorization and prevent arbitrary exclusion criteria
This legislation, introduced as stand-alone or part of broader PSLF reform, would require the Secretary of Education to issue any rule affecting PSLF eligibility through formal notice-and-comment rulemaking (as already required under the APA), but additionally mandate that any categorical exclusion of employers be supported by specific statutory language in the Higher Education Act. It prevents future administrations from creating 'substantial illegal purpose' tests without a clear congressional mandate.
OwnerHouse Education and Workforce Committee (Ranking Member Bobby Scott)
Introduce the Surveillance Reform and DNI Confirmation Act of 2026
Codify protections for Americans' communications collected under any foreign intelligence authority, requiring a warrant for queries of U.S. persons and conditioning any FISA extension on a Senate-confirmed DNI, closing the governance gap exposed by the Section 702 lapse.
House Judiciary Committee subpoenas ICE for Delaney Hall internal reports
Once Democrats retake the House, the committee would compel ICE to produce all internal inspection reports, medical records, and use-of-force incident logs from Delaney Hall to expose systemic failures and build a public record for future legislative action.
Introduce the USAGM Firewall Restoration Act to codify editorial independence in statute
A bill amending the Smith-Mundt Act to permanently prohibit political appointees from directing coverage, hiring, or firing based on content at VOA, RFA, and RFE/RL, making the firewall repeal-proof without another rulemaking.
Appropriate funding for a special master to track and inventory all Education Department program transfers and fund impoundments
Congress needs an independent, line-by-line accounting of the dismantlement to build the evidentiary record for legal challenges and impeachment proceedings. A special master, funded by an emergency supplemental or rescission, would catalog every program shifted, every dollar impounded, and every statutory duty transferred, creating the paper trail necessary for courts and the House to adjudicate the separation-of-powers violation.
OwnerHouse Committee on Education and the Workforce
Demand congressional oversight of DOJ's failure to preclear Louisiana map under Section 3(c)
The House Judiciary Committee (once a majority is achieved) should investigate whether the Department of Justice under the current administration declined to challenge this map as required by Section 3(c) of the Voting Rights Act, which allows bail-in of jurisdictions with recent violations. Oversight hearings and subpoenas would pressure DOJ and illuminate a pattern of VRA under-enforcement.
Redirect a fixed percentage of the HCFAC and Medicaid Integrity Program increases to audits of managed care plan medical loss ratios, risk-adjustment payments, and encounter data accuracy, rather than eligibility verification systems that target beneficiaries.
Senate Banking subcommittee hearing on PCAOB and FINRA proposals
Hold a hearing examining the SEC's proposed abolition of PCAOB and FINRA, highlighting the investor-protection consequences and the regulatory capture risk. This questions Burton's blueprint and builds public pressure ahead of the 2027-2029 window.
Launch a Congressional investigation into politicized DOJ Civil Rights enforcement targeting international academic programs
Hold oversight hearings on the Harvard aid review as a case study of the DOJ using Title VI to chill academic exchange, and subpoena internal DOJ communications showing selective targeting of China-funded programs versus equally restrictive scholarships from other nations.
OwnerHouse Committee on Education and the Workforce
Publish a Joint Congressional–NATO Parliamentary Assembly resolution affirming that the U.S. will not condition Article 5, intelligence sharing, or troop deployments on any ally's satisfaction of the Hague 5% target
Establishes a public, cross-party standard that the target is a collective goal, not a coercive tool. Builds allied trust while the administration remains in office, and creates a clear baseline for post-2029 rollback of any damaging Trump policies.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee (Chair) and U.S. Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
Draft and introduce the 'Price-Gouging Prevention and Democracy Protection Act'
A House bill that links federal anti-price-gouging enforcement to a new Office of Democratic Integrity, requiring any company found guilty of price manipulation to lose eligibility for federal contracts and disclose all political spending. This directly ties the affordability crisis to democratic decay—dark money, corporate capture, voter disenfranchisement—and gives candidates a concrete piece of legislation to campaign on in 2026 that merges kitchen-table and structural messages.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Democratic Chair minority bill, reintroduced under majority)
Launch a joint congressional investigation into the Judicial Conference's handling of misconduct complaints
The House Judiciary Committee, once it has subpoena power under a Democratic majority, should investigate how the Judicial Conference handled the Georgia case and gather evidence to show the current system fails to hold judges accountable. This pressure campaign would build the public case for legislative reform.
Introduce the Supply Chain Mapping Act for generic drugs
Require HHS to publish, within one year, a public map of every generic drug API and finished-dosage production line, plant-by-plant, so Congress and patients know exactly which drugs are at risk of shortage from tariff disruption.
Hold oversight hearing on Attorney General settlement authority abuse
A House Judiciary or Oversight hearing would examine whether the DOJ’s settlement in Trump v. IRS exceeded statutory authority under IRC Section 7122 and whether the 'anti-weaponization fund' constitutes an improper payment to a plaintiff by the executive branch. This pressures DOJ to disavow the deal and lays groundwork for legislative reform.
OwnerHouse Oversight and Government Reform Committee (Chair, if Democrat in 2027)
House and Senate Democrats introduce a bill that codifies CRP and NRCS wetland compliance rules into statute, making them harder to reverse via executive action or budget riders, and increases CRP payment rates to improve enrollment.
OwnerSenate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow and House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig
Hold hearings on unauthorized airstrikes and the June 17 MOU
The House Foreign Affairs Committee should immediately hold oversight hearings to demand testimony on the legal basis for the June-July airstrikes on Iran and the administration’s failure to seek congressional approval for the June 17 diplomatic MOU, exposing the unauthorized escalation and rebuilding the constitutional war-powers check.
Convene a congressional letter to FCC Chair Carr demanding an ethics explanation for targeting individual journalists
The House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Democratic members write to Carr demanding a formal explanation for his public attack on a specific journalist and any coordination with CBS owners, and requesting all internal FCC communications concerning Pelley and CBS. This forces Carr into a defensive posture, documents the weaponization, and builds a public record for future oversight hearings.
OwnerHouse Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic Caucus
Introduce the Data Broker Consumer Protection Act of 2027 in the House
Representative Maxine Waters will introduce a bill that reinstates—with bipartisan cosponsors—the provisions of the withdrawn CFPB rule: classifying data brokers as consumer reporting agencies, requiring accuracy, consumer access, and consent before sensitive data sale. This messaging bill builds a legislative record and forces a floor vote on consumer privacy, even if it cannot pass until a trifecta unlocks.
House Oversight Hearing on Project 2025's Trade Chapter as a Bait-and-Switch for Monetary Deregulation
Investigate the Trump administration's implementation of trade tariffs that impose no labor or environmental conditionalities, and examine the role of Project 2025 in substituting gold-standard monetary policy for real trade enforcement—subpoena relevant OMB and USTR officials if necessary.
OwnerHouse Oversight and Government Reform Committee (majority chair)
House Oversight Committee: Hold hearing on DOJ’s claims-based anti-fraud record vs. systemic CMS program integrity cuts
This indictment is genuine but the administration simultaneously pushes $1.2 trillion in Medicaid cuts that would reduce prepayment controls. A hearing would force DOJ and CMS officials to reconcile the headline-bust announcement with budget proposals that weaken the very infrastructure the bust relies on.
OwnerHouse Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member
Introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in the next House majority
Once Democrats secure a House majority in the 2026 midterms, House Judiciary Committee Chair should introduce or advance the John Lewis VRAA, which would restore Section 2's protections and establish a new preclearance formula to prevent states from dismantling majority-minority districts following the Callais decision.
Convene House oversight hearing on ICE enforcement tactics and officer accountability
Hold public hearings before the House Homeland Security or Judiciary Committee examining ICE's use of vehicle stops, arrest quotas, lack of body cameras, and the surge in deaths in custody. The hearing would subpoena ICE leadership and the DHS Inspector General, building a factual record to support legislative reform and pressure the administration.
Launch House Intelligence Committee Investigation into Gabbard's Declassification Process
Conduct oversight hearings examining whether the June 18, 2026 declassification of COVID-19 origin documents complied with DNI's own interagency review procedures and whether it was influenced by partisan considerations given the timing of Gabbard's resignation and the succession battle. This builds the record for future legislative reform and deters similar abuse.
OwnerHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Appropriate funding to protect Kennedy Center from board packing and future political interference
The Kennedy Center’s vulnerability arose from a board packed with Trump loyalists. A congressional sponsor should add a rider to the next must-pass appropriations bill requiring the Kennedy Center board to maintain a minority of presidential appointees and explicitly barring name changes without a vote of Congress, preventing repeat abuse. This item pairs with Representative Beatty’s ongoing litigation to codify the ruling’s protections.
OwnerHouse Appropriations Committee — Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
Introduce the Kennedy Center Institutional Integrity Act
Codify the Kennedy Center's organic statute to require an act of Congress for any name change or operational closure, preventing future administrations from unilaterally rebranding or shuttering the institution without legislative approval.
Introduce the 'Redistricting Transparency Act' to require public disclosure of partisan intent in map-drawing and preclearance mechanisms
This bill would codify that any redistricting plan passed with evidence of partisan intent to dilute minority voting strength violates Section 2 of the VRA and establish a national preclearance standard for covered jurisdictions. Introduced by Rep. Sewell (AL-07) given the direct impact on Alabama districts.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Chair, if Dems take the House)
Introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act for House passage
Upon securing a House majority in January 2027, the new Democratic majority should bring the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to the floor for a vote, restoring the preclearance formula and strengthening Section 2 to prevent state maps like Louisiana's from being enacted.
Parliamentary Select Committee on NEET Exam Reform
The massive NEET paper leak exposed systematic corruption in the National Testing Agency (NTA). A cross-party parliamentary select committee should be established to propose a new statutory framework for exam administration, including measures like question paper security protocols, whistleblower protections, and replacement of the NTA with an autonomous oversight body—insulating the exam process from political and commercial pressures.
OwnerLok Sabha Opposition Chief Whip in coordination with Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice
Hold oversight hearings on the national security impact of withdrawing from 66 organizations
House Foreign Affairs Committee (once flipped) to call witnesses from State, DOD, and intelligence community to document degraded intelligence sharing, health security, and diplomatic access caused by the withdrawal spree, building a public record for legislation and public pressure.
Adequate funding for USPS overtime and processing capacity ahead of 2026 midterms
Congress should include language in the next must-pass spending bill requiring the USPS to maintain overtime and processing capacity in the seven days after Election Day to handle the surge of mail-in ballots, and expressly forbidding postmaster operational changes that delay ballot delivery during that window.
OwnerHouse Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
Propose federal grant program to fund state and local legal-defense coalitions for immigrants facing courthouse encounters
Even with vacated policies, targeted or spontaneous ICE courthouse arrests may occur. A grant program would support state-level legal-defense networks that ensure immigrants know their rights, have representation, and can quickly challenge unlawful detentions, building long-term resilience beyond the court ruling.
House Oversight hearing: 'Selective Implementation of the IRA: When the Administration Uses Democratic Climate Law While Denying Its Premise'
A hearing to force the Secretary of the Interior and the OMB Director to explain the contradiction of leveraging IRA drought funds while simultaneously deregulating greenhouse gas emissions, laying the foundation for legislative oversight and public accountability.
House Agriculture Committee Democrats: Introduce the School Meal Integrity and Equity Protection Act
Codify into statute the USDA's current nutrition equity frameworks, including community-eligibility provisions that allow high-poverty districts to serve free meals to all students. This bill would block USDA from stripping climate and equity language from rulemaking unless Congress explicitly re-delegates the authority.
OwnerRanking Member, House Agriculture Committee (Rep. David Scott or successor)
Introduce the Secure Elections Against Foreign Influence Act
Congressional legislation to require robust federal cybersecurity standards for voting systems, mandate post-election risk-limiting audits in all states, and create a dedicated fund for states to replace vulnerable voting machines, thereby addressing the concrete vulnerabilities Trump exploits and making election results more verifiable and less susceptible to conspiracy.
House Foreign Affairs Committee holds oversight hearing on the Minab school strike investigation
The committee subpoenas the Pentagon and State Department for all records related to the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School strike and its internal investigation, demanding a public accounting of targeting decisions and compliance with international humanitarian law.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee (Chair Gregory Meeks or successor Democratic chair)
Open House Foreign Affairs Committee investigation into Kushner-linked Albania resort for potential FCPA and ethics violations
Launch a committee investigation into whether Jared Kushner or his business partners violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or federal ethics rules by securing a change to Albania's protected-area status, and whether the Trump administration facilitated or failed to report the deal through its diplomatic channels.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee (Chair Gregory Meeks or successor)
Investigate and expose the networks behind weaponized false reporting
The House Judiciary Committee opens an investigation into organized online communities and political actors that encourage, coordinate, or celebrate false CPS reports and swatting against public figures, documenting the scope of the threat and recommending federal legislative responses.
Oversight hearings: Pentagon interference with Stars and Stripes
House Armed Services Committee launches hearings investigating Pentagon directives to cut Stars and Stripes funding and impose editorial control, building a public record to support future legislation and protect press freedom in the military.
Enforce the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act: compel submission of the U.S.-Iran memorandum
Because the Vance interview confirms the administration is flouting INARA and managing war-related diplomacy outside congressional oversight, the House Foreign Affairs Committee must demand the June 17 U.S.-Iran memorandum be submitted for statutory review, thereby triggering congressional debate on the scope of hostilities.
Hold House oversight hearing on NTIA's 5G-over-fiber grant shift and FirstNet review
The House Energy and Commerce Committee's Communications and Technology Subcommittee should subpoena NTIA records on any reallocation of broadband grants away from fiber and hold a hearing examining the impact on rural communities, weather forecasting, and public safety networks before Project 2025's NTIA plan is executed further.
OwnerHouse Energy and Commerce Committee, Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair
Amend DOJ appropriations to bar use of funds to threaten election officials over noncitizen voting absent evidence of knowing, willful participation by the official
Once Democrats control the House (or both chambers), include a rider in the Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill prohibiting funds from being used to investigate or prosecute state election officials for noncitizen voting unless the official knowingly and willfully facilitated such voting. This legislative check reins in the agency's enforcement discretion immediately and can be passed via a must-pass spending bill even without a trifecta.
Condition FY2027 security funding on adoption of enforceable ethics rules
Rider to the FY2027 Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill requiring the Supreme Court to certify adoption of a binding, enforceable code of conduct with a public complaint docket before receiving the requested $230 million security increase, leveraging Barrett's and Kagan's joint testimony.
Introduce the CFPB Integrity Act to codify the agency's independence and Section 1071 data collection authority
To foreclose the legislative avenue described in Project 2025, a Democratic-controlled Congress should pass a simple, strong bill that affirms the CFPB's existing authority under the Dodd-Frank Act (including Section 1071) and prohibits any appropriations rider from conditioning funds on rulemaking paralysis. This bill, while unlikely to pass in a divided government, serves as a clear messaging and organizing tool.
OwnerHouse Financial Services Committee Democrats and Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43)
Introduce the War Powers Transparency for the Americas Act
A House bill requiring the President to submit a detailed report to Congress within 30 days of any U.S. military operation in the Western Hemisphere exceeding $100 million in costs or 500 deployed personnel, including a statement of legal authority, and to obtain a specific authorization within 60 days or terminate operations. This directly responds to the unauthorized $4.7 billion in regional operations.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee (Democratic Chair after majority win)
House Oversight Committee hearing on federal fast-track approvals for AI data centers under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) exemptions
House Oversight Committee — assuming a Democratic majority in 2027 — holds hearings examining how the Department of Energy and Army Corps of Engineers have used emergency or categorical NEPA exemptions to accelerate AI data center builds, often skipping public comment and environmental justice analyses. The hearing elevates the Bay Area case as a national example and builds pressure for the expanded moratorium legislation.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Prohibit Unauthorized Military Operations in the Caribbean via Defense Appropriations Rider
Insert a rider in the FY2028 Defense Appropriations bill that prohibits funds for naval or special operations in Venezuela or the Eastern/Caribbean Pacific unless Congress first enacts an Authorization for Use of Military Force, blocking future militarized responses like Operation Absolute Resolve.
OwnerHouse Appropriations Committee (Defense Subcommittee Chair, if Democrat-majority)
Conduct Bipartisan Oversight Hearing on Executive Interference in Cultural Institutions
House Administration or Oversight Committee holds a hearing examining the Kennedy Center board's politicization and closure plan, calling former board members, staff, and legal experts to testify.
OwnerHouse Oversight and Government Reform Committee (Democratic Majority)
House Oversight Committee Hearing: ODNI 2.0 Clearance Revocation Pattern
Once House flips, conduct hearings into the pattern of clearance revocations targeting officials whose prior analytic work reached inconvenient conclusions. Establish a contemporaneous record of selective enforcement, create pressure for reinstatement of key threat-assessment personnel, and frame the issue as politicization of the intelligence process for the 2028 campaign.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Accountability (assuming Dem chair post-2026)
Hold a House Financial Services Committee hearing on the distributional effects of Project 2025's Fed proposals
If Democrats retake the House in the 2026 midterms, the Financial Services Committee should hold oversight hearings featuring Fed economists, labor market researchers, and community bankers to establish a public record that the dual-mandate attack and balance-sheet wind-down are regressive policies that shift risk onto workers and small businesses.
Introduce Texas state legislation prohibiting partisan or biased complaint-based investigations in voucher program oversight
State representative (e.g., Rep. James Talarico or Rep. Julie Johnson) should introduce the School Choice Anti-Discrimination Act, requiring that voucher program eligibility investigations be based solely on objective, neutral criteria (e.g., accreditation, financial solvency) and bar the comptroller from acting on third-party complaints that lack a signed affidavit or law enforcement referral. This codifies protections for religious minority schools after the 2027 session begins.
OwnerTexas House Democratic Caucus (e.g., Rep. James Talarico)
Introduce the SAFE Schools Act (Strengthen Access to Federal Education and Special Education Guarantees Act) as a House Democratic substitute to H.R. 5315
If Democrats retake the House, the Ranking Member of the Education and Workforce Committee should introduce a bill that permanently codifies the Department of Education's role in IDEA and Title I enforcement, blocks the transfer to HHS, and prohibits the use of micro-savings accounts for federal K-12 funds, forcing a floor vote that creates a clear contrast.
OwnerHouse Education and Workforce Committee (Ranking Member Bobby Scott or successor)
Fund a GAO study on formula market concentration and safety after the 2022 tariff waivers
A Democratic-controlled House Appropriations Committee rider directs the Government Accountability Office to assess whether the 2022 Formula Act's tariff liberalization actually improved resilience or accelerated concentration, providing evidence to block permanent mutual recognition.
OwnerHouse Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro
House Judiciary Committee investigative report on Judgment Fund misuse and demand for sworn declaration from Acting AG Blanche
Publicize the DOJ's refusal to provide a sworn, signed declaration that the fund is defunct and explore whether the settlement was ultra vires or a fraud on the court. Lay groundwork for statutory reform and potential contempt referral.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet
Introduce the Dignity at the Border Act to cap detention capacity and fund community alternatives
A bill that would statutorily cap ICE detention capacity at a fraction of current levels (e.g., 10,000 beds), end mandatory detention for asylum seekers and families, and redirect savings to a grant program for community-based alternatives administered by DOJ. This reverses the policy choice of expansion and embeds alternatives in law.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship (Chair, if Dem majority)
Establish a congressional investigation into corporate capture of academic climate research funding
The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology should investigate how BP's sponsorship of the Princeton Carbon Mitigation Initiative shaped the 2004 wedges paper, producing a public report that documents the mechanism by which fossil fuel funding has steered U.S. climate research away from supply-side solutions. This builds the evidentiary basis for future legislative reforms requiring disclosure of corporate influence on federally funded academic climate work.
OwnerHouse Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
Introduce the NATO Burden-Sharing Transparency Act
To replace impulsive tariff threats with a transparent, verifiable burden-sharing framework, this bill would require the U.S. to publish annual reports on each ally's actual non-GDP contributions to NATO—including force readiness, equipment interoperability, and joint R&D—and to base any trade-based incentive or penalty only on certified, multi-year commitments, not single-year budget percentages.
Fund and Commission a HHS/ED Joint Report on Economic Impact of Repeal
Request the Government Accountability Office to produce a report detailing the estimated health cost savings and economic benefits of current school nutrition standards versus the projected costs of repeal—childhood obesity, healthcare spending, educational attainment—to arm oversight hearings and public narrative.
OwnerHouse Committee on Education and the Workforce
Release a comprehensive report on DOJ Career Attorney Attrition
The House Judiciary Committee, in coordination with the Government Accountability Office, should commission and release a detailed report documenting the number and expertise level of career attorneys who have left or been forced out of the DOJ Civil Rights Division since January 2025, along with the impact on ongoing civil rights enforcement. This provides a factual basis for future oversight and legislative action.
Publish joint Congressional Research Service and GAO report on historical H-1B fee abuses
Produce a public report cataloging every instance since 2000 where an administration used H-1B fee increases to restrict legal immigration or raise revenue without statutory authority, providing evidentiary foundation for legislative fixes.
House Foreign Affairs Committee investigate unofficial U.S. delegation to SPIEF
Open an inquiry into whether Rodney Mims Cook Jr. misrepresented authorization for a 'U.S. delegation' to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, and what coordination existed with Kremlin-backed entities. This restores the bipartisan norm that Americans do not legitimate Putin's showcase events without State Department clearance.
Codify fee predictability for H-1B and other employment-based visa programs
This stand-alone bill would require the Departments of State and Homeland Security to set all employment-based visa fees at levels no higher than the actual processing cost (as certified by GAO), create a two-year advance notice period for any fee increase, and require congressional approval for fees exceeding $1,000. A targeted, winnable bill that could pass even under divided government as part of a must-pass package (e.g., appropriations or tech competitiveness legislation).
OwnerHouse Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship
Appropriations rider defunding the 'lawfare compensation' account
Insert a rider in the FY2027 appropriations bill prohibiting any funds from being used to establish or administer a compensation fund for victims of 'lawfare' as described in press reports, blocking the explicit mechanism for DOJ patronage and shielding taxpayer dollars from being diverted to political retribution.
Launch congressional oversight letter requesting all internal Kennedy Center renovation plans and communications with the White House
The current Republican House majority can use its existing oversight authority to demand documents showing how the closure plan was developed and whether it was driven by political objectives rather than preservation needs, putting pressure on the administration even without a Democratic majority.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (Democratic Ranking Member)
Prepare model legislation for state legislatures to codify mail-in voting procedures
With Executive Order 14019 (Voter Registration) likely to be replaced by a less restrictive post-Project 2025 version, states should preemptively codify current mail-in voting rules to insulate them from future executive overreach. The Uniform Law Commission should draft state-by-state model bills for introduction in 2027 sessions.
OwnerUniform Law Commission and National Conference of State Legislatures
Launch a legislative campaign to sunset the Secure America Act’s detention funding and reassert annual appropriations control
The Secure America Act locked in $70 billion through FY2029, bypassing annual oversight. A messaging bill to repeal or sunset the mandatory appropriations portion reasserts Congress’s power of the purse and forces Republicans to defend a blank check for detention.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement (Ranking Member: Rep. Correa)
House Foreign Affairs Committee holds hearings on the Trump administration's Iran negotiations and the failure to comply with INARA
Oversight hearings will expose the administration's legal evasion, build public and cross-partisan pressure, and lay the evidentiary foundation for subpoenas or legislation. The hearings can also examine the national security implications of proceeding with sanctions relief without a transmission.
Mandate GAO Audit of Regional Military Operations and Disaster-Response Coordination
Request a Government Accountability Office investigation into the effectiveness and cost of U.S. military operations in the Caribbean versus civilian disaster relief, with a specific focus on the Venezuela earthquake response and the $4.7 billion in unauthorized spending.
OwnerHouse Oversight Committee (Chair, if Democrat-majority)
Hold confirmation hearings to depose Hegseth on military readiness impact
If Democrats win the House in 2026, the House Armed Services Committee should subpoena Hegseth and senior Pentagon officials to testify on the readiness costs and morale effects of the transgender ban, publicly documenting the harm to justify legislative reversal.
Oversight investigation into acting DNI Bill Pulte's qualifications and actions
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (once a Democratic majority is seated) will open an investigation into the appointment, qualifications, and actions of acting DNI Bill Pulte, including whether he improperly authorized surveillance activities during the Section 702 lapse.
OwnerHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (Chair, pending 2027 majority)
Insert an amendment to the FY2028 National Defense Authorization Act requiring congressional approval for any new or extended overseas contingency operation in Latin America
With a House majority, the amendment would mandate that any Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) funding for Latin America be specifically authorized by Congress, ending the practice of using emergency designations to bypass authorization. The amendment could be attached to the NDAA in committee markup, forcing a recorded floor vote.
Install mandatory sunset and clawback provisions for any component of the $95 billion package — defense, agriculture, and election funds — to lapse automatically unless Congress explicitly reauthorizes
To prevent indefinite, unchecked appropriations, any funding appropriated under the reported House GOP plan should sunset after 18 months (or earlier for combat funds) and include a clawback mechanism for unspent funds. This forces future Congresses to re-examine each purpose, reducing the risk that emergency authorities become permanent blank checks.
House Antitrust Subcommittee Hearing: Manufacturer Repair Restrictions as Abuse of Market Power
Use House majority to hold public hearings on how parts pairing, software locks, and OEM-exclusive dealer networks constitute anticompetitive abuse by dominant hardware manufacturers. Create legislative record that supports both FTC enforcement and future congressional action.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet
Commission congressional study on racial and maternal health disparities from Dobbs and state abortion bans
The entry documents that Dobbs inflicts a distinct racial injury to Black women; post-ban data show devastating maternal mortality impacts in ban states. A House Oversight or Judiciary subcommittee study (once Dems control the chamber) creates the evidentiary foundation for federal civil rights enforcement and statutory repair post-2028.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, assuming Dem majority)
Congressional hearing on judicial resistance to Supreme Court authority and state constitution strategies
House Judiciary Committee holds oversight hearings on the Hawaii Supreme Court's defiance and the broader implications for federalism, examining whether state courts may assert independent state constitutional interpretations to counterbalance perceived overreach by the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority.
Introduce the Detention Oversight and Reform Act of 2027
To mandate independent inspections in any ICE detention facility at least every six months, with unannounced visits, medical compliance audits, and a public report card on conditions, stripping ICE of authority to contract with facilities that fail to meet federal standards.
House Judiciary Committee hearing on law firm intimidation and access to justice
Oversight hearing to expose the sharp drop in pro bono representation and retaliatory actions by the administration against law firms, building a public record for future reforms.
Launch congressional investigation into the human cost and legality of the boat-strike campaign
An immediate House investigation (once the House flips) into the Pentagon's targeting decisions, civilian casualty assessments, adherence to international humanitarian law, and failure to provide a full accounting to Congress. The investigation would create a public record to support future legislation and potentially highlight criminal negligence or war crimes.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee (Subcommittee on International Human Rights)
House Transportation Committee oversight hearing on PLA repeal executive order impact
Once Democrats hold the House majority, the Committee will hold a hearing on the effects of rescinding mandatory PLAs on federally funded transit construction, focusing on cost overruns and contractor performance issues.
OwnerHouse Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Launch House Oversight and Judiciary Committee joint hearings on PPO loyalty-staffing operations, OIRA expansion, and White House Counsel firewall erosion
Once the House flips, the House Oversight Committee and House Judiciary Committee can issue subpoenas for PPO staffing records, OIRA cost-benefit methodology directives, and White House Counsel communications with DOJ—creating a public record of how the loyalty-staffing architecture described in Project 2025 Chapters 2 and 3 was operationalized and building the evidentiary case for statutory remedies in 2029.
OwnerHouse Oversight and Accountability Committee Ranking Member (to become Chair) and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member (to become Chair)
Pass House messaging bill: the Protect Military Expertise and Audit Accountability Act, requiring annual IG certification before DOD budget release
This bill would codify that no DOD discretionary funds may be apportioned until the Inspector General certifies that career audit staff meet minimum headcount and merit-protected status thresholds—a direct counter to Schedule F reclassification inside the Pentagon. Though the Senate will not pass it under current composition, the vote creates a public accountability marker and pressures 2028 Senate candidates.
OwnerHouse Armed Services Committee Chair (anticipated), working with House Oversight Committee
Introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in the 119th Congress
If Democrats retake the House in 2026, a statutory restoration of Section 2's pre-Louisiana v. Callais standard must be among the first bills passed. This bill would nullify the Supreme Court's narrowing and restore the ability to challenge racial gerrymanders.
Senate oversight hearing on Schedule Policy/Career reclassification and civil service politicization
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a high-profile hearing to investigate the scope, legality, and impact of the SPC order, building a public record for legislative remedies and putting political pressure on OPM and agency heads.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (Ranking Member or Chair if majority flips)
Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into DOJ refusal and secret settlement funding
The Senate Judiciary Committee should open an investigation into the DOJ's refusal to provide a sworn declaration and the underlying use of Judgment Fund money to settle a personal lawsuit into a political slush fund, calling DOJ leadership, Treasury officials, and the IRS whistleblowers for testimony. This builds the evidentiary record for legislation and puts public pressure on the administration ahead of the 2026 elections.
Investigate employer abuse and wage suppression under current H-2A program via Senate HELP Committee
Once Democrats have a Senate majority, the Senate HELP Committee should open oversight hearings on the H-2A program, documenting cases of wage theft, housing violations, employer retaliation, and union-busting linked to the current program. This investigation would produce a public record that undermines the claim that H-2A expansion is necessary or benign, and provide evidence for legislative reform to protect workers and domestic wages.
OwnerSenate HELP Committee (chair once Democratic majority achieved)
Senate hold on any Schedule F-related OMB or OPM nominee until public commitment to uphold IG independence
Senate Democrats place a blanket hold on all OMB and OPM nominees—starting with any future OMB director pick—until the nominee publicly commits to preserving inspector general independence and the statutory 30-day removal notice requirement, directly countering Project 2025's centralization drive.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee ranking member
Senate Judiciary Committee demands DOJ IG investigate politicized hiring in U.S. Attorney's Office, S.D. Florida
The Senate Judiciary Committee (or its ranking member) should formally request that the DOJ Office of the Inspector General investigate whether the appointment of Kurt Olsen—a known election denier—and the supervisory role of Joe diGenova violate DOJ independence policies and create a risk of partisan prosecutions.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee ranking member (Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse or successor)
Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds oversight hearing on unilateral military operations in Latin America
To address the $4.7 billion in unauthorized military spending in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific (Operations Southern Spear and Absolute Resolve) that undermines democratic stability in Colombia during its presidential election, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should hold a hearing on the legality, cost, and regional impact of these operations, pressuring the administration to cease escalatory actions.
