Legislative Activity

This resolution recognizes May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the significant contributions of these communities to the history and culture of the United States. It acknowledges key historical milestones and achievements, while also addressing past discrimination and ongoing challenges faced by these communities. The resolution aims to honor the diverse heritage and resilience of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, highlighting their importance in enriching and strengthening the nation.

This resolution supports the designation of May 4-10, 2025, as "National Small Business Week". It recognizes the significant role of over 34.5 million small businesses in the U.S. that contribute to the economy and provide over 59 million jobs. The resolution celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit, achievements, and resilience of small business owners and their employees.

This resolution recognizes April 2025 as "Community College Month" to celebrate the significant role of community colleges in providing accessible higher education, workforce training, and economic support across the United States. It acknowledges the affordability, diverse student population, and substantial economic contributions of these institutions, which serve millions of students and contribute billions to the national economy. The resolution highlights the importance of community colleges in meeting local and regional needs while driving economic prosperity.

This resolution designates April 2025 as "Financial Literacy Month" to highlight the critical role of personal financial education and the repercussions of financial illiteracy. It acknowledges the significant number of unbanked and underbanked households, the struggles faced by people with disabilities, and the growing household debt in the U.S. The resolution encourages the government, schools, organizations, and individuals to promote financial literacy through various programs and activities during this month. It also emphasizes the positive impact of financial education on credit scores, retirement planning, and overall financial well-being.

This bill mandates the Social Security Administration to send regular paper statements to Social Security account holders, beginning January 1, 2027. Statements will be mailed upon entering the workforce or starting a new job, with increasing frequency as individuals age, and provides an option for individuals to opt out of receiving the paper statements. The bill also authorizes Congress to allocate necessary funds to cover the administrative costs of implementing these changes, starting in fiscal year 2026.

**Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 Summary:** This bill aims to expand and improve the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program by updating state allocation formulas, reforming tenant eligibility requirements, and modifying credit eligibility rules. It also focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for Native Americans and in rural areas. Additionally, the bill updates terminology in the Internal Revenue Code to replace "low-income" with "affordable" when referring to housing tax credits, and promotes data sharing and discourages discriminatory land use policies to enhance transparency and effectiveness.

This resolution supports National Fentanyl Awareness Day in 2025 and aims to increase awareness of the dangers of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, particularly among young people. It acknowledges the alarming rise in fentanyl-related deaths and supports efforts to combat the spread of these deadly pills. The resolution designates April 29, 2025, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day.

The "Claiming Age Clarity Act" aims to modernize the Social Security Administration's language by January 1, 2027. It replaces terms like "early eligibility age" with "minimum monthly benefit age" and "full retirement age" with "standard monthly benefit age." The act also changes "delayed retirement credit" to referencing a "maximum monthly benefit age," to simplify understanding of benefit eligibility.

The BE GONE Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include sexual assault and aggravated sexual abuse in the definition of aggravated felonies. This change would mean immigrants convicted of these crimes would be subject to deportation.

The New England Coastal Protection Act prohibits the Department of Interior from issuing leases for oil and gas exploration in the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of New England. This includes the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to include this prohibition.

The Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act of 2025 enhances the existing Historic Tax Credit by increasing the credit amount, especially for small projects, and allowing for the transfer of credits for these smaller projects. The bill also broadens eligibility for the credit by modifying the rehabilitation expense threshold and clarifying rules regarding tax-exempt use property. Additionally, it eliminates the basis adjustment for the rehabilitation credit, further incentivizing investment in historic buildings.

This resolution recognizes April 2025 as National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, reaffirming the Senate's commitment to preventing sexual violence, supporting survivors, and holding perpetrators accountable. It highlights the prevalence and impact of sexual assault, referencing statistics on its widespread occurrence and the challenges faced by survivors, while also acknowledging the critical role of various organizations and professionals in addressing this issue. The resolution encourages education, prevention, improved treatment, and increased prosecution to combat sexual violence.

This resolution designates the week of April 19 through April 27, 2025, as "National Park Week" to recognize the importance of national parks for recreation, education, and economic contributions. It encourages people to visit and support these parks while acknowledging the role of the National Park Service in protecting these resources for future generations.

The Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act prohibits the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt, or possession of devices that convert semiautomatic firearms into machine guns. It requires individuals who legally owned modified firearms before the enactment of the BUMP Act to register them. The act amends both title 18 of the U.S. Code and the Internal Revenue Code to include these devices under the regulatory scope of machine guns.

The "America's First Fuels Act" introduces tax credits and increases existing credit limitations for biomass energy. It provides a tax credit of 30% for open-loop biomass heating property and increases the energy-efficient home improvement credit for biomass stoves and boilers. These changes aim to incentivize the use of biomass for heating and energy production. The provisions of this act will take effect after December 31, 2025.

The "Jobs in the Woods Act" establishes a competitive grant program within the Department of Agriculture to support career pathway training programs in low-income, nonmetropolitan areas for forestry operations and forestry products industries. Grants will range from $500,000 to $2,000,000 for up to 4 years. The bill authorizes $10,000,000 to be appropriated each year from 2025 through 2029 to carry out the grant program.

This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act, giving states more control over which contaminants trigger a response. It broadens eligibility for EPA grants, prioritizing aid for disadvantaged communities, small communities lacking financial capacity, and owners of private wells. These changes aim to improve states' ability to respond to contaminants in drinking water.

The Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act of 2025 amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to improve the Weatherization Assistance Program. It establishes a Weatherization Readiness Fund to repair low-income housing and increases the State average cost per unit from $6,500 to $15,000. The act also increases the amount for heating and cooling system repairs and allows the Secretary to increase financial assistance per dwelling unit if market conditions require it.

This resolution honors the life and distinguished career of former Louisiana Senator John Bennett Johnston, Jr., recognizing his contributions to energy policy, natural resource conservation, and Louisiana's cultural heritage. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to notify the House of Representatives and send a copy of the resolution to Senator Johnston's family. Upon adoption, the Senate will adjourn in his honor.

The "Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act of 2025" amends the Small Business Act to include "snow drought" as a type of disaster, enabling small businesses affected by low snowpack to access Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster relief programs. It requires the SBA Administrator to implement rules for this change and directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on resources, adaptation strategies, and legislative actions to further aid businesses impacted by snow droughts, including an evaluation of the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.