Legislative