Legislative Activity

This resolution officially designates January 23, 2026, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day." It aims to raise public awareness about the critical issues of maternal mortality, morbidity, and significant health disparities in the United States. The day encourages federal, state, and local entities to take action to improve maternal safety and eliminate inequities in care.

The Fair Competition for Small Business Act of 2025 empowers state attorneys general to file lawsuits on behalf of their residents for damages resulting from violations of antitrust laws. This amendment to the Clayton Act strengthens enforcement by allowing states to seek redress for harm caused by Sherman Act violations.

The FDA Modernization Act 3.0 mandates the FDA to update federal regulations by replacing references to "animal tests" with the broader term "nonclinical tests." This action ensures regulatory consistency following recent legislative changes regarding drug development methods. The required interim final rule will take effect immediately upon publication.

The EQIP Improvement Act of 2025 reforms the Environmental Quality Incentives Program by adjusting payment limits for conservation practices and establishing a new, lower overall payment cap of $150,000 per entity. This legislation also mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture submit an annual report to Congress detailing funding obligations by state, practice category, and producer operation size.

The Zero Food Waste Act establishes a grant program at the EPA to help cut national food waste in half by 2035 compared to 2015 levels. These competitive grants will fund eligible entities for studying, planning, collecting data on, or implementing activities that reduce food waste sent to landfills. The legislation authorizes significant funding over ten years to support these reduction efforts across the country.

The NOTICE Act establishes new notification requirements for Congress before the President calls the National Guard into federal service for domestic emergencies. This legislation mandates at least 24 hours' notice detailing the justification, scope, and training of the deployed Guard units. Furthermore, the bill requires ongoing written updates every 72 hours for deployments lasting longer than 48 hours.

The PATHS to Tutor Act of 2025 establishes a $500 million competitive grant program to fund high-quality tutoring partnerships between schools and educator preparation programs. These partnerships will place trained tutors in small groups within high-need or hard-to-staff schools. The goal is to accelerate student learning while providing aspiring teachers with valuable, compensated experience. The bill also coordinates these tutoring positions with national service programs to offer educational awards to tutors upon completion of service.

The Freedom to Heal Act of 2025 establishes a special registration process for physicians to administer certain unapproved, experimental Schedule I drugs to terminally ill patients under existing "Right to Try" laws. This process, overseen by the Attorney General, requires physicians to meet specific application criteria, including manufacturer verification and state law compliance. The bill mandates swift action on applications and outlines procedures for drug quantity management and treatment at multiple sites to ensure patient access while preventing diversion.

This resolution commemorates World AIDS Day and supports the global and domestic goals to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. It recognizes significant progress made through initiatives like PEPFAR and the Ryan White Program while highlighting ongoing challenges, particularly regarding disparities in affected communities. The resolution urges continued funding for prevention, treatment, and research both in the U.S. and internationally.

The Ending Forced Arbitration of Race Discrimination Act of 2025 invalidates predispute arbitration agreements and joint-action waivers for claims involving race discrimination. This means individuals alleging race discrimination can choose to pursue their claims in court rather than being forced into private arbitration. Federal law will determine the applicability of this rule, and courts, not arbitrators, will decide if the chapter applies to any given agreement.

The In-Home CARE Act establishes a new grant program to support home visiting services for family caregivers. These grants aim to enhance the ability of family members to provide care at home, thereby helping individuals remain in their homes longer and reducing institutionalization. Programs funded under this Act will conduct caregiver assessments and provide essential education, training, and referrals to necessary support services.

This resolution expresses the Senate's support for recognizing October 2025 as "World Menopause Awareness Month." It highlights the growing global population affected by menopause and the significant impact its symptoms have on women's quality of life and the economy. The bill calls for increased awareness, better access to care, and improved training for health workers regarding menopausal health.

This bill modifies existing limitations on the transfer of defense articles from the United States to the Republic of Cyprus. Specifically, it extends the duration for which waivers concerning these transfers can be applied from one fiscal year to three fiscal years. The legislation aims to adjust security assistance and sales requirements related to Cyprus.

The Colorectal Cancer Payment Fairness Act eliminates the Medicare coinsurance requirement for certain colorectal cancer screening tests. This legislation removes the existing deadline related to cost-sharing for these screenings. Crucially, starting in 2026, Medicare will cover 100 percent of the cost for these preventative tests.

The New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act establishes a new, voluntary program to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitats and water quality across the New York-New Jersey Watershed. This effort will be supported by a competitive matching grant program, prioritizing projects that address climate resilience and environmental justice concerns. The Act authorizes \$20 million annually from 2026 through 2031, after which the legislation will expire.

The SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve the national understanding and prevention of stillbirths. It authorizes federal grants to help states enhance stillbirth surveillance, data collection, and analysis, ensuring all collected data remains de-identified. Furthermore, the Act mandates the creation of clear federal guidelines for standardized data collection and the development of public educational materials regarding stillbirth risk factors.

This Act establishes a six-year pilot program for eligible hospitals to provide medically tailored, home-delivered meals and nutrition therapy to certain high-risk Medicare patients upon discharge. The program aims to evaluate whether these specialized meals reduce hospital readmissions and improve patient health outcomes. Participating hospitals must screen patients, arrange for daily meals meeting specific nutritional needs, and report data to the Secretary of HHS. Funding for the meals will be offset by reducing payments to other hospitals to ensure the program is budget-neutral.

The Reducing Obesity in Youth Act of 2025 establishes a new Healthy Kids Grant Program to improve nutrition and physical activity for children from birth to age five in early care and education settings. This program funds organizations to train providers, build state capacity to connect families with nutrition resources, and reduce food insecurity among young children. Grantees must partner with diverse local implementing groups and focus on evidence-based strategies to promote healthy habits both in care settings and at home.

This resolution recognizes suicide as a serious public health crisis in the United States and expresses strong support for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It specifically designates September 8, 2025, as "988 Day" to promote awareness of this vital, life-saving resource. The bill celebrates the success of the 988 system in connecting individuals in crisis with immediate support.

The West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025 mandates the President to impose targeted sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans, on foreign individuals or groups whose actions threaten the peace and stability of the West Bank. These penalties specifically target those involved in violence against civilians, property destruction, or terrorism. The law requires regular reporting to Congress detailing those sanctioned and the steps being taken to mitigate violence in the region.