Legislative Activity

This resolution serves as a formal tribute honoring the life, achievements, and enduring legacy of former United States Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond of Missouri. It recognizes his decades of public service, including his terms as Missouri Governor and U.S. Senator, where he championed infrastructure, agriculture, and conservative values. The Senate expresses deep sadness over his passing and directs that official copies of this tribute be sent to his family.

The Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the ability of victims and heirs to sue for the recovery of art and property stolen by the Nazis. This update explicitly blocks time-based and non-merits defenses, such as laches or the act of state doctrine, ensuring claims are decided on their facts. The law also expands the scope of recoverable property and clarifies that these provisions apply immediately to pending and future cases.

The Protecting Veteran Community Care Act aims to expand veterans' access to timely community care, particularly for mental health and substance-use services when the VA cannot provide them quickly. This legislation prevents the VA from using its own scheduling delays as a reason to deny veterans access to outside care options. Furthermore, the bill mandates increased transparency by requiring the VA to report detailed metrics on all community care requests and limits the VA's ability to unilaterally change community care access standards without Congressional approval.

The Expedited Removal of Criminal Aliens Act establishes a new, faster process for the government to deport non-citizens who are members of criminal gangs or terrorist organizations, or who have been convicted of specific serious crimes. This process mandates detention and bars these individuals from seeking withholding of removal. The law specifically defines vulnerable groups for the purpose of determining which misdemeanor convictions qualify for this expedited action.

This resolution reaffirms the deep and steadfast partnership between the United States and Canada, recognizing its critical importance to both nations' economic prosperity and national security. It highlights the massive trade volume, integrated supply chains, and shared commitment to continental defense and energy independence. The bill emphasizes strengthening cooperation across security, technology, and environmental stewardship while ensuring the border remains secure for vital commerce. Ultimately, this is a strong statement of commitment to maintaining and deepening the essential U.S.-Canada relationship.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to modernize and increase transparency in the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and requires plans to publicly report detailed data on their approval, denial, and appeal rates. Furthermore, it establishes new standards to protect enrollees and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timelines for care requests.

This resolution congratulates the students, parents, teachers, and leaders of public charter schools for their ongoing contributions to American education. It highlights the growth, academic achievements, and parental choice offered by these tuition-free public schools. The measure officially recognizes and supports the goals of the 26th Annual National Charter Schools Week, scheduled for May 11–17, 2025.

The Drone Espionage Act updates federal law to explicitly include "video" alongside "photographic negatives" when prohibiting the unauthorized taking or transmission of defense information. This amendment ensures that individuals illegally capturing or sharing sensitive video footage are subject to the existing penalties under U.S. Code Section 793.

The Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act directs the SelectUSA program to coordinate with state economic development organizations to attract foreign direct investment into U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. This effort aims to secure the critical supply chain for computer chips, which are vital for the economy and national security. The Act requires a report detailing strategies to boost investment while ensuring foreign adversaries do not benefit from these efforts. All activities under this law must be funded using existing operational budgets.

The TAKE IT DOWN Act establishes new federal crimes for the intentional sharing of nonconsensual intimate images, including realistic AI-generated deepfakes, with enhanced penalties for content involving minors. It mandates that online platforms create clear reporting systems and remove reported nonconsensual intimate content within 48 hours. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is empowered to enforce these notice and removal requirements against covered platforms.

The Strong Communities Act of 2025 establishes the COPS Strong Communities Program to provide competitive grants for local law enforcement training. These funds support officers and recruits attending specialized programs, contingent upon a commitment to serve in their local community for at least four years afterward. The bill also mandates annual reporting to Congress detailing grant recipients, training plans, and officer retention rates to ensure transparency.

The PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025 updates and extends key federal efforts to combat child exploitation. This bill revises the National Strategy to focus on emerging technology trends and mandates detailed resource planning for law enforcement. It also modifies the operations of Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces, clarifying their duties, expanding partnerships, and providing liability protections for lead prioritization decisions. Finally, the Act adjusts grant funding allocations and authorizes specific funding levels through fiscal year 2028.

The COUNTER Act grants the Department of Defense (DoD) expanded authority to neutralize threats from unmanned aircraft systems (drones) operating outside of the United States. This legislation delegates response authority, clarifies mitigation methods like remote identification, and exempts security details regarding these operations from public disclosure. Furthermore, it limits the application of certain criminal and security laws to authorized DoD and Coast Guard activities aimed at countering these aerial threats overseas.

The LOCOMOTIVES Act clarifies federal authority under the Clean Air Act regarding emissions standards for certain existing locomotives and engines used in construction or farm equipment. This legislation ensures that federal standards, rather than varying state standards, apply to these specific engines, particularly those under 175 horsepower and locomotives engaged in commerce. Essentially, it centralizes regulatory power over these emissions sources at the federal level.

The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 establishes a presumption that certain cancers leading to death or disability in public safety officers were caused by on-duty exposure to recognized carcinogens. This law defines specific exposure-related cancers and sets conditions, such as five years of service, for the presumption to apply. It also updates review processes for adding new cancers to the list and grants retroactive application and filing extensions for eligible past and present claims.

The AI Whistleblower Protection Act establishes clear definitions for AI security issues and protects employees who report them from retaliation by their employers. Covered individuals can report vulnerabilities or violations to various authorities and have recourse through the Department of Labor or federal court if punished. Successful claimants are entitled to remedies including job reinstatement, double back pay, and compensatory damages.

This Act mandates that the U.S. government actively oppose restrictions imposed by major international financial institutions on financing for fossil fuel and civil nuclear energy projects. The Treasury Secretary must direct U.S. representatives to reverse current policies blocking these energy sources and promote financing for reliable, affordable power in developing nations. Furthermore, U.S. funding to the World Bank's lending arm may be significantly reduced until it certifies the removal of these financing bans and adopts policies promoting these energy projects.

The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act prohibits covered entities from denying an organ transplant or related services solely because an individual has a disability. The bill mandates reasonable modifications to policies and requires consideration of an individual's support network when assessing their ability to comply with post-transplant requirements. This ensures that qualified individuals receive equal access to the entire organ transplant process, from evaluation through aftercare.

The Confronting CCP Human Rights Abusers Act mandates the addition of the Ministry of Public Security's Institute of Forensic Science of China to the U.S. trade entity list within 60 days of enactment. This action restricts the institute's ability to conduct business with U.S. entities. The President may waive this requirement only if they certify to Congress that the institute is not involved in the repression or surveillance of minorities in Xinjiang.

The Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act of 2025 permanently establishes a 7-year recovery period for the depreciation of motorsports entertainment complexes. This legislation allows owners and operators of these facilities to continue writing off building costs significantly faster than standard commercial property. By removing the previous expiration date, the bill ensures long-term tax predictability for the motorsports industry.