Issue a Senate Democratic Caucus statement of principles on DOJ independence and commit to a filibuster of Blanche
Unify the caucus behind a clear pledge to block any nominee who served as the president's personal attorney or who oversaw unilateral prosecutions, making the confirmation threshold effectively 60 votes and stalling the administration's agenda.
Senate Appropriations Committee subpoena DOJ for internal legal opinions on the fund's authority
The committee's request for a legal basis is still outstanding. To ensure this precedent is not revived, a subpoena for all internal DOJ memos and OMB correspondence relating to the fund's creation would establish a permanent record and put future administrations on notice.
Advance the Social Security Fair Share Act through the Senate Finance Committee
With bipartisan co-sponsors (Warren, Moreno), the bill should receive a markup and vote in committee. If tied or near-tied, pressure Senator Ron Wyden (Chair) to hold a hearing and advance the bill to the floor.
Senate Dems file a bill that ties annual FAA/TSA staffing floors to appropriations, prohibits hiring freezes at air-traffic-control facilities, and requires the OMB to report any Schedule F reclassification that affects safety-related positions. The bill is a messaging vehicle that creates a clear vote contrast: either you let flight delays keep happening, or you protect expert civil servants.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (ranking member Gary Peters)
Pressure Senate Judiciary to confirm AG nominee committed to reviving pattern-or-practice consent decrees
The Trump DOJ's withdrawal from the Louisville consent decree directly enabled a lethal outcome. The Senate must confirm a new Attorney General in January 2027 who will restore the Civil Rights Division's pattern-or-practice authority and commit to re-entering consent decrees with willing jurisdictions. This item is a pre-legislative pressure campaign to make revival of consent decrees a confirmation litmus test.
Introduce the Election Assistance Commission Independence and Empowerment Act
Codify the EAC’s operational independence from White House direction, protect its funding from impoundment, and explicitly reaffirm (1) exclusive state/congressional authority under the Elections Clause, (2) EAC’s grant-making authority, and (3) a statutory cause of action for any state or citizen harmed by executive interference with an independent agency. This would make future executive overreach immediately justiciable.
OwnerSenate Rules Committee chair (if Democratic majority) or Senator Klobuchar
Push for a bipartisan Senate resolution (S.Res.) expressing support for conditions-based U.S. policy on Ukraine's long-range strikes
A nonbinding resolution would put Congress on record in favor of requiring Ukraine to avoid attacks on Russian nuclear and civilian infrastructure as a condition of continued U.S. intelligence, logistics, or diplomatic cover, reducing the risk of uncontrolled escalation without cutting off Ukrainian self-defense.
OwnerSenator Jeanne Shaheen (co-Chair, Senate NATO Observer Group)
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on DOJ Civil Rights Division staffing crisis and enforcement abandonment
Democratic senators on the Judiciary Committee should hold a hearing to document the 70% attorney departure rate from the Civil Rights Division, subpoena Attorney General Bondi for testimony on her DEI investigation threats, and call former division attorneys to testify about the abandonment of enforcement.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Ranking Member Dick Durbin)
Senate Judiciary Committee launches investigation into Supreme Court voting rights rulings and ethics
Given the Supreme Court's pattern of gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and enabling racial gerrymandering, the Senate Judiciary Committee should open a formal investigation into the legal reasoning, undisclosed influences, and ethics surrounding these decisions. This builds public pressure and documents the case for structural reform.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chairperson Dick Durbin or successor)
Demand the Housing-SAVE Act linkage be severed: run floor pressure campaign
Organize a targeted campaign by Senate Democrats and allied housing and civil rights groups to publicly force Republicans to disavow Trump's condition linking a bipartisan housing bill to SAVE Act passage. Use floor statements, dear-colleague letters, and press conferences to define the SAVE Act as a poison pill that holds housing relief hostage, with the goal of collapsing the linkage and the bill's leverage.
OwnerSenate Democratic Caucus / Senator Schumer's office
Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds hearing on 'Legitimacy of Elections Under Conflict: Lessons from Ethiopia'
A dedicated hearing would examine Ethiopia's 2026 election flaws—specifically the suspension of voting in Tigray and Amhara—and assess U.S. aid conditionality. This would create a public record and pressure the administration to withhold certification of election legitimacy until inclusive dialogue resumes.
Senate Judiciary Committee Investigation Into ATF License Revocation Drop
Under Democratic control in 2027, the Senate Judiciary Committee will subpoena ATF records and testimony from Acting Director Kash Patel to determine whether the 69% drop in revocations resulted from a written policy change or de facto non-enforcement, potentially forming the basis for contempt or appropriations riders.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, once Dems hold majority)
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing: 'The Operational Cost of Transactional Alliances'
France's documented denial of overflight rights and the subsequent deletion of White House video mocking a sitting allied head of state provide a concrete factual record for a Senate oversight hearing examining how the administration's conduct has degraded military access agreements and diplomatic standing with core NATO partners. This hearing would compel testimony from current and former State Department and DOD officials and build the evidentiary record for future legislative remedies.
Convene Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on federal court order compliance
Hold a hearing to document the administration's pattern of delay and resistance to court orders, using the Kennedy Center name removal as a case study. This builds a public record that can support stronger enforcement mechanisms.
Senate Intelligence Committee launches investigation into politicization of NIC analytic independence
Formal inquiry into DNI Gabbard's May 2025 firings of NIC leadership and subsequent approval-layer changes, citing specific violations of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act's guarantee of analytic independence. Hearings would place career testimony and declassified NIC memos on the record, establishing a public evidentiary basis for future statutory remedies.
OwnerSenate Select Committee on Intelligence (ranking member or future chair under Democratic majority)
Enact statutory language in a must-pass vehicle (e.g., FY2027 homeland security appropriations or a World Cup security supplemental) that waives agency hiring freezes and personnel caps for CDC and FDA public health emergency-response positions through FY2028, reversing the RIF and firing-driven losses.
OwnerSenate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education (Chair Patty Murray or equivalent)
Introduce the Executive Accountability Act: require a two-thirds vote in each chamber to approve any executive branch reorganization that eliminates a statutory office or reduces its budget by more than 10%
With the president's party unwilling to check him, Congress must institutionalize a supermajority requirement for major executive changes. This bill, introduced by Senator Collins and Senator Sinema, would create a firewall against the concentration of power by forcing the president to build a larger coalition for any significant agency restructuring or defunding. It directly addresses the threat exposed by the systemic purge of internal critics.
OwnerSenator Susan Collins (ME) and Senator Kyrsten Sinema (AZ), with support from the Center for American Progress
Requires the Department of Defense to designate a Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary of Defense for Civilian Protection and Accountability, who must report quarterly to Congress on all airstrike investigations involving civilian casualties. This creates a permanent institutional check that cannot be eliminated by executive order.
OwnerSenate Armed Services Committee (Ranking Member, once balance shifts)
Convene Senate HELP Committee hearing on the impact of forum-shopping on wage protections
A hearing chaired by Senator Bernie Sanders (Senate HELP Committee) would expose how Paxton’s 100+ lawsuits, filed in a single friendly division, deprived 4 million workers of overtime pay. The hearing would build a public record for future legislation restricting nationwide injunctions and prepare the ground for statutory overtime thresholds.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Chair Bernie Sanders)
Introduce and pass a state constitutional amendment to require voter approval before reassigning Superintendent duties
Even if the lawsuit fails, closing the loophole budget trailer bills exploit is essential. A constitutional amendment would protect the elected Superintendent’s authority until voters explicitly decide to change it, preventing future power grabs.
OwnerCalifornia Senate Education Committee, with public advocacy by the California Federation of Teachers
Senate Judiciary Committee launches investigation into Project 2025's antitrust roadmap for the FTC
A Democratic-run Judiciary Committee (if gained in 2027) would hold hearings on the specific proposals in Project 2025’s FTC chapter, subpoena communications between transition teams and industry groups, and produce a public report designed to build public opposition and legal foundation for preserving the FTC’s current merger guidelines.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights
Senate HELP Committee hearing on protecting FLSA overtime protections for teleworkers
Project 2025's proposed 10-hour daily overtime threshold for teleworkers would eliminate overtime for millions of remote employees working 8–10 hour days. A Senate HELP Committee hearing, chaired by Senator Sanders, would expose the impact, build public pressure, and lay groundwork for a bill to codify the current 40-hour weekly threshold.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Chair Bernie Sanders)
Secure a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing on 'The Constitutional Foundation of Birthright Citizenship'
Hearing to feature constitutional scholars, historians of the Reconstruction Amendments, and families affected by birthright citizenship denial, explicitly rebutting the Patrick/Trump narrative and building the public record for eventual legislation.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution (Sen. Chris Coons or similar)
Senate Confirmation Hearing Condition: Question Nominees on Trade–Monetary Policy Separation
Require that all Senate-confirmed trade and Treasury nominees (USTR, Treasury Under Secretaries) publicly disavow the use of trade policy to undermine the Federal Reserve's independence and commit to enforcing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and labor standards in trade agreements—hold any nominee who fails to do so.
Pass the Automatic Voter Registration Act to preempt proof-of-citizenship barriers at the state level before further federal action
Building on state-level AVR successes (22 states + DC already have it), enact national AVR that automatically registers eligible citizens through DMV and other agency interactions, eliminating the need for documentary proof for registration and making the SAVE Act's premise obsolete.
OwnerSenate Rules Committee (Chair Schumer or successor)
Push for JAWBONE Act markup in Senate Commerce Committee with Democratic amendments to strengthen protections
Ensure the bill moves forward under Cruz's chairmanship while Democrats — led by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) or Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) — offer amendments to close loopholes that could allow FCC content-based retaliation via license fines rather than outright denials.
Confirm a pro-labor antitrust Division chief at DOJ
Ensure that the Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust is committed to enforcing labor-market monopsony theories, including against media consolidations, so that the precedents set in publishing are applied to entertainment.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, once Democratic majority is installed)
Launch Supreme Court confirmation hearings transparency campaign focused on judicial restraint and statutory interpretation
Organize a sustained public education and lobbying effort by demand progress, the leadership conference on civil and human rights, and allied groups to tie future Supreme Court confirmation hearings—especially for any Trump or future Republican nominee—to the Mullin v. Doe decision, forcing senators to go on record about the scope of judicial review under the INA and the due process rights of humanitarian migrants.
OwnerDemand Progress (along with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights)
Draft model legislation for state-level wealth tax with dividend-based payment mechanism
Work with the Economic Security Project and California Assembly member to produce a ready-to-introduce bill in 2027 that addresses Newsom's solvency objection by allowing billionaires to pay the 5% wealth tax in installments pegged to realized capital gains dividends (similar to Oregon's circuit-breaker approach).
OwnerEconomic Security Project (co-executive directors: Natalie Foster and Dorian Warren)
Reassess China's PNTR status with multilateral coordination and domestic safeguards
If the administration proceeds with revoking China's permanent normal trade relations, demand that any change be paired with binding labor and environmental commitments from trading partners and domestic industrial policy investments. Prevents unilateral action from becoming a race to the bottom.
Senate Agriculture Committee: Advance the Child Nutrition Equity Restoration Act
Restore mandatory climate resilience and equity scoring for all USDA nutrition program rulemakings, and require USDA to maintain at the current reimbursement rate for free and reduced-price meals adjusted for local cost-of-living indices, not national averages. This would counter the proposed efficiency-only mission statement.
OwnerChair, Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee (if majority flipped)
Introduce the National Security Prediction Market Integrity Act
Require KYC/AML controls on all event contracts related to U.S. military operations or foreign intelligence activities, and mandate that contract terms include mandatory self-reporting of classified information holdings by traders. This closes the gap exposed by the Polymarket insider-trading case, preventing monetization of national security secrets through prediction markets.
OwnerSenate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Chair)
Draft and introduce the Antitrust Recusal Transparency Act
Codify a statutory requirement that recusal motions in antitrust cases involving mergers above $5 billion must include a detailed affidavit of financial ties and a showing of material bias (beyond routine connections), to deter corporate weaponization of recusal demands. Model on existing judicial ethics rules but adapted for antitrust context; introduce as a pilot bill in states with active merger litigation (e.g., California) to build a track record.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights (Chair Sen. Klobuchar or successor)
Request Solicitor General to certify jurisdiction for Supreme Court review of fee-vs-tax distinction
To avoid whipsawing between administrations, file a cert-stage brief asking the Supreme Court to definitively resolve when an immigration fee becomes an unconstitutional tax, providing clear constitutional guardrails that bind future presidents.
Issue DOJ Office of Legal Counsel opinion on statutory limits of IRS settlement authority
Require the OLC to produce a binding opinion that any settlement permanently barring future audits of a sitting or former president violates the Domestic Emoluments Clause and the Anti-Deficiency Act. This can be triggered by a Senate Judiciary Committee request once Democrats hold the majority, clarifying law for future administrations.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Chair (if Democrat in 2027)
Launch a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into the Greenwater Services no-bid contract and NPS procurement practices under Trump administration political appointees
Draws immediate public attention to the pattern of no-bid awards documented in this contract, pressures NPS to justify the sole-source decision, and builds the evidentiary record needed for future legislative reform. A cosponsored letter by 15+ senators would trigger GAO review under its statutory authority.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (Ranking Member)
Press for Senate Judiciary hearings on politicized appointments to cultural boards
Following the ruling that the Kennedy Center board acted illegally, the Senate Judiciary Committee should hold oversight hearings on the administration's pattern of packing federally chartered cultural and arts boards with political appointees lacking relevant expertise, and advance legislation to require bipartisan or merit-based nominations.
Demand Senate hearing on DOJ's role in the Louisville consent decree dismissal and Katelyn Hall's death
If Democrats hold the Senate in January 2027, the Judiciary Committee must hold oversight hearings examining the DOJ's decision to withdraw from the Louisville consent decree, the dismissal order, and the resulting pattern of police violence and lack of accountability. This creates a public record linking the policy change to a specific death and builds urgency for legislative restoration.
Introduce joint resolution of disapproval under expedited procedures if GAO finds INARA applies
If the GAO determines the pledge falls under INARA, the resolution would block any U.S. implementation without verified inspections and strict congressional oversight, preventing a repeat of the 2015 JCPOA's weak enforcement structure.
Launch inter-agency diplomatic campaign to relink the Black Sea and Danube grain logistics through a NATO-Ukraine Joint Transit Coordination Cell
Permanent liaison cell co-located with NATO's Maritime Command (MARCOM) in Northwood, UK, that synchronizes convoy scheduling, threat-sharing, and Danube River barge–to–deepwater transshipment, restoring the pre-2025 throughput that global food security depended on.
OwnerU.S. Mission to NATO (for Senate-confirmed ambassador to drive alliance decision)
Pass Senate resolution of disapproval targeting DOD-DHS intelligence integration MOU and place holds on key DHS and DOD nominees pending asylum process audits
With a Senate majority, the chamber can use holds on political nominees and a formal resolution of disapproval to force public debate on the DOD-DHS alignment directive and its conflict with the Refugee Act, while also requiring the State Department and DHS to produce asylum processing metrics as a condition of nominee advancement.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chair (anticipated) and Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration
Introduce the Civil Service Protection Act of 2027
This bill would statutorily codify merit-based civil service protections, prohibit reclassifications like Schedule Policy/Career without rigorous due-process safeguards, and require OPM rule changes to be subject to congressional approval, preventing future politicization.
OwnerChair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (assuming Democratic trifecta)
Statutory mandate for local broadcast licensee editorial independence from parent-company political directives
Draft and introduce legislation that prohibits a broadcast station licensee from requiring or compelling an affiliated station to air political content or preempt network programming for political messages, enforceable by FCC fines and license revocation. This closes the loophole Sinclair exploited and makes the public-interest obligation legally enforceable.
OwnerSenate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (upon return of Democratic majority) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone
Congress should codify into statute the pre-2025 CDL eligibility and renewal framework for lawful permanent residents and visa holders, barring DHS and DOT from using subsequent rulemaking to restrict CDLs based on immigration status unless directly linked to a driving safety conviction.
OwnerSenate Commerce Committee and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Introduce the 'Latino Worker and Family Stability Act' — expand the CTC, housing vouchers, and end health care denials related to immigration status
This bill would restore the fully refundable expanded child tax credit, mandate HUD to reissue suspended Section 8 vouchers in Latino-heavy districts, and prohibit CMS from denying coverage based on immigration status or mixed-status family verification — directly countering the Trump administration's and Project 2025's cuts to Latino communities.
OwnerHouse Ways and Means Committee; Senate Finance Committee
Introduce the Academic Freedom in Curriculum Act in Congress
A federal bill that conditions Title I and other K-12 funding on a state's adoption of curricula that are religiously neutral and developed by professional educators, not political appointees. This disincentivizes state-level mandates like Texas's Bible-reading rule and provides a uniform floor for Establishment Clause compliance nationwide.
OwnerRep. Bobby Scott / Sen. Patty Murray (Education Committee chairs)
Enact the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore preclearance
A restored Section 5 preclearance formula would prevent mid-decade maps like Louisiana’s from taking effect before review. This requires a Democratic trifecta.
Introduce the 'Assisted Suicide Safeguards Act' to condition federal Medicaid/Medicare funding for states that permit medical aid in dying on meeting minimum federal patient-protection standards
The New York case reveals that state-level assisted-suicide laws lack uniform safeguards. A conditional-funding statute would create a federal floor: requiring states to ensure independent mental-health evaluation, a waiting period, and documented patient consent free of coercion, or lose federal health dollars. This does not ban aid in dying — it disincentivizes unsafe laws without a new federal command. It should be paired with the lawsuit to demonstrate Congress's interest in uniform disability protections.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Repeal H-2A expansion provisions and codify agricultural worker protections in the next farm bill under trifecta
Under a Democratic trifecta (2029+), the next Congress must pass a comprehensive farm bill that strips all H-2A expansion language from H.R. 1277 or its successor, and instead codifies a new agricultural worker visa framework that includes: a right to organize, unionize, and collectively bargain; portability between employers; a pathway to permanent residency and citizenship; and a binding wage floor set at the higher of the federal or state minimum wage, updated annually. This replaces the exploitative system with a durable, worker-protective one.
Draft and build support for Judgment Fund Reform Act
The Public Citizen litigation group and Demand Justice should prepare legislative language that would prohibit the use of the permanent indefinite appropriation for the Judgment Fund (31 U.S.C. § 1304) to pay settlements in cases where the president is a named party individually, unless Congress explicitly appropriates the funds. This closes the loophole that lets the executive turn a lawsuit into a slush fund.
Introduce the Coastal Resilience and Redwood Protection Act
A federal statute requiring any highway project on the National Highway System that would destroy old-growth forest to include a full lifecycle carbon-cost analysis and to prioritize non-destructive alternatives (managed retreat, ferries, evacuation corridors) where cost-effective. This would prevent forced-choice infrastructure decisions like the Last Chance Grade tunnel.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee (Chair)
Codify a statutory mandate requiring federal agencies to maintain and make publicly accessible core health, safety, environmental, and demographic datasets, with enforceable penalties for removal or suppression without Congressional notification and a public registry of decommissioned datasets.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Enact a federal statute imposing a 30% minimum tax on adjusted gross income (including unrealized gains) for households with net worth over $100 million. This codifies a stronger, more durable version of the wealth tax idea, closing the loophole that allows billionaires to defer appreciation income indefinitely. The bill should reference California's ballot initiative as evidence of public demand.
OwnerSenate Finance Committee (Chair when under Democratic majority) and House Ways and Means Committee
Introduce the Appropriations Clause Oversight Act to Close Judgment Fund Loophole
To prevent any administration from using the Judgment Fund to settle private lawsuits for policy purposes without congressional appropriation, this bill would require that any settlement exceeding a de minimis amount using the Judgment Fund must be pre-approved by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and published in the Federal Register with a legal justification.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Codify transit fare affordability as a protected grant condition in SAFETEA-LU reauthorization
Incorporate a statutory provision in the next surface transportation reauthorization that prohibits the Secretary from conditioning federal transit grants on reductions to low-income fare subsidy programs, ensuring that safety compliance cannot be used as a wedge to cut fare equity.
Introduce a federal bill to block states receiving federal Medicaid funds from reducing DDA appropriations below a baseline level
The bill would condition a small percentage of a state's federal Medicaid administrative matching funds on maintaining its DDA budget at least at the prior fiscal year's level (adjusted for inflation). This directly addresses the risk that federal Medicaid cuts in H.R. 1 will trigger follow-on state cuts to disability services.
Pass state-level Religious Freedom in Education Act in Texas
To prevent future SBOE mandates favoring one religion, codify a statute requiring that any required reading of religious texts includes representative passages from at least three major world religions and is approved by a committee of certified educators and religious studies scholars. This bars a single-faith curriculum and restores local educator-led development.
OwnerTexas House Democratic Caucus / Texas Senate Democratic Caucus
Require HHS to issue a rule mandating prepayment review for all high-risk DME billing codes
Mandate real-time analytics and identity-theft database matching before Medicare pays any claim for durable medical equipment (DME) from a supplier that has changed ownership within the prior 12 months or that submits billing for codes with a high historical fraud rate — closing the prepayment gap the Russian TCO scheme exploited.
Enact the SNAP Integrity and Anti-Discrimination Act to codify the statutory purpose of SNAP as a hunger-prevention program and prohibit USDA from imposing dietary restrictions beyond the existing Food and Nutrition Act
Permanently bars any USDA rule that would restrict SNAP eligible items based on nutritional content (such as soda and candy bans), prevents state waivers for such restrictions, and requires that all existing waivers be rescinded within 90 days of enactment. This closes the vulnerability exploited by the Trump administration's MAHA-agenda ban, ensuring SNAP remains a hunger-prevention program, not a dietary-compliance experiment, and prevents similar executive overreach in the future.
OwnerSenate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
Amend the Federal Reserve Act to codify the Humphrey-Hawkins full-employment mandate with a 3% unemployment floor
The administration's signaling that it may jettison the dual mandate's employment objective would institutionalize this long-term joblessness crisis. Amending the Fed's charter to require a 3% unemployment target would prevent the Fed from raising rates solely to 'cool' labor markets, forcing it to use monetary tools against monopoly power and price gouging instead.
Introduce the Grid and Clean Energy Authority Protection Act
Once a Democratic Congress is seated, Representative Pallone and Senator Cantwell should introduce a bill that codifies the Grid Deployment Office and Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations into permanent statutory existence, expressly barring any future administration from dismantling or defunding them via reorganization or rulemaking.
OwnerHouse Energy and Commerce Committee (Rep. Frank Pallone) / Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Sen. Maria Cantwell)
Introduce Court Expansion Legislation (H.R. and S. Version) with Structural Rationale Statement
Once House and Senate Dem majorities confirm (post-2026 or post-2028), reintroduce Markey-Johnson legislation explicitly framed as restoring one justice per federal circuit — transforming the proposal from reactive to constitutional and structural. Prevents Turley-style framing from dominating the 2028 trifecta scenario.
OwnerSen. Ed Markey and Rep. Hank Johnson (Judiciary Committee sponsors)
Draft and Prefile the TPS Judicial Review Restoration Act
Prepare a bill to amend 8 U.S.C. § 1252 to explicitly allow judicial review of TPS termination decisions, including factual and procedural challenges, to override the Mullin v. Doe reading. Prefile in House and Senate for introduction upon a Democratic trifecta in 2029.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (ranking member) and House Judiciary Committee (ranking member)
Introduce the USAID Emergency Response Restoration Act of 2027
Re-establish USAID as an independent agency with dedicated disaster-response authority and a mandatory surge fund of $5 billion, ensuring civilian capacity is not subordinated to State Department political priorities; requires congressional authorization through the next trifecta.
Introduce the Legal Profession Protection Act to codify statutory safe harbor for attorney-client communications
A bill that prohibits federal agencies from compelling law firms to produce privileged or protected communications with current or former clients in civil discovery unrelated to the client's own conduct, unless the firm itself is a party to a criminal proceeding. The bill targets the weaponized discovery tactic revealed by the DOJ's subpoenas.
Introduce the INARA Compliance and Iran Deal Review Act to close the 'framework' loophole and mandate congressional approval for any nuclear-related agreement with Iran
Amend INARA to define 'agreement with Iran relating to the nuclear program' to expressly include memoranda of understanding, frameworks, and any other written understandings, regardless of labeling. Add a statutory prohibition on sanctions relief until 90 days after transmission, restoring the full congressional review period the administration is evading.
Introduce the Worker Heat Protection Act to codify the two-tier OSHA heat standard into federal statute
A House bill (sponsored by Rep. Judy Chu or Rep. Bobby Scott) and Senate companion (sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders or Sen. Patty Murray) would codify the two-tier heat standard (80°F trigger for water/shade/monitoring; 90°F trigger for mandatory paid rest breaks) as federal law, making it permanent and enforceable regardless of future rulemaking freezes or executive action.
OwnerHouse Education and Workforce Committee (Democratic leadership) / Senate HELP Committee
Introduce the Heat Resilience for All Act (H.R. 4443) with strengthened language and bipartisan cosponsors in anticipation of a future trifecta
The existing Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act (H.R. 4443) is a starting point but must be fortified to include explicit employer liability for heat-related deaths, automatic updates when NOAA declares a heat emergency, and a private right of action for workers. This revised bill should be introduced in the current Congress to build a record and cosponsor base, positioning it for swift passage under a Democratic trifecta in 2029.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and House Education and Workforce Committee (Democratic staff, in coordination with Rep. Judy Chu and Sen. Alex Padilla)
Introduce the Voter Empowerment Act to codify universal voter registration and automatic proof-of-citizenship alternatives
When Democrats control Congress, this bill would supersede the SAVE Act by: (1) making voter registration automatic upon state-federal data matching, (2) requiring states to accept sworn affidavits as an alternative to physical documents, and (3) funding free state ID programs for all eligible voters.
OwnerHouse Committee on House Administration (future Democratic chair)
Introduce the 'Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in the Workplace Act' to codify a permanent federal heat standard
Legislation that writes into statute the key provisions of the proposed OSHA rule, making it impossible for future administrations to withdraw or weaken the standard through agency discretion alone, thus providing durable protection for workers from the deadliest weather-related hazard.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee / House Education and the Workforce Committee
Introduce the Health Information & Access Codification Act
Permanently codify in statute the requirement that HHS maintain a dedicated Office of Population Affairs, an independent Reproductive Healthcare Access Task Force, a standalone Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, and a Surgeon General empowered to issue public-health advisories without prior political approval; also mandate that all HHS data collection include sexual orientation and gender identity fields. This prevents future reorganization without congressional approval and builds a robust statutory floor above what rollback alone can restore.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Pass the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax Act to federalize state-level wealth tax model
Introduce a companion bill to Senator Warren's existing Ultra-Millionaire Tax, this one codifying a 5% annual levy on net worth above $1 billion with a dividend-based installment option, to demonstrate federal willingness to adopt California's model if it passes.
Introduce NATO Commitment Act requiring congressional approval for U.S. force reductions in Europe
Close the gap that allowed a Defense Secretary to unilaterally withdraw troops from a NATO ally in retaliation for diplomatic disagreement. Statute would require 30-day notice and explicit congressional authorization for reductions of 1,000+ troops from any NATO country.
Introduce the Civil Service Integrity and Inspector General Independence Act
Codifies protections against Schedule F reclassification by requiring at least 90 days congressional notification for any competitive service reclassification affecting more than 200 employees, and prohibits transferring IG appointment or removal authority to the White House without a Senate-confirmed DNI-level confirmation process, reversing Project 2025's core aims.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security Committee chair and House Oversight Committee chair
Codify 'for cause' removal protections for all independent agency heads, inspectors general, and administrative law judges, requiring bipartisan Senate confirmation and limiting at-will firing to specific statutory grounds. This statute would preemptively shield the administrative state from the politicization that overturning Humphrey's Executor would enable.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee chair
Restore and expand CDC immunization infrastructure via Emergency Supplemental Appropriation
A $3.5 billion emergency supplemental to restore the $2.9 billion in CDC contract cuts and add $600 million for state outbreak-response teams, school mandate enforcement, and community health worker programs targeting under-vaccinated communities. This directly reverses the funding theft that disabled the country's outbreak-detection capacity.
Introduce the DOJ Political Prosecution Transparency Act
Codify into statute the prohibition against DOJ investigations initiated at the direction of a president or White House official for the purpose of targeting a political opponent, requiring a written certification signed by both the Deputy Attorney General and the FBI director and promptly reported to Congress and the public.
Introduce the Voter Privacy and Access Protection Act
Codify a uniform federal standard that prohibits the Department of Justice from obtaining or requesting non-public voter registration data containing personally identifiable information except through a grand jury subpoena or court order based on individualized probable cause. This would render the current DOJ's bulk-data lawsuits illegal and prevent future administrations from using the same tactic.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee Democratic leadership in coordination with the Brennan Center for Justice
Restore federal court review of partisan gerrymandering through the For the People Act
Include a clear statutory standard for partisan gerrymandering in a future For the People Act — requiring that redistricting plans must not have a 'predominant partisan purpose' — to undo the Rucho decision and allow federal courts to hear such challenges again.
Introduce the Media Competition and Local Voices Act
Statutory reform to restore structural antitrust enforcement in media: require automatic review of any combination that controls two or more of the top four broadcast networks; impose a rebuttable presumption of illegality for mergers exceeding $50 billion involving major studios or streaming platforms; and fund a dedicated media competition division at DOJ.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Chair / House Judiciary Committee Chair
Statutorily prohibit DRL from reprogramming appropriated funds to non-needy or domestic-political-beneficiary groups, requiring merit-based review and congressional notification for any grant deviation from regular process.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee (Chair, under Democratic trifecta)
Draft Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) with explicit racial equity provisions
WHPA would restore Roe-level protection via statute; this version incorporates findings on disparate racial impact and affirmative duties to address maternal health inequities in ban states. Requires congress_trifecta to pass, but must be drafted and introduced early in a Dem Congress to allow mark-up and coalitional consensus-building.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee / House Judiciary Committee (co-lead, assuming 2028 Dem sweep)
Introduce the Federal Reserve Accountability for Working Families Act
A bill that would (1) codify the dual mandate in statute with an explicit requirement that the Fed explain any decision to prioritize price stability over maximum employment, (2) require the Fed to publish a distributional impact analysis of quantitative tightening and emergency-lending decisions, and (3) prohibit the Fed from reducing the size of its balance sheet below a crisis-contingency floor of $5 trillion without congressional authorization. The bill will sit as a marker until a Democratic trifecta can pass it.
