Legislation

This bill aims to significantly restructure and strengthen the Department of State's organization and operational capacity. It establishes new high-level support roles, defines the responsibilities of the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, and creates specialized bureaus to enhance policy, intelligence, and congressional coordination. Furthermore, the legislation imposes new transparency requirements, including a "Red Team Capability" and detailed reporting on unfunded priorities to Congress.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish a program supporting the defense biotechnology supply chain. The program aims to strengthen military readiness by developing and scaling up promising bio-based materials, fuels, and chemicals from military research. It focuses on reducing reliance on vulnerable foreign supply lines through applied research, prototyping, and public-private partnerships. The authority to run this program will automatically expire ten years after enactment unless extended by the President.

This bill mandates that the Department of Defense conduct biennial assessments of nutrition standards across all military departments to ensure they align with available food options. It also requires the development and public release of a comprehensive plan to increase access to nutritious food on military installations. The goal is to improve the health and readiness of service members by enhancing the quality and availability of on-base food choices.

The Protect Our Farmers and Families Act of 2025 immediately bans the pesticide diquat by declaring it an unreasonable environmental hazard. This action requires the EPA to cancel all existing registrations and revoke any food residue tolerances for the chemical. Consequently, the sale and future registration of diquat products are permanently prohibited.

The Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act aims to improve public access to ocean data by requiring the standardization and publication of geospatial information regarding fishing restrictions and recreational vessel use in the Exclusive Economic Zone. This legislation mandates the creation of a public, easily accessible online database detailing these ocean use rules and protected areas. The Act emphasizes coordination with state, Tribal, and non-federal partners while explicitly protecting existing agency authority and Tribal rights.

The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2025 significantly updates federal efforts to combat harmful algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia across all U.S. waters, including freshwater systems. The bill expands the scope of the interagency Task Force, mandates the creation of a five-year national Action Strategy for HABs, and enhances monitoring and forecasting capabilities. It also clarifies agency roles, assigning EPA new duties for freshwater blooms while tasking NOAA with marine and Great Lakes response, and establishes a new incubator program for control technologies.

The Affordable HOMES Act repeals the government's authority to establish energy efficiency standards specifically for manufactured housing. This action nullifies the Department of Energy's final rule from May 31, 2022, concerning energy conservation standards for manufactured homes. The bill aims to remove these federal mandates on manufactured housing efficiency.

The Cable Access for Broadband and Local Economic Leadership Act, or CABLE Leadership Act, establishes a strict 120-day deadline for local franchising authorities to approve or deny new broadband franchise requests. If an authority fails to act within this timeframe, the request is automatically granted the following day. This legislation also mandates that any denial must be supported by substantial written evidence and made public immediately.

The Advancing Toward Impact Aid Full Funding Act establishes a new, increasing schedule of authorized appropriations for key Impact Aid programs through fiscal year 2031. This legislation specifically sets funding levels for federal property acquisition, basic payments to heavily impacted school districts, payments for children with disabilities, and construction activities. The goal is to gradually increase federal support for these essential educational services.

This bill expands an existing Department of Defense program focused on overcoming supply chain challenges in contested environments. It specifically mandates the inclusion of commercial additive manufacturing (3D printing) facilities in demonstration and prototyping efforts. Furthermore, the legislation extends the deadline for this program's activities until December 31, 2030.

The Personnel Oversight and Shift Tracking Act of 2025 (POST Act) mandates significant improvements to how federal agencies monitor contract security guards protecting federal buildings. This legislation requires standardized covert testing, mandatory retraining after failures, and modernization of personnel shift tracking systems. The goal is to enhance accountability, improve guard performance, and ensure transparent communication regarding security staffing levels to building tenants.

The No Social Media at School Act requires social media companies to use geofencing technology to block access to their platforms on K-12 school grounds during school hours. This enforcement mechanism is overseen by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), with State Attorneys General also empowered to file civil lawsuits. The law specifically exempts emergency public safety messages and does not mandate new age verification measures for companies.

This resolution supports the designation of a week in September 2025 as "Malnutrition Awareness Week" to highlight the widespread and costly problem of malnutrition in the U.S. It recognizes that this issue disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including communities of color, children, and older adults. The bill encourages increased support for federal nutrition programs and better integration of nutrition therapy to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

The Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive national program within NOAA to enhance fire weather forecasting, data management, and emergency response capabilities. This legislation creates new services, including a dedicated Incident Meteorologist Service, and mandates the development of advanced fire weather models and observation tools. Furthermore, the Act focuses on modernizing data infrastructure, improving interagency coordination, and ensuring equitable access to critical fire information for all communities.

This resolution officially recognizes September 8 through 14, 2025, as "Interscholastic Athletic Administrators' Week." It honors the dedication of athletic administrators who guide millions of student-athletes in physical, academic, and emotional growth. The Senate commends their vital role in fostering leadership, teamwork, and positive development through school sports programs.

This bill amends the National Defense Authorization Act to modify and extend the required annual report on military and security developments involving the People's Republic of China. It mandates the inclusion of more specific details, such as China's nuclear and drone cooperation, foreign farmland acquisitions, and strategic conflict planning regarding Taiwan. Furthermore, this legislation extends the requirement for producing this comprehensive report until January 31, 2030.

The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025 establishes an automatic, 14-day continuing funding mechanism to keep federal programs operational if Congress fails to pass a full budget by the start of the fiscal year. This automatic funding continues in two-week increments until a final budget is enacted, while simultaneously imposing strict travel and procedural limitations on Congress and federal employees during these lapses. The Act is designed to prevent government shutdowns by ensuring continuity of essential services while incentivizing timely budget passage.

This resolution formally honors the victims and survivors of the August 27, 2025, mass shooting at the Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis. It recognizes the tragic loss of life and injuries sustained during the attack. Furthermore, the resolution commends the bravery of first responders and community members who assisted during the crisis. Finally, it expresses the Senate's solidarity with the affected community and condemns all acts of violence.

The Defense Industry Pricing Transparency Act requires defense contractors to report significant price increases on non-competitive or sole-source government contracts. Contractors must notify the contracting officer within 30 days if a price exceeds established historical or contractual benchmarks by 25% or 50%. Failure to report these hikes will result in the contractor's noncompliance being logged in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS).

The You Earned It, You Keep It Act eliminates federal income tax on Social Security benefits while ensuring trust funds are fully replenished. Starting in 2026, it modifies the Social Security payroll tax by setting a new $250,000 wage cap and introduces new tax rules for high earners with multiple employers. Finally, the bill increases future Social Security benefits for high earners by factoring in earnings above $250,000 into the benefit calculation formula.