Legislative Activity

The Servicemembers and Veterans Empowerment and Support Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve support for veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST). It mandates a VA report on technology-facilitated MST and overhauls the disability claims process to be more sensitive and evidence-flexible for survivors. Furthermore, the bill expands access to necessary healthcare and support services for a broader range of former service members affected by MST.

The Medical Disability Examination Improvement Act of 2025 aims to enhance the efficiency and quality of medical disability examinations for veterans' claims. It establishes a pilot program for the VA to use its own medical facilities for these exams and mandates studies to improve access for rural veterans and review current scheduling processes. Furthermore, the bill requires improved training for VA staff reviewing these examinations and establishes a system for regular quality reviews of all disability exams.

The TRUTH in Labeling Act mandates clear, front-of-package warning labels for foods high in added sugars, sodium, or saturated fat to help consumers make healthier choices. This legislation requires the Secretary of HHS to finalize rules establishing what constitutes "high in" these nutrients based on daily reference values. Furthermore, the bill requires specific disclosure and warnings on front labels if a product contains non-nutritive sweeteners, especially for foods marketed to young children.

This resolution celebrates the 100th anniversary of Pratt & Whitney, recognizing its century of leadership in designing and servicing aircraft engines. It specifically commends the dedication of Connecticut's workforce, whose contributions have been central to the company's global success. The Senate encourages public recognition of Pratt & Whitney's significant contributions to aviation innovation and the economy.

This concurrent resolution formally recognizes the critical need to improve physical access to federally funded facilities for all Americans, especially the growing population of people with disabilities. It emphasizes that equal access is fundamental to the nation's founding principles of equality and freedom. The resolution supports existing civil rights laws and commits Congress to prioritizing universal and inclusive design in future infrastructure projects.

The Advancing VA’s Emergency Response to (AVERT) Crises Act of 2025 mandates comprehensive reports from the VA Secretary regarding its emergency management structure, roles, and readiness centers. This legislation aims to streamline internal operations, assess current supply inventories, and analyze coordination barriers between the VA and FEMA regarding fuel and resource sharing during crises. Ultimately, the bill seeks to improve the VA's overall preparedness and response capabilities for emergencies.

The Molly R. Loomis Research for Descendants of Toxic Exposed Veterans Act of 2025 mandates the establishment of federal, interagency task forces to conduct collaborative research on the health conditions affecting descendants of veterans exposed to toxic substances. This legislation updates reporting requirements, requiring an initial report within one year detailing research activities and subsequent annual reports summarizing findings. The law specifically requires the creation of a dedicated task force and a public website to share evidence reviews linking specific health conditions to toxic exposure risks for these descendants.

The Insurrection Act of 2025 completely rewrites the rules governing the President's authority to deploy the U.S. Armed Forces domestically, establishing military intervention as a strict last resort. It mandates specific, severe conditions—such as overwhelming insurrection or widespread denial of constitutional rights—and requires the President to issue a detailed proclamation and consult with Congress before deployment. Any initial deployment automatically expires after seven days unless Congress passes a resolution of approval.

The Disaster Relief Medicaid Act establishes a temporary, simplified Medicaid pathway for survivors of federally declared disasters, effective January 1, 2027. This pathway provides two years of coverage with relaxed income verification rules, ensuring immediate access to necessary healthcare. The bill also mandates 100% federal funding for these services and supports state efforts to rapidly deploy medical assistance and home care teams following a disaster. Finally, it adjusts Medicare enrollment rules to prevent penalties for survivors delayed by the disaster period.

The Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emergency Savings (MORE Savings) Act aims to increase access to evidence-based opioid treatments by testing the elimination of Medicare cost-sharing for these services in select states. It also mandates that private health plans eliminate cost-sharing for essential opioid medications, behavioral health services, and recovery support. Finally, the bill enhances federal Medicaid matching funds for medication-assisted treatment and allows states to cover related recovery support services.

The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act repeals key liability protections for gun manufacturers found in the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). This legislation also mandates that records from the federal Firearms Trace System database must be discoverable and admissible as evidence in civil proceedings. The bill aims to allow victims of gun violence greater access to information for civil lawsuits.

The Servicemember Healthcare Freedom Act of 2025 addresses a gap in healthcare coverage for federal civilian employees who also serve in the National Guard or Reserves. This bill removes the restriction preventing these dual-status members from enrolling in TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) if they are already covered by the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) plan. By allowing earlier enrollment into TRS starting January 1, 2026, the Act ensures these service members maintain continuous and comprehensive healthcare coverage during active duty mobilization periods.

The Ready Reserve Act of 2025 modifies early retirement eligibility for certain members of the Ready Reserve. This legislation updates the qualifying service date used to determine these benefits, replacing January 28, 2008, with September 11, 2001. This change aligns eligibility calculations with service periods related to the September 11th timeframe.

The VALOR Act of 2025 simplifies Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for service members by counting periods of covered active duty service, including deferments and forbearances, as qualifying payments. Furthermore, it waives the 120-payment requirement for borrowers who complete 10 years of full-time service while on active duty. This ensures military personnel receive full access to loan forgiveness benefits earned through their service.

The Care for Military Kids Act ensures that active duty military families do not lose essential Medicaid benefits when relocating due to service orders. This bill mandates that new states treat relocated service members and their dependents as residents for Medicaid eligibility purposes. Furthermore, it protects a family's place on waiting lists for crucial Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) when they move. These provisions aim to provide stability and continuous access to necessary healthcare services during military transfers.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to specifically exclude certain military bonuses from gross income for tax purposes. It updates existing tax law to ensure that bonuses paid to members of the uniformed services under specific statutes are not subject to federal income tax. This exclusion will take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

This bill amends federal law to require the Coast Guard to retain active-duty enlisted members who have completed 18 or more, but less than 20, years of service when facing involuntary separation or non-reenlistment. The goal is to prevent these service members from being discharged just before they qualify for retirement benefits. This protection applies to both regular and reserve members nearing the 20-year service threshold.

This resolution affirms that accepting a gifted airplane from the government of Qatar violates the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. It explicitly withholds Senate consent for the acceptance or transfer of such a plane to the President. Furthermore, the resolution demands that any plane already received from Qatar be immediately transferred to the permanent control of the U.S. Government.

This resolution condemns President Trump's financial entanglements with the $TRUMP meme coin, alleging it creates conflicts of interest and allows for covert payments. It specifically argues that foreign government purchases of the coin violate the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. Therefore, the resolution demands that the President transfer any funds received from foreign purchases of the coin to the U.S. Treasury.

This resolution condemns the financial entanglements between World Liberty Financial, Inc. (WLFI), President Trump, and his family, citing significant conflicts of interest. It specifically highlights financial ties involving foreign entities and individuals facing federal prosecution. The resolution asserts that these dealings violate the Foreign Emoluments Clause and demands the transfer of any illegally received funds to the U.S. Government.