Reinstate demographic variables in CDC/BRFSS and all HHS surveys via statutory data quality mandate
Demographic-variable removal directly impairs CMS fraud detection, HRSA resource allocation, and state maternal mortality surveillance. A statutory mandate requiring HHS to collect and report standard OMB demographic variables (race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity) in all major health surveys would prevent any future administration from removing them on ideological grounds, restoring scientific integrity and equity oversight.
OwnerSenate HELP Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee
Introduce the Supreme Court Ethics Enforcement Act with a congressional-contempt enforcement mechanism
A bill requiring the Supreme Court to adopt an enforceable code of conduct with a complaint process and authorizing the House or Senate to subpoena justices for noncompliance, using Kagan's testimony as a justification for congressional authority.
Introduce the Election Assistance Commission Restoration and Independence Act
Statutorily restore for-cause removal protections for EAC commissioners, codify the agency's grant and certification authorities, and add a fifth commissioner to reduce future capture risk—purpose-built to survive a future constitutional challenge by drawing on the Fed carve-out rationale in Trump v. Cook.
OwnerHouse Administration Committee (Chair, Dem majority) and Senator Klobuchar
Codify a statutory minimum childhood vaccine schedule that restores the pre-14407 federal recommendations as a floor
A bill establishing the ACIP-recommended schedule (as of May 2026) as the national minimum for all federally funded programs and state Medicaid coverage, preempting future executive orders from reducing the schedule below peer-nation consensus levels.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Introduce the Independent Custody Death Investigation Act
Federal bill requiring all ICE-related deaths in custody to be investigated by an independent state or federally appointed third-party entity, with findings made public and admissible in civil rights suits — closing the federal vacuum that Mexico's petition exposes.
Introduce the War Powers Restoration Act to close the 2001 and 2002 AUMF loopholes and require prior authorization for strikes on Iran
Legislation that repeals the 2001 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force, replaces them with a narrow, sunsetting authorization limited to ongoing specific threats, and explicitly prohibits any use of force against Iran without a new, specific congressional authorization, thereby preventing the administration from stretching existing AUMFs to cover unilateral strikes.
Pass the Clean Air at Risk Act: codify EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases as pollutants
This bill would amend the Clean Air Act to explicitly state that carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases are 'air pollutants' that EPA must regulate if they endanger public health or welfare. It would bypass the need for a re-issued endangerment finding by writing the 2009 finding's core conclusion into statutory law, making future judicial or executive reversal far harder.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee (Chair)
Introduce the Grid Reliability and Clean Energy Integration Act
A bill that codifies FERC's obligation to design RTO market rules that value all reliability attributes—including storage, demand response, and flexible renewables—prohibiting discrimination against non-dispatchable clean resources and requiring a reliability-cost analysis that accounts for climate-driven extreme weather risks.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Chair), House Energy and Commerce Committee (Chair)
Introduce the Presidential Civil Judgment Enforcement Act
Codify the court's ruling by requiring all sitting presidents to deposit the full amount of a civil jury verdict into an interest-bearing escrow account within 30 days of judgment, with automatic disbursement upon final appellate ruling or 3 years, whichever comes first. Prevents presidents from indefinitely delaying payment of civil judgments through serial appeals or evading accountability via immunity claims.
Introduce the Fair Trade Reconstruction Act, conditioning tariff reductions on enforceable labor and environmental standards
Would replace the USRTA's unilateral tariff tool with a statutory framework that ties any reciprocal tariff reduction or market access expansion to verified progress on labor rights and environmental protection in partner countries, modeled on the USMCA's rapid-response mechanism. This closes the gap where Project 2025 would expand presidential tariff authority without any worker or climate safeguards.
Introduce the Primary Care Reinvestment Act — establish a per-member-per-month infrastructure fee to fund comprehensive, longitudinal primary care capacity
Creates a modest per-member-per-month fee on commercial and Medicare Advantage telehealth-only and urgent-care-only insurance products, with proceeds distributed to primary care practices that meet meaningful patient-centered medical home standards (24/7 access, empanelment, team-based care). This directly addresses the market failure where 'drive-thru' care strips revenue from comprehensive primary care by making episodic telehealth payers reinvest in the infrastructure they erode.
OwnerSenate HELP Committee (Chair Bernie Sanders or successor)
Introduce the Trade Enforcement and Worker Standards Act
Establishes binding labor and environmental enforcement mechanisms in all new and renegotiated U.S. trade agreements, including a requirement for partner countries to demonstrate independent enforcement capacity before tariff reductions take effect. Reverses the Project 2025 prescription of unilateral tariffs without worker protections by conditioning trade liberalization on measurable labor rights improvements.
Introduce the Safe Training Access Act to codify opt-out training as compliant with federal conscience law
This bill would amend Coats-Snowe (42 U.S.C. § 238n) to clarify that accreditation bodies may require abortion training if individual clinicians can opt out without penalty, and that states do not need to police curricula to qualify for HHS funds. It prevents future administrations from weaponizing conscience law to mandate opt-in training, preserving patient access while protecting individual objectors.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Chair)
Senate bill to codify standalone Office for Civil Rights within ED and strengthen Title I and IDEA enforcement
Legislate to prevent the transfer of OCR and OSERS to DOJ by writing into statute their current structure and adding enforcement resources for Title I and IDEA, directly blocking the Project 2025 fragmentation plan.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Introduce the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Integrity Act to codify PSLF eligibility protections and bar political targeting
This bill would amend the Higher Education Act to statutorily define 'public service' for PSLF purposes, prohibit the Secretary of Education from imposing categorical exclusions based on an employer's activities, and require that any denial of forgiveness be based only on individual borrower conduct, not organizational status. It closes the loophole the Trump administration exploited and ensures PSLF cannot be weaponized again, even by a future rulemaking.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Chair Patty Murray)
Introduce the Protecting All Student Athletes Act in Congress
Federal legislation codifying that discrimination on the basis of gender identity constitutes sex discrimination under Title IX, including in athletics, overriding any executive or OCR interpretation to the contrary. Permanently secures protections that the SJSU case endangered.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and House Education and Workforce Committee (Democratic chairs after 2028 sweep)
Introduce the ICE Accountability and Transparency Act (IATA)
Requires mandatory body camera use during all ICE enforcement actions, public release of footage within 72 hours of a death or serious injury, and an independent investigative office within DHS OIG to review all fatalities during operations. Responds directly to the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and the administration's refusal to release body-cam footage.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, once Dem majority holds)
Codify the ban on euthanizing healthy wild horses and burros via statutory amendment to the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act
Existing policy forbids killing healthy animals but is executive-only; a statute would make it permanent regardless of administration. This item addresses the gap left by the pending H.R. 4356, which is a standalone prohibition—this amendment strengthens the underlying act directly.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Pass the Title I and IDEA Preservation Act via a Democratic trifecta in 2029
This bill would codify Title I and IDEA as mandatory spending programs with statutory maintenance-of-effort requirements, prohibit their conversion into block grants, and reinstate federal civil rights enforcement in education that the March 20, 2025 EO undermines.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and House Education and Workforce Committee
Introduce the 'Ethiopia Electoral Integrity and Conflict Resolution Act'
This bill would mandate that U.S. recognition of Ethiopia's 2026 election results be conditioned on verifiable, independent oversight and the resumption of voting in all regions including Tigray and Amhara. It would also require a comprehensive U.S. strategy to support inclusive peace talks before renewing security assistance.
Amend EXIM reauthorization to codify small-business set-aside and net-revenue mandate
When the Export-Import Bank next comes up for reauthorization (current authorization expires in 2026), lawmakers should introduce a bill to statutorily require that at least 30% of EXIM financing go to small businesses and that the Bank maintain a net-positive budget score, making abolition harder by demonstrating that it is both a small-business program and fiscally responsible.
Introduce the Off-Road Vehicle and Public Lands Protection Act
Codifies into statute the environmental criteria rescinded by EO 14408—including measurable standards like 200-foot buffers from perennial streams, seasonal closures during breeding periods, and GPS-based noise monitoring—so that ORV designations are subject to binding, science-based protections that cannot be removed by a future executive order.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Ranking Member) / House Natural Resources Committee (Ranking Member)
Build a legislative push to end H-1B wage depression: introduce the H-1B and PERM Wage Integrity Act
This bill would close the prevailing wage loophole that allows employers to pay visa holders below market rates, mandate domestic recruitment transparency, and eliminate the single-employer sponsorship tie. It addresses the systemic employer-driven abuse that the Vance probe ignores, while protecting workers who blow the whistle. The item is gated to congress_trifecta because substantive immigration-wage reform requires full legislative control.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Democratic majority), House Education and the Workforce Committee (Democratic majority)
Introduce the Appropriations Integrity Act to close the settlement-to-slush-fund loophole
Codify a statutory prohibition against using consent decrees or settlement agreements to create funds not subject to annual appropriations, requiring that any monetary settlement paid by the federal government revert to the general Treasury unless Congress explicitly authorizes a designated account.
OwnerSenate Budget Committee Chair and House Judiciary Committee Chair
Introduce the Gun Violence Prevention Through State Sovereignty Act
Federal legislation that would restore state authority to enact reasonable restrictions on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines by establishing a clear, codified standard for public safety exceptions under the Second Amendment, overriding the Bruen framework's historical-test requirement.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Chair (Democrat), sponsored by Senator Chris Murphy and Representative Lucy McBath
Approve the PFAS Protection Act through Congress and sign into law
Permanently restore enforceable PFAS drinking water limits and rescind the May 2026 rollback by statute, removing the EPA’s discretion to weaken protections.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee chair and House Energy and Commerce Committee chair
Codify statutory requirements that any aircraft serving as Air Force One or used for presidential transport must be U.S.-manufactured and federally owned, with all security systems installed before acceptance into service, to prevent reliance on foreign gifts that may lack defensive capabilities.
OwnerHouse Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Introduce the Employer GLP-1 Coverage Maintenance Act
This bill would require employer-sponsored health plans that currently cover GLP-1 drugs for obesity (or that benefit from federal tax exclusions for coverage) to maintain coverage with no more than one-step prior authorization, no step therapy requiring failure of lower-cost alternatives, and a maximum patient cost-share tied to the Medicare Bridge program ($50/month). It fills the gap left by the voluntary Medicare Bridge by preventing private payers from undermining expanded access.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Codify federal requirements for state property tax cut fiscal transparency in housing funding programs
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, as Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, should introduce the Tax Cut Accountability for Housing Act, requiring states seeking certain federal housing block grants (e.g., CDBG, HOME) to certify that any state-level property tax cut adopted within the previous five years was accompanied by a dynamic demographic fiscal note, or face a 5% reduction in formula allocation, as a safeguard against shifting housing costs onto vulnerable populations.
OwnerRep. Maxine Waters (Ranking Member, House Financial Services Committee)
Introduce the DOJ Independence and Integrity Act to codify mandatory recusal and ethics waivers for top DOJ officials with personal/political ties to the president or co-defendants
This bill would require prompt written recusal decisions and public ethics waivers for any Senate-confirmed DOJ official who previously represented the president, a family member, or a co-defendant within the prior six years. It closes the loophole that allowed Blanche to remain in control of prosecutions involving his former clients.
Introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore Section 2's results test
The VLAA would codify the 1982 results test and restore preclearance for states with recent discriminatory voting changes, directly reversing the Louisiana v. Callais narrowing and preventing future maps like Alabama's from taking effect.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Chair and House Judiciary Committee Chair
Introduce the 'Every Student Equal Access Act' to reverse block-grant conversion of Title I and IDEA
H.R. 899 and the executive order set a course to convert Title I and IDEA into block grants. The only durable fix is a statutory reinstatement of conditioned funding. This bill would require that any federal K–12 funding remain subject to nondiscrimination and equitable-access requirements, and repeal any block-grant authority granted in the interim. It can only pass under a Democratic trifecta, so it is sequenced as a legislative goal for that window.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (Democratic leadership), House Education and the Workforce Committee (Democratic leadership)
Federal statute reaffirming that all persons born in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are citizens, enforceable by private right of action and stripping federal courts of jurisdiction to entertain any executive order or regulation that contradicts Wong Kim Ark.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee Chair and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair
Codify War Powers Resolution enforcement mechanism with automatic funding cutoff
Introduce the War Powers Compliance Act to require that any unauthorized hostilities beyond 60 days trigger an immediate apportionment freeze on all funds obligated for those operations, enforceable via expedited judicial review. Closes the loophole that allowed repeated bypass of the 60-day clock.
OwnerSenator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA)
Codify civil-service protections into statute with the Public Lands Workforce Security Act
Permanently reclassify BLM, Interior, and Forest Service mission-critical positions (wildfire, law enforcement, conservation) into a new excepted service category with statutory due-process and appeal rights, barring future reclassification by executive rulemaking, preventing a repeat of the Schedule F hollowing.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Codify the 2022 OCR HIPAA Reproductive Health Privacy Guidance into Regulation
Replace the rescindable June 2022 OCR guidance with a formal HIPAA Privacy Rule amendment under the Administrative Procedure Act, making it harder for a future administration to reverse patient privacy protections for lawful reproductive health care. The rule would expressly prohibit disclosure of protected health information for investigations or prosecutions related to abortion, and reject the interpretation that a fetus qualifies as an 'individual' under HIPAA.
OwnerHHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) via rulemaking, with legislative backup by Senate HELP Committee Chair
Reinstate Venezuela TPS and enshrine Haiti TPS protections via the World Cup Economic Security Act
The existing court order blocks Haiti TPS termination but Venezuela TPS remains terminated, removing a source of hospitality and construction labor in host cities. A Dem trifecta would pass legislation that requires DHS to extend TPS designations for any country whose nationals hold a substantial share of World Cup host-city hospitality or construction jobs, retroactively restoring Venezuela TPS and codifying the Haiti TPS injunction into statute. This safeguards the labor pool for the remaining 2026 tournament events.
A bill to codify the War Powers Resolution’s reporting requirements and add an automatic termination of unauthorized hostilities after 30 days unless Congress enacts an authorization for use of military force, aimed at preventing the self-perpetuating cycle of unauthorized strikes that fuel the Iran escalation.
Codify mandatory implementation deadlines for housing laws to prevent future obstruction
Amend the United States Housing Act and the Internal Revenue Code to include a statutory timeline (e.g., 30–60 days after enactment) for HUD to issue guidance and Treasury to allocate LIHTC credits, enforced by automatic approval of vouchers if deadlines lapse. This would prevent any future administration from slow-walking housing expansions by conditioning them on unrelated policies.
OwnerSenate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee chair (Democrat, 2029)
Statutory prohibition on conditioning NATO security commitments on trade concessions
Enact legislation barring the executive from conditioning U.S. defense commitments under Article 5 on economic concessions or tariff targets, restoring the principle that mutual defense is not transactional.
Introduce the Dually Eligible Beneficiary Protection Act
Codify into statute the automatic enrollment of dually eligible individuals in both Medicare and Medicaid, preventing HHS from using rulemaking to strip coverage from this population and rejecting the false tradeoff between fraud enforcement and eligibility expansion.
Draft and Pre-File the 'Fair Housing Data and Enforcement Restoration Act'
Senate Banking Committee ranking member (Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Sen. Tina Smith) to work with the National Fair Housing Alliance to produce bill language that statutorily restores the full AFFH rule, mandates HUD to maintain and update segregation-assessment data tools, and prohibits future secretaries from narrowing AFFH via executive order — to be introduced as soon as Democrats hold unified control of Congress and the presidency.
OwnerSenate Banking Committee (ranking member) + National Fair Housing Alliance
CFTC rulemaking on derivatives exchange social-media content standards
Propose a CFTC rule requiring all registered derivatives exchanges—including Polymarket—to maintain a social-media content policy that prohibits false or misleading posts designed to influence betting volumes, with enforcement authority and penalty provisions. The current registration order does not address the platform's own feeds, leaving a consumer-protection gap exposed by the NYT investigation.
Introduce the Congressional Access to Information Act to Codify Limits on Executive Privilege
Shortly after the Bondi deposition revealed that DOJ attorneys invoked executive privilege to shield communications from before Bondi took office, this bill would establish a statutory definition of executive privilege that excludes pre-government communications and requires a written presidential claim for privilege, not an attorney's assertion.
Introduce the Digital Equity Foundation Act to Codify E‑Rate’s Core Mission
Legislate a statutory guarantee that E‑Rate funds are used solely to connect schools and libraries to affordable broadband, and prohibit the FCC from imposing content‑based or screen‑time conditions on recipient eligibility. This would lock in the program’s original purpose and prevent future hostile Commissions from leveraging the program for moral or political goals.
OwnerSenate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee (Chair)
Codify tribal consultation as a substantive federal trust duty in NEPA and permitting statutes
Legislation requiring that any federal permitting or environmental review on or affecting tribal lands must obtain tribal consent before proceeding, elevating consultation from procedural step to enforceable trust obligation.
Introduce the Broadcast License Protection Act to codify that FCC license renewal decisions be content-neutral and prohibit consideration of political viewpoint complaints
Current law leaves broadcasters vulnerable to politically motivated license challenges. This bill would amend the Communications Act to bar the FCC from using complaints about political or editorial content as grounds for denying or delaying license renewal, requiring instead that all determinations rest solely on technical and public-service criteria as measured by objective, pre-defined metrics. It would nullify the Project 2025 blueprint for weaponizing broadcast licensing against media adversaries.
Introduce the Authority of Congress Over Cultural Institutions Clarification Act
Codify that the naming and closure authority of congressionally chartered cultural institutions (like the Kennedy Center) resides exclusively with Congress, and any board action subjecting such institutions to presidential rebranding or programmatic closure without statutory authorization is void. This prevents future executive boards from circumventing Congress by mimicking the Trump board's unlawful renaming and two-year closure plan.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Restore and expand CRP and NRCS wetland compliance under a Democratic trifecta
After the 2028 elections, pass comprehensive farm bill amendments that reverse Project 2025-era cuts, permanently fund CRP at $5 billion annually, and strengthen NRCS wetland determinations against legal challenges.
OwnerHouse and Senate Agriculture Committees with support from the Democratic Caucus
Introduce the Medicaid Program Integrity and Anti-Fraud Act, codifying enhanced provider screening and prepayment review standards
Lock in mandatory pre-payment claims review for high-fraud services (e.g., children’s behavioral health) and require state Medicaid agencies to maintain independent fraud units with dedicated funding—closing the structural vulnerability exposed by the Ohio scam. Budget cuts to the HHS OIG make statutory guardrails urgent.
Introduce the Anti-Deficiency Act Enforcement and Civil Service Protection Act
This statute would (1) codify the GAO's exclusive authority to issue binding opinions on Anti-Deficiency Act violations with immediate enforcement power through the courts; (2) provide a private right of action for taxpayer organizations to challenge unauthorized executive spending; (3) prohibit the DOJ from using appropriated funds to litigate in defense of any presidential project that Congress has explicitly declined to fund; and (4) protect career civil servants who report potential Anti-Deficiency Act violations from retaliation. This fills a gap exposed by the ballroom case by ensuring future executives cannot use DOJ politicization to bypass Congress on spending.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee — Chairman (to be elected in a Democratic trifecta scenario)
Introduce the Trade Enforcement and Monetary Policy Reform Act
A bill to require that any U.S. trade agreement or tariff policy include enforceable labor standards, supply-chain traceability provisions, and a certification that the policy does not undermine the Federal Reserve's monetary policy independence. This directly counters Project 2025's attempt to replace trade policy with gold-standard deregulation.
OwnerHouse Ways and Means Committee (majority) and Senate Finance Committee (majority)
Introduce the Data Center Transparency and Ratepayer Protection Act
Requires FERC to issue mandatory efficiency standards for data center power usage and to establish cost-allocation rules that prevent residential and small-business ratepayers from subsidizing data center transmission and generation investments. Codifies a mechanism to ensure new data center capacity does not rely on unabated fossil-fuel backup generation, locking in emissions for decades.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Chair)
Introduce the Election Officials Protection Act to clarify that state election officials are not criminally liable for isolated noncitizen voting under federal law
This bill would amend 52 U.S.C. § 20501 to explicitly state that state and local election officials may not be prosecuted for noncitizen voting that occurs despite the operation of standard, lawful registration and voting procedures. It closes the gap created by the DOJ's threatening letters, which leverage vague statutory language to intimidate officials into over-purging rolls, and would protect both officials and voter access.
Pass the Protecting LGBTQ+ Workers from Discrimination Act
This bill would codify Bostock v. Clayton County's holding that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is sex discrimination under Title VII, and explicitly extend protections to bathrooms, locker rooms, dress codes, and other terms and conditions of employment. It would also repeal any executive orders that restrict DEI programs. Requires a Democratic trifecta to pass.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Democratic majority)
Codify legislative restrictions on sole-source executive mediation delegations
Introduce a bill requiring that any administration seeking to delegate primary mediation or negotiation authority for a major national-security crisis (e.g., Iran nuclear talks) to a foreign government must first submit a certification to Congress that the chosen state meets specific non-terrorism, transparency, and accountability benchmarks. This prevents a future president from repeating the Pakistan-as-Iran-mediator gambit without the institutional checks stripped in 2018.
A bill to condition all FY2027 DHS appropriations on the Secretary certifying that all databases, systems, and records have been restored to the OIG, with a specific carve-out for databases related to ongoing criminal investigations with national security implications, and to require quarterly reporting on access denials.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and House Oversight Committee
Pass the Saving the Civil Service Act through a Democratic trifecta
With a Democratic president, House, and Senate in 2029, enact comprehensive legislation permanently prohibiting Schedule F, strengthening inspector general independence, and codifying whistleblower protections to reverse Project 2025's centralization blueprint.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee / House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
Introduce the ACA Due Process and Integrity Restoration Act
Require HHS to institute a 60-day pre-termination notice with individualized human review before removing enrollees flagged by automated data matching; restore prepayment analytics funding; and create an independent beneficiary ombudsman to handle disenrollment appeals. Closes the gap left by mass purges that cut legitimate coverage without due process.
Enact the Coastal State Emergency Powers Protection Act
Codify statutory limits on the president's authority to preempt state environmental, safety, and land-use laws by invoking national security emergencies, specifically prohibiting emergency declarations tied to foreign conflicts from overriding state coastal protection laws.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee (Chair)
Enact the Social Security Data Integrity Act to Criminalize Knowing Falsification of Death Records
Codify statutory penalties—criminal and civil—for any federal official who knowingly adds a living individual to the Death Master File, turning the whistleblower's internal legal warnings into binding law that future administrations cannot ignore.
Pass the Mail-in Voting Protection Act to restore state authority
This bill would explicitly reaffirm that states—not the executive branch—set the 'Times, Places and Manner' of federal elections, and would nullify any executive order that attempts to impose federal restrictions on mail-in ballot deadlines, drop-box locations, or signature-matching standards.
OwnerSenate Rules Committee and House Administration Committee
Introduce the Monument Restoration and Tribal Co-management Act
Federal legislation to codify the original boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, establish a federally recognized tribal co-management commission with joint decision-making authority over land use, and require a cost-benefit analysis comparing extraction revenue to recreation and preservation economic returns before any future boundary reduction.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, House Natural Resources Committee
Introduce the Community Banking Fairness Act to prohibit financial regulators from using immigration status as a risk factor
This bill would amend the Bank Secrecy Act and federal banking regulations to bar FinCEN, FDIC, OCC, and NCUA from issuing advisories or rules that require or encourage financial institutions to screen customers or clients based on immigration status or national origin. It would codify the principle that bank reporting obligations stop at financial crime, not civil immigration enforcement.
Restore and Condition Iran Oil Waiver Authority in Statute
Enact legislation authorizing the President to issue time-limited, condition-based waivers for Iranian oil sales, with a mandatory congressional review process before revocation. This prevents a single administration from unilaterally revoking economic incentives without a certified diplomatic plan, reducing the risk of escalatory spirals like the one following the Hormuz attacks.
Introduce the IRS Integrity and Fair Enforcement Act
Restore the $20 billion clawed back from IRA enforcement funding, codify Direct File as permanent, and require the IRS to maintain a minimum enforcement workforce. This bill reverses the anti-enforcement cuts already enacted and blocks Project 2025's goal of a neutered IRS.
Introduce the Protecting LGBTQ+ Youth in Education Act
EO 14168 and the vacatur of Title IX rules leave transgender students without federal nondiscrimination protections. This bill would codify protections for gender identity in federally funded education programs, restore the Biden-era rule's substance, and preempt future executive reversals.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Ranking Member)
Pass the Monetary Policy Protection Act to require supermajority approval for any change to the Fed's lender-of-last-resort or monetary policy framework
With a trifecta, Democrats should pass legislation that requires a two-thirds vote of both chambers to alter the Federal Reserve Act’s provisions on discount window lending, emergency lending, or the monetary policy framework—effectively locking in the current system against radical redesigns like free banking or a gold standard.
Enact the Protecting Data at the Border Act (H.R. 2604) in the 119th Congress
Codify a statutory warrant requirement for all digital device searches at U.S. ports of entry, overriding the court-created border search exception. This closes the Fourth Amendment gap that currently permits warrantless searches of phones and laptops by CBP, protecting travelers of color, journalists, and activists from disproportionate scrutiny.
OwnerRep. Jerrold Nadler (House Judiciary Committee) / Sen. Ron Wyden (Senate Judiciary Committee)
Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to codify Section 2's effects test at the statutory level
A Democratic trifecta should pass the VLRA to explicitly reverse Louisiana v. Callais by amending Section 2 of the VRA to reaffirm that discriminatory effect alone suffices to invalidate redistricting plans, foreclosing future judicial erosion.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee
Introduce the Justice Integrity Act to statutorily bar personal attorneys of the president from DOJ political appointments
Once Democrats hold the trifecta, a bill should be enacted that prohibits any person who has served as the personal attorney or defense counsel of a sitting president or major‑party presidential candidate within the prior four years from being appointed to a Senate‑confirmed DOJ position with supervisory authority over criminal investigations or prosecutions. This closes the structural loophole Blanche exploits.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, under trifecta)
Introduce the Intelligence Community Integrity Act
Codify ODNI’s statutory functions and prohibit the president from reducing ODNI staffing below a floor equal to the number authorized in FY2025, or from reassigning intelligence personnel to political positions, without explicit congressional authorization and a detailed national security justification.
OwnerSenate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI)
Congressional Democrats introduce a statutory amendment to the Postal Reorganization Act explicitly prohibiting USPS from creating voter eligibility lists or conditionally withholding ballot delivery, codifying a stronger, permanent protection against executive overreach on mail voting.
Introduce the Attorney General Settlement Transparency Act
Codify new statutory requirements for any DOJ settlement exceeding $100 million: mandatory advance notice to Congress, a 60-day waiting period, and a sworn certification that the settlement resolves an actual legal claim against the United States — not a personal grievance of the President or other executive officer.
Introduce the ICE Enforcement Transparency and Accountability Act
Require ICE to publicly report all use-of-force incidents, vehicle stop outcomes, and fatality data within 30 days, and mandate independent DOJ investigation for deaths during enforcement actions, creating statutory oversight that cannot be overridden by presidential directive.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee and House Judiciary Committee
Introduce the Protect Reproductive Health Data Act
Codify statutory protections for federal collection of gender identity and reproductive health data, and require HHS to maintain public access to CDC datasets. Reverses the OPM directive and CDC data deletion described in Project 2025.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Introduce the Universal Service Fund Broadband Fairness Act
Codify a transparent, equitable USF contribution system that broadens the base to include Big Tech and edge providers, replacing the current regressive surcharge on voice lines, while preventing the FCC from using USF expansion as a tool to entrench incumbent carriers.
Restore ATF Zero-Tolerance Dealer Enforcement via Statute
Pass the Gun Dealer Licensing and Accountability Act to codify the Biden zero-tolerance standard, require ATF to revoke licenses after a single willful violation that transfers a crime gun, and prohibit the reissuance of licenses to revoked dealers for at least 10 years.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee
Amend the Help America Vote Act to prohibit conditioning election grants on non-election-related directives
When the trifecta is achieved, introduce legislation to codify that any federal election-related grant may not be conditioned on compliance with policies not directly related to election administration (e.g., DHS-led voter roll audits not tied to HAVA purposes), closing the funding leverage loophole the administration is exploiting.
Introduce and pass the Consent Decree Restoration and Enhancement Act
Statutorily require the DOJ to maintain existing pattern-or-practice consent decrees and establish a clear timeline for re-entering agreements when jurisdictions request them. This bill reverses the Trump DOJ's policy of withdrawing from decrees and closes the loophole that allowed the Louisville decree to be dismissed without replacement.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Chair (Democratic), House Judiciary Committee Chair (Democratic)
Codify statutory limits on DOJ election-related investigations, requiring specific evidence of substantial fraud before opening probes, to prevent partisan weaponization of federal law enforcement against state election administration.
Codify statutory prohibition on employment of persons convicted of insurrection-related offenses in national security positions
Pass a law barring anyone convicted of, or pardoned for, offenses related to insurrection or seditious conspiracy from holding any position requiring a security clearance in the executive branch. This closes the loophole the administration exploited.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (Chair, Democratic majority)
Introduce the Pattern-or-Practice Enforcement Act to codify 34 USC §12601 authority and shield consent decrees from executive termination
This bill would amend 34 USC §12601 to require DOJ to complete all active pattern-or-practice investigations and bar the Attorney General from unilaterally terminating consent decrees, preventing a repeat of the Bondi DOJ's dismantling of police accountability tools that allowed cases like O'Hara's arrest to go unaddressed.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights
Prepare omnibus school nutrition restoration bill for a Democratic trifecta
This bill would codify CEP grouping at 40% threshold, protect SNAP work-requirement exemptions for school-age dependents, and mandate the Thrifty Food Plan update using current science. Sponsoring it early allows committee hearings and markups to begin on Inauguration Day 2029, ensuring swift reversal of the Project 2025 nutrition cuts.
