The "Responsible Legislating Act" introduces comprehensive reforms aimed at enhancing retirement savings and security for American workers. It mandates automatic enrollment for most 401(k) and 403(b) plans, with initial contribution rates between 3-10% that automatically increase annually. The bill provides tax credits for small employers, including an increased startup cost credit and a new credit designed to encourage immediate retirement plan eligibility for military spouses. A significant provision allows employers to make matching contributions based on employees' qualified student loan payments, helping individuals save for retirement while managing educational debt.

Further retirement enhancements include raising the required minimum distribution (RMD) age to a tiered system starting at 73 and indexing IRA catch-up limits for inflation. The legislation facilitates the use of multiple employer 403(b) plans and permits small financial incentives to encourage plan participation. It also establishes a safe harbor for correcting inadvertent administrative errors in automatic enrollment and reduces the service requirement for part-time employees to participate in retirement plans. Additionally, the bill clarifies rules for S corporation ESOPs, certain publicly traded securities in ESOPs, and removes barriers for life annuities in RMD calculations.

The act also addresses federal employee benefits, particularly for those in "covered positions" such as law enforcement and firefighters. It allows injured or ill employees who are reappointed to non-covered positions within the same agency to have their service treated as if they remained in their original covered role for retirement purposes, aiming to retain specialized knowledge. Separately, the bill requires the Department of Labor to establish an online "Retirement Savings Lost and Found" database to help individuals locate lost retirement benefits.

Other significant measures include strengthening whistleblower protections for House employees by prohibiting the public disclosure of their identity without consent or a supermajority committee vote. It also increases penalties for human trafficking and coercion offenses committed in school zones or near institutions of higher education. The bill establishes an eight-member Commission to study the feasibility and fundraising for a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture, explicitly prohibiting federal funding for its operations.

The legislation directs the Federal Maritime Commission to conduct a study on the impact of foreign ownership of marine terminals at major U.S. container ports on economic security, with a specific focus on Chinese and Russian entities. It also extends NASA's enhanced use leasing authority and requires SelectUSA to solicit input from state economic development organizations on increasing foreign direct investment in semiconductor manufacturing. Finally, the act includes various technical amendments to existing retirement laws, revises federal credit union board meeting frequency based on performance, and appropriates specific amounts for several federal programs.