Legislation

The Restoring Rural Health Act aims to support critical access hospitals facing compliance issues. This legislation specifically addresses facilities that were designated as critical access hospitals as of January 1, 2024, but subsequently receive notice of noncompliance with the distance requirement. It amends the Social Security Act to ensure these specific rural hospitals maintain their status despite the notification.

The Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act seeks to update how Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are calculated. It mandates using the index that results in a higher adjustment: either the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers or a newly established Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers. This change aims to provide a more accurate reflection of seniors' actual cost of living in benefit calculations starting after September 2026.

The No Big Blockbuster Bailouts Act amends the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to adjust the treatment of certain orphan drugs. Specifically, it raises the negotiation threshold for drugs exclusively treating rare diseases from \$200 million to \$400 million. These changes will apply to initial price applicability years beginning on or after January 1, 2028.

The Natural Gas Export Expansion Act aims to boost domestic natural gas development, job creation, and economic growth by streamlining the approval process for natural gas exports. This bill modifies existing law to generally allow exports to any nation not already excluded. Expedited approval is provided unless a nation is subject to U.S. sanctions or specifically excluded by the President or Congress for national security reasons.

This resolution officially designates the week of October 19 through 25, 2025, as "National Chemistry Week." The measure recognizes the vital role of chemistry in daily life and supports efforts to promote science education. It specifically aims to encourage young people, including underrepresented groups, to pursue STEM careers.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to release the United States' reversionary interest in specific state forest land in Millston, Wisconsin. This release is conditional upon the State of Wisconsin exchanging this federal-interest land for privately-owned land from Deli, Inc. The private land will then be added to the Black River State Forest.

This resolution designates October 30, 2025, as a national day of remembrance to honor the hundreds of thousands of individuals who contributed to the United States nuclear weapons program since World War II. It specifically recognizes the service and sacrifices of workers like uranium miners, plutonium processors, and atmospheric test participants. The day serves to acknowledge those who developed serious illnesses as a result of their patriotic service to the nation's defense.

This Senate Resolution officially designates October 26, 2025, as the "Day of the Deployed." The resolution honors the service and sacrifice of all deployed members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families, particularly those serving since September 11, 2001. It calls upon the nation to observe this day with appropriate reflection and ceremonies.

This bill amends the Act of June 22, 1948, specifically concerning property appraisals. It mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture determine property value based on the **highest fair appraised value**, incorporating historical appraisal data. This change updates the previous standard for property valuation.

The Flatside Wilderness Additions Act expands the existing Flatside Wilderness area in the Ouachita National Forest by approximately 2,212 acres. This legislation officially renames the designated area as the Flatside-Bethune Wilderness. The Act ensures that existing authorities for managing fire, insects, and disease within the wilderness remain intact.

The Support Our Farmers and Ranchers Act of 2025 authorizes a one-time payment of \$20 billion to eligible agricultural producers. These funds are intended to help cover losses in revenue, quality, or production affecting covered commodities, specialty crops, livestock, or poultry. Payments will be sourced from qualifying tariff proceeds deposited into the Treasury. The Secretary of Agriculture is tasked with distributing these payments within 90 days of the Act becoming law.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to release the United States' reversionary interest and convey all mineral interests in a specific parcel of State forest land in Chester County, Tennessee. This action is intended to resolve an encroachment issue involving Bethel Baptist Church. The release and conveyance will occur without payment or standard appraisal or environmental reviews, provided the State covers administrative costs.

The Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act mandates that Members of Congress will not receive pay for any day a government shutdown is in effect. This pay reduction will be calculated based on the number of shutdown days within a pay period. For shutdowns occurring before November 2026, the withheld pay will be held in escrow until that date to comply with constitutional requirements.

The Military and Federal Employee Protection Act ensures that federal employees, military members, and covered contractors receive their full standard compensation for work performed or time furloughed during a lapse in government appropriations occurring after September 30, 2025. This bill appropriates necessary funds for agencies to make these retroactive payments. Payments must be made promptly, generally within seven days of enactment for furloughed individuals. This legislation guarantees that no covered individual loses pay due to a government shutdown during the specified period.

This Act prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from exchanging Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) held by the Chinese Communist Party. It further mandates the Treasury Secretary to urge other IMF member countries to adopt similar prohibitions and to oppose any future SDR allocations to the CCP. The President retains the authority to waive these restrictions if deemed in the U.S. national interest.

This resolution expresses support for recognizing the 1984 Sikh Genocide, acknowledging the systemic violence, trauma, and destruction inflicted upon the Sikh community. It calls for accountability for the perpetrators, including government officials and state institutions involved in the attacks. Furthermore, the bill establishes a U.S. policy to officially recognize this event and rejects any association with its denial.

This resolution officially recognizes the significant and systemic pay disparities faced by disabled women compared to both disabled and non-disabled men. It highlights stark statistics showing disabled women earn substantially less across various racial and ethnic groups. While not enacting new law, the resolution reaffirms Congress's commitment to addressing the underlying barriers that perpetuate this unfair wage gap.

The IDEA Act of 2025 establishes a new grant program to boost entrepreneurship opportunities for minority-owned businesses (MBEs). This program will award \$1 million annually for five years to approved "business accelerator entities." These entities must use the funds to provide capital, networking, and direct assistance to established MBEs within specific high-performing regions. The bill includes strict accountability measures and penalties for the misuse of federal funds.

The Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Act of 2025 establishes a three-year pilot program to provide a monthly, unconditional cash payment to 10,000 eligible individuals, set at the local fair market rent for a two-bedroom home. This initiative aims to study the effects of guaranteed income on financial stability, health, and overall well-being, noting that payments will not affect eligibility for other federal assistance programs. The Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with the IRS and an external research organization, will manage the program and report findings to Congress within specified timelines. Congress has authorized \$495 million annually from Fiscal Year 2026 through 2030 to fund this study.

The Clean Water Affordability Act revises how states utilize their Water Pollution Control Revolving Loan Funds to ensure ratepayers maintain access to wastewater treatment services. It establishes new, flexible formulas for states to determine the maximum amount they can dedicate to providing extra financial assistance beyond standard low-interest loans. Furthermore, the bill mandates that states must dedicate a minimum percentage of their federal capitalization grants toward this subsidization if sufficient eligible applications exist.