Introduce the Birthright Citizenship Protection Act in the Senate
Codify the 14th Amendment's guarantee of citizenship for all persons born in the United States, regardless of parental immigration status. This statute would preempt legislative attacks on the Wong Kim Ark precedent and provide a clear statutory defense against appropriations riders or funding restrictions aimed at denying citizenship documentation.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, upon Democratic majority)
Introduce the Immigration Visa Accountability and Restoration Act to codify the Diversity Visa program with anti-suspension protections
Prevent future executive suspension of the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program by statutorily requiring congressional notification, a public safety impact analysis, and a 90-day comment period before any suspension can take effect. Codifies the existing 55,000 ceiling with a floor of 50,000 visas per fiscal year, barring a separate law reducing the number. Directly responds to DHS Secretary Noem's unilateral suspension of a congressionally created program.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship
Introduce and hold hearings on the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act in the Senate Budget Committee
The bill redefines AI windfall gains as a shared public asset — a forward-looking structural policy that shifts the baseline from 'corporate profit extraction' to 'public dividend.' Senate Budget Committee hearings would frame the debate and lay the groundwork for a post-trifecta push.
Introduce the NATO Integrity and Anti-Coercion Act
Codify congressional oversight of any U.S. trade or economic coercion against NATO allies, requiring certification that such actions do not undermine Article 5 commitments, and establish a joint resolution of disapproval mechanism to block presidential threats that weaken alliance trust.
Introduce the Military Readiness and Equal Protection Act
This bill would codify that no person may be denied military service or discharged based on gender identity, permanently blocking future executive bans. It reverses the underlying policy Hegseth is defending and ensures the military retains all qualified personnel.
Introduce the Iran Agreement Congressional Oversight Act (IACOA) to mandate 60-day review of any executive agreement with Iran
The Trump administration's June 17 MOU with Iran and the June 26 Israel-Lebanon trilateral framework both avoided submission under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA), creating contradictory commitments that cannot be enforced or adjudicated without congressional authorization. This bill would close the INARA loophole by requiring any agreement concerning Iran's nuclear program or sanctions relief—whether called an MOU, framework, or understanding—to be submitted for a 60-day congressional review period, with sanctions relief suspended during that review.
Pass DISCLOSE Act 2.0 to Mandate Dark Money Disclosure and Strengthen FEC
Introduce and pass updated version of the DISCLOSE Act in a Democratic trifecta, requiring super-PACs and dark money groups to disclose donors, and restoring FEC enforcement authority and independence.
Create a permanent federal investment program—grants and tax credits for FDA-approved generic drug production lines—so that domestic manufacturing can actually happen before any tariff cliff hits.
Legislation to require an odd-numbered FEC, mandate public disclosure of deadlocked votes, and automatically refer stale complaints to DOJ. Reverses von Spakovsky's blueprint by undoing the FEC's structural paralysis.
OwnerSenate Rules and Administration Committee (Democratic chair)
Introduce the Federal Land Worker Protection Act to establish felony penalties for assault of federal land management employees
This bill would create a new standalone federal crime for assault, kidnapping, or hostage-taking of employees of the Forest Service, BLM, National Park Service, and other land management agencies, carrying mandatory minimum sentences and removing the current patchwork reliance on general assault statutes that often result in misdemeanor charges. It directly addresses the gap exposed by the Shasta-Trinity kidnapping, where federal workers lacked explicit statutory protection comparable to law enforcement or air marshals.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Statutorily require the President to obtain an explicit congressional authorization for any use of military force against Iran, with narrow exceptions for emergency self-defense, and sunset the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs within 180 days. The bill closes the authority gap exposed by the June 26 strikes and prevents future unilateral escalations.
Introduce the ICE De-escalation and Accountability Act (S.____/H.R.____)
A bill requiring mandatory body cameras for all ICE enforcement agents, de-escalation training standards, a total ban on arrest quotas, and independent civilian oversight boards for all ICE field offices. Prevents future deaths by codifying accountability the administration has stripped away.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, Sen. Richard Durbin)
Introduce the Safe Food and Farm Act to codify strong pesticide protections
A bicameral bill that mandates cumulative risk assessments for all registered pesticides, restricts glyphosate use on food crops, and bars the Defense Production Act from being used to boost production of any pesticide classified as a probable human carcinogen. This legislation would cement public health safeguards that the current farm bill and executive order circumvent.
OwnerSenate HELP Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee (Democratic leadership)
Introduce the Private Prison Detention Accountability Act in the 119th Congress
The bill would phase out ICE’s use of privately operated detention facilities, including all GEO Group contracts, requiring transfer to government-run or non-profit alternative-to-detention programs within two years. It also mandates public reporting on conditions, costs, and complaints.
Draft and pre-file the Broadcast Licensee Independence Act
Legislation to codify that the FCC may not condition broadcast-license renewals or impose penalties based on editorial content, newsroom staffing decisions, or a licensee's coverage of any federal official. This statute would preempt the weaponization of license review that Carr's public attack signals, replacing the current vulnerable administrative discretion with firm statutory guardrails. Pre-filing now builds a c4-press timeline and positions the bill for immediate reintroduction under a trifecta.
OwnerSenate Commerce Committee Ranking Member (or House Energy & Commerce Ranking Member if more likely to carry the initial draft)
Mandate body-worn cameras for all ICE officers during enforcement operations, create a civilian oversight board with subpoena power, and require annual reporting on use-of-force incidents. This bill would end the systemic impunity that has led to preventable deaths and ensure that lethal tactics are documented, reviewed, and reversible.
Introduce the White House Commercial Use Prohibition Act
A bill to codify a statutory prohibition on any for-profit commercial sporting event or entertainment spectacle on the White House grounds or the National Mall without specific congressional authorization, closing the regulatory loophole that allows the Executive to bypass existing NPS rules and preventing future administrations from treating federal landmarks as private venues.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Introduce the Dignity Not Detention Act to phase out for-profit immigration detention contracts
This bill would prohibit ICE from contracting with private, for-profit detention facility operators (e.g., GEO Group) and require transfer of all detainees to non-profit or government-run facilities meeting independent oversight standards. It directly addresses the perverse incentive structure documented by the American Immigration Council and the conditions that sparked the Delaney Hall protests.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, once Democrats control Senate)
Draft and propose the Equal Access to Sports Act (codifying Title IX protections for transgender student athletes)
Legislation to statutorily protect transgender students' participation in sports consistent with their gender identity, preempting state bans that the Supreme Court is likely to uphold. This creates a federal floor stronger than current Title IX guidance and insulates against future judicial rollbacks.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, upon trifecta); lead sponsor: Sen. Tammy Baldwin
Introduce the Clean Water Act Enforcement Integrity Act to prohibit political interference in environmental criminal investigations
This bill would codify that no political appointee at the Department of Justice or EPA may terminate, suspend, or intervene in a criminal investigation under the Clean Water Act without written notification to Congress and a public explanation, providing a statutory shield against future such interference.
OwnerSenator Tom Carper (D-DE) or Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), chair of Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Codify in statute the right to vote by mail without undue burden and preempt executive orders that impose new federal restrictions on mail ballot access, ensuring that isolated instances of fraud cannot be used as pretext for mass disenfranchisement.
OwnerSenate Rules Committee (Chair, Sen. Amy Klobuchar)
Introduce the Preserve Religious Freedom Act to codify Johnson Amendment protections
Sponsor federal legislation that statutorily prohibits tax-exempt organizations from endorsing candidates, making the current IRS rule permanent and immune to executive reinterpretation or repeal.
Codify statutory guardrails on DOJ settlement fund disbursements, requiring explicit congressional authorization for any fund exceeding $50 million
The 'anti-weaponization fund' exposed a gap in the law: settlement proceeds can be repurposed without congressional approval. This bill would require OMB to certify any such fund's legal basis and obtain a 30-day notice-and-wait period before disbursing funds, restoring Article I power of the purse.
Introduce the Vote-by-Mail Postmark Protection Act to codify a national postmark deadline standard
Codify in federal statute a uniform rule that ballots postmarked by Election Day and received up to seven days later must be counted, protecting voters in all states from court-ordered cutoffs and preempting state efforts to restrict the counting window.
OwnerSenate Rules Committee Chair and House Administration Committee Chair
Draft and introduce the Middle East Multilateral Security Framework Act
Build the missing diplomatic architecture by requiring the U.S. to pursue a UNSC-endorsed, regionally monitored ceasefire mechanism in Iran–Israel hostilities, with independent inspectors, reciprocal obligations, and congressional notification triggers. This addresses the root failure that allowed the unilateral ceasefire to collapse.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee Chair (as of 2029)
Statutory prohibition on election-denier hires in federal prosecutorial positions
Pass legislation barring individuals who have participated in efforts to overturn a certified presidential election from serving in any federal prosecutorial role, with a penalty of ineligibility for Senate-confirmed positions. Codifies a minimum integrity standard for DOJ personnel.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee chair (Democrat, after 2028 sweep)
Restore the FTC's 2023 Merger Guidelines via the Congressional Review Act and new rulemaking
Under a Democratic trifecta, pass a joint resolution of disapproval nullifying any Trump-era rule that reinstates the narrow consumer-welfare-only standard, and direct the FTC to reissue the 2023 Merger Guidelines with strengthened structural presumptions—codifying them to prevent future political reversal.
OwnerSenate Commerce Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee
Introduce federal Data Center Public Accountability Act
A bill requiring any data center with power demand ≥500 MW to undergo a full federal environmental impact statement (NEPA) and public hearing process before accessing federal land, water rights, or tax incentives. This closes the loophole allowing fast-tracked deals like O'Leary's Stratos Project.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ranking member or incoming chair)
Enact the Western Hemisphere Partnership Restoration Act to Statutorily Codify Bilateral Cooperation Benchmarks
To prevent future arbitrary decertifications that damage democratic alliances, the next Democratic Congress and President should pass legislation that replaces the unilateral decertification process for key security partners with a transparent, multi-indicator framework requiring congressional consultation and a supermajority for penalties against democratic allies. This bill would lock in Plan Colombia-level cooperation and make it far harder for any administration to repeat this rupture.
Amend the Energy Independence and Security Act to require disaggregated battery cost reporting for all DOE-funded R&D projects
Once a pro-climate Congress and administration are in place, codify a statutory requirement that any cost-reduction claims in DOE-supported battery programs be reported broken out by chemistry innovation, manufacturing scale, and supply chain changes. This would institutionalize transparency and prevent future administrations from inflating the impact of contractually owned development.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Introduce the AI Windfall Recapture and Affordable Housing Act
Enact a federal recapture tax on a portion of AI-related capital gains realized by corporations that received federal research grants (via DARPA, NSF, or DOE) since 2020, with proceeds directed to the Housing Trust Fund for community land trusts and permanently affordable units in high-cost metro areas like the Bay Area. The bill would also require a Treasury study linking AI-driven equity concentration to localized housing displacement, laying groundwork for regulatory action under the Community Reinvestment Act.
OwnerSenate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee
Reintroduce the Broadcasting Integrity and Independence Act
Codifies firewall protections for U.S. international broadcasters (RFERL, VOA, Radio Farda) against executive branch interference in editorial content, reversing Project 2025's consolidation plan. Requires separate appropriations subcommittees and a statutory charter for any centralized messaging office.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Introduce the Data Center Community Protection Act
Federal legislation requiring environmental noise and air-quality impact reviews before any data center receiving federal tax incentives or low-interest energy financing can begin construction, and providing a private right of action for affected residents to seek abatement orders rather than merely damages.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee; House Energy and Commerce Committee
Codify a statutory warrant requirement for Section 702 queries of U.S. persons' communications, replacing the Biden-era FBI administrative rules with permanent, judicially enforceable privacy protections that cannot be reversed by a future administration.
Introduce the Transgender Athlete Participation and Title IX Codification Act
Codify a statutory right for transgender students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, overriding the Supreme Court's unanimous holding that Title IX does not prohibit state bans. This would preempt state-level bans under the Spending Clause, restore uniform federal protection, and make future reversal require a full statutory amendment rather than an executive order.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair) and House Education and Workforce Committee (Chair)
Introduce the 'Detention Oversight and Enforcement Cap Act' to cap ICE detention capacity and require legal representation
This bill would amend the Homeland Security Act to cap total ICE detention capacity at pre-2025 levels, mandate legal orientation and representation for all detainees, and require quarterly reporting on detention conditions and due process violations—codifying protections that the $70B reconciliation bill bypassed.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration (Chair designee) / House Judiciary Committee
Draft and introduce the Judicial Transparency and Ethics Enforcement Act
This bill would require the Supreme Court to adopt a binding code of conduct, mandate disclosure of recusal decisions, and establish an ethics enforcement mechanism, addressing the lack of accountability that enables the court's power consolidation. It cannot pass until a congressional trifecta, but drafting and building cosponsor support begins immediately.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Democratic leadership) and House Judiciary Committee (Democratic leadership)
Introduce the USMCA Accountability & Supply Chain Security Act
Require that any U.S. threat of withdrawal from USMCA must be preceded by a public report from the U.S. International Trade Commission on the impacts on supply chains, workers, and consumers, and must receive congressional approval, transforming a unilateral executive lever into a deliberative process.
OwnerHouse Committee on Ways and Means, Senate Committee on Finance
Introduce the ICE Accountability and Due Process Act
A bill to require that any future ICE appropriations include dedicated funding for immigration judges, legal orientation programs, and alternatives to detention in a ratio no less than 40% of enforcement funding, reclaiming congressional oversight over the deportation budget.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration (Chair designate)
Enact the Full Civil Rights Act Restoration and Anti-Backsliding Act
This bill would codify disparate-impact liability under Title VI into statute, prohibit executive agencies from rescinding or weakening disparate-impact regulations through rulemaking, and require reinstatement of any such rules eliminated since January 2025. This makes the doctrine statutorily permanent and immune to executive reversal, reversing the DOJ's December 2025 rule.
Introduce the Intelligence Whistleblower Protection Act of 2027
Legislation that prohibits the revocation of security clearances as retaliation for protected disclosures and establishes an independent Intelligence Community Whistleblower Ombudsman with subpoena power, reversing Project 2025's chilling effect on dissent.
OwnerSenate Select Committee on Intelligence Chair
Pass the ICE Pursuit Safety and Accountability Act
Codify mandatory use-of-force reporting, de-escalation training, and a ban on high-speed vehicle pursuits for non-violent immigration enforcement encounters, closing the loophole created by lifted federal requirements.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (targeted for the next Democratic majority)
Introduce Federal Preemption Legislation to Protect Transgender Athlete Participation Nationwide
Draft and advance a bill that explicitly prohibits states from excluding transgender students from school sports based on their gender identity, relying on Congress’s spending clause power and overriding the Supreme Court’s narrow reading of Title IX. This statute would provide a uniform federal floor of inclusion, reversing the harm of the rulings and making future state-level bans unenforceable.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, if Democrat)
Pass the Rural Fiber First Act to statutorily require fiber buildout in any federal broadband grant program
Legislation that reverses Project 2025's 5G-priority approach by codifying fiber as the default technology for federally funded broadband infrastructure in unserved areas, with exceptions only where fiber is proven infeasible and 5G meets minimum speed and reliability standards.
OwnerSenate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chair
Introduce the Crypto Conflict-of-Interest Disclosure Act
Require the president, vice president, and all senior executive branch officials to publicly disclose any crypto holdings or income above $10,000, and mandate recusal from policy decisions affecting such assets — directly targeting the Trump family's $1.2-1.4 billion crypto revenue stream.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Introduce the Water Watchdog Act: mandatory public reporting and independent review before criminal charges for water-safety speech
No federal law currently prevents local jurisdictions from using false-report statutes to chill speech about water quality — even when multiple residents confirm the same problem. This bill would require any state or local law enforcement that receives a federal Safe Drinking Water Act grant to establish a written policy ensuring that a felony charge for allegedly false statements about a public water system can only be filed after the state drinking-water authority verifies the claim’s falsity. It would also create a private right of action for anyone charged in violation of that policy.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee (Chair, or ranking member if drafting before majority)
Legislation to statutorily prohibit political reassignments designed to force career attorneys out of the Civil Rights Division, require Senate confirmation for all senior political appointees in the division, and strengthen whistleblower protections for career DOJ employees who report politicization of civil rights enforcement.
Codify the ROAD Act’s key housing investments into a standalone statute with mandatory funding
The executive can underfund or reprogram ROAD Act allocations through OMB apportionment delays. A new statute with mandatory appropriations for Section 8 vouchers and rental assistance formula updates — beyond the current authorization — insulates those funds from annual-appropriations hostage-taking.
OwnerSenate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee (Chair, Sen. Elizabeth Warren or successor)
Enact a federal Teacher Pay Equity Act tied to state collective-bargaining requirements to close the pay penalty
The record 26.9% teacher pay penalty is a systemic failure. Direct federal grants to states that raise average teacher salaries to at least 90% of comparable college-educated workers and restore or strengthen collective bargaining rights for educators, ending the structural underfunding that forces side hustles.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Introduce the 'Judicial Integrity Act' to impose binding ethics and recusal rules on the Supreme Court
Clyburn's accusation of a Plessy restoration puts a spotlight on the Court's unchecked power. This bill would statutorily require recusal for conflicts of interest, mandatory disclosure of gifts and travel, and a binding code of conduct enforced by a panel of senior appellate judges — directly enabling accountability for rulings that entrench racial hierarchy.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (via Rep. Clyburn as lead sponsor)
Pass the Protecting Teen Pregnancy Prevention and Evidence-Based Programs (TPPP-EBP) Act
Permanently codify the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TPPP) and Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) as stand-alone mandatory programs with evidence-based evaluation standards, and prohibit HHS from replacing them with Sexual Risk Avoidance (abstinence-only) curricula. This bill would also require HHS to maintain peer-reviewed, transparent eligibility lists for all sexual health education grants.
OwnerSenate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (Chair, Democratic)
Enact the War Powers Compliance Act to strengthen reporting and enforcement mechanisms
This statutory fix would require the President to receive affirmative congressional approval within 30 days of introducing forces into hostilities, close loopholes in the 48-hour reporting requirement, and provide expedited judicial review for War Powers lawsuits. It would prevent unilateral escalations like the Iran strikes by making future presidents seek a vote before sustained combat.
Introduce the War Powers Reclamation Act: a binding joint resolution requiring an explicit AUMF for continued Iran hostilities
Unlike the non-binding H.Con.Res.86, this joint resolution would have the force of law once passed by both chambers and presented to the President. It forces a recorded debate on Article I war powers, either authorizing or terminating operations in Iran, and closes the constitutional gap that symbolic measures alone cannot close. The resolution should include a sunset provision and require regular congressional reauthorization.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee (Democratic leadership)
Pass the Equal Protection Restoration Act to codify birthright citizenship and reverse executive overreach
Legislation that explicitly reaffirms birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, nullifies Trump's executive order attempting to reinterpret the Citizenship Clause, and bars federal funds to states that assist in its enforcement. This prevents the administration's revisionist attack on jus soli.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Chair (Democrat, 2029) and House Judiciary Committee Chair (Democrat, 2029)
Introduce the Consumer Financial Protection Restoration Act
A bill to codify the BNPL interpretive rule and the credit card late fee cap into permanent statute, requiring CFPB to issue rules restoring those protections within 90 days and barring future waiver by executive action. This makes the safeguards invulnerable to regulatory rollback by a hostile CFPB director.
OwnerSenate Banking Committee (lead Dem) and House Financial Services Committee (lead Dem)
Federal EQUAL Act (Ending Qualification Under Asset-seizure Laws) — statutory proportionality requirement for all federal civil forfeiture
Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on the Eighth Amendment, Congress should codify a proportionality standard for federal civil asset forfeiture so that seizures must be proportional to the offense, not the value of the asset. This would close the gap left by prior reform bills that left the proportionality question ambiguous.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, under Democratic trifecta)
Introduce the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) with disparate-impact standard
Legislation to restore the preclearance formula gutted by Shelby County and codify a disparate-impact standard for voting rights claims, directly countering the Court's Brnovich decision that revived Plessy v. Ferguson's framework.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Chair, under Democratic trifecta)
Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act restoring Section 2 protections
The John Lewis VRAA would restore the pre-2013 Voting Rights Act formula and strengthen Section 2 against racially discriminatory redistricting. This is the only statutory cure to the Court's interpretation. Passage requires a Democratic trifecta.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Chairperson Jerry Nadler or successor) and Senate Rules Committee (Chairperson Amy Klobuchar or successor)
Introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (Preclearment Restoration)
The current Section 2 framework will likely be gutted by the Supreme Court. The only durable fix is a statutory restoration of preclearance criteria based on modern discrimination data. This bill must be ready to move the moment Democrats hold a trifecta, but its introduction now serves to build a record, force votes, and pressure the Court.
Federal statutory codification of voluntary inclusion authority under Title IX
Introduce the Protecting Transgender Athletes' Voluntary Inclusion Act, which amends Title IX to explicitly state that nothing in Title IX or its implementing regulations prohibits a school, athletic association, or state from adopting policies that permit transgender students to participate on teams consistent with their gender identity. This closes the door to any future Administration or Court interpreting the B.P.J./Hecox reasoning as a floor rather than a ceiling.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, once Democrats hold the majority) / Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) as lead sponsor
Pass legislation reaffirming that only Congress has authority to name or rename the Kennedy Center, explicitly barring the board from doing so without statutory authorization, and directing the Secretary of the Interior to remove any unauthorized name within 30 days of enactment.
Pass the Eighth Amendment Execution Methods Clarification Act at the federal level
Federal statute codifying that any execution method likely to cause severe pain or prolonged suffering—including nitrogen hypoxia—is per se cruel and unusual, establishing a clear federal baseline that preempts state methods unless they pass a pre‑authorization constitutional review by the relevant U.S. Court of Appeals.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee and House Judiciary Committee (Chair Jerry Nadler or equivalent future chair)
Introduce the Border Oversight and Use-of-Force Transparency Act
Mandates body cameras, independent investigations of any CBP use-of-force resulting in death or serious injury, and de-escalation training standards, to prevent closed-loop inquiries and rebuild public trust.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Amend the National Defense Authorization Act to mandate a periodic intelligence assessment of Russia's instrumentalization of international judicial bodies
The amendment requires the Director of National Intelligence to deliver annual unclassified reports to Congress detailing Russian efforts to abuse the ICJ and other tribunals for disinformation and strategic coercion, ensuring that these tactics are met with systematic countermeasures.
Introduce the Vote-by-Mail Protection Act to codify uniform mail-ballot standards
Once Democrats hold a congressional trifecta, pass legislation establishing minimum mail-ballot return windows, prohibiting USPS from imposing balloting-specific operational changes absent statutory authorization, and preempting state-level ballot-restriction timelines that conflict with a uniform federal standard. This would prevent any future executive order or agency rule from unilaterally constricting mail voting.
OwnerSenate Rules and Administration Committee Chair
A federal statute that mandates data minimization in any IRS-DHS data sharing, prohibits use of tax records for immigration enforcement, and creates a private right of action for workers harmed by enforcement overreach — codifying protections that cannot be undone by executive order.
Pass the Birthright Citizenship Protection Act codifying the 14th Amendment standard
Enact a federal statute affirming that all persons born in the United States are citizens regardless of the immigration status of their parents, with the sole exception of children of foreign diplomats with full diplomatic immunity, thereby foreclosing any future congressional attempt to expand the exception. The statute would create a private right of action to challenge any denial of citizenship documentation.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair), House Judiciary Committee (Chair)
Introduce the Pentagon Press Access Protection Act
Codify due process standards for Pentagon press credential revocations, requiring independent administrative review and prohibiting politically motivated denial or revocation. This embeds press access as a structural check on an $800B+ department that has never passed a clean audit, directly countering the Hegseth policy.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Introduce the Data Center Community Protection Act
A federal statute that requires community benefit agreements, minimum local hire and revenue sharing, and ratepayer protections before any data center over 10 MW can receive permits on federal land or access federally-subsidized power. Closes the policy vacuum that forced 71% of Americans into guerrilla zoning fights.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Chair)
Replace the elimination bill with legislation that strengthens prevailing wage floors, ties visa allocation to employer compliance with labor-market testing, and bans the concentration of H-1B grants among outsourcing firms — protecting U.S. workers and visa holders alike.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship (future Chair)
Restrict dual-class stock in public offerings to protect retail investors
Introduce legislation that caps the voting power disparity between share classes in IPOs or requires sunset clauses on super-voting shares, preventing situations like SpaceX's where one insider holds 82% voting control while public shareholders get one vote each. This closes a gap in investor protection exposed by the SpaceX IPO.
Introduce the Baby Formula Supply Chain Resilience Act
Codifies FDA authority to require formula manufacturers to maintain redundant production sites and hold emergency stocks, reversing the market concentration that mutual-recognition deregulation would worsen.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair
Introduce the Fair Play for Athletes Antitrust Clarification Act
Once Democrats hold a congressional trifecta, codify that the non-statutory labor exemption does not shield NCAA compensation restraints and that court-approved antitrust remedies (like direct revenue sharing) may not be narrowed by Congress. This would prevent any future safe harbor from being retroactively broadened.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, under Democratic majority)
Introduce the Diverse Physician Workforce Preservation Act
Codify statutory protections for holistic medical school admissions that consider socioeconomic disadvantage, multilingual ability, and history of service in underserved areas as race-neutral proxies for diversity. This would replace race-conscious admissions with legally durable alternatives and prevent DOJ from punishing schools that achieve diverse classes through such factors.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Introduce the Medicaid Coverage Protection Act to repeal work requirements and fund outreach
A stand-alone bill to repeal the 2025 reconciliation law's Medicaid work requirements and replace them with a federal investment in state-based outreach and enrollment infrastructure, including presumptive eligibility and express lane enrollment. This would codify a stronger, user-friendly Medicaid program that cannot be undermined by future administrative rulemaking or reconciliation instructions.
OwnerSenate Finance Committee Chair and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair (Democratic trifecta)
Introduce the ICE Use-of-Force and Traffic Stop Limitation Act
Codifies a ban on ICE conducting traffic stops except when accompanying a state or local law enforcement agency under a joint task force with written MOUs that specify use-of-force protocols, body camera requirements, and independent civilian oversight. This replaces the current patchwork of agency policy with a statutory limit that cannot be simply reversed by a future president.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair Durbin or successor)
Introduce the Stop Retaliatory ICE Surges Act to prohibit DHS from targeting jurisdictions based on policy disagreement
Once Democrats hold Congress and the presidency, this legislation will codify clear statutory limits on DHS enforcement surges, barring any significant increase in enforcement personnel or operations in a state or locality that is based on that jurisdiction's sanctuary policies, and create a private right of action for affected communities.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Chair (Democratic incumbent after 2028 sweep)
Companion legislation introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) would prohibit the separation of air traffic control from the FAA and ban user-fee funding models, requiring the FAA to remain as the sole integrated provider of ATC services.
OwnerSenate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chair Maria Cantwell
Pass the Election Integrity and Public Trust Statute
Comprehensive federal law codifying automatic voter registration, same-day registration, mandatory paper ballot trails, and pre-election adjudication of disinformation claims by an independent Election Security Commission; replaces the current patchwork of protections with uniform, enforceable standards that make election subversion harder to execute or plausibly deny
OwnerSenate Rules Committee and House Administration Committee
Reintroduce and pass the FLSA Teleworker Overtime Protection Act
This bill would explicitly codify that overtime pay is due for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek regardless of daily threshold, nullifying any administrative or legislative attempt to impose a 10-hour daily trigger for teleworkers. Previous versions existed in the 117th Congress; reintroduction with new cosponsors is needed.
OwnerHouse Education and the Workforce Committee (Democratic majority) and Senate HELP Committee (Democratic majority)
Introduce the Algorithmic Health Accountability Act to require pre-market testing and post-market surveillance for AI systems offering medical advice
This bill would mandate independent validation of AI health tools' accuracy before public deployment, require real-world performance monitoring, and create a private right of action for patients harmed by inaccurate AI advice.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair
Introduce the Protecting Children’s Access to Counsel Act
A bill to codify that no DHS or HHS agency may request financial records, audit contracts, or conduct compliance visits directed at legal representatives of unaccompanied children unless based on a specific, credible allegation of fraud that is unconnected to the representation itself. The bill also requires prompt appointment of counsel for every unaccompanied child upon arrival, funded through mandatory appropriations.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship
Introduce the 'International Exchange Fairness Act' requiring specific, appealable inadmissibility determinations for visa denials under security-related proclamations
This bill would mandate that CBP issue a written, non-classified statement of the specific legal basis for any visa denial under expanded travel bans, with an administrative appeal process. It prevents blanket denials like Artan's from being decided on secret, unchallengeable grounds, restoring procedural fairness. It can only pass under a Democratic trifecta.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Chair
Introduce the Dignity in Detention Act to mandate enforceable health and safety standards for all ICE facilities
New legislation would require independent medical inspections, limit detention duration, prohibit family detention, and create a private right of action for detainees. Passes only under a Democratic trifecta.
Pass the 'FISA Privacy and Consent Act' — Codifying a Warrant Requirement for 702 Queries
A statutory overhaul of FISA Section 702 that makes permanent the warrant requirement for querying U.S. persons' information and sunsetting the program on a fixed five-year cycle to force regular review. This can only pass with a congress_trifecta and is the ultimate forward-building reform to close the warrantless surveillance gap exposed by the 2026 expiration.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee chair (future Dem majority)
Codify federal civil rights protections for transgender student athletes in Title IX statute
Introduce the Fairness and Opportunity in School Sports Act to amend Title IX to expressly prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity, overturning the Supreme Court's permissive reading of Title IX and providing a uniform federal floor that states cannot erode.
