Legislative Activity

This resolution officially designates October 4, 2025, as "National Energy Appreciation Day." It celebrates the vital role of the U.S. energy sector in driving the economy, creating jobs, and improving quality of life globally. The bill emphasizes support for an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy, recognizing the contributions of fossil fuels, coal, nuclear, hydro, and renewables. It encourages public events to raise awareness about the importance of reliable and affordable energy.

The Border Lands Conservation Act focuses on enhancing border security and managing federal lands adjacent to the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico. It mandates infrastructure improvements, allows for increased access to wilderness areas for security operations, and establishes a new initiative to manage hazardous fuels near the border. Furthermore, the Act requires extensive reporting on environmental damage caused by illegal immigration and prohibits using federal funds to house undocumented immigrants on most federal lands.

This resolution officially designates the week of October 5–11, 2025, as "Religious Education Week" to celebrate the importance of religious education in the United States. It affirms that religious instruction is vital for developing moral and civic citizens, citing historical precedent and Supreme Court rulings that protect parental rights in education. Furthermore, the resolution calls upon states and territories to accommodate students who wish to be released from public school for religious instruction.

This resolution officially designates the week of September 14 through September 20, 2025, as "Telehealth Awareness Week." It recognizes the critical role telehealth plays in expanding healthcare access, especially for rural and underserved populations. The measure encourages increased awareness, resource sharing, and continued study of remote healthcare services. Ultimately, it supports maintaining robust access to telehealth for all beneficiaries.

The SEVER Act of 2025 amends existing law to grant the U.S. government the authority to deny entry visas to individuals designated as representatives to the United Nations. This denial power is specifically triggered if the individual is subject to sanctions under Executive Order 13876, as it stands on September 16, 2025. In essence, the bill strengthens visa enforcement by adding specific sanctions compliance as a mandatory ground for inadmissibility for UN representatives.

This resolution formally condemns the assassination of Charlie Kirk and honors his life and legacy as a devoted husband, father, and founder of Turning Point USA. It recognizes his commitment to encouraging civil discourse on college campuses across the nation. The Senate also extends its deepest sympathies to his surviving family.

The Protect Consumers from Reallocation Costs Act of 2025 prohibits the EPA from reassigning the renewable fuel obligations of small refineries that have received an exemption extension. This ensures that the obligated volume remains with the exempt refinery rather than being shifted to other obligated parties. Furthermore, the fuel produced by these exempt small refineries must still be counted when calculating a company's total production for compliance purposes.

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.

The LETITIA Act significantly increases criminal penalties for public officials who commit financial crimes, including bank fraud, lying on loan applications, and tax fraud. This legislation establishes mandatory minimum sentences and higher fines that escalate based on the number of prior offenses committed by the official. Furthermore, it directs the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury to issue guidance ensuring rigorous investigation and enforcement of these enhanced statutes against public servants.

This resolution solemnly marks the one-year anniversary of the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump. It condemns the multiple attempts against his life and other political officials, while honoring the victims and first responders involved in the July 2024 shooting. The measure further calls for an end to the incitement of political violence that threatens the democratic process.

The Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2025 officially renames the foundational Endangered Species Act of 1973 to the Endangered Species Recovery Act. This change is purely titular, meaning all existing laws and regulations will now reference the new title. The bill ensures consistency by updating all official government documents to reflect the new name immediately.

This bill prohibits non-U.S. citizens from voting in any election within the District of Columbia. It also repeals the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022, effectively undoing that prior legislation. The measure ensures that only citizens can participate in D.C. local elections and ballot initiatives.

The Protecting Access to Credit for Small Businesses Act prohibits the Small Business Administration (SBA) from issuing any new direct loans under its primary Section 7(a) loan program. While the SBA can no longer originate these loans directly, it must continue to manage and service any existing direct 7(a) loans. This change shifts the focus of the program away from direct government lending.

The Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2025 aims to significantly boost employee ownership in S corporations through Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). This bill extends crucial tax deferral benefits for stock sales to ESOPs and establishes new offices within the Treasury and Labor Departments to provide technical assistance and advocacy. Furthermore, it amends the Small Business Act to ensure ESOP-owned businesses do not automatically lose small business status when they transition to majority employee ownership.

The IRS Accountability and Taxpayer Protection Act mandates that IRS personnel must obtain supervisor approval *before* issuing initial notices regarding tax penalties or the disallowance of certain tax benefits. This legislation aims to increase internal oversight on enforcement actions taken against taxpayers. Additionally, the Treasury Department must annually report publicly on all penalties assessed by the IRS.

The Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2025 establishes penalties against foreign governments that nationalize or expropriate U.S.-owned port infrastructure in trade partner nations. It mandates the identification of such "prohibited property" seized by foreign governments after January 1, 2024. Once identified, vessels that use these prohibited ports will face strict bans on docking, unloading, or receiving services in the United States. Furthermore, the Act expands the definition of unfair trade practices to include the arbitrary seizure or discriminatory treatment of U.S. assets abroad.

The Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive audit of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) within one year of enactment. The resulting report, detailing findings and recommendations, must be delivered to Congress within 90 days of the audit's completion. This legislation streamlines reporting requirements and clarifies the scope of GAO audit authority over the Federal Reserve's operations, including emergency lending facilities.

The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act aims to significantly expand the palliative care and hospice workforce through new federal grant and award programs for education, training, and career incentives. The bill also mandates the dissemination of information about palliative care services to patients, families, and providers, while enhancing palliative care research efforts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Importantly, the legislation clarifies that funds cannot support activities intended to cause death, ensuring alignment with existing federal funding restrictions.

This Act authorizes the creation and sale of commemorative coins to celebrate the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City. The Secretary of the Treasury is empowered to mint various denominations of gold, silver, and clad coins for each event, with designs reflecting American participation. A mandatory surcharge on each coin sold will directly fund the respective organizing committees for the Games and their legacy programs, provided the government recovers all minting costs first.

This resolution formally honors the life, achievements, and enduring legacy of Frederick W. Smith, the visionary founder of FedEx. It recognizes his pioneering role in revolutionizing global logistics and his significant contributions to entrepreneurship and community service in Memphis. The Senate passes this tribute to celebrate his remarkable career and dedication to innovation.