Legislative Activity

The Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025 directs the FAA to establish a committee to review and recommend updates to policies regarding the medical certification of pilots and air traffic controllers with mental health conditions. The bill mandates regulatory updates to encourage aviation personnel to seek mental health care without fear of penalty. Furthermore, it allocates funding to enhance the FAA's capacity to process reviews and launches a public campaign to reduce mental health stigma within the industry.

This resolution officially designates November 22, 2025, as National Adoption Day and November 2025 as National Adoption Month. The measure aims to raise national awareness about the children awaiting adoption and celebrate those involved in adoption. It encourages all Americans to promote safety, permanency, and well-being for children across the nation.

This Act, the Conscience Protections for Medical Residents Act, amends Medicare rules to prohibit residency programs from requiring participation in abortion training. Programs that mandate abortion training or discriminate against residents who opt out or refuse to participate will no longer qualify as "approved" under Medicare. This ensures medical residents are not forced to perform, assist, or refer for abortions as a condition of their training.

This resolution officially designates November 20, 2025, as "National Rural Health Day." It recognizes the unique healthcare challenges faced by rural communities, including provider shortages and hospital vulnerability. The Senate expresses support for rural health providers and commits to advancing policies that improve healthcare access and affordability in these areas.

The NOPAIN for Veterans Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must include specific, FDA-approved non-opioid pain management drugs in its national formulary. This ensures veterans have access to alternatives that do not act on opioid receptors for pain relief. The bill sets clear deadlines for the inclusion of these non-opioid products.

The Flight Risk Reduction Act amends federal law to establish a new presumption against pretrial release for non-citizens who are not lawful permanent residents. This change mandates a detention hearing for these individuals and requires courts to presume detention is necessary. Crucially, defendants cannot use ties to family or employment in the U.S. to overcome this presumption.

The Better FDA Act of 2025 overhauls the regulation of substances Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by requiring mandatory FDA listing and review for all such food ingredients. This legislation establishes strict deadlines for submitting GRAS notices and subjects substances not listed or under review to adulteration penalties. Furthermore, the Act grants the FDA authority to reevaluate the safety of existing food additives and GRAS substances based on new concerns, ensuring all final safety determinations involve review by career FDA scientific experts.

This resolution officially designates the week of November 3 through November 7, 2025, as National Veterans Small Business Week. It recognizes the significant contributions of the over 1.65 million veteran-owned small businesses to the U.S. economy. The bill supports creating a business-friendly environment and expresses appreciation for veterans' continued service through entrepreneurship.

The Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue (GUARD) Act establishes federal requirements for companies providing artificial intelligence chatbots to U.S. users. It mandates age verification for all users and prohibits minors from accessing specialized "AI Companions." Furthermore, the bill creates criminal penalties for developing chatbots that solicit minors into sexually explicit conduct or promote violence, and requires covered entities to ensure chatbots clearly disclose they are not human.

The Kayla Hamilton Act revises the standards for placing unaccompanied alien children in federal custody to prioritize child safety and prevent trafficking. It mandates enhanced screening, consultation with law enforcement, and stricter criteria for placement settings and sponsors. This legislation ensures that placement decisions are made only after comprehensive safety checks are completed for the child and potential sponsors.

The Pay Our Military Act of 2025 ensures that active duty and reserve military personnel continue to receive pay and essential allowances if Congress has not passed the full budget for fiscal year 2026 by the start of that year. This legislation provides automatic continuing appropriations to cover military salaries, support staff, and necessary contractor payments during any funding lapse. The authority granted by this Act is set to terminate on September 30, 2026, or sooner if a comprehensive budget is enacted. Furthermore, the provisions of this Act are made retroactively effective as of September 30, 2025.

This Act mandates the Secretary of State to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism if they fail to certify the safe return and reintegration of Ukrainian children abducted since the 2022 invasion. The designation becomes immediate if the required certifications are not met within 60 days of the Act's enactment. The designation can only be rescinded after Russia meets strict conditions, including reuniting all forcibly transferred children.

The Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025 ensures that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits continue without interruption, even if Congress fails to pass the Department of Agriculture's budget for fiscal year 2026. This legislation authorizes automatic funding from the Treasury to maintain payments and cover any retroactive benefits missed due to the delay. This temporary funding mechanism remains active until the regular fiscal year 2026 appropriations are officially enacted.

The STREAMLINE Act updates federal regulations to modernize anti-money laundering reporting requirements. It significantly raises the cash transaction reporting threshold from $\$10,000$ to $\$30,000$ and adjusts thresholds for Suspicious Activity Reports. Furthermore, the bill mandates that these reporting thresholds be reviewed and adjusted every five years to account for inflation. The Treasury Department is also required to review and streamline existing reporting forms and processes.

The Pay Our Military Act of 2025 ensures that members of the Armed Forces, along with essential Department of Defense civilian personnel and contractors, continue to receive pay and allowances in fiscal year 2026 if regular appropriations are not enacted. This measure provides temporary, continuing funding to support active service members. This authority automatically terminates upon the enactment of a new appropriations law or by January 1, 2027.

The Employee Rights Act mandates that union representation must be chosen through a secret ballot election run by the NLRB, and it prohibits non-lawful workers from voting in union elections. The bill also tightens the definition of an employee versus an independent contractor and limits the use of employee contact information provided for organizing drives. Furthermore, it restricts union dues spending to bargaining activities unless explicit, time-limited written consent is obtained from the employee.

This resolution formally condemns the brutal Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel of October 7, 2023, and supports Israel's right to self-defense. It further condemns antisemitic and destructive protests within the United States. Ultimately, the resolution calls for an outcome that ensures Israel's survival, eliminates Hamas's ability to operate, and secures the release of all remaining hostages.

This resolution formally honors the pilots, maintainers, analysts, sailors, and families involved in the success of Operation Midnight Hammer. It recognizes this complex military operation as the largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history against Iranian nuclear facilities. The resolution commends the service members for their exceptional skill and dedication during the long-range, synchronized mission. It also acknowledges the sacrifices made by the military families supporting the operation.

The Competitive Bidding Relief Act temporarily maintains existing Medicare payment rates for durable medical equipment (DMEPOS) in areas not subject to competitive bidding. This legislation specifically mandates the use of a current transition rule for non-rural areas until the end of 2025. Furthermore, it delays the implementation of a new, potentially disruptive payment regulation until January 1, 2026.

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.