Introduce the Kennedy Center Governance Reform Act to depoliticize the board
Codify a fixed, nonpartisan appointment process for the Kennedy Center board (e.g., staggered terms, Senate-confirmed chairs, removing the president's sole appointment power). Present this bill as a direct response to the board's contempt episode, creating a future-proof structure so that no administration can again use the arts institution as a political weapon.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (or House Oversight — with arts subcommittee lead)
Codify expedited procedures for enforcing federal court orders against executive branch agencies, including automatic contempt hearings for missed deadlines and statutory penalties for delays.
Introduce the Congressional Oversight Protection Act (COPA)
Statutory legislation making it unlawful for a political party or party committee to use campaign funds or endorsements to primary a sitting member of Congress solely for conducting good-faith oversight—enforceable by the FEC.
OwnerSenate Rules and Administration Committee (Dem chair) and House Administration Committee (Dem chair)
Introduce the Kennedy Center Integrity Act to Codify Nonpartisan Board Composition and Naming Rules
Amend Public Law 88-260 to statutorily require bipartisan board appointees (e.g., no more than 4 of 11 from one party) and reassert exclusive congressional authority over naming, preventing future executive power grabs at the Kennedy Center.
OwnerHouse Administration Committee and Senate Rules Committee
Pass the No War Without Authorization Act: require congressional approval for sustained hostilities against Iran
To close the legal gap the Vance episode exposed—hostilities ordered without War Powers compliance—codify that any U.S. military engagement with Iran exceeding 60 days requires advance congressional authorization, and make INARA submission a condition for Iran-related diplomatic agreements receiving federal funds.
Dedicate dedicated CDC Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance and Response Fund
Codify a dedicated, multi-year appropriation for state and local tick-borne disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, and public education to replace the gutted CDC staffing and wastewater surveillance funding. This ensures the National Action Plan has operational teeth.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Propose the Territorial Housing Oversight and Continuity Act
Congress should codify a mechanism for HUD to place a temporary receiver or monitor in any territorial or state housing finance agency suspended for fraud, with authority to release frozen funds for essential housing purposes during investigations. This fills a gap exposed by the USVI suspension: no statutory option exists to protect beneficiaries while accountability is pursued.
OwnerSenate Banking Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Chair
Reauthorize and strengthen the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act for any future nuclear deal
Codify congressional oversight requirements so any nuclear agreement with Iran—whether a revived JCPOA or a new arrangement—is automatically submitted for a vote, preventing a future administration from bypassing Congress as Trump did in 2018 when he unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee
Pass the Shareholder Protection and Index Fund Integrity Act to curb anticompetitive IPO lock-up abuses
This legislation would require mandatory 180-day lock-up for all insiders in IPOs admitted to major indices, ban performance-based staggered unlocks that accelerate insider payouts, and mandate that index fund managers disclose expected buying volumes pre-IPO to allow price discovery. Reverses the wealth-extraction mechanism exploited in SpaceX's filing.
Introduce the Commemorative Works Accountability Act to require cost-benefit and safety analysis for any monument near a major airport
This bill would amend the Commemorative Works Act to mandate a full aeronautical study and public comment period before any commemorative work exceeding 100 feet in height is approved within 15 miles of a major commercial airport. It closes the gap exposed by the White House's attempt to bypass FAA safety reviews and prevents future politicized monuments from threatening airspace safety.
OwnerSenator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) or Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chair
Codify protections for need‑blind and merit‑based international financial aid in federal law
Introduce the International Academic Exchange Protection Act to clarify that Title VI permits donor‑restricted scholarships based on national origin as long as they do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin in the overall administration of federal funds; prevent future DOJ compliance reviews from being weaponized against merit‑based or need‑based international aid programs.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Introduce the Detention Oversight and Asylum Access Restoration Act
Codify binding legal standards for expedited removal, bond hearings, and credible fear screening; impose quarterly reporting requirements on CBP and ICE detention statistics and use of expedited removal; restore the right to counsel for all detained migrants; require OIG audits of the $70B Secure America Act spending.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety (Chair: Sen. Padilla)
Draft and introduce the NATO Commitments Implementation and Transparency Act (NCITA)
Codify the Hague 5%/3.5% targets into a phased U.S. framework with biennial GAO reports, congressional oversight of any threats to withhold Article 5 guarantees or intelligence sharing, and explicit protection for allies with negotiated exemptions (e.g. Spain).
Introduce the Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act of 2027
Create an independent Office of Judicial Accountability within the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, with subpoena power and authority to investigate and recommend sanctions—including removal—for life-tenured federal judges who engage in serious misconduct. This replaces the current opaque, judge-run disciplinary process that allowed the Georgia judge to remain on the bench after alleged sexual misconduct.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Chair (Dem), House Judiciary Committee Chair (Dem)
Establish a Transparent Bilateral Framework for U.S. Global Health Security Facilities in Partner Nations
Codify statutory requirements that any U.S.-funded biosafety level 4 or quarantine facility in a foreign country must be governed by a public, locally-consulted bilateral agreement that addresses sovereignty, consent, staffing, and liability, preventing future covert biosecurity arrangements like the Laikipia quarantine facility.
Introduce the Federal Contracting Transparency Act to require a public, searchable justification for all no-bid contracts above $50,000
This bill would close the loophole exploited by the NPS award to Greenwater Services by mandating that every agency publish a written determination and findings (D&F) for any sole-source contract over $50,000 within 5 days of award, include an estimate of the cost premium paid, and allow a 30-day public comment period before funds are disbursed. It directly prevents the kind of cronyism documented in the Reflecting Pool contract and gives oversight committees real-time visibility.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Accountability
Introduce the Fair IPO Disclosure Act for Speculative Revenue Claims
This bill would require companies filing for IPOs to clearly separate quantified current revenue from speculative future addressable market projections in their S-1 filings, and would direct the SEC to issue rules preventing ‘AI-washing’ in securities offerings.
A bill that restores SEC enforcement to a minimum annual level (e.g., at least 90% of the FY2024 count) and reverses the 'course correction' by requiring the SEC to maintain a dedicated retail investor protection unit. It also codifies civil monetary penalty adjustments. Requires a Democratic trifecta to become law.
OwnerSenate Banking Committee Chair and House Financial Services Committee Chair
Permanently Codify Wastewater Surveillance Funding and Authority
Introduce and pass the Wastewater Surveillance for Preparedness Act, making the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) a permanent statutory program with dedicated mandatory funding of at least $500 million per year, preventing future funding cliffs like the one partially patched in February 2026.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Chair Bernie Sanders or ranking member, depending on trifecta composition)
Codify the CFPB's funding structure under the Federal Reserve (not annual appropriations) and require a 2/3 supermajority for any workforce reduction below 1,500 employees, insulating the agency from executive gutting and ensuring it can enforce consumer protections.
OwnerSenate Banking Committee (Chair, Dem trifecta)
Introduce the Belarus Democracy and Sovereignty Act
A bill codifying sanctions on Lukashenko’s regime, prohibiting White House visits by unreformed dictators, and mandating a coordinator for Belarusian democratic opposition support — blocking Trump’s normalization efforts and restoring a unified Western stance.
Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act into law
A Democratic trifecta (President, House, Senate) should pass the John Lewis VRAA to fully reverse the effects of the Callais decision by restoring Section 2 and establishing a new preclearance formula that would block future dismantling of majority-minority districts like Louisiana's.
Introduce the Dignity in Detention Standards Act (DIDSA) to mandate enforceable federal medical and sanitation standards for all ICE detention facilities
The Delaney Hall hunger strike and protest exposed that for-profit detention centers lack enforceable medical, nutritional, and sanitation standards, leading to inhumane conditions. DIDSA would require DHS to issue and enforce minimum health and safety regulations, including independent inspection and a detainee complaint mechanism, preventing future strikes caused by neglect. This item builds on detainees' demands and community pressure to move from crisis response to permanent structural protection.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, Senator Durbin or successor)
Introduce the Gun Violence Prevention Judicial Ethics Act, requiring all federal judges to disclose communications with external organizations—including other judges—regarding pending Second Amendment cases and imposing recusal requirements when such communications could create an appearance of bias
VanDyke's public 'benchslap' request is an extraordinary extrajudicial lobbying campaign directed at the Supreme Court. Current law contains no mechanism to police such behavior. This bill—which can be introduced in the 2026 session as a messaging bill even if it cannot pass until a trifecta—would force every member of Congress to go on record about whether judges should be allowed to weaponize the bench to pressure the highest court. It simultaneously sets a marker for codified judicial ethics after the 2025 Roberts refusal to testify.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Ranking Member Jerry Nadler)
Introduce the Data Center Community Protection Act — requiring capture of waste heat, emergency load-shedding, and public siting transparency
Permanent statutory guardrails are needed because an EPA rule alone can be undone by a future administration. Legislation would codify waste-heat capture, mandatory throttling during grid emergencies, and a public siting-review requirement that accounts for cumulative heat burden on overburdened communities.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee
Codify Whistleblower Protections for Intelligence Community Complaints
Pass a statute mandating that any whistleblower complaint alleging improper handling of classified intelligence must be reviewed by the IC IG within 30 days and, if deemed an urgent concern, transmitted to congressional intelligence committees within 14 days regardless of DNI approval. This addresses the February 2026 whistleblower complaint delays and prevents future DNI officials from burying or politicizing complaints.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Introduce the Medicaid Payment Integrity Standards Act
Codify the procedural safeguards CMS must follow before suspending or withholding federal Medicaid matching funds — requiring an independent audit, a corrective action plan, and a proportional payment suspension with a state hearing right — to prevent politically motivated fund freezes like the one targeting California's IHSS program.
Codify the Healthcare Fraud Prevention Partnership's prepayment analytics into statute, with mandatory reporting to Congress on funding and staffing levels
The Kimble case shows enforcement works, but the same administration's budget cuts to CMS program management—specifically the prepayment analytics that catch fraud before payment—make the next billion-dollar scheme more likely. A statute would require HHS to maintain at least FY 2025 levels of funding and staffing for the fraud prevention analytics, ending the vulnerability to annual appropriations cuts.
Pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act (SCERTA) through a Democratic trifecta
The fully strengthened version of ethics reform: binding code of conduct, independent investigatory body, real recusal enforcement, and financial disclosure requirements. Replaces Roberts' ineffectual 'institutional defense' with structural accountability. This is the statutory remedy to the pattern documented by the immediate-track research project.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Chair (under Democratic trifecta) and House Judiciary Committee Chair
Introduce the Inclusive Books and Education Protection Act
Pass federal legislation requiring states receiving Title I funds to adopt content-neutral, professionally guided book challenge procedures and to prohibit the removal of books based on the race, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity of the author or characters. This codifies the anti-censorship standard the entry identifies as the progressive alternative and preempts state 'parental rights' laws used to bypass educators.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Introduce the Belarus Democracy and Accountability Act
Reimpose targeted sanctions on Belarus's potash industry and other regime-linked entities until the release of all political prisoners and verifiable progress on democratic reforms, with congressional notification requirements.
Introduce legislation to expand the Supreme Court and restore Voting Rights Act protections
The House Judiciary Committee should advance a court expansion bill paired with a restored VRA that overrides Callais and Shields decisions, though this will require a Democratic trifecta to pass.
Legislation to prohibit federal agencies from retaliating against law firms or their clients based on pro bono representation in cases against the government, restoring the pipeline of cases to the courts and protecting vulnerable plaintiffs' access to judicial review.
Pass the Protecting Election Administration from Federal Interference Act
Codify into federal statute prohibitions on federal law enforcement seizure of ballots, voter registration data, or certified voting technology without a court order, establishing a nationwide barrier against executive election interference.
OwnerSenate Rules Committee (Chairperson) and House Administration Committee
Codify the Kennedy Center's nonpartisan board composition and statutory naming process to prevent future executive overreach, insulating the institution from unilateral presidential control.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Establish Independent Civilian Oversight Board for ICE Detention Facilities
Create a statutory oversight board with subpoena power and unannounced inspection authority, funded through a fee on private prison contracts, to break the cycle of impunity documented in the Texas beatings and the broader pattern of detention abuse.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship
Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act into law
With a Democratic trifecta in 2029, Congress should pass and the president should sign the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, fully restoring preclearance and statutory protections against racial vote dilution nationwide.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee
Draft and pre-file the Multilateral Leadership Restoration Act
A bill that mandates automatic re-entry into all international organizations from which the U.S. withdrew without Senate advice and consent, requires Senate approval for any future withdrawal, and authorizes $500M to clear arrears. This turns rollback into a durable statutory protection that cannot be undone by executive whim.
A bill to codify Temporary Protected Status into a renewable, statutorily protected status with a path to lawful permanent residence for TPS holders who have been in the US continuously for at least ten years, and to restore judicial review over TPS termination decisions by amending the Immigration and Nationality Act.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, Sen. Durbin or successor)
Constitutional Amendment Bill for Ladakh Sixth Schedule Status
The Ladakh demand for Sixth Schedule status requires a constitutional amendment under Article 244(2) and incorporation of a new Autonomous District Council in the Union Territory of Ladakh. This bill, drafted with input from Ladakh Hill Council and local civil society, would guarantee land rights, cultural protection, and local legislative autonomy—resolving a structural grievance that has persisted since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
OwnerMinister of Home Affairs (when controlled by coalition committed to the amendment) in consultation with Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) and Ministry of Justice
Introduce the 'Raw Cheese Safety Act' to Close the 21 CFR 1240.61 Pasteurization Loophole for Aged Raw Cheese
Codify that all raw milk cheese in interstate commerce must undergo a pathogen-reduction treatment validated against Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), eliminating the part 133 exemption for aged raw cheese that allows Raw Farm to sell contaminated products. This closes the regulatory loophole exposed by the March 2026 outbreak and protects children, the most vulnerable population.
Introduce the Iran Agreement Congressional Review Act to mandate Senate ratification for any nuclear-related MOU
This bill would require that any U.S. agreement with Iran involving sanctions relief, nuclear cooperation, or security commitments be submitted to the Senate as a treaty requiring 2/3 approval, closing the loophole exploited by the Trump administration to bypass congressional war-powers and treaty authorities.
Codifies a statutory requirement that the U.S. President must promptly certify to Congress any NATO member request for Article 5 consultations and submit a plan for collective response within 14 days, blocking any future administration from deliberately creating ambiguity about U.S. commitment to collective defense.
Introduce the Iran War AUMF Repeal and Budget Accountability Act
Codify a binding AUMF requirement that any military action against Iran requires prior explicit congressional authorization, and prohibit use of supplemental appropriations for unauthorized hostilities unless reimbursed by a specific offset, closing the loophole that allows retroactive funding of an undeclared war.
Draft and Introduce the Judicial Review Protection and Enforcement Act
When Congress has a trifecta, pass a statute that (a) codifies an irrebuttable presumption of vindictiveness when the DOJ initiates new charges against an immigrant within one year of their return from wrongful removal obtained via a court order; (b) establishes expedited civil contempt procedures for agencies that disobey final removal orders; and (c) creates a private right of action for damages against DOJ and DHS officials who knowingly prosecute individuals for exercising their right to challenge unlawful deportation.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, once Democrat-controlled)
Introduce the IRS Audit Integrity and Presidential Tax Compliance Act
Codifies protections against political interference in IRS audits, explicitly bars settlements that waive future audit rights for any elected official, and requires public disclosure of any IRS settlement involving a president or vice president. This prevents the current end-run around the Domestic Emoluments Clause and makes the anti-corruption fix permanent.
Pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act with a preclearance formula to reinstate robust Section 2 protections
With Senate and House majorities and a Democratic president, this bill would restore the preclearance requirement for jurisdictions with a history of discrimination—immediately blocking states like Louisiana from enacting maps that dilute Black voting power without federal approval.
Prepare legislative framework for post-2027 moratorium on HHS secretaries with disqualifying anti-vaccine conflicts
Draft and build coalition support for a statutory requirement that any HHS secretary nominee certify support for established vaccine safety protocols, to prevent future confirmations like RFK Jr.'s. This bill would be introduced once a Democratic trifecta allows passage.
OwnerRepresentative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Introduce the Intelligence Community Analytic Independence Act
Statutory codification of NIC employment protections, requiring cause for removal of National Intelligence Council members and mandating that DNI approval layers for NIC reports be limited to classification review, not content editing. Reverses the administrative structure used to suppress the April 2025 Venezuela assessment.
OwnerHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (Democratic majority sponsor) and Senate Intelligence Committee (Democratic chair)
Introduce the Protect Local Law Enforcement Authority Act
A federal bill codifying that state and local governments may decline to participate in federal immigration enforcement activities, nullifying any future administration's ability to condition federal grants on local immigration cooperation. This would make the LA ordinance's position permanent federal law.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, when Democratic)
Introduce the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection and Staffing Integrity Act
Codify statutory protections for ODNI career staff against political firings by requiring cause-based removal procedures under Title 5, mandating Senate confirmation for any DNI acting longer than 120 days, and establishing a congressional notification requirement for any reduction-in-force at ODNI exceeding 5% of career staff.
Introduce the Federal Prisoner Medical Accountability Act to create statutory remedy for deliberate indifference
Prepare legislation that explicitly creates a statutory cause of action for federal prisoners to sue for constitutional violations related to medical neglect, removing reliance on the judicially-created Bivens remedy and ensuring a clear, durable right to care.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair under Democratic majority)
Draft and introduce the Foreign Extradition Integrity Act
A bill to require the Attorney General to issue a public, written explanation and to obtain a signed certification of lack of improper influence whenever the DOJ decides to block or delay an extradition request from a treaty partner. This would prevent future administrations from sheltering allies without accountability, and is a concrete reform that builds on the Tates precedent.
Establish statutory criteria for Secretary of Defense promotions and removals of senior officers, requiring documented cause and congressional notification, to prevent partisan purges and restore merit-based advancement.
Require an affirmative congressional vote within 60 days of any U.S. military engagement involving combat operations against non-state actors abroad, closing the current loophole that allows Article II justification after hostilities begin. Directly addresses the absence of statutory authorization for the Tower 22 retaliation strikes.
Introduce the Prisoners' Religious Liberty Remedies Act to amend RLUIPA to allow individual-capacity damages
The Supreme Court's Landor decision stripped prisoners of any monetary remedy for RLUIPA violations, creating a two-tier religious liberty system. This bill would amend RLUIPA to explicitly authorize individual-capacity damages against state officials, restoring parity with Title VII religious accommodations.
Introduce the Comstock Repeal Act to remove abortion-related provisions from the 1873 law
This bill would explicitly strike the abortion-related language from the Comstock Act (18 U.S.C. §§ 1461-1462), eliminating the legal basis for DOJ to ban mailing abortion pills and preventing any future administration from using this 19th-century law against medication abortion without new legislation.
OwnerSenate Majority Leader and House Speaker (as lead sponsors via Judiciary Committees)
Codify the National Voter Registration Act's 'reasonable' ID standard to bar proof-of-citizenship mandates
Pass a statutory amendment to the NVRA explicitly stating that no state or federal law may require documentary proof of citizenship beyond a sworn attestation under penalty of perjury — foreclosing the SAVE Act model permanently. Include an affirmative obligation to provide free, accessible documentation replacements for citizens who lack them.
OwnerSenate Rules Committee Chair / House Administration Committee Chair
Pass the PRESS Act to establish a federal shield law for journalists
The Trump DOJ subpoenas of NYT reporters exposed the absence of a federal shield law protecting journalist-source confidentiality. The PRESS Act would codify protections against compelled disclosure of sources and records, preventing future administrations from weaponizing subpoenas to chill reporting.
Introduce the Biometric and Behavioral Surveillance Oversight Act (BBSOA)
A federal bill requiring transparent disclosure, opt-out rights, and independent audits for private-sector databases that assign scores or classify protected characteristics (e.g., race, sexual orientation) to individuals. Codifies the principle that surveillance systems used by large venues cannot target or profile based on identity, closing the legal gap exposed by MSG's database.
Introduce the Childhood Immunization Infrastructure Act to codify federal vaccine education and outbreak response funding
Statutorily require that CDC receive at minimum $500 million annually for vaccine education, outbreak response teams, and media campaigns countering vaccine misinformation — ensuring these functions cannot be gutted by political appointees like Secretary Kennedy.
Introduce the Sanctions Impact Assessment and Congressional Veto Act
This bill would require a comprehensive economic impact assessment from Treasury before any bill merging two major sanctions regimes can advance, and give Congress a fast-track vote to reject the merger if the assessment shows disproportionate harm to American consumers, allies, or global market stability.
Pass the Community Water Safety Act to fund state-level Legionella prevention programs and mandate cooling tower registration
Creates a dedicated EPA grant program for state and local health departments to inspect, register, and maintain cooling towers, and provides CDC funding for technical assistance on building water management plans — directly addressing the recurring infrastructure failures that cause outbreaks like the 2025 Harlem and 2026 Upper East Side clusters.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee
Rep. AOC (D-NY) and Sen. Sanders (I-VT) reintroduce and expand the AI Data Center Moratorium Act with CEQA-style environmental review mandate
Build on the existing moratorium bill by adding a requirement that no AI data center may receive federal permits, funding, or tax breaks unless a full cumulative environmental and health impact assessment is completed, modeled on California's CEQA. This turns a local fight into a national legislative guardrail against fast-tracked data center development.
OwnerRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Introduce the Iran Deal Congressional Review Act to codify INARA reporting triggers
A bill to amend the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act to require automatic suspension of sanctions relief if the MOU is not submitted to Congress within 5 days of being finalized, and to mandate that any interim deal involving sanctions relief be treated as a binding agreement subject to full congressional review.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee (Chair, once Democrats hold trifecta)
Introduce the Fair Maps Act to establish mandatory independent redistricting commissions for congressional seats
This bill would require all states to create independent, nonpartisan commissions responsible for drawing congressional district lines, eliminating partisan gerrymandering that has driven 7 incumbents to retire in the 2026 cycle and distorted electoral competition.
Introduce the Cuba Humanitarian Access and Sovereign Immunities Clarification Act
A bill to amend the Helms-Burton Act to exempt from attachment assets held by Cuban state-owned enterprises in third countries where those assets are used for humanitarian goods, fuel, or medical supplies, and to restore the president’s discretion to waive the suit provision in the interest of U.S. foreign policy.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee (Chair or Ranking Member)
Introduce the H1-B Talent Retention Act to extend grace period post-layoff
Codify a 180-day grace period for H1-B visa holders after job loss (matching the standard unemployment insurance duration), allowing skilled workers time to find a new employer without leaving the U.S. This directly reverses the harm of the current 60-day window that forces departure and weakens U.S. competitiveness.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship (Chair) with House Judiciary Committee
Introduce the National Park Service Contracting Integrity Act to ban no-bid emergency contracts over $500,000 at Interior agencies without GAO pre-approval
This statutory reform closes the loophole exploited by the Lincoln Memorial no-bid contract by requiring the Government Accountability Office to certify that an emergency truly limits competition before any contract over $500,000 can be awarded without a competitive process. It also mandates public disclosure of beneficial ownership for all emergency contractors within 30 days, preventing secretive awards to political donors.
OwnerHouse Natural Resources Committee and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
A statutory excess-profits tax on fossil fuel companies that imposes a 100% tax on per-barrel profits above the 2020-2023 average, with rebates to households paying the inflated gas prices. This codifies a permanent anti-gouging mechanism so no future emergency can be exploited without consequences.
OwnerSenate Finance Committee Chair (Democrat) and House Ways and Means Committee Chair (Democrat)
Introduce the NPS Historical Accuracy and Community Consultation Act
A bill that requires the National Park Service to consult with descendant communities and accredited historians before altering interpretive materials at sites that address slavery, genocide, or other contested histories, and establishes a statutory right of action for communities to challenge sanitized exhibits before they are installed.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Introduce congressional legislation requiring a separate ceasefire-and-withdrawal package before any disarmament timeline in Lebanon
Codify in law that U.S. diplomatic support for any Lebanon-Israel framework must first secure a verified ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from disputed areas, with disarmament negotiations decoupled and delayed. This ensures the MCG monitors enforceable steps rather than a rejected disarmament demand.
A comprehensive statute that prohibits mergers resulting in a single employer controlling more than 30% of the market for film/TV production employment, requires advance notification of any consolidation among the top six studios, and empowers the FTC and DOJ to unwind anticompetitive media deals retroactively.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair under Democratic trifecta)
Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) to restore Section 5 preclearance
The VRAA would update the coverage formula gutted by Shelby County v. Holder, forcing states like Louisiana with a history of racial discrimination to preclear voting changes. With a congressional trifecta, this bill must be signed early in 2029 to block future racial gerrymanders before they take effect.
OwnerSenate Rules and Administration Committee / House Administration Committee
Enact the 'Data Center Community Protection Act' setting federal water/energy standards for data centers of 100+ MW
Statutory replacement for the temporary moratorium: permanent federal rules requiring data centers to offset 110% of peak energy draw with new renewables (not RECs) and to replenish withdrawn groundwater. Gated behind trifecta because it requires legislative action the current branches would not support.
OwnerSen. Bernie Sanders (Chair, Senate HELP Committee, post-2028 sweep)
Introduce state legislation to require homeless housing providers to submit independent annual audits to HCD as a condition of state funding
The HomeRise theft scandal reveals a gap in oversight that allowed $12 million in public funds to go missing without detection until a whistleblower came forward. The California State Legislature should pass a bill mandating that any nonprofit receiving more than $5 million in state homeless funds must undergo an independent annual audit submitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, with failure leading to ineligibility for new grants. This builds a preventive accountability framework that protects both the public and the housing services, rather than simply cutting funding.
OwnerCalifornia Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee
Introduce the Defense AI Ethics Contract Protection Act
Statutorily prohibits the Department of Defense from using supply-chain risk designations or contract terminations to penalize a contractor for maintaining ethical or human-rights-based use restrictions on its AI systems, and requires explicit human-in-the-loop oversight for any DOD AI system that makes or assists lethal decisions.
Pass the Vote-by-Mail and Voter Access Modernization Act to protect and expand voter participation
Federal legislation that establishes automatic voter registration, expands no-excuse absentee and early voting, mandates a minimum number of drop boxes per precinct, and requires states to accept a broad range of identification documents — thereby making the SAVE Act's documentary-proof-of-citizenship requirement unnecessary and blocking future voter-suppression efforts.
OwnerSenate Rules and Administration Committee, House Administration Committee
Codify warrant-requirement for civil immigration arrests at courthouses into permanent federal statute
Judge Pitts's APA ruling restores the pre-Trump policy but remains vulnerable to future reversal or reinterpretation. A statutory guarantee that no ICE civil arrest may occur inside a courthouse without a judicial warrant or exigent circumstances makes the protection permanent and enforceable, regardless of administration.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, with House Judiciary counterpart)
Introduce the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the 119th Congress
This bill would mandate body-worn cameras for federal officers, create a national police misconduct database, and provide grants to state attorneys general for independent investigations of officer-involved deaths. The death of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, killed by a Senatobia police officer who fired into a fleeing vehicle, starkly illustrates the federal accountability gap. The bill's core transparency and independent-investigation provisions would directly address the lack of any federal requirement for automatic footage release or outside probes.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee and House Judiciary Committee
Introduce the Care Workforce Protection Act (CWPA) to create a permanent legal pathway for immigrant direct care workers
Codifies a new visa category and adjustment-of-status pathway for home health aides, nursing assistants, and personal care attendants, irrespective of TPS or current immigration status, with a built-in wage floor indexed to regional cost of living. This statute cannot be undone by a future executive action and directly prevents the collapse of elder care infrastructure.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (Chair to be determined after 2028 election)
Introduce the Medicaid Program Integrity Restoration Act
Codifies enhanced federal matching rates for state MFCU analytics, audits, and real-time claims monitoring, reversing the Trump HHS cuts and tying funding to state compliance with vendor oversight standards.
OwnerSenate Finance Committee (Chair Ron Wyden or successor)
Introduce the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Act (PCC Act)
Codifies mandatory, independent, public investigations of any U.S. airstrike that may have violated international humanitarian law, requires a public report within 90 days, and establishes a statutory duty to cooperate with impartial international inquiries such as those by the UN or ICC. This prevents future administrations from suppressing internal findings or denying accountability as occurred after the Minab school strike.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee (Chair, once Democratic trifecta achieved)
Restore and Expand the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program to 125,000 Slots with Full Funding
Congress should appropriate at least $10 billion over five years for the State Department's Refugee Admissions Program and mandate a minimum floor of 125,000 admissions annually, plus dedicated slots for Burmese-origin Rohingya, to rebuild capacity and prevent future deaths at sea.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship
Pass a federal statute prohibiting mandatory religious content in elementary reading curricula
The American Civil Liberties Union and National Education Association should work with congressional champions to introduce the 'Students' Right to a Secular Education Act,' which would condition federal K-12 education funding under ESEA on states not requiring specific religious texts as part of mandatory reading curricula, using Congress's spending power. This would directly preempt similar actions in other states and reverse the Texas policy without waiting for the next SBOE election.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (Chair), House Education and Workforce Committee (Chair), ACLU
Introduce the 'Community Safety and Trust Act' to codify limitations on compliance with civil immigration detainers
This bill would prohibit federal funding sanctions against sanctuary jurisdictions and establish that compliance with civil immigration detainers is voluntary, preserving local control over law enforcement priorities while ensuring violent crimes are prosecuted regardless of immigration status. It directly counters DHS's weaponization of isolated cases to pressure sanctuary cities.
Pass the Consumer Betting Protection Act to authorize CFPB oversight of sportsbook payment platforms
CRA repeal of the Digital Payment App Rule permanently bars a substantially similar CFPB rule. Only a new statute, distinct in scope and legal basis, can restore supervisory authority over payment platforms used by legal sportsbooks. This bill would authorize CFPB to conduct anti-fraud exams, enforce dispute rights, and require account-closure transparency for digital wallets handling betting transactions.
Enact federal statutory limits on media consolidation to block future anti-competitive mergers
Congress passes the 21st Century Media Competition Act, which amends the Clayton Act to create a rebuttable presumption that any media merger producing a post-merger market share above 25% in any national market (streaming, linear TV, or theatrical) is anti-competitive, and directs the FTC to maintain a public annual list of presumptively illegal proposed mergers.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights and House Judiciary Committee
Introduce the 'End Employer Demand for Underground Payroll Act'
A bill to dramatically increase civil and criminal penalties for employers who knowingly engage in off-the-books payroll schemes, direct IRS and DOL to dedicate at least 25% of enforcement resources to employer-side investigations, and establish a whistleblower reward program for reporting such schemes.
