Legislative Activity

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.

The Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act establishes the Eastern Mediterranean as a critical strategic hub within the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The legislation directs the U.S. to prioritize energy security, defense cooperation, and regional integration through enhanced multilateral strategic dialogues. By fostering deeper ties with key partners like Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and Egypt, the Act aims to strengthen connectivity and stability across three continents.

The Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act significantly amends existing law to provide broad immunity to the firearms industry from civil lawsuits related to the criminal or unlawful use of their products. This legislation mandates the immediate dismissal of pending lawsuits against the industry and establishes strict definitions and procedural hurdles for any claims attempting to use statutory exceptions. Furthermore, it preempts state and local laws that attempt to impose liability on manufacturers or sellers for harms resulting from criminal misuse of firearms.

The AI DATA Act mandates new, comprehensive data collection efforts by the Department of Labor and the Census Bureau to track the impact of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies on the U.S. workforce. This includes monthly labor market flow data, recurring household time-use surveys, and longitudinal studies following individuals over time. The bill also requires quarterly reporting from the Census Bureau on business AI adoption and an annual joint report assessing AI's effects on hiring, job demand, and worker mobility.

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 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.

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 FARM AI Act of 2026 aims to accelerate the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence in U.S. agriculture to boost productivity and competitiveness. It prioritizes AI research, development, and deployment across key Department of Agriculture programs, including grants and extension services. The bill also establishes a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Agriculture Advisor to promote technology adoption, provide technical assistance, and develop national AI standards for the sector.

The Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026 establishes a permanent, mandatory electronic employment verification system for all U.S. employers, building upon the existing E-Verify program. This legislation phases in requirements for all businesses to use the system to confirm employee work authorization, imposing significantly enhanced civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance or hiring unauthorized workers. The Act also establishes an individual self-check tool and mandates federal agencies to share necessary records to ensure system accuracy and security.

The Detention Authority Clarification Act updates terminology in immigration inspection law and expands mandatory detention requirements. Specifically, it changes the term "alien seeking admission" to "applicant for admission." This change subjects applicants for admission to the same mandatory detention rules currently applied to other specified groups.

The Blocking CCP Spy Tech Act of 2026 mandates a national security review of communications equipment and services from specific Chinese technology companies to assess potential risks to U.S. national security. Based on this evaluation, the FCC will either add the identified technology to the official list of equipment posing security risks or clear it. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Defense to determine if any of these entities should be identified as Chinese military companies operating in the U.S.

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 **BACK OFF Act** aims to prevent "birth tourism" by making it grounds for inadmissibility and deportation for non-permanent residents who travel to the U.S. solely to give birth and secure automatic citizenship for their children. The bill establishes severe criminal penalties for facilitating this practice and mandates new medical examinations and expedited removal processes for suspected offenders. It also creates a dedicated Department of Homeland Security task force to investigate and combat birth tourism schemes.

This resolution honors the life and legacy of Dirk Arthur Kempthorne, recognizing his significant contributions as a former U.S. Senator, Governor of Idaho, and Secretary of the Interior. The Senate expresses its profound sorrow over his passing and offers condolences to his family. The resolution directs that this tribute be communicated to the House and his family, and the Senate will adjourn in his memory.

This bill ensures that veterans' disability compensation and related benefits receive a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2026. The increase will match the percentage increase applied to Social Security benefits taking effect on December 1, 2026. This adjustment applies to various compensation and dependency/indemnity payments administered by the VA.

This Senate resolution declares the People's Republic of China (PRC) the foremost strategic competitor of the United States, citing threats across military, economic, and technological domains. It calls for countering these threats by making them a top foreign policy priority. The resolution urges strengthening deterrence, protecting U.S. economic interests against predatory practices, and reaffirming commitments to Indo-Pacific allies.

This bill strengthens oversight of nurse aide training programs in nursing facilities by removing outdated exceptions and allowing the government to temporarily disapprove programs at facilities with serious quality-of-care violations. It also expands access to the National Practitioner Data Bank, enabling more Medicare and Medicaid providers to conduct essential employee background checks. The goal is to ensure higher standards of care and safety for seniors in long-term care settings.

This bill combines two major components: the **Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act**, which reforms and extends key surveillance authorities like Section 702 of FISA with new privacy protections and criminal penalties for misuse, and the **Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act**, which explicitly prohibits the Federal Reserve from creating or issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) to the public. In essence, the legislation tightens oversight on foreign intelligence gathering while blocking the creation of a government-controlled digital currency.

This resolution expresses support for designating the week of May 3, 2026, through May 9, 2026, as "National Small Business Week." It aims to celebrate the vital contributions and entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses across the United States. The bill recognizes the essential role these businesses play in the national economy and applauds their resilience.

This resolution designates April 2026 as "Financial Literacy Month." The designation aims to raise public awareness about the critical importance of personal financial education. It calls upon various sectors of society to observe the month with appropriate programs and activities promoting financial well-being.