Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses support for designating the week of September 14 through 20, 2025, as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. It highlights the urgent need to improve basic reading, math, and digital skills for millions of U.S. adults to boost the economy and improve individual well-being. The bill encourages communities and organizations to support vital adult education and family literacy programs.

The Financial Exploitation Prevention Act of 2025 allows investment companies to voluntarily adopt rules enabling them to postpone the redemption of shares for vulnerable investors suspected of being financially exploited. If a company opts in, it can delay payouts for up to 25 business days while investigating potential exploitation of an older or impaired adult. Companies must also establish internal procedures and notify customers that such delays are possible under these specific circumstances.

The Child Care Modernization Act of 2025 aims to significantly update federal child care funding by increasing state flexibility, broadening eligibility for assistance, and strengthening workforce support. The bill mandates that states develop plans ensuring child care payment rates cover actual costs, determined by new cost estimation models. Furthermore, it establishes new grant programs to fund the startup, expansion, and physical improvement of child care facilities.

This resolution formally condemns the assassination of Charlie Kirk and honors his life and legacy as a devoted husband, father, and founder of Turning Point USA. It recognizes his commitment to encouraging civil discourse on college campuses across the nation. The Senate also extends its deepest sympathies to his surviving family.

This resolution officially designates September 25, 2025, as "National Lobster Day." It recognizes the lobster's significant historical, economic, and cultural importance to the United States, highlighting the industry's long-standing commitment to sustainability. The measure encourages Americans to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities celebrating this iconic seafood.

This resolution officially designates September 2025 as National Literacy Month to raise awareness about the critical importance of reading skills. It highlights the significant national challenges in literacy rates and the economic costs associated with low literacy. The measure calls upon all sectors of society to observe the month by promoting evidence-based reading programs and activities.

This Act officially establishes the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 to honor the life and groundbreaking civil rights achievements of the late legal pioneer. The bill authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to her family in recognition of her service, including her role in *Brown v. Board of Education*. Furthermore, it permits the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the medal to cover production costs.

The SEED Act expands the existing educator expense tax deduction to include early childhood educators. This amendment updates the Internal Revenue Code to recognize educators working with very young children alongside traditional K-12 teachers. These changes will apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2025 significantly updates federal efforts to combat harmful algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia across all U.S. waters, including freshwater systems. The bill expands the scope of the interagency Task Force, mandates the creation of a five-year national Action Strategy for HABs, and enhances monitoring and forecasting capabilities. It also clarifies agency roles, assigning EPA new duties for freshwater blooms while tasking NOAA with marine and Great Lakes response, and establishes a new incubator program for control technologies.

The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act aims to address healthcare staffing shortages by recapturing unused employment-based immigrant visas from previous years. These recaptured visas are specifically reserved for professional nurses (25,000) and physicians (15,000) to expedite their entry into the U.S. The bill also mandates premium processing for these petitions without imposing extra fees and includes worker protection attestations to prevent displacement of U.S. workers.

The Federal Firefighter Cancer Detection and Prevention Act of 2025 mandates specialized, regular cancer screenings for Department of Defense (DoD) firefighters. This includes age-appropriate testing for breast, colon, and prostate cancers, as well as screenings for other cancers identified as prevalent in the profession. The bill ensures firefighters can opt out of any service while requiring documentation of offered versus accepted screenings to track cancer trends.

The Protecting Public Naval Shipyards Act of 2025 aims to secure the jobs at vital public naval shipyards by prohibiting workforce reductions and hiring freezes. This legislation specifically protects essential roles, including welders, engineers, and nuclear maintenance staff, from budget-driven cuts. The Act ensures the stability of the shipyard workforce while preserving the Secretary of Defense's authority to address individual employee performance or misconduct.

This resolution officially designates July 30, 2025, as "National Whistleblower Appreciation Day." It honors individuals who report waste, fraud, and abuse, recognizing their vital role in government accountability. Furthermore, the bill directs federal agencies to use this day to educate employees and the public about whistleblower rights and acknowledge the importance of their service.

The Drug Shortage Prevention Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the nation's drug supply chain by improving how manufacturers report potential disruptions for critical medicines. This legislation mandates earlier and more detailed notifications to the government regarding production halts, demand spikes, or supply interruptions for life-supporting drugs. Furthermore, it requires drug makers to report their active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) suppliers twice annually, increasing transparency into the entire supply chain.

The Energy Savings and Weatherization Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends the critical Weatherization Assistance Program through 2030. This bill significantly increases the average cost limit for weatherizing low-income homes from $\$6,500$ to $\$15,000$ per unit. It also establishes clear standards for defining a "fully weatherized" home, requiring both recommended upgrades and a final quality control inspection.

This bill mandates an independent study comparing the quality of mental health and addiction therapy care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) versus non-VA providers. The study will examine differences across various treatment settings and report on key outcomes like patient improvement, use of evidence-based practices, and coordination of care. The findings will be submitted to Congress and made publicly available.

The DAIRY PRIDE Act aims to ensure food products labeled as "milk," "cheese," or other standardized dairy terms actually meet established definitions. This legislation prevents companies from selling non-dairy items across state lines using official dairy names unless they meet strict ingredient and sourcing standards. The FDA is required to quickly issue new guidance on enforcing these labeling requirements.

The Intelligence Community Property Security Act of 2025 establishes new federal penalties for unauthorized entry onto clearly marked, restricted property belonging to U.S. intelligence agencies. This act amends the National Security Act of 1947 to criminalize trespassing on secure facilities. Penalties escalate based on the number of prior offenses, potentially leading to up to 10 years in prison for repeat violations.

The Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act establishes the Healthy H2O Program to provide financial assistance for improving drinking water quality in rural areas. This program offers grants to eligible homeowners, renters, and small facilities to cover the costs of certified point-of-use or point-of-entry water treatment systems. Funding prioritizes those facing contamination from issues like lead or PFAS, provided recipients meet specific income and water quality documentation requirements. The Act authorizes $10 million annually through fiscal year 2030 to support these voluntary upgrades.

The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 aims to address physician shortages by adding 2,000 new Medicare-funded residency positions annually from 2027 through 2033. These new slots are distributed through an application process, prioritizing hospitals serving rural areas, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), and those supporting new medical schools. Additionally, the bill mandates a study and report on effective strategies for increasing diversity within the healthcare workforce.