OwnerSenate Committee on Finance and House Committee on Ways and Means
Introduce the Healthcare Workforce Stability Act to exempt TPS healthcare workers from termination and create a renewable work visa for essential caregivers
This bill would immediately halt the loss of lawful status for TPS holders employed in healthcare, nursing homes, and home health settings, and create a new renewable visa for essential health workers. It addresses the link between TPS termination and the collapse of elder care in states like Florida by preventing the loss of 35,000 direct-care workers.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Chair Sanders or future Dem chair)
Codify a uniform federal exemption shielding surviving spouses from personal liability for a deceased spouse's medical debt, overriding community property state laws, and restore CFPB credit reporting protections for medical debt.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Enact the Community Gun Safety Zones Act to establish a national standard for affirmative-consent gun-free zones on private property open to the public, with explicit findings on racial equity and public health
Codify a statutory framework that requires property owners to opt in rather than opt out for concealed carry on their premises, overriding the Bruen/Wolford historical-tradition test with a clear legislative record of the disparate impact of gun violence on Black and Brown communities. This would restore and strengthen the 'sensitive places' doctrine with a race-conscious justification.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee and House Judiciary Committee
Introduce the Judgment Fund Reform Act to prohibit executive branch settlements that fund new programs without congressional authorization
Close the loophole that let the Trump administration use the Judgment Fund (31 U.S.C. § 1304) to create a $1.776 billion 'anti-weaponization' program with no specific appropriation. The bill would require that any settlement or judgment disbursement from the fund that would establish a new federal program, activity, or grant be subject to a specific, prior appropriation or explicit statutory authorization.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Introduce the Threatened Species Protection Act to codify automatic 4(d) protections into statute
A bill that amends the Endangered Species Act to require the same prohibitions for threatened as endangered species, eliminating agency discretion. This blocks future presidential administrations from repeating the deregulation via rulemaking.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee (Democratic leadership)
Introduce the TPS Protection and Judicial Review Restoration Act
Codify a statutory right to judicial review of TPS termination decisions for both constitutional and administrative claims, and require independent country-condition findings by the Secretary before any termination or redesignation, replacing the current bar. This prevents future administrations from stripping protections for 450,000+ beneficiaries without meaningful court oversight.
Introduce the TPS Protection and Judicial Review Restoration Act
Codify a statutory right to judicial review of TPS terminations and require the Secretary to base any termination on a formal, evidence-based assessment of country conditions with specific findings, restoring due process for humanitarian migrants after Mullin v. Doe.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety (Chair, Sen. Alex Padilla or successor)
Introduce the TSCA Modernization and Right-to-Know Act
Amend TSCA to mandate enforceable deadlines for high-priority chemical reviews, restore independent scientific advisory boards as statutory bodies, and create a public dashboard for chemical safety data — countering EPA retreat by codifying stronger, permanent federal protections that a future administration cannot easily undo.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee
Introduce the Religious Liberty Restoration Act to Codify Church-State Separation and the Johnson Amendment
To preempt the Trump commission's reinterpretation of the Establishment Clause and elimination of the Johnson Amendment via executive action, this bill would codify the principle that the government may not endorse religion, incorporate the Lemon/Lemon-replacement test into statute for standing challenges, and explicitly bar tax-exempt organizations from endorsing candidates. This prevents the 'bridges' model from becoming permanent policy.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair) and House Judiciary Committee (Chair)
Introduce the Digital Antitrust Remedies Act of 2027
Codify DMA-style conduct remedies — self-preferencing prohibition, anti-steering ban, and daily penalty of up to 5% of daily U.S. revenue for noncompliance — into U.S. antitrust law, creating a statutory enforcement mechanism that does not rely on slow litigation.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights
Codify in statute that only Congress may name or rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and establish a public notice and comment process for any closure or major renovation of a national cultural institution, to prevent future executive overreach.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Prohibit unauthorized military operations against Iran and Houthi forces via defense authorization amendment
Attach a statutory prohibition on funding or conducting offensive military operations against Iran, Houthi forces, or other non-al-Qaeda actors in Yemen and the Red Sea region without prior congressional authorization, modeled on the 1973 War Powers Resolution but enforceable through appropriations restrictions.
OwnerSenate Armed Services Committee / House Armed Services Committee
Introduce the Protect America’s 250th Act – prohibit diversion of federal funds to partisan anniversary initiatives
Codifies that any federal funding for the nation’s semiquincentennial must flow only through the statutorily authorized, bipartisan America250 Commission and bars the executive branch from creating a rival, ideological celebration. This ends the diversion of taxpayer money to Freedom 250’s propaganda trucks and prevents future presidents from repeating the stunt.
OwnerSenate Rules Committee (Chair, once Democratic majority is achieved)
Enact federal legislation to codify hate-crime protections and restrict political interference in DOJ charging decisions
Congress should pass the Justice Integrity Act, which would require transparent criteria for federal hate-crime charges, prohibit DOJ from considering political affiliation or external political pressure in charging decisions, and mandate public reporting on declined prosecutions—preventing a future DOJ from weaponizing or withholding hate-crime charges for political ends.
Launch a federal legislative coalition to narrow 18 U.S.C. § 245 to hate-crime and violent-obstruction contexts, excluding nonviolent protest
After the Bondi DOJ weaponized the federal religious-obstruction statute against anti-ICE protesters in St. Paul, Congress must amend § 245 to require intent to intimidate based on religion (the original hate-crime purpose) and exclude protest activity lacking that specific animus. This prevents future administrations from misusing the statute against nonviolent demonstrators.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, Sen. Durbin or successor)
Introduce the 'Digital Fair Access Act' to mandate interoperability and data-sharing for dominant platforms in the U.S.
Inspired by the EU's DMA actions against Google's Android and search data, this bill would require dominant U.S. digital platforms (e.g., Google, Apple) to provide third-party AI assistants equivalent access to core OS features and to share anonymized search data with competitors, preventing the entrenchment of AI monopolies and fostering competitive innovation.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights
Introduce the 'Protect Access to Benefits for Immigrant Families Act' — codifying statutory protections against public charge restrictions on non-cash benefits
Rep. Nadler (NY-10) and Sen. Hirono (HI) introduce a bill that would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to explicitly exclude the receipt of non-cash public benefits (SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP, housing vouchers, child care subsidies, WIC, school meals) from any determination of whether an applicant is likely to become a public charge. The bill would also require DHS to issue a public-interest waiver for any applicant who shows that denial would cause family separation or loss of necessary medical care. This is a preventive statutory fix that would survive future administrations, unlike agency rulemaking or executive orders.
OwnerRep. Jerrold Nadler (House Judiciary Committee ranking member) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration)
Introduge the Afghan Refugee Protection and Regional Stabilization Act
Codifies a U.S. diplomatic strategy that conditions security assistance to Pakistan on verifiable progress toward a ceasefire, ending mass deportations, and establishing a joint border commission. It authorizes humanitarian parole pathways and increased UNHCR funding to resettle Afghan refugees, ensuring U.S. policy moves from backing unilateral force to supporting multilateral humanitarian stabilization.
Medication Abortion Safety and Access Act — codify FDA REMS into statute with telehealth guardrails
Codifies into law the FDA's 2023 REMS changes that allow mail-order dispensing of mifepristone, adds explicit anti-coercion verification requirements (such as a mandatory tele-consent script and third-party verification call), and preempts state bans on mifepristone. This turns a pro-abortion-rights, patient-safety message into binding law and closes the loophole the lawsuit seeks to create.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair) and House Energy and Commerce Committee (Chair)
Enact the Judicial Accountability and Discipline Standardization Act
Codify uniform procedural safeguards for all judicial referrals to bar associations: require a finding of intentional misconduct by clear and convincing evidence, a written explanation from a majority of the panel, and a right of expedited appeal to the circuit council.
Introduce the Senate Budget Act Reconciliation Reform bill
Amend the Congressional Budget Act to prohibit reconciliation from being used for provisions that do not directly reduce the deficit or that authorize new appropriations for unauthorized programs, blocking future omnibus reconciliation vehicles like the current $95B package.
Introduce legislation to modernize Section 2 of the VRA to cover new discriminatory voting practices (e.g., strict voter ID laws, felony disenfranchisement expansion, gerrymandering for racial effect) and grant private plaintiffs the right to seek injunctive relief directly without waiting for DOJ action, insulating federal voting protections from future political interference.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution
Introduce the Small Business Democracy Enhancement Act
Codify a statutory definition of 'small business' that prevents creation of a separate 'medium-sized business' classification, requires worker representation on SBREFA panels, and ties eligibility for SBA capital programs to compliance with project labor agreements and wage standards on federal contracts.
OwnerHouse Small Business Committee Chair (Democratic Caucus)
Introduce the Shipbuilding Workforce Investment and Labor Standards Act
Directs the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to condition all federal shipbuilding grants and contracts under 46 U.S.C. § 50307 on project labor agreements, prevailing wages, and registered apprenticeship programs, reversing the administration's deregulatory push while rebuilding domestic capacity with good jobs.
OwnerSenate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee (Chair Maria Cantwell or successor)
Introduce Federal Right to Repair Act with DMCA § 1201 Exemption for Consumer Devices
A federal baseline that explicitly carves out repair and maintenance from DMCA anti-circumvention liability, and requires manufacturers to make diagnostic tools and parts available to independent repair shops. This closes the gap left by repeated congressional failures and provides statutory cover that state laws cannot fully accomplish.
Introduce the 'Saving the Civil Service Act' to statutorily repeal Schedule F and protect career civil service protections
This bill would codify the end of Schedule F and require that any future attempt to reclassify career positions as at-will must receive congressional approval, reversing the centralization of power described in the Project 2025 White House Office plan and restoring Pendleton Act safeguards.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Introduce the Protecting Public Arts Act to codify the Kennedy Center's name and operational independence
This bill would statutorily fix the name 'John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts' and require any future renovation closure exceeding 30 days to receive express approval from the relevant authorizing committees, preventing a repeat of the executive power grab that a judge just blocked.
Pass the Freedom to Vote Act to codify mail-in ballot access and prohibit executive restrictions on election mail
Codifies the mail-in voting protections temporarily preserved by the injunction, eliminates the executive's ability to reissue similar restrictions, and enforces USPS neutrality on election mail, preventing future voter suppression via executive order or rulemaking.
OwnerSenate Rules and Administration Committee (Chair)
Codify DOJ prosecutorial independence and anti-political-interference statutes
Pass a bill strengthening statutory protections against political interference in DOJ prosecutorial decisions, including mandatory recusal for conflicts of interest, whistleblower protections for DOJ employees, and prohibitions on compensation funds for 'lawfare' victims, to ensure that the Justice Department cannot again be repurposed as a political weapon.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee and House Judiciary Committee
Introduce the CBP Workforce Accountability Act – require public cost-benefit reports for any hiring beyond 20,000 agents
CBP has 21,471 agents and is spending billions to reach 25,000 even as border apprehensions fell below 10,000/month. This bill would mandate that the DHS Inspector General publish an annual report comparing the marginal enforcement impact, cost per agent, and due-process effects before agents exceed 20,000, forcing Congress to weigh the tradeoff.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration & Border Security
Draft and advance the 'Overtime Protection for Working Families Act' codifying the $58,656 salary threshold
To permanently guarantee overtime eligibility for salaried workers earning below $58,656, this bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to set a statutory salary threshold that auto-adjusts for inflation, insulating the rule from judicial vacatur or executive rescission. Representative Bobby Scott (House Education and Labor) should introduce the bill to establish a clear legislative baseline that survives any future administration.
OwnerHouse Education and Workforce Committee (Ranking Member Bobby Scott)
Introduce the NATO Trade Dispute Act to codify binding arbitration and joint industrial policy for intra-ally trade conflicts
To prevent impulsive trade cuts against NATO allies over spending benchmarks, this bill would require binding third-party arbitration for trade disputes among NATO members and establish a joint defense industrial policy that ties trade preferences to verified modernization commitments rather than arbitrary GDP-percentage targets.
Rally support for a permanent statutory charter for the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)
RFK Jr.'s tenure demonstrated that HHS leadership can dismantle ACIP norms without a statutory floor. A bill codifying ACIP's independence — membership, conflicts of interest rules, published recommendations — prevents a future anti-vaccine secretary from sidelining expert judgment. This item fills the gap exposed by Cassidy's failed oversight; no existing plan item addresses a permanent ACIP charter.
OwnerSenate HELP Committee (once Democratic-controlled)
Pass the Inspector General Independence Restoration Act
Codify the existing 30-day notice and specific-reasons requirement as a private right of action for the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) or any removed IG, and add a statutory presumption of reinstatement if the notice requirement is violated. This makes the 2022 reform self-enforcing and prevents future midnight purges.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Introduce the Due Process Restoration Act to reinstate mandatory asylum screenings and codify family unity protections in immigration enforcement
The Secure America Act eliminates due-process conditions for asylum seekers, enabling deportations like the ProPublica-documented case without legal screening. This bill would require individualized asylum interviews before removal, establish a mechanism to identify and protect parents of U.S. citizen children, and tie enforcement funding to compliance with these safeguards.
Introduce the Evidence-Based Nutrition Standards for School Meals Act
Codify the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as the binding standard for school meal nutrition under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. This prevents any future administration from unilaterally repealing or weakening the guidelines, protecting nutrition for the 30 million children who rely on school meals daily.
OwnerSenate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
Introduce the Consent Decree Codification Act of 2029
Codify 34 U.S.C. § 12601 pattern-or-practice investigations and the use of consent decrees into a comprehensive federal law that requires DOJ to open an investigation upon credible allegations and prohibits the Attorney General from dismissing decrees without court approval, preventing future administrations from unilaterally gutting the tool.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Civil Rights
Codify Stars and Stripes as a fully independent, federally chartered entity with permanent appropriations outside the Pentagon's control
Legislatively remove the Pentagon's ability to restrict editorial independence or cut funding to Stars and Stripes by establishing an independent nonprofit corporation chartered by Congress, funded through a dedicated multi-year appropriation, and governed by a bipartisan board of press freedom and veterans' advocates. This permanently insulates the newspaper from political manipulation and secures uncensored news for service members.
Pass the PRAMS Restoration and Health Data Integrity Act
Codify into law the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) as a permanent, statutorily required CDC surveillance program, funding it independently of presidential budget discretion, and requiring public release of data within 12 months of collection. This prevents future administrations from sidelining the gold standard maternal-infant health data system by placing its staff on leave or defunding it through executive action.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Draft and introduce the Voting Rights Act Restoration Act (statutory fix to Section 2)
Louisiana v. Callais rewrote Section 2's operative standard from effects-based liability ('totality of circumstances') to intent-based liability ('strong inference of intentional discrimination'). Congress must statutorily restore the 1982 effects-based standard, explicitly overriding the Court's reinterpretation and clarifying that Section 2 liability does not require proof of intentional discrimination.
Introduce the Hostage Accountability and Recovery Act
Codify the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs as a statutory, Senate-confirmed position with mandatory quarterly reporting to Congress on the status of all wrongfully detained U.S. nationals, any concessions made or received, and a strategy for each case. This prevents future ad-hoc trade-offs without Congressional oversight and aligns with the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act framework.
Introduce the Coastal Public Health Resilience Act to restore CDC Vibrio surveillance and EPA BEACH Act monitoring.
Permanently authorize and fully fund CDC's COVIS system and EPA's BEACH Act grants at levels that account for expanded pathogen season and range, closing the gap Project 2025 would exploit.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Appropriate $500M for International AI Standards and Assistance at NIST and USAID
Fund NIST to develop binding AI standards in partnership with allied nations and USAID to provide technical assistance to Southeast Asian governments, enabling them to adopt U.S.-aligned AI governance rather than China's model.
OwnerSenate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science
Codify an Asylum Seeker Protection Protocol for U.S. Territorial Waters
Pass legislation requiring DHS to treat interdicted migrants in U.S. territorial waters as having made a valid claim for protection directly to the United States, with a statutory right to a credible fear interview before any repatriation.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Chair Gary Peters
Introduce the Department of Education Codification Act to enshrine the department's structure and core programs in statute so they cannot be transferred or abolished by executive action
Current law creates the Department of Education but leaves many of its functions in discretionary appropriations language that an administration can reinterpret. Codifying Title I, IDEA, and Office for Civil Rights enforcement as permanent, non-transferable statutory functions closes the loophole that McMahon exploits. The bill would require any future transfer of a codified program to be approved by an Act of Congress.
OwnerSenate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Introduce the 'Fair Access to Medical Education Act' to codify consideration of socioeconomic disadvantage in medical school admissions
This bill would explicitly authorize medical schools receiving federal funds (Title VII, Medicare GME) to consider applicants' socioeconomic status, neighborhood opportunity indices, and personal experiences of disadvantage as part of a holistic admissions process, while prohibiting the use of race as a proxy. The goal is to preserve and strengthen pathways for training doctors who will serve underserved communities after the DOJ's attack on the Davis Scale, making the policy statutory so it cannot be undone by a future DOJ enforcement action via 'settlement negotiations' that limits these criteria.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Chair) and Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-12) / Congressional Progressive Caucus
Reintroduce the War Powers Amendment to Clarify That Contractor-Led Hostilities Trigger AUMF Requirements
Amend the War Powers Resolution to explicitly define a 'hostility' as including any sustained combat operation in which U.S.-funded contractors, proxies, or allied forces act at the direction of the United States, closing the loophole Trump is exploiting. This statute would make future evasion harder regardless of who occupies the Oval Office.
Introduce the Water Infrastructure Maintenance Trust Fund Act
Creates a dedicated, annually appropriated trust fund for water main replacement and leak prevention, funded by a small fee on industrial water withdrawals, to prevent the type of catastrophic 17-million-gallon break seen in West Hollywood by ending LADWP-style $4 billion maintenance backlogs nationwide.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee
Model state legislation barring civil-rights investigations that target private employers' nondiscrimination policies based on religious-accommodation complaints
Prevent state AGs from weaponizing religious-freedom laws to coerce employers into repealing inclusion policies. The model bill would require clear and convincing evidence of actual discrimination, not mere accommodation disputes, before issuing civil investigative demands against private employers.
OwnerNational LGBTQ+ Bar Association and State Innovation Exchange
Introduce the Public Health Surveillance Restoration Act
A statutory codification of NWSS funding at no less than $125 million per year, with a requirement that the CDC maintain a minimum of 2,000 epidemiologists and outbreak-response staff, to prevent future administration cuts from gutting federal outbreak detection before mass gatherings like the World Cup.
OwnerHouse Energy and Commerce Committee (Dem majority)
Introduce the H-1B Fee Stability and Legal Immigration Streamlining Act
This bill would codify a statutory ceiling on H-1B visa fees based on actual administrative costs (as established by GAO audit), require independent cost-justification for any fee above that ceiling, and prohibit fee structures designed to deter lawful immigration. It is the legislative response to the Trump administration’s use of fee-hiking as an anti-immigration weapon — the court struck down one fee, but only a statute can prevent the executive from inventing new ones.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety
Introduce the Broadcasting Independence and License Integrity Act
This bill would statutorily prohibit the FCC from requiring early broadcast license renewals except in cases of clear, imminent harm to public safety or a documented pattern of violations, and would require the FCC to publish a detailed, public justification for any early-review action. It would also ban the FCC from considering a station's corporate DEI policies as a condition of license renewal. The legislation prevents future administrations from using the license-renewal process to chill independent editorial judgment or punish disfavored content.
OwnerSenator Brian Schatz (or Senator Ed Markey) and Representative Adam Schiff (as lead sponsors, with Senate and House Commerce Committees)
Introduce the Protecting Families from False Reporting Act
A bill that establishes federal penalties for knowingly making false reports to child protective services or law enforcement with the intent to harass or intimidate on the basis of protected characteristics, creates a federal grant program for state CPS and law enforcement training on recognizing and handling weaponized false reporting, and mandates an annual GAO report on the prevalence of such incidents.
OwnerSenator Tammy Baldwin and Representative Mark Pocan
Statutorily codify mail-in ballot access protections and preempt federal interference
Pass a law that explicitly reserves mail-in ballot eligibility rules to states, prohibits any federal agency from creating or using a federal voter list for mail-ballot delivery, and fixes a minimum ballot-request window of at least 90 days before Election Day — making the policy the courts just blocked impossible to repeat even by a different means.
Introduce the Foreign Protected Area Transparency Act
Statute requiring any U.S. citizen or entity that secures a permit or regulatory change affecting a UNESCO-designated or internationally recognized protected area in a foreign country to disclose the terms, consideration paid, and any involvement of foreign government officials to the SEC and State Department within 90 days.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee (Chair Bob Menendez or successor)
Rebuild USAGM shortwave transmission capacity as a wartime information resilience program
The gutting of 85% of USAGM staff has crippled shortwave radio capacity that is critical in conflict zones like Ukraine. A new bipartisan statutory program, sponsored by Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) in the House and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) in the Senate, would allocate dedicated funding for shortwave transmitter maintenance and foreign-language broadcasting, with a firewall protecting editorial independence. This directly reverses the administration's de facto shutdown and Project 2025's plan to politicize the agency.
OwnerRepresentative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Pass the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act
Codify a permanent, enforceable federal heat standard into statute so that no future administration can roll it back via rulemaking delay. The bill (introduced in previous Congresses as H.R. 4897 / S. 2551) requires OSHA to set a heat standard and provides grants for states to adopt stronger protections. A statutory mandate is the only way to prevent a return to voluntary guidance after a change in administration.
OwnerSenate HELP Committee Chair (Democratic majority under trifecta)
Pass the EMTALA Protection and Reproductive Health Access Act
Codify EMTALA's application to emergency pregnancy complications in statute, eliminating the executive-order vulnerability that allowed Trump to strip protections with EO 14182 and preventing future administrations from repeating the same revocation; the bill should also codify the medication abortion access and patient privacy directives from Biden's EO 14079.
OwnerSenate HELP Committee under a restored Democratic majority, lead sponsors Senators Patty Murray and Tammy Baldwin
Introduce the Work-Investment Parity Act to replace Medicaid work requirements with a job-training fund for adults exiting the labor force due to health conditions
P.L. 119-21's Medicaid work requirements (section 71119) cut coverage from low-income adults too sick to work, without creating jobs or addressing the health barriers documented by Bipartisan Policy Center/Artemis surveys. This bill would repeal those requirements and instead direct equivalent savings into a federal-state job-training grant program for prime-age adults whose primary barrier to employment is physical or mental health, pairing skills training with wraparound health navigation services.
OwnerHouse Energy and Commerce Committee (Democratic leadership)
Enact the Maritime Civilian Protection Act to require annual reporting to Congress on civilian casualties resulting from U.S. naval engagements and to establish a dedicated investigation office within the Department of Defense
This statute, passed after a Democratic trifecta, mandates deconfliction and reporting standards for strikes on or near civilian vessels, creates a permanent Office of Civilian Harm Mitigation with subpoena power over after-action reports, and prohibits strikes on commercial shipping absent an affirmative presidential finding of immediate threat to U.S. forces. It directly addresses the policy-level indifference documented by the ICC analysis.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee, House Foreign Affairs Committee
Codify CFIUS protections for academic research collaborations linked to open science agreements
Legislate that CFIUS must not block or penalize demonstrably open, published, peer-reviewed academic partnerships with Chinese institutions, ensuring that visa and research restrictions are based on specific national security risks rather than nationality alone. This prevents the blanket crackdown proposed by Project 2025 while preserving U.S. research competitiveness.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Statutorily require all federal land-management agencies to provide personal safety equipment, two-person field protocols, and trauma-informed support services for employees in high-risk remote areas, to prevent a repeat of the abduction in Shasta-Trinity.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee Chair Gary Peters
Introduce the Protecting Schools from OCR Abuse Act to bar the Department of Education from conditioning Title I or IDEA funding on compliance with Title IX OCR findings not yet upheld by a court
Congressional legislation is needed to close the enforcement loophole that allows OCR to threaten a school district's entire federal funding stream based on an unreviewed administrative finding. The bill would specify that the Department of Education may only restrict Title I, IDEA, and other non-Title IX funding after a final judicial order or a separate statutory process, thereby protecting districts from coercive ultimatums while preserving OCR's ability to enforce civil rights through Title IX-specific remedies.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (Democratic Chair)
Pass the EAC Restoration and Quorum Act to codify fixed staggered terms, supermajority removal protection, and automatic quorum rules
After the 2028 election, a Democratic trifecta should enact a statute that (1) sets each EAC commissioner to a six-year fixed term expiring only by cause determined by a panel of retired federal judges, (2) requires a supermajority of three commissioners to certify voting systems or approve fund disbursement so that a single seat vacancy cannot deadlock the agency, and (3) provides for automatic temporary quorum authority if vacancies exceed 120 days.
Expand whistleblower protections to cover prediction-market tip-offs from national security personnel
Amend the Military Whistleblower Protection Act (10 U.S.C. § 1034) to explicitly protect service members who report suspicious prediction-market activity tied to classified operations. The Polymarket case relied on the platform self-detecting the violation; stronger whistleblower protections would encourage proactive insider reporting and reduce reliance on voluntary compliance.
Require the Secretary of Defense to publish a detailed, unclassified justification for each entity added or removed from the Section 1260H list within 30 days of the action, limit designations to entities with direct military ties as originally intended by statute, and mandate a GAO audit of the June 2026 expansion and all prior actions without published rationale.
OwnerSenate Armed Services Committee (Chair, under Dem trifecta)
Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 14 / S. 2523)
Restore and modernize the Voting Rights Act's preclearance formula and strengthen Section 2, countering the Supreme Court's Brnovich and Allen v. Milligan rulings. This statutory fix is the only durable legislative response to the DOJ Civil Rights Division's capacity crisis and ongoing voter suppression.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee and House Judiciary Committee
Pass the Heat Illness Prevention Act (H.R. 4893 / S. 2573) Codifying OSHA's Future Final Rule into Statute
Enact legislation that makes the final OSHA heat standard permanently binding across administrations, preventing future rollback via executive action or rescinded rulemaking, and providing statutory enforcement mechanisms with civil penalties for violations.
OwnerSenate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (Chair) and House Committee on Education and Labor (Chair)
Introduce the AI Agent Access Act to update CFAA safe harbors for autonomous software agents
Codify a clear statutory safe harbor for AI agents that access publicly available or permitted digital services, while preserving liability for unauthorized data exfiltration that harms consumers. This prevents the 1986 CFAA from criminalizing routine AI-browser interactions and blocks dominant platforms from using litigation to bar competitive AI interoperability.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance
Introduce the ‘Fair-Trade Leverage Act’ conditioning tariff relief on enforceable labor and environmental provisions in new pacts
Legislation requiring that any presidential reduction of tariffs on Chinese goods be contingent on China’s verifiable compliance with ILO core labor standards and binding environmental commitments, modeled on the USMCA Rapid Response Mechanism. This would prevent future administrations from granting unilateral relief without worker protections.
Pass the Household Cost and Job Security Reporting Act in a Democratic trifecta Congress
A statute requiring the Bureau of Labor Statistics to publish a monthly 'Cost-of-Life Index' that tracks prices of essentials (groceries, rent, gas, child care, health insurance) alongside wage and long-term unemployment data, and to break out the estimated effect of each major federal policy (tariffs, deregulation, war-driven energy costs) on that index. This would codify transparency so no future administration can bury the connection between its choices and household pain.
OwnerSenate HELP Committee Chair (Democratic) and House Education and Labor Committee Chair (Democratic)
Adopt H.R. 123, the Freedom to Vote Act, to mandate independent redistricting commissions for congressional maps nationwide
With a Democratic trifecta in 2029, Congress will pass the Freedom to Vote Act, which includes a requirement for all states to use independent commissions for congressional redistricting, eliminating the partisan gerrymandering that has repeatedly forced litigation in Louisiana.
A federal statute that restores Title IX protections for transgender student-athletes by amending the sports exception (20 U.S.C. § 1681(a)) to include gender identity as a protected category, explicitly overruling West Virginia v. B.P.J. and preempting state bans. This replaces the lost legal framework with a stronger, statutory shield that cannot be undone by a future Court.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee / House Education and Workforce Committee
Codify USMCA labor and environmental enforcement triggers in a new Fair Trade Standards Act
Replace the Reciprocal Trade Act framework with a statute that makes USMCA labor and environmental chapters fully enforceable through automatic renegotiation and tariff surcharges when partner countries do not meet wage and enforcement benchmarks. This ensures that future trade agreements cannot sidestep labor and environmental standards while directly addressing the structural wage gap driving the trade deficit.
Establish an independent Havana Syndrome investigation commission
Congress should create a bipartisan commission modeled on the 9/11 Commission to investigate Havana Syndrome, taking the assessment out of the hands of politically appointed intelligence officials and placing it under independent statutory authority with subpoena power and a mandate to report findings publicly.
Enact a permanent Office of Congressional Oversight within the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill, funded at $50 million per year and staffed independently of party leadership
Congress lacks institutional staff to conduct genuinely independent oversight when the president's party will not support it. A dedicated office, modeled on the Congressional Budget Office but for executive oversight, would be the structural fix. This must wait for a trifecta so that the president would sign it into law. It creates a permanent, non-partisan capability to expose and challenge executive overreach regardless of who controls Congress.
OwnerHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and Senate Homeland Security Committee, with a blueprint from the Project On Government Oversight (POGO)
Pass the CFPB Restoration Act to repeal any damaging legislative changes and prohibit defunding riders
With a Democratic trifecta in 2029, fully codify the CFPB's funding structure (already upheld by the Supreme Court), reaffirm Section 1071 small-business data collection, and statutorily bar any future appropriations language that would prevent the agency from using its UDAAP enforcement authority without formal APA rulemaking.
