Legislation

The FACTS Act addresses synthetic opioid misuse among secondary school students through several key strategies: establishing a pilot grant program for educational agencies and health organizations, creating an interagency task force to develop a national prevention strategy, amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to enhance school-based prevention efforts, expanding data collection on drug access in schools, and increasing access to overdose reversal medications while improving data collection on youth drug use.

The Stand with Israel Act amends the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 to prohibit U.S. funds from going to the United Nations or any of its entities that discriminate against Israel. Discrimination includes actions such as expelling or suspending Israel's membership or restricting its participation in a way that is not on par with other member states. The Act ensures that no funds from the Department of State or any other federal agency can be used for contributions that violate this prohibition.

The "Common Cents Act" would halt the minting of one-cent coins for general circulation, while still allowing them for numismatic collections. This bill would also require cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest five-cent increment, but excluding transactions made via checks, electronic transfers, or credit cards. All U.S. coins and currencies, including one-cent coins, will remain legal tender for all debts, taxes, and dues.

This resolution expresses the Senate's support for designating May 2025 as "Fallen Heroes Memorial Month" to honor the more than 1.3 million members of the Armed Forces who have died for liberty. It acknowledges the debt owed to these veterans and encourages Americans to remember their contributions. The resolution also requests the President to declare May 2025 as Fallen Heroes Memorial Month, and encourages volunteer work and support for veteran organizations.

The Help Hoover Dam Act allows the Secretary of the Interior to use specific funds for activities related to the Hoover Dam, including maintenance, cleanup, and improvements. These funds are recovered on a non-reimbursable basis and can be used for the Boulder Canyon Project at Hoover Dam or associated lands. The Secretary must consult with Boulder Canyon Project contractors, as defined in the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2011, regarding these activities.

The Fairness to Freedom Act of 2025 aims to guarantee legal representation for individuals facing immigration proceedings who cannot afford it, ensuring their rights are protected. It establishes the Office of Immigration Representation to provide these legal services and sets up a structure for local boards and various types of legal defenders to support this mission nationwide. The act also authorizes appropriations from the Treasury to the Office of Immigration Representation as needed to implement the Act. This includes setting up and running the Office, and providing ongoing education and training for legal counsel.

The PREVAIL Act aims to strengthen U.S. patent rights by reforming the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) procedures, modifying inter partes review (IPR) and post-grant review (PGR) processes, and ensuring the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) retains its collected fees. It seeks to protect patent holders from repetitive challenges, clarify standards for patent reviews, and promote innovation. The Act also supports small businesses and higher education institutions in navigating the patent system.

This resolution recognizes May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the significant contributions of these communities to the history and culture of the United States. It acknowledges key historical milestones and achievements, while also addressing past discrimination and ongoing challenges faced by these communities. The resolution aims to honor the diverse heritage and resilience of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, highlighting their importance in enriching and strengthening the nation.

This bill amends the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act to authorize the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Director of the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations, and heads of other federal agencies to provide grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations. It authorizes $35,000,000 to be appropriated to carry out this section for fiscal years 2025 through 2029.

The "Noncontiguous Energy Relief and Access Act of 2025" exempts the transportation of energy products between the contiguous United States and noncontiguous areas like Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and Puerto Rico from certain shipping regulations. This exemption applies to equipment and energy sources, including liquefied natural gas and petroleum products, used for electricity generation, storage, transmission, and distribution. The bill aims to reduce energy costs and improve access to energy in these noncontiguous areas.

The Insurance Data Protection Act aims to protect the confidentiality of insurance companies' data by limiting the subpoena power of the Office of Financial Research and ensuring that financial regulators coordinate with other agencies before collecting data from insurance companies. It facilitates the sharing of non-public information among federal and state agencies and insurance regulators while maintaining confidentiality and legal privileges. The act also clarifies that existing agency disclosure requirements apply to data submitted to financial regulators.

The SERVE Act aims to bolster military recruitment by improving access to potential applicants in high schools and colleges, including enhanced recruiter access and ROTC program visibility. It establishes affiliation types for Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) programs and a pilot program to recognize military-friendly high schools. The Act also prioritizes military service academy applications from high schools with above-average military enlistment rates and designates a "National Week of Military Recruitment" to promote military service. Finally, the Act mandates several reports to Congress on the implementation and effectiveness of these initiatives.

The "Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2025" establishes a grant program through the National Science Foundation (NSF) to increase the participation of women, underrepresented minorities, and people with disabilities in STEM fields. These grants will fund various activities, including workshops, mentoring, internships, and outreach programs, to boost recruitment and retention in STEM. The bill allocates \$15,000,000 annually from 2026 to 2030 to support this initiative. It also defines key terms such as "minority" and "underrepresented in science and engineering".

The RACE Act of 2025 amends the Securities Act of 1933 to allow the automatic qualification of offering statements for new securities, provided the issuer has a similar class of securities already qualified, the new securities are substantially similar, and the offering amount for each class is less than $5,000,000. This aims to streamline the process for capital raising by reducing regulatory hurdles for securities offerings.

The "District of Columbia Federal Immigration Compliance Act" prohibits the District of Columbia from enacting or enforcing any law, policy, or practice that restricts its government entities or officials from sharing immigration status information with other government entities or complying with lawful detainer requests from the Department of Homeland Security. This bill stipulates that the District of Columbia would be in violation of the act if officials share information or comply with detainer requests of individuals reporting a crime as a victim or witness.

The "State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act" amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, mandating that electric utilities incorporate measures into their integrated resource planning to guarantee reliable electricity for a 10-year period. This includes maintaining or securing power from "reliable generation facilities" capable of continuous operation and essential grid services. State regulatory bodies and nonregulated utilities must consider and determine these new reliability standards within two years of the Act's enactment, with exemptions for states that have recently addressed similar standards.

The Depot Investment Reform Act amends the calculation period for minimum capital investments at certain Department of Defense depots. Instead of using the preceding three fiscal years, the calculation will now include the preceding, current, and estimated following fiscal years. This change aims to provide a more accurate and responsive investment strategy for these critical facilities.

The "Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Act of 2025" extends key biofuel tax incentives through 2026, promoting the production and use of biodiesel, renewable diesel, and second-generation biofuels. This extension aims to support the biofuel industry by continuing tax credits for biodiesel and renewable diesel mixtures, as well as alcohol fuel. The act also ensures that no double benefits are claimed for fuel receiving credit under other sections of the law. These amendments are effective for fuel sold or used after December 31, 2024, and for qualified second-generation biofuel production occurring after the same date.

The "Protect our Public Health Workforce Act" allows for the reinstatement of CDC employees who were involuntarily terminated without cause between January 20, 2025, and the enactment date of this act, with backpay. It also mandates the CDC Director to report to specific congressional committees every three months on employee dismissals, including job details and reasons for dismissal, until January 20, 2029.

The "Repeatedly Flooded Communities Preparation Act" aims to increase community accountability for addressing repetitive flooding. It requires communities with a high number of repetitive loss properties to develop and implement mitigation plans, and make them public. FEMA is directed to assist communities in this process and can sanction those that fail to comply, and must report to Congress on the progress of these communities.