Legislative Activity

The Saving the OOI Act of 2026 prohibits the National Science Foundation (NSF) from scaling back or decommissioning critical Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments. This measure ensures the continued operation of these vital coastal and deep-sea monitoring assets until the NSF completes a comprehensive review with community input. The bill mandates the full maintenance of the initiative throughout the review period.

The America the Beautiful Act reauthorizes and modifies the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through fiscal year 2033, increasing its authorized funding to \$2.0 billion. This legislation broadens eligible lands for maintenance projects and prioritizes those receiving significant private donations. It also enhances transparency by requiring multi-year project lists and actively encouraging public contributions to address deferred maintenance across federal lands.

This bill reauthorizes the vital Healthy Start Initiative through fiscal year 2030. It authorizes appropriations of $145 million annually for the program from 2026 to 2030.

This bill authorizes Congress to award a single Congressional Gold Medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment collectively. This recognition honors the regiment's crucial and heroic service during the Revolutionary War, notably as one of the first integrated military units in American history. The original medal will be displayed at the Rhode Island State Library, and bronze duplicates may be sold to cover production costs.

This resolution formally acknowledges and apologizes for the decades of discrimination and mistreatment faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals who served in the U.S. military, Foreign Service, and federal civil service. It condemns past and recent discriminatory policies that led to wrongful terminations and exclusions. The resolution commits the nation to pursuing equal rights, protections, and respect for all LGBT servicemembers and federal employees moving forward.

This bill authorizes Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the volunteers and communities that supported the North Platte Canteen during World War II. The Canteen was a massive, entirely volunteer-run operation that fed approximately six million service members traveling across the country. The original gold medal will be permanently displayed at the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte, Nebraska. The bill also allows the U.S. Mint to produce and sell bronze duplicates of the medal.

This resolution expresses support for designating June 5, 2026, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and the entire month of June 2026 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month." The bill aims to raise awareness about the impact of gun violence in the United States. It encourages the public to wear orange on the designated day to honor victims and promote community safety discussions.

This resolution expresses support for designating June 2026 as National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month and June 27, 2026, as National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day. The designation aims to increase public understanding, reduce the stigma associated with post-traumatic stress (PTS), and encourage timely treatment for affected veterans and service members. It recognizes the high risk of PTS among those who have served in recent conflicts and supports efforts to ensure those with this treatable injury receive proper care.

The SAFEGUARD Veterans Act of 2026 aims to protect veterans from fraudulent and unauthorized fee charging by reinstating strict penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for those who illegally assist with VA benefit claims. The bill mandates the VA to improve transparency by creating an online tool listing accredited representatives and enhancing public warnings about predatory practices on all claim-filing websites. Furthermore, it requires new data collection on paid assistance providers and establishes a robust, accessible accreditation system for legitimate agents and attorneys.

This resolution honors the life and extensive public service of the late Honorable Donald W. Riegle, Jr., former Senator for Michigan. It recognizes his decades in Congress, highlighting key legislative achievements such as co-sponsoring the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and leading significant banking reforms. The Senate expresses its profound sorrow and adjourns in his memory.

The SAFE for Survivors Act of 2026 comprehensively supports survivors of domestic and sexual violence by establishing job-protected safe leave, prohibiting employment discrimination, and ensuring access to unemployment benefits and insurance protections. The bill reauthorizes critical grant funding for workplace response resources and mandates reasonable accommodations to help survivors maintain employment and stability while recovering. These provisions aim to reduce the economic pressures that often trap victims in dangerous situations by strengthening their safety net across employment, benefits, and insurance sectors.

The Elder Pride Act amends the Older Americans Act to explicitly recognize and address the needs of LGBTQI and HIV-positive older adults. It establishes a new Office of LGBTQI Inclusion within the Administration on Aging to coordinate services and promote access. Furthermore, the Act creates a dedicated grant program to fund rural outreach initiatives specifically targeting LGBTQI older individuals and those in other protected classes.

The Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act bans the imposition and carrying out of the death penalty for any federal crime after the date of enactment. This legislation mandates that all individuals currently under a federal death sentence must be resentenced.

This joint resolution expresses Congressional disapproval of a new rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would have required prior authorization for specific services under the WISeR Model. By disapproving the rule, Congress ensures that this CMS requirement will not take effect.

This resolution officially designates May 2025 as Jewish American Heritage Month to recognize the significant, 350-year history and contributions of Jewish Americans across all sectors of society. It also strongly calls upon leaders to actively counter the recent rise in antisemitism through education and awareness. The resolution commits to ensuring the safety, security, and dignity of American Jews while honoring their service to the nation.

This resolution honors the life and legacy of the late former United States Senator John Seymour of California. It recognizes his extensive public service, highlighting his career in business, local government, and his tenure in the U.S. Senate. The Senate expresses its deep sorrow and directs that official copies of this resolution be delivered to his family.

The Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026 overhauls federal student loan programs to eliminate debt for educators serving in high-need schools and early childhood education settings. After five years of qualifying service, educators can receive 100% forgiveness on remaining federal student loans. The bill also provides monthly loan assistance while educators are actively serving, treating these payments as qualifying service toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This legislation aims to stabilize the educator workforce by significantly reducing the financial burden of student debt.

The Restoring Overtime Pay Act of 2026 significantly updates federal overtime exemptions for executive, administrative, and professional employees. It establishes a phased-in increase to the minimum salary threshold required for these "white-collar" roles to be exempt from overtime pay, eventually tying the threshold to national earnings data. Furthermore, the bill tightens the duties test by lowering the allowed percentage of time spent on non-exempt work from 40% to 20%.

The Scientific Integrity Act aims to safeguard the role of science in federal policymaking by requiring agencies that fund or conduct research to adopt and enforce strict scientific integrity policies. These policies must prohibit political interference, data suppression, and retaliation against scientists. The legislation establishes Scientific Integrity Officers within agencies and mandates regular training and public reporting on policy implementation to ensure public trust in government science.

The Strength in Diversity Act of 2026 establishes a competitive grant program to support schools in developing and implementing strategies that increase racial and socioeconomic diversity. This funding aims to reduce racial isolation and concentrated poverty in public elementary, secondary, and early childhood education programs. Grantees must report on measurable improvements in student outcomes and progress toward increasing school diversity.