OwnerSenate Banking Committee Chair (Sen. Sherrod Brown or successor) and House Financial Services Committee Chair
Legislate mandatory body-worn cameras and lone-worker alert systems for federal land management law enforcement
Require the Forest Service, BLM, NPS, and Fish & Wildlife Service to equip all law enforcement rangers and field inspectors with body-worn cameras and satellite-based lone-worker alarms that automatically trigger a response if a worker fails to check in. This addresses the surveillance and deterrence gap exposed by the Shasta-Trinity kidnapping, where two workers were isolated for 15 hours with no real-time backup.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Introduce the Fossil-Free Research Integrity Act to prohibit no-strings corporate funding for climate modeling centers
A bill to prohibit universities and research institutions that receive federal climate research grants from accepting unrestricted corporate gifts from fossil fuel companies exceeding a de minimis threshold, and requiring that all corporate-funded research be published with full funding provenance. This directly addresses the structural vulnerability the wedges paper exemplifies, ensuring future climate roadmaps are not shaped by the interests of the extractive industry.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee
Codify broadcast-license renewal standards that bar the FCC from considering content or political affiliation
After the JAWBONE Act passes, pass standalone legislation to formalize that broadcast license renewal must be a ministerial, content-neutral process — stripping the FCC of discretionary authority used for political discipline.
Pass the Civilian Harm Oversight and Accountability Act
Legislation requiring prompt, independent, and public investigations of all strikes causing significant civilian casualties, with mandatory reporting to Congress, deconfliction reforms, and a statutory prohibition on targeting schools and hospitals.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee (Democratic Chair under trifecta)
Draft the 'DOJ Independence Act' to statutorily shield federal prosecutorial decisions from White House political interference
Codify the requirement that the Attorney General recuse from matters involving close personal associates and that all major investigative steps be reported to Congress, preventing future politicized AG appointments from weaponizing the department.
Codify H-1B visa fee authority in statute with clear caps
Prevent future executive overreach by passing legislation that explicitly authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to set H-1B visa fees, subject to a statutory cap pegged to actual adjudication costs, so a single administration cannot impose a $100,000 fee as a de facto tax.
Introduce the Colorado River Basin Resilience and Tribal Water Rights Assurance Act
Codifying Colorado River Basin drought resilience into programmatic statutory language that includes mandatory climate-declaration triggers, binding tribal consultation, and limits on executive diversion for emergency stopgaps without addressing root causes.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
This statute would explicitly codify that courts retain jurisdiction to enjoin presidential actions that violate appropriations law or federal property statutes, overriding the DOJ's no-review theory. It would require that any challenge to a presidential property or spending decision be heard on the merits, with no presumption of unreviewability.
Introduce the Birthright Citizenship Protection Act
Codify the 14th Amendment's birthright citizenship guarantee into statutory law so that no president can unilaterally rescind it by executive order, eliminating the ambiguity that Trump v. Barbara exploits.
Introduce the "Pregnancy as Health, Not Crime Act" to prohibit non-consensual drug testing of pregnant patients and police referrals solely based on pregnancy outcomes
This bill would condition certain federal health funding, including Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments, on a state prohibition of non-consensual drug testing or law enforcement referrals for pregnancy-related care, barring a judicial warrant. It directly addresses the racialized surveillance documented by the Marshall Project, turning hospital practices from punitive to health-centered and preventing family separation and arrests driven by bias.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law
Introduce the Price Gouging Prevention and Competition Restoration Act
Tariff volatility and deregulation allow corporations to raise prices beyond cost-pass-through, creating structural inflation that the Fed tries to fight by raising unemployment. This bill would empower the FTC and DOJ to block price gouging in concentrated industries (steel, aluminum, freight, retail), require pre-merger notification of price increases tied to tariffs, and fund state antitrust enforcement.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights (Chair Sen. Klobuchar, post-2026)
Introduce the Prisoner Religious Freedom Damages Clarification Act
Legislatively overturn Landor v. Louisiana by amending RLUIPA to expressly authorize money damages against state officials for religious liberty violations, ensuring an enforceable remedy. Prefile for introduction upon a Democratic trifecta in 2029.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (ranking member) and House Judiciary Committee (ranking member)
Codify Merit-Based Human Rights Grant Process in Standing Foreign Assistance Authorities
Amend the Foreign Assistance Act to require competitive, merit-reviewed grant awards for DRL funding, with a statutory firewall against partisan political direction, ensuring no future administration can repeat this diversion without congressional authorization.
OwnerHouse Foreign Affairs Committee (Chair, under Democratic trifecta)
File constitutional amendment proposal to protect race-conscious VRA remedies
Callais held that race-conscious redistricting to comply with Section 2 violates the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. A constitutional amendment is the only mechanism to override this holding and establish that remedying racial vote dilution is a compelling governmental interest that permits race-conscious action.
Introduce the Birthright Citizenship Codification Act to enshrine 14th Amendment protections in statute
Preempt any future executive reinterpretation by codifying the principle that all persons born in the United States are citizens, using Congress's power under Section 5 of the 14th Amendment, thereby creating an unambiguous statutory backstop that cannot be undone by executive order.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Chair (Democrat) and House Judiciary Committee Chair (Democrat)
Pass the Venezuela Humanitarian Relief and Civilian Leadership Act
Authorize a dedicated, civilian-led humanitarian mission for Venezuela that mandates USAID (or its successor) to lead, prohibits military-to-military aid for disaster response without explicit congressional approval, and requires quarterly reporting on operational costs and civilian casualties.
Introduce the Election Mail Integrity Act to codify USPS's obligation to deliver election mail neutrally
Statutorily enshrines the USPS's duty to handle election mail without condition on state data sharing, blocking any future executive order or postal rule that ties ballot delivery to federal voter-list access.
Establish binding conflict-of-interest rules and independent oversight for boards of congressionally chartered arts and cultural institutions, including a requirement that any board-initiated closure or name change exceeding a de minimis cost must be submitted to Congress as a joint resolution subject to approval. This directly addresses the adjacent risk of pretextual closures (the two-year 'renovation' plan) and ensures partisan takeovers like the Trump board's actions cannot recur without legislative sign-off.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Pass the NATO Commitments and Alliance Conduct Act to Codify Congressional Oversight of Alliance Management
The Trump administration's pattern of personal insults directed at allied heads of state and unilateral military pressure campaigns that fracture NATO operational cooperation must be brought under statutory oversight. This legislation would require the Secretary of State to report to Congress within 30 days whenever an allied government restricts U.S. military access in direct response to U.S. policy demands, and would prohibit use of appropriated funds for military operations that have been formally objected to by three or more NATO members.
OwnerSenate Foreign Relations Committee (future Democratic chair) with co-sponsorship from the House Armed Services Committee
Pass the Kennedy Center Enabling Statute Restoration Act
The ruling interprets the 1958 statute but doesn't amend it. A bill to explicitly codify that no sitting president's name may be added to the Kennedy Center’s title, and that any closure exceeding 90 days requires Congressional approval, closes the legislative gap. This prevents future boards from exploiting ambiguity and ensures court precedent becomes permanent law.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Subcommittee on National Parks) and House Natural Resources Committee
Amend the Clean Water Act to create an independent Office of Criminal Enforcement within EPA, insulated from political appointees
Legislation to establish a statutory Office of Criminal Enforcement at EPA whose director is confirmed by the Senate, removable only for cause, and empowered to initiate investigations independently of DOJ concurrence, preventing future political shutdowns of environmental criminal probes.
OwnerSenator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) or Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) as chair of House Natural Resources Committee
Abolish partisan gerrymandering nationwide via the Fair Maps Act
Pass federal legislation requiring all states to use independent redistricting commissions for congressional maps, modeled on Michigan's independent commission, enforceable by the Department of Justice.
Mandate declassification of all Operation Southern Spear strike videos with independent oversight
The Pentagon should be required to release all strike footage from Operations Southern Spear and Absolute Resolve, with redactions for privacy and operational security reviewed by an independent external body such as a federal judge or a congressionally appointed panel. This would enable independent audits of compliance with the laws of war and provide transparency for the 213 known deaths and dozens of other still-unreported strikes.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Chair, under Democratic trifecta) and House Oversight Committee
Introduce the Fair Commemorations Act to codify non-partisanship, cost transparency, and ethics safeguards for federally sponsored national heritage events
Current law lacks a statutory firewall against politicization of national celebrations. A bill should require that any event funded with more than $1M of federal money must be planned by a nonpartisan commission, bar the use of event funds for political campaign activity, mandate disclosure of all private donations, and create a private right of action for misuse. This prevents future presidents of either party from weaponizing patriotic events.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (Chair, Sen. Peters or successor) and House Oversight Committee (Chair, Rep. Raskin or successor)
Introduce the Cyber Operations Authorization and Oversight Act
Requires the President to obtain a congressional authorization or specific statutory finding before directing the State Department to support offensive cyber operations abroad. Mandates semi-annual reports on covert cyber activities to the intelligence committees and a public declassified summary exception for truly sensitive sources.
OwnerSenate Select Committee on Intelligence and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Introduce the Journalism and Competition Preservation Act to restore net neutrality and tighten media ownership caps
Once Democrats control Congress, pass legislation codifying net neutrality rules and lowering media ownership limits to preserve local news diversity and prevent ISP/consolidation abuses.
OwnerSenate Commerce Committee Chair (Dem.), co-sponsored by Speaker of the House
Restore DOJ Civil Rights Division mission and career protections via statute
When Democrats hold the presidency, House, and Senate, pass legislation to restore the Civil Rights Division's statutory enforcement mandate, prohibit politically motivated reassignments of career attorneys, and create a statutory whistleblower process for DOJ staff. This reverses the hollowing-out and ensures structural independence.
Introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (revised to address Callais ruling)
Draft and introduce a strengthened VRA that codifies a race-neutral standard for Section 2 challenges, preempts state gerrymanders that dilute minority voting strength, and establishes a new preclearance formula covering states with a recent pattern of discriminatory redistricting.
Appropriate $500 million to the IAEA for urgent restoration of verification and monitoring capacity in Iran
Provide dedicated supplemental funding—via a stand-alone bill or a rider on a must-pass supplemental—to allow the IAEA to reestablish in-field verification in Iran, rebuild technical capabilities degraded by the strikes, and support the Agency's contingency planning for future crises, repairing the verification gap created by the bombing campaign.
OwnerSenate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act
Enact binding ethics and disclosure requirements for Supreme Court justices — including mandatory recusal standards, financial disclosure enforcement, and shadow docket transparency rules — to constrain the Court's unaccountable exercise of power without full briefing.
Codify statutory limitation on using the Judgment Fund for claims arising from insurrection-related acts
Amend 31 U.S.C. § 1304 (the Judgment Fund statute) to explicitly bar payment of settlements or judgments for claims based on conduct arising from an insurrection against the United States, unless specifically authorized by Congress.
Codify HUD Career Leadership Protections in the 'HUD Civil Service and Delegation Integrity Act'
Rep. Maxine Waters (House Financial Services Committee) to pre-file a bill requiring Senate confirmation for all HUD assistant secretary roles and prohibiting redelegation of CDBG, HOME, and Section 8 authority to non-Senate-confirmed political appointees — to be introduced under a Democratic trifecta to prevent future 'reset' playbooks from sidelining career experts.
OwnerRep. Maxine Waters (House Financial Services Committee) + American Federation of Government Employees
Establish a statutory BLM Western Operations Office in Grand Junction with guaranteed staffing and EJ mandate
Permanently codify a BLM dual-headquarters structure in statute — with senior policy leadership in D.C. and a fully staffed Western Operations Office in Grand Junction — including a dedicated environmental justice unit to process Title VI complaints and land-access claims from Indigenous and frontline communities, preventing future politicized relocations.
Introduce the Colorado River Security and Basin Climate Resilience Act
A bill that would repeal the 1922 Colorado River Compact's apportionment formula, replace it with a climate-adjusted allocation based on actual 2010–2025 flow data, authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to impose mandatory reductions when total system storage falls below 50 percent capacity, and fund a Lower Basin aquifer recharge and desalination program. The statute would preempt the administration's current non-binding 'Drought Response Operations' framework.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Chair)
Introduce the Fair International Scholarship Act to codify that need-based financial aid available to all students does not violate Title VI
This statute would amend Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to explicitly allow need-based financial aid programs that are open to U.S. citizens and international students alike, preventing future administrations from weaponizing civil rights enforcement against merit- or need-based scholarships that happen to benefit foreign nationals. It would also require the DOJ to prove intentional discrimination before opening a compliance review of aid programs.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair
Mandate that BLWFS allocate at least 25% of the Wild Horse and Burro Program budget to fertility-control research and adoption incentives in annual appropriations
The current budget heavily favors roundups and off-range holding; shifting federal resources toward research and adoption would undercut the basis for future 'humane disposal' legislation. This earmark would require multi-year funding stability and can be added as a floor amendment to the Interior appropriations bill.
Amend the National Historic Preservation Act to mandate interpretive fidelity as a binding condition of federal historic designation
Add a statutory provision that requires site-specific interpretive agreements between NPS and descendant communities as a condition for maintaining a site's listing on the National Register of Historic Places, creating a legal hook that could withstand a Third-Circuit-style ruling.
Immediately codify the VOA editorial firewall into permanent law via a standalone bill
The administration has not yet formally eliminated the VOA firewall, but the 85% staff cut achieves the same effect. To prevent any future politicization, Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) should introduce the 'Voice of America Integrity Act' to codify the 1976 VOA Charter and its editorial independence into Title 22 of the U.S. Code, making it repeal-proof without a new statute.
OwnerRepresentative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT)
Codify Pattern-or-Practice Authority and Private Right of Action
Draft and advance a bill that codifies 42 U.S.C. § 14141 pattern-or-practice authority into a freestanding statutory framework that also creates a private right of action for individuals and community organizations to sue police departments for systemic misconduct, making enforcement impossible to defang by executive branch inaction alone.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance
Amend the CRA to exclude CFPB rules from future Congressional Review Act disapproval once a statutory replacement is enacted
The current CRA bars an agency from reissuing a substantially similar rule after disapproval, but does not restrict Congress from authorizing the agency to do so via new law. A statutory fix, placed in a must-pass package, could provide that a CRA disapproval of a CFPB consumer protection rule does not bar a subsequent regulation based on a statutory delegation enacted after the disapproval.
OwnerSenate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee (Democrat chairs)
Pass the 'End Nationwide Injunction Abuse Act' to restrict single-judge nationwide relief
To prevent the structural vulnerability Paxton exploited, this bill would amend 28 U.S.C. § 1651 to limit nationwide injunctions to three-judge district court panels or the Supreme Court, ensuring no single Trump-appointed judge can freeze a national policy. The bill should be introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts) as a response to the overtime litigation.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse)
Establish a Green Bank for grid-enhancing technologies in low-income and environmental-justice communities
A federal-state partnership capitalized via appropriations and GHG Reduction Fund reallocation, providing grants and low-interest loans for energy storage, transmission upgrades, microgrids, and demand-response infrastructure in communities historically dependent on fossil generation—creating a positive alternative to dispatchable mandates that actually builds the clean, resilient grid of the future.
OwnerEPA Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, DOE Loan Programs Office
Introduce a congressional resolution calling on FERC, EPA, and DOE to conduct a joint study on the climate and system externalities of data-center-driven gas generation and to report within 180 days on policy options to align load growth with clean-energy deployment
The scale of data-center gas buildout is not yet fully quantified in a single federal assessment. A resolution—even if non-binding—would tee up oversight hearings under a future House or Senate majority, create a public record that state regulators can cite in siting and rate cases, and put hyperscaler executives on notice that their climate accounting is being scrutinized.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Chair, under Democratic majority) and House Energy and Commerce Committee (Chair, under Democratic majority)
Restore Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center and National Counterproliferation/Biosecurity Center
Re-establish CTIIC and NCPBC via statute (Intelligence Authorization Act) to lock in the institutional homes for cyber and biosecurity analysis that Chapter 8 claimed to prioritize but ODNI 2.0 dissolved. Statutory restoration prevents future DNI from using administrative restructuring as a tool to suppress inconvenient threat analysis.
OwnerSenate Select Committee on Intelligence (lead authorship of restore provision in Intelligence Authorization Act)
Restore and Codify Afghan and Ukrainian Humanitarian Parole Programs
Pass legislation permanently authorizing humanitarian parole pathways for nationals of countries with active U.S. military or allied commitments, removing executive discretion to revoke protection for people who relied on U.S. commitments. This directly repairs the alliance-credibility damage documented in the entry and removes the programs from future executive termination.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety — ranking member or future chair, in coordination with Human Rights First and the International Rescue Committee
Reauthorize and expand the Land Buy-Back Program with mandatory tribal consent for mineral leasing
Pass a statute reauthorizing the Land Buy-Back Program with permanent funding and add a requirement that no mineral lease on lands returned to tribal ownership may be executed without the tribal government's explicit, informed consent, codifying the program beyond executive discretion.
Formalize a U.S.-EU defense consultation framework in statute
Enact legislation requiring the Secretary of Defense to enter a binding security consultation framework with the European Union that ensures intelligence-sharing and rapid-response coordination independent of any single president's trade policies, to hedge against future unilateralism.
Enact the No Presidential Self-Dealing Settlements Act
Amend 28 U.S.C. § 516 to explicitly bar the Department of Justice from using its settlement authority to resolve a civil claim in which the President or Vice President is a named party or has a direct financial interest, and require that any such claim be handled by a Special Counsel appointed by the Chief Justice.
Through DOJ grant conditionality and model legislation, mandate that states and counties with a prior pattern-or-practice finding develop court-enforceable preparedness plans that include independent monitoring bodies and use-of-force data transparency, so that local reform is not solely reliant on federal enforcement.
Enact 'Essential Goods Supply-Chain Security Act' requiring stockpile and domestic alternates for critical imports
Codifies the recommendation to replace blanket decoupling with targeted industrial policy: mandates strategic stockpiles for electronics, medicines, and rare earths currently imported from China, and creates subsidies for domestic or allied-nation production of those goods, paired with enforceable labor standards.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Include IG removal restrictions in 2029 appropriations bills
Attach a rider to the first must-pass appropriations package after a Democratic trifecta that bars funding for any federal salary or operations of acting IGs who were not confirmed by the Senate, and requires reinstatement of any IG removed in violation of the Act as a condition of agency funding.
Abolish the HHS secretary's authority to reduce CDC epidemiologist staffing without notifying Congress
Amend the Public Health Service Act to require that any reduction in CDC full-time equivalent positions below a statutory floor triggers immediate congressional notification and a 90-day hold during which a joint resolution can block the cuts, preventing a repeat of the 2,400-job covert reduction that weakened World Cup preparedness.
OwnerSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (Dem chair)
Pass the Healthy SNAP Pilot Act to fund fruit and vegetable incentives
Legislation authorizing a permanent SNAP incentive program modeled on the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program to increase fruit and vegetable purchases, redirecting policy from bans to positive support.
Enact the Cost of Unauthorized Military Force Transparency Act
Require the Department of Defense to publicly report the full costs—direct operational, long-term environmental, veterans' healthcare, and regional stabilization—of any military strike campaign lasting more than 72 hours without a formal congressional authorization for use of military force, ensuring taxpayers and Congress are not kept in the dark about the price tag of unilateral action.
OwnerSenate Budget Committee and House Budget Committee
Codify enhanced Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act applying to all political understandings with nuclear states
Amend INARA to define 'agreement' to include any written political understanding, non-binding pledge, or oral commitment reduced to a State Department memorandum, with mandatory verification protocols and automatic snapback of sanctions for non-compliance.
Restore the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations' award portfolio
Pass the OCED Restoration Act to reinstate the 24 cancelled awards worth $3.7 billion and add statutory guardrails preventing future political cancellation of demonstration projects without congressional approval.
OwnerSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair (Democrat, post-2028 sweep)
Introduce Supreme Court Jurisdiction and Balanced Bench Restoration Act
Legislate structural Court reform — including expansion to thirteen justices and term limits of eighteen years — to reverse the democratic deficit created by the 6-3 supermajority's substitution of its policy preferences for congressional and state legislative judgments in Dobbs, Shelby County, and Loper Bright.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Democratic majority chair) and House Judiciary Committee (Democratic majority chair)
Civil Rights Division Reconstruction and Staffing Act
Authorize a statutory minimum of 500 career attorneys for the DOJ Civil Rights Division, mandate that at least 15% of positions be dedicated to pattern-or-practice policing cases and 15% to voting rights enforcement, and require Senate confirmation of the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights to prevent politicized appointments.
Establish Statutory Clearance Revocation Standards and Independent Review
Codify clearance revocation procedures to require documented threat-based justification and independent review board oversight, removing the DNI's ability to use clearance revocation as a loyalty enforcement tool. Prevents future administrations from wielding clearance policy as an instrument to silence inconvenient analysis.
OwnerSenate Select Committee on Intelligence (lead authorship in Intelligence Authorization Act or standalone bill)
Enact Tribal Environmental Enforcement and Sovereignty Act
Standalone statute granting federally recognized tribes the same authority as states to administer and enforce environmental laws (Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA) on their lands, with dedicated EPA tribal enforcement office and funding, preventing future Interior secretaries from unilaterally stalling enforcement authority.
OwnerSenate Environment and Public Works Committee
Reintroduce the Davis-Bacon Reaffirmation Act with PLA parity provisions
A Democratic trifecta will pass legislation codifying Davis-Bacon prevailing wage standards and Project Labor Agreement requirements for all federal-aid transit and highway projects, overturning any executive orders to the contrary.
OwnerSenate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Congress must codify minimum federal funding floors for state Medicaid Fraud Control Units
The statutory structure that lets HHS-OIG cut all funding to a state MFCU based on enforcement metrics creates a perverse incentive for defunding rather than remediation. Legislation should guarantee a minimum baseline of federal support while tying supplemental funding to performance improvement plans.
OwnerSenate Finance Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee
Introduce the ICE Contract Transparency Act to require public reporting of detention facility conditions and mortality data
This bill would mandate that ICE publicly disclose all detention facility contracts, inspection reports, and mortality data (including causes of death), and would establish an independent oversight board. It provides the data transparency needed to hold for-profit operators accountable and supports the calls from groups protesting at Delaney Hall.
OwnerHouse Judiciary Committee (Chair, once Democrats control House and Senate)
Federal statutory clarification that state constitutional protections for public safety are not preempted by Second Amendment
Introduce and pass a bill declaring that the Second Amendment establishes a floor, not a ceiling, for state firearm regulation, and that states may enforce stronger public safety measures under their own constitutions unless Congress expressly preempts them — codifying the pro-federalism interpretation that Justice Eddins' concurrence depends on.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee (Democratic Chair) and House Judiciary Committee (Democratic Chair)
Amend the Arms Export Control Act to treat gray-zone maritime incidents as covered events in security assistance agreements
Statutory change that explicitly enumerates 'denial of freedom of navigation in the Black Sea exclusive economic zone of a recipient' as a covered aggression trigger, unlocking expedited direct commercial sales and Excess Defense Articles for partner naval forces without annual country-cap waivers.
Draft and introduce the Health Disparities Research Trust Fund Act
Create a dedicated, mandatory appropriation for NIH health disparities research, funded at $500 million annually and indexed to inflation, that cannot be rescinded or deferred through executive branch budget actions. This ensures that even if specific grants are canceled, the research stream continues through a separate statutory funding mechanism.
Prohibit FAST-41 designation for any project on or affecting Indian lands without tribal consent
Amend FAST-41 to explicitly exclude projects on lands held in trust for tribes or adjacent to tribal reservations unless the affected tribal government has provided written consent, ensuring the fast-track mechanism cannot be weaponized against sovereignty again.
Enact the Civil Service Restoration and Anti-Politicization Act: statutory codification of Schedule F prohibition, IG independence, and OIRA balanced cost-benefit mandate
This omnibus bill would permanently prohibit reclassification of career civil servants as at-will Schedule F employees, codify IG removal-for-cause protections into statute, require OIRA to count public health and environmental benefits under OMB Circular A-4 with the same methodological rigor as industry compliance costs, and restore the White House-DOJ firewall as a statutory prohibition rather than a policy norm. It addresses the foundational personnel and oversight harms described across the OMB, White House Counsel, OIRA, and PPO entries.
OwnerSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and House Oversight and Accountability Committee, working with Office of Management and Budget under new administration
Enact the Immigration Adjudication Independence Act: restore EOIR as a standalone Article I immigration court, codify structural separation from enforcement agencies, and reaffirm Refugee Act asylum standards
Project 2025's proposed merger of EOIR into an enforcement-oriented cabinet agency eliminates the structural firewall between adjudication and detention that due process and the Refugee Act of 1980 require. Statutory establishment of an independent immigration court system—insulated from DHS enforcement priorities—is the only durable fix; executive action alone cannot survive a future hostile administration.
OwnerSenate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration and House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, working with the National Immigration Judges Association and Human Rights First
Pass a new Voting Rights Act with preclearance trigger
A full restoration of the Voting Rights Act, including a modern preclearance formula covering states like Louisiana with a history of racist redistricting, can only be enacted by Congress and signed by a Democratic president. This is the structural fix that survives judicial review.
Introduce the Community Oversight of Immigration Enforcement (COIE) Act
Mandate body-worn cameras for all ICE field agents during enforcement actions, independent investigation of any custody death or use-of-force incident, and quarterly public reporting on enforcement-related injuries and fatalities.
Draft and pre-file the CDC Authority Protection Act
To counter the remaining five unimplemented Project 2025 CDC proposals, a bill to codify CDC's authority to issue prescriptive public health guidance, maintain its pharmaceutical funding stream, keep vaccine safety oversight at CDC, forbid conditioning state health funding on abortion surveillance, and protect fetal tissue research from executive ban. Pre-filing in the next congressional session signals a swift reversal at trifecta.
OwnerHouse Energy and Commerce Committee (Democratic leadership)
Introduce the Election Integrity Protection Act: Prohibit DOJ Election Investigations Without Specific, Credible Evidence
A bill to statutorily require the Department of Justice to have a specific, credible allegation of a criminal violation before opening a federal election fraud investigation, and to prohibit public announcements of such investigations until charges are filed. This prevents weaponized, baseless investigations like Essayli's from undermining election confidence.
Enact the Pentagon Financial Accountability Act: mandatory annual DOD audit with statutory spending holds and competitive procurement floor requirements
Project 2025's acquisition reforms—expanding block-buy sole-source contracts, reducing procurement competitions, and enabling fast-track funding outside PPBE—would institutionalize the accountability vacuum that has produced every failed DOD audit since 2018. Statutory mandates requiring clean audit certification before supplemental appropriations are released, and setting a minimum percentage of DOD contracts subject to competitive bidding, are the only mechanisms with teeth sufficient to counter contractor capture at scale.
OwnerSenate Armed Services Committee and House Armed Services Committee, working with the DOD Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office Comptroller General
Rescind Schedule Policy/Career executive order and OPM rule
On Day One of a new administration, the President will issue an executive order revoking the SPC order and direct OPM to rescind all related implementing rules, restoring civil service protections for affected career employees.
OwnerPresident of the United States (next administration)
Issue an executive order restoring non-domiciled CDL eligibility
On day one, the next Democratic president should direct DHS and DOT to rescind the 2025 interim final rule and restore CDL eligibility to all lawful permanent residents and visa holders who meet existing safety and testing standards, and prohibit any future rulemaking that uses immigration status alone to deny CDLs.
Issue executive order to restore and expand federal data transparency and integrity
On Day 1, a new president should issue an executive order directing all agencies to restore access to removed datasets, rehire terminated data staff, and establish agency-level data integrity officers with statutory independence, modeled on inspector general protections.
OwnerPresident of the United States (via incoming administration)
Issue executive order strengthening H-2A oversight and worker protections
In the first 100 days of a new Democratic administration, the President should issue an executive order directing DOL, DHS, and DOJ to: increase unannounced workplace inspections of H-2A employers; establish a whistleblower hotline for workers; revoke H-2A certifications from employers with past labor violations; and require employers to provide workers with multilingual know-your-rights materials. This does not require legislation and provides immediate relief while legislative fixes are pursued.
OwnerPresident of the United States (next Democratic administration)
Restore DOE clean energy offices and grant programs by executive order
Upon taking office, the next Democratic president should issue an executive order to reverse the administrative closure of GDO and OCED, rescind all termination orders, and restart the National Transmission Planning Study and OCED demonstration projects, citing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the duty to operate a reliable grid.
OwnerWhite House Office of Domestic Climate Policy (next administration)
Prepare executive-order package to rejoin 66 organizations on Day One of the next Democratic administration
Draft EOs now, via the Center for American Progress and State Department transition teams, that simultaneously revoke the January 7, 2026 withdrawal memo and instruct agency heads to seek readmission to all 66 bodies. This ensures rapid damage reversal without waiting for legislation.
OwnerCenter for American Progress, State Department transition team
Issue an Executive Order restoring NTIA's rural fiber and spectrum stewardship mission
On Day One, the next president should rescind any executive actions implementing or preparing NTIA's Project 2025 restructuring, restore the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program's fiber-first criteria, halt improper commercial spectrum leasing that harms federal science, and reaffirm NTIA's role as neutral steward of public airwaves.
Executive order to rescind any attempts to dismantle ED and direct full funding of Title I and IDEA
On day one, the next administration will undo all executive actions breaking up the Department and issue instructions to restore proactive civil rights enforcement, borrower protections, and grant integrity.
OwnerWhite House Office of Domestic Policy Council
Issue Executive Order Reinstating Zero-Tolerance Gun Dealer Enforcement
On day one, the next Democratic president will issue an executive order rescinding any Trump-era directives that weakened ATF dealer oversight and reinstating the zero-tolerance policy with mandatory quarterly reporting on license revocations.
OwnerPresident of the United States (inaugurated January 20, 2029)
Restore DNI Statutory Independence via Executive Order
On Day 1, the next Democratic president should issue an executive order reaffirming that the Director of National Intelligence must not be subject to direct White House operational control and restoring the requirement for congressional notification of any clearance revocations.
Executive order restoring environmental justice requirements and rescinding Trump's rollback
On Day 1 of a new Democratic administration, issue an executive order re-establishing the requirement that all federal agencies consider disproportionate environmental harms on communities of color, reinstating the CEQ environmental justice guidance and the Justice40 initiative.
OwnerPresident of the United States (Democrat, 2029)
Rescind all Trump-era executive orders enabling Schedule F and IG politicization
On day one of a new Democratic administration, the president issues an executive order revoking any Schedule F-related EOs (including Trump's 2020 EO 13957 if still in effect) and directing all agencies to affirm IG operational independence in their internal policies, reversing the legal architecture Project 2025 depends on.
Rescind the 'Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections' executive order
On the earliest possible day of a new presidential administration, issue an executive order revoking the March 31, 2026 order and restoring traditional state control over mail‑in voting, consistent with the Help America Vote Act.
OwnerPresident of the United States (next administration)
Restore OFCCP and rescind anti-DEI executive orders via new executive action
On day one, a new president will issue an executive order reinstating EO 11246 and rebuilding the OFCCP's enforcement capacity, and rescind Executive Order 14173 and any related anti-DEI directives. The new EO will also withdraw any DOL guidance that narrows Bostock and reaffirm broad protections for LGBTQ+ workers.
OwnerPresident of the United States (next Democratic administration)
Rescind EO 14170 and restore career civil service protections via executive order
On the first day of the new administration, the president should sign an order revoking Schedule F and reinstating protections for career staff, directly undoing the core mechanism of the Project 2025 White House centralization blueprint.
Reinstate EMTALA Abortion Guidance and Biden Reproductive Health EOs via Executive Action
Trump's EO 14182 revoked both Biden reproductive health orders and the EMTALA guidance with a single signature; a successor administration can restore them the same way on day one, reinstating HHS and DOJ enforcement postures that protect emergency obstetric care and medication access in ban states.
OwnerWhite House Domestic Policy Council under a post-2028 Democratic administration, coordinated with HHS Secretary and DOJ Civil Rights Division
New administration rescinds any executive orders undermining FTC independence and restores funding
On January 21, 2029, the incoming president rescinds any EOs that subjected the FTC to political oversight or reduced its budget below FY2023 levels, and issues an order directing OMB to restore appropriations and staffing levels necessary to enforce the 2023 Merger Guidelines.
Rescind the March 20, 2025 executive order directing the dismantling of the Department of Education
Upon taking office, the next president must issue a rescinding EO to halt agency actions that reassign and wind down Department of Education functions, restoring the department’s capacity to enforce civil rights, oversee Title I, and administer IDEA until Congress acts.
OwnerNext President of the United States (presumably Democratic)
Rescind the 'public charge' expansion and end immigration-bureau checkpoint checkpoints for World Cup host cities
Executive orders expanded public charge inadmissibility and directed CBP to set up interior checkpoints near major sporting events, directly causing the ACLU travel advisory. A new president on Day 1 would rescind those EOs and issue a directive that CBP shall not conduct immigration status checks within 50 miles of any FIFA World Cup venue for the duration of the tournament, restoring the visitor confidence that underpins the projected $30.5 billion windfall.
Rescind the 2025 OMB directive on FAA hiring freezes
On day one, a new president issues an executive order explicitly reversing the 2025 OMB directive that allowed hiring freezes at air-traffic-control facilities, and reinstates the prior FAA staffing modernization plan. Accompanied by a formal apology to travelers and a directive to OPM to report on all safety-excepted positions stripped during the shutdown.
Appoint a White House Election Security Coordinator and issue a restorative executive order
On Day 1, the next Democratic president should issue an executive order rescinding the March 2025 election order, directing all agencies to fully cooperate with the EAC, and creating a White House Election Security Coordinator role to ensure robust federal–state coordination and rapid response to any new state-level voter suppression laws. This restores the infrastructure the order attacked and adds a permanent coordination mechanism.
OwnerNext Democratic President's White House Counsel
Rescind SEC course-correction guidance and reinstate data broker rule via CFPB rulemaking
On the first day of a new Democratic administration, the SEC Chair shall issue a memo rescinding the prior enforcement course-correction guidance, and the CFPB Director shall re-propose the data broker rule as a notice of proposed rulemaking with a 60-day comment period. These executive actions restore regulatory posture without new legislation.
OwnerSEC Chair and CFPB Director (appointed by incoming Democratic president)
Issue an executive order restoring career protections for DOJ Civil Rights Division attorneys
A future Democratic president should issue an executive order reversing the politicization of the Civil Rights Division by reinstating career appointment protections, prohibiting political litmus tests for civil rights attorneys, and requiring that all litigation decisions in the division be based on statutory merit rather than political directives.
OwnerPresident of the United States (Democratic administration)
A new administration's Attorney General will immediately issue a memorandum restoring the previous consent decree policy, including reaffirming the DOJ's commitment to actively monitor and enforce existing reform agreements and to re-enter decrees with any jurisdiction that requests one.
OwnerU.S. Attorney General (incoming administration)
Issue Executive Order Reaffirming U.S. Commitment to Law of Armed Conflict and Independent Investigations
A new president rescinds any prior EOs that undermined civilian harm accountability and issues a new EO affirming that the U.S. will cooperate fully with impartial international investigations into alleged violations of international humanitarian law, and will establish an independent Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Commission.
OwnerPresident of the United States (next administration)
Require ICE to adopt civilian oversight boards for all enforcement actions pending statutory reform
Issue an executive order or DHS directive establishing civilian oversight boards with subpoena authority over ICE enforcement operations, use-of-force incidents, and detention conditions. This interim measure fills the accountability gap until legislation passes, and can be implemented by a future president on day one.
OwnerSecretary of Homeland Security (appointed by next Democratic president)
Designate a P-2 Refugee Processing Pathway for Rohingya
The Secretary of State and DHS should immediately designate a Priority 2 (P-2) refugee processing pathway for Rohingya at risk of persecution, using existing statutory authority under the Refugee Act, to create a direct resettlement pipeline and provide a legal option that reduces reliance on dangerous boat crossings.
OwnerSecretary of State (Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration) and DHS Secretary
Issue a DHS and HHS departmental order prohibiting enforcement-adjacent contract audits of legal service providers for unaccompanied children
Upon a new administration taking office, the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services issue a joint directive barring HSI, ERO, DHS OIG, and HHS OIG from requesting financial records or conducting compliance visits focused on legal representation of unaccompanied children, unless authorized by the Office of Legal Counsel and the agency head. This restores the separation between enforcement and legal services.
OwnerSecretary of Homeland Security and Secretary of Health and Human Services under the next administration
Rescind the Day One EPA reorganization executive order and rebuild scientific capacity
Immediately revoke the 'pause and review' teams, rehire terminated career staff, restore scientific datasets, and reissue all frozen rules upon inauguration of a new administration.
OwnerAdministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (appointed by next president)
Replace current Justice Department leadership with attorneys committed to restoring prosecutorial independence
Upon taking office, appoint an Attorney General and senior DOJ officials who commit to depoliticizing civil litigation, restoring the requirement that large monetary settlements be reviewed by career attorneys and approved by the Deputy Attorney General, and ending the practice of using settlements to bypass appropriations.
OwnerPresident-elect and incoming Attorney General
Democratic president: Issue executive order mandating equity and climate resilience in USDA nutrition program administration
Direct USDA to restore equity and climate resilience as criteria for waivers and flexibilities in school meal programs. Instruct the Secretary to reopen the comment period on any rulemaking that removes these frameworks and require secretarial approval for any reimbursement formula change that would reduce aggregate meal service.
OwnerPresident of the United States (post-inauguration)
Launch a strategic shipping insurance and energy price stabilization program for allied Red Sea economies
Direct the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Treasury Department to establish a temporary war-risk insurance backstop for commercial shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, coupled with a strategic petroleum reserve drawdown to blunt price spikes. This executive action buys time for diplomacy and shields American consumers from supply shocks produced by the administration's mismanaged conflict.
Rescind the Schedule F executive order and rebuild civil service protections
On taking office in 2029, the next Democratic president should issue an executive order revoking any existing Schedule F directive, reimposing civil service hiring and tenure rules across all agencies, and initiating rulemaking to further insulate career staff from political pressure.
OwnerOffice of Personnel Management (OPM) and White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Revoke executive orders mandating unilateral tariff escalation without labor review
Rescinds the America First Trade Policy EO and any successor tariffs imposed without accompanying enforceable labor and environmental standards. Restores the use of worker-centered trade policy in executive branch decision-making.
Reissue the Trump tariff order under a statutory framework that includes a domestic-investment trigger
A new president could issue an import tariff that escalates only after binding company commitments to build domestic production, pairing tariff power with real manufacturing incentives.
President rescinds DOJ reorganization EOs and directs hiring of career civil rights attorneys
On taking office, the new president issues an executive order rescinding the prior administration's DOJ reorganization, reverses Schedule F for career attorneys, and directs the Attorney General to prioritize hiring to rebuild the Civil Rights Division's voting, education, and special litigation sections.
Rebuild CDC and FDA Workforce to Pre-2025 Levels via Executive Reorganization
Issue an executive order on day one of the next administration directing HHS to rehire personnel to CDC and FDA to meet statutory public health emergency workforce benchmarks, rescind any remaining hiring freezes on those agencies, and submit a reorganization plan to Congress within 90 days that restores full outbreak-response capacity.
Rescind the May 2026 PFAS rollback rule and reinstate 2024 limits via new EPA rulemaking
Under a new administration, direct EPA to withdraw the rescission proposal and revert to the 2024 enforceable limits, restoring the original compliance deadlines.
OwnerEPA Administrator (appointed by incoming president)
Issue updated Title IX guidance protecting transgender students consistent with the Supreme Court's unanimous ruling
The Department of Education should issue a new guidance document clarifying that, while states may enact bans under the unanimous Title IX holding, the Department still interprets Title IX to protect transgender students from discrimination and will investigate complaints in states without such bans or where bans are struck down.
OwnerU.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
Direct FDA to reaffirm mifepristone REMS and reject any unscientific withdrawal
Issue an executive order requiring the FDA Commissioner to maintain the current REMS for mifepristone based on safety data, and rescind any prior agency actions that undermine its approval. Blocks the Project 2025 goal of FDA withdrawal.
Expand federal assault weapons registration and buyback as a model for state programs
Design a federal grant program that incentivizes states to create voluntary buyback and registration systems for assault weapons now legalized by the Third Circuit ruling, paired with a federal tax surcharge on assault weapon sales to fund the program.
OwnerBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under a Democratic administration
Reconstitution of National Testing Agency as an Independent Statutory Body
The NTA’s failure in the NEET exam leak demands a structural solution. Once a government committed to reform is in office, an executive order should replace the NTA with a National Examination Commission (NEC) insulated from day-to-day government interference—following the model of the Election Commission of India—with a fixed tenure for commissioners, independent funding, and statutory powers to criminalise exam tampering.
OwnerMinistry of Education, Union Cabinet Secretary
Restore and strengthen DOJ Antitrust Division media merger review capacity
After the 2028 election, rebuild the DOJ Antitrust Division's Media & Entertainment Task Force with dedicated career prosecutors and a presumption of review for horizontal mergers in concentrated media markets. Include a public reporting mandate on recusal motions and merger clearances to prevent future enforcement vacuums that incentivize procedural abuse.
OwnerDOJ Antitrust Division (under new Administration, as part of Agency Transition Planning led by American Economic Liberties Project)
Reissue USDA conservation program guidance to restore CRP and NRCS authority
Under a new Democratic administration, rescind USDA guidance that limits CRP enrollment and NRCS wetland enforcement, and issue new rules that prioritize conservation on marginal lands and end regulatory carve-outs.
OwnerUSDA Secretary (nominee from incoming Democratic administration)
Direct Council of Economic Advisers to commission study on regressive cost of tariff decoupling on low-income households
A formal study quantifying consumer price effects and job displacement from blanket tariffs on essential Chinese goods, to serve as evidence base for future legislative and regulatory reform (e.g., microeconomic modeling of de minimis closure impact on medicine prices).
OwnerCouncil of Economic Advisers (via incoming administration)
Launch a Department of Commerce rulemaking to condition USMCA tariff-free status on verified labor and environmental standards across the entire supply chain
A BIS rulemaking at Commerce would require each node of a USMCA-eligible supply chain to provide third-party verified labor rights and environmental compliance documentation, not just final-assembly paperwork. This closes the Chinese input circumvention gap without tearing up the trade deal—strengthening enforcement at the source.
OwnerBureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce
Issue agency guidance requiring environmental review of boundaries cut
A future Democratic president directs DOI to reinterpret the Antiquities Act to require a full NEPA analysis and tribal consultation process before any monument boundary reduction or rescission, and to reissue the original proclamations for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante.
Restore OSHA heat enforcement and mandate a permanent wildland firefighter respiratory standard
A Democratic administration should direct OSHA to immediately reinstate heat safety inspection goals, rehire fired heat experts, and issue a final rule requiring mandatory, fit-tested respiratory protection for wildland firefighters when the Air Quality Index exceeds 100 for PM2.5, with a compliance deadline aligned with the next fire season.
Require CPS and police response protocols that de-escalate and protect families during false-report investigations
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice issue joint guidance to state CPS agencies and law enforcement that during investigation of anonymous reports at the home of a public figure or a household likely targeted for bias, children must remain with a parent unless there is a warrant or imminent danger. This reduces trauma while preserving the system's integrity.
OwnerSecretary of Health and Human Services and Attorney General
Pressure DOL and IRS to Issue Joint Policy Memo Prioritizing Employer-Side Payroll Tax Enforcement
Issue an administrative policy directive that requires every criminal referral for an off-the-books payroll scheme to include a parallel investigation of the employers benefiting from the scheme, with measurable targets for employer prosecutions. This can be done under current law by the administration without new legislation.
OwnerSecretary of Labor and Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service
Rescind FCC Section 230 reinterpretation rule and net neutrality repeal
New FCC chair reissues net neutrality rules under Title II and withdraws the reinterpretation of Section 230 that empowers content-moderation penalties. Reverses Carr's implemented agenda.
OwnerFCC Chair (newly appointed by Democratic president)
Issue a new DOL notice of proposed rulemaking on overtime salary threshold with fortified administrative record
Upon a change in administration, the Department of Labor should re-issue the overtime rule with a more exhaustive regulatory impact analysis, a formal reliance interest assessment for workers, and a severability clause so that a single district court cannot strike the entire rule. This ensures the rule is more resilient against the same litigation strategy.
Issue an Executive Order on Trade Policy Principles and Monetary Integrity
Rescind any executive orders that adopt the Project 2025 Trade chapter's deregulatory monetary framework, and direct USTR and Treasury to prioritize enforceable labor standards and supply-chain traceability in all trade agreements—ending the bait-and-switch of tariff-only trade policy.
OwnerPresident (next administration) via USTR and Treasury Secretary
Issue executive order to expand EXIM small-business outreach and anti-scrutiny waivers
After a Democratic administration takes office, the President should issue an executive order directing the EXIM chairman to expand small-business outreach programs and authorize blanket waivers of the 'adverse effect' review for small-business transactions under $1 million, shielding the Bank's small-business work from political interference until codified by statute.
Issue DOJ Civil Rights Division guidance and enforcement priorities under a new Attorney General to maximize remaining Section 2 protections
In January 2029, a new Democratic Attorney General will issue formal guidance reaffirming the Justice Department's commitment to vigorous enforcement of Section 2 of the VRA in redistricting cases, and will prioritize litigation against states that reduce majority-minority districts in response to the Supreme Court's ruling.
OwnerU.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Attorney General nominee
Expand federal funding for multilingual voter outreach and citizenship education to preempt anti-noncitizen voter suppression narratives
Through both agency action (via an Executive Order) and a competitive grant program administered by the Election Assistance Commission, invest in targeted educational campaigns that clarify that noncitizen voting is illegal, but also that eligible voters—including naturalized citizens—must not be wrongly removed from rolls. Funding should go to states and community organizations in the targeted jurisdictions to counter the chilling effect and rebuild trust.
OwnerJoint initiative of EAC and DOJ Civil Rights Division under new administration (post-January 2029)
Expand Export Controls and Tech Transfer Restrictions on AI Systems to Southeast Asia
Commerce Department rulemaking to require licenses for advanced AI hardware and software exports to any nation that adopts Chinese AI standards, protecting U.S. market leverage and preventing technology diversion.
OwnerU.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security
Reopen Refugee Admissions Processing at U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo
Restart in-person refugee interviews at the embassy in the Dominican Republic to provide a lawful pathway for Haitians and Dominicans fleeing persecution, directly undercutting the smuggling business model that produces maritime interdictions.
OwnerSecretary of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Amend the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) scope of work contracts to require public disclosure of prepayment analytic rejection rates, by MAC region, on a quarterly basis
A major gap identified by the Kimble case is that prepayment analytics are opaque to the public. HHS and CMS can, through contracting authority—not legislation—require each MAC to publish region-level prepayment audit data. This would take effect immediately on contract renewal and create transparency that deters fraud while holding MACs accountable.
Restore EAS funding and mandate aviation equity review via DOT secretarial order
A new Democratic DOT Secretary immediately rescinds any Project 2025-era guidance or rulemaking that reduced EAS funding or eligibility, and issues a secretarial order directing the FAA to prioritize small-community and rural connectivity in all future funding and regulatory decisions.
OwnerSecretary of Transportation (Democrat-appointed)
Issue DOJ guidance to states on Section 2 compliance in light of the Alabama ruling
The Attorney General can issue formal guidance clarifying that the Court's ruling does not permit states to adopt maps that intentionally dilute minority voting strength, and that the Voting Rights Act remains enforceable against discriminatory partisan gerrymanders.
OwnerU.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
Issue DOJ guidance and executive order on non-discriminatory redistricting under the VRA
A new president should direct the Department of Justice to issue guidance that Section 2's effects test remains enforceable via intentional discrimination claims, and establish a federal standard for preclearance-like review to compensate for the Court's narrowing of the statute.
OwnerU.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
Rescind Executive Order 14010 (sec. 3) and direct ICE to prioritize community-based alternatives
A new administration should immediately rescind or rewrite Executive Order 14010's detention provisions and issue a DHS directive requiring ICE to use the least restrictive setting for all civil immigration detainees, with a presumption of release for families and asylum seekers. This executive-only reversal ends the choice to detain unnecessarily.
Establish DOJ Reproductive Justice Task Force to investigate and enforce civil rights violations in abortion ban states
Post-inauguration (next administration), a task force can open investigations into whether state abortion bans constitute sex and race discrimination under the Civil Rights Act, targeting enforcement in states with the worst maternal mortality outcomes for Black women. Creates immediate legal pressure without waiting for legislation.
OwnerDepartment of Justice (Civil Rights Division / Office of Inspector General, under a Democratic administration)
Restore and strengthen the CFPB digital payment rule via new rulemaking
Direct the next CFPB director to reissue a stronger version of the rescinded May 2025 rule, explicitly covering crypto wallets and stablecoins, with mandatory anti-fraud controls — responding to the $3.5 billion in imposter scam losses documented by the FTC.
OwnerConsumer Financial Protection Bureau (under a new director appointed by a Democratic president)
DOL Rulemaking: Anti-Outsourcing Concentration in H-1B Program
Issue a Department of Labor rule imposing binding per-employer caps and a wage-premium requirement on any employer with more than 5% of all H-1B grants, deflating outsourcing-firm dominance and raising wages for domestic workers.
Reissue by regulation clear program integrity rules for in-home supportive services (IHSS)
Direct CMS to undertake formal rulemaking to define federally verifiable fraud indicators specific to IHSS programs that pay family caregivers, replacing the opaque 'suspected fraud' standard with bright-line criteria and a mandatory 60-day notice period before any payment suspension — so future administrations cannot weaponize vague fraud allegations.
Phase Out Traffic Stops as Immigration Enforcement Tactic Through Agency Regulations
Issue a DHS regulation prohibiting immigration enforcement through routine traffic stops absent an active felony warrant or credible imminent threat, replacing them with non-lethal, targeted compliance methods and transforming the enforcement culture from armed patrol to desk-based casework.
OwnerDepartment of Homeland Security Office of Policy
BLM must re-establish the integrated law enforcement chain of command permanently via agency regulation
The Pendley order was suspended, but without a formal regulation, a future political appointee could restore the fragmented chain. A rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act would lock in the current, accountability-preserving structure.
Amend the DOJ's internal regulations to require independent counsel review of all politically sensitive cases, enforceable by the Inspector General
Using executive authority under a future administration, strengthen DOJ rules to force a special counsel appointment whenever the AG has a personal or political conflict, closing the loophole that allowed Blanche to oversee Trump-related matters.
Issue final rule restoring the USAGM editorial firewall under the Administrative Procedure Act
A new administration can repeal the 2020 revocation and reestablish the regulatory firewall through standard notice-and-comment rulemaking, restoring trust without waiting for legislation.
State Department issue a declaratory policy against unofficial delegations to adversary economic forums
Secretary of State Marco Rubio should codify a regulation requiring any U.S. official or former official traveling to a comprehensive adversary's economic forum (e.g., SPIEF, Davos in China) to obtain prior written clearance. This closes the gray zone exploited by Cook and deters future propaganda coups.
OwnerU.S. Department of State (Office of the Legal Adviser)
Restore and expand the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights enforcement budget and issue a rule prohibiting the use of portable micro-savings accounts for federal K-12 funds
The next Democratic president should reverse any efforts to shrink OCR, triple its staffing, and issue a Department of Education regulation (or, if ED is under threat, a cross-departmental rule with HHS and DOJ) that any federal education cash that goes to families must be deposited in state-governed public trust accounts that can only be spent at public schools, blocking the Project 2025 voucher plan.
OwnerU.S. Department of Education (Secretary appointed by next Democratic president)
Demand for independent international investigation under the UN Human Rights Council
The Biden-aligned or Democratic-led State Department and UN mission co-sponsor a resolution calling for a UN-mandated independent investigation into the Minab strike, with the goal of establishing a public record and deterring future violations of international humanitarian law.
OwnerU.S. Mission to the United Nations (under a Democratic administration)
Advance a bilateral trust fund for Colombia peace and environmental protection via allied donor coalition
To mitigate reduced U.S. bilateral aid capacity, the State Department should work through the U.S. Mission to the Organization of American States to propose a multilateral trust fund—with Canada, EU, UK, and key Latin American partners—that sustains coca substitution, rural development, and Amazon protection in Colombia independently of U.S. budget cycles.
OwnerU.S. Mission to the Organization of American States
Finalize OSHA heat-illness prevention rule for water, rest, shade at a specific heat-index threshold
Complete the rulemaking that began in 2024, moving from proposed to final rule, so that employers are legally required to provide mandatory cool-down breaks, hydration, and shade once the heat index reaches a scientifically determined trigger point—closing the gap that has left millions of workers without a clear, enforceable standard.
Establish federal waste-heat capture and grid-emergency throttling requirements for large data centers via EPA Clean Air Act §111 performance standards
Without a rule under existing Clean Air Act authority, the absence of any federal requirement means data centers can dump waste heat onto surrounding communities, especially low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, and refuse to throttle during heat waves — worsening the urban heat island effect and grid strain. A performance standard would set minimum efficiency and demand-response obligations for new and modified data centers.
Finalize OSHA Heat Injury Prevention Rule as Binding Standard (29 CFR 1910, 1926)
Publish a final permanent heat standard requiring employers to provide rest breaks, shade, and water at a specified heat index trigger (e.g., 80°F) and to implement acclimatization plans, ending reliance on the non-binding Heat National Emphasis Program and closing the gap exposed by France's June 2026 heat wave.
OwnerAssistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA)
Direct CMS to issue emergency flexibility waivers for nurse delegation and telehealth supervision in home health
As the caregiver population shrinks, the next Trump administration may not reverse course. CMS can immediately issue waivers (under 1135 or 1915(c) authority) allowing licensed practical nurses to delegate more tasks to family caregivers, and permitting remote supervision of home health aides. This is an administrative lever available now that reduces the impact of each lost worker without requiring legislation.
OwnerCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator (appointed by new president)
DOL rulemaking to restore EEOC consent decree authority
If a future administration inherits a DOL policy or statute that restricts EEOC consent decrees, the DOL can issue a rulemaking clarifying that consent decrees requiring employer actions beyond statutory minimums are permissible and encouraged as a tool for systemic relief.
OwnerU.S. Department of Labor (Office of the Solicitor)
Reissue EPA community right-to-know rule on pesticide drift and exposure
After 2029, the new EPA Administrator would issue a rule requiring real-time public notification and cumulative exposure monitoring for glyphosate and other high-volume pesticides, closing the gap left by the current farm bill's silence. This restores a stronger, more protective version of the withdrawn 2021 transparency proposal.
Finalize OSHA Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Standard
With record heat waves now a yearly occurrence and Europe demonstrating the life-saving value of government heat action protocols, finalizing the long-stalled OSHA rule (Docket OSHA-H005C-2006-0959) must be an immediate public-health priority. The rule, proposed in August 2024, has fully exhausted its comment period and is unduly delayed; finalizing it now would cover >50 million outdoor and indoor workers with enforceable rest, shade, and hydration requirements.
OwnerDepartment of Labor / OSHA (acting through a new DOL secretary under a post-2028 administration)
EPA to propose or finalize a rule requiring any new major source or major modification under the PSD program to offset lifecycle GHG emissions by purchasing verified carbon credits or retiring equivalent allowances, with an accelerated compliance timeline for data-center-serving generation
The gas-turbine buildout for AI represents a massive increase in stationary-source GHGs that the existing PSD program may not adequately address. A rule requiring 110% offset would force hyperscalers to internalize the climate cost, slowing the gas lock-in and accelerating investment in renewables and energy storage as the primary source for data-center load growth.
OwnerEPA Office of Air and Radiation (via a new Democratic administration)
FDA Issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Amend 21 CFR Part 133 and 1240.61 Regarding Raw Cheese Aging Safety Standards
Given that a legislative fix requires a trifecta, the FDA should immediately exercise its existing rulemaking authority to propose amending the standards of identity for raw-milk cheese to require a validated pathogen-reduction step (e.g., time-temperature equivalent) for all cheese produced under part 133, and clarify that the 1240.61 exemption does not apply unless alternative procedures demonstrably reduce STEC risk. This rulemaking would close the regulatory gap without waiting for Congress.
OwnerFDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Rescind Hegseth's transgender military ban via executive order
On the first day of a new presidential administration, the incoming president should issue an executive order reversing Hegseth's ban and directing the Pentagon to reinstate and retain all transgender service members, with back pay and full benefits. This immediately restores the status quo ante and protects thousands of troops.
Issue binding federal school vaccination rule under CDC and CMS authority
A new rule requiring all states receiving federal Title I or Medicaid school-based health funding to adopt the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) schedule and enforce vaccination exemptions only for documented medical contraindications, preempting the current state-by-state exemption erosion that drove herd immunity below threshold.
Issue executive order to reverse FCC's national-security overreach and refocus Covered List
Direct the FCC to rescind or narrow rules that allow it to block any carrier's interconnection with 'insecure' providers, requiring case-specific evidence of national-security risk rather than blanket prohibition, and to limit the Covered List to clear, adversarial-threat actors rather than legitimate competitors.
Direct FERC to conduct a formal inquiry on climate-resilient grid planning for RTOs
A FERC policy statement or technical conference order requiring each RTO to submit a report on how its current reliability metrics and resource adequacy constructs account for probabilities of extreme weather (heat waves, polar vortex days in a warming world) and the declining availability of fossil plants during those events—as a predicate for any market or reliability changes.
Mandate arbitration transparency for retail investors in SEC filings
Require the SEC to issue a rule under Exchange Act Section 19(c) compelling issuers to disclose the scope and cost of mandatory arbitration clauses in IPO prospectuses, so investors understand the rights they waive. This addresses the nondisclosure of forced arbitration in the SpaceX IPO.
EEOC guidance clarifying that de minimis accommodation offers — such as allowing a note in a locker or postgame comment — satisfy religious accommodation under Title VII, making a uniform-dress-code warning non-discriminatory
Prevent state AGs from using EEOC referrals as predicate for their own investigations by issuing clear federal guidance that an employer's non-disciplinary warning does not trigger a religious-accommodation violation if reasonable alternative accommodations exist.
OwnerEqual Employment Opportunity Commission (under new administration)
Rescind USCIS Fee Barriers on Asylum Applications and Rebuild TPS Designation Process by Executive Action
A new administration must issue Day 1 executive orders restoring fee waiver access for asylum seekers and re-designating lapsed TPS countries, reversing the enforcement-only restructuring of USCIS that the entry documents and reestablishing the United States as a credible humanitarian actor to allies and partners.
OwnerIncoming DHS Secretary and White House Domestic Policy Council, with implementation by USCIS Director
Nominate new Kennedy Center board members to restore nonpartisan balance
The current board remains skewed toward presidential appointees hostile to the center’s mission. In a new administration, the president should quickly nominate arts professionals, bipartisan appointees, and ex officio members from Congress and the Smithsonian to dilute the Trump-era majority and restore the board’s original commitment to nonpartisan cultural stewardship.
OwnerPresident of the United States (via the White House Office of Presidential Personnel)
Direct FCC to reissue net neutrality rules and strengthen public interest obligations
Under a new Democratic administration, the FCC chair reverses the Project 2025 deregulatory agenda by reclassifying broadband under Title II and reinstating merger review, license renewal public input, and ownership limits.
OwnerFCC Chair (appointed by incoming Democratic president)
Reverse DOE clean-energy program dismantlement via executive order
On taking office, the next president should issue an executive order explicitly restoring LPO's clean-energy mission, reextending cancelled OCED awards where administratively feasible, and affirming the integrity of ARPA-E and FEMP's statutory authorities.
OwnerNew Administration Transition Team (Office of the President-Elect)
Immediately revoke any ICE memos or agency guidance that expedite or prioritize for-profit detention contracts (e.g., the Leverington detention facility 120-day authority extension under 8 U.S.C. 1231) and replace with a public-interest contracting standard that bars awarding new contracts to for-profit operators with documented human rights violations.
OwnerDHS Secretary (nominee, under next administration)
Appoint special counsel to investigate Louisiana redistricting process for racial discrimination
Have the U.S. Attorney General appoint a special counsel under 52 U.S.C. § 10308(d) to investigate whether the post-Callais map was enacted with discriminatory intent, laying groundwork for a Section 3(c) bail-in or criminal civil rights charges.
Rescind Schedule F executive order, reinstate Biden-era merit-system protections, and restore MSPB, OSC, and FLRA independent-agency status by executive action on Day One of new administration
The single highest-leverage executive action the next administration can take is rescinding Schedule F and restoring the appeals infrastructure—MSPB, OSC, FLRA—that Project 2025 proposes to consolidate or eliminate. Every downstream statutory fix depends on a career civil service that has survived the loyalty-purge period intact enough to implement new law.
OwnerIncoming President's Chief of Staff and OPM Director, coordinating with the incoming White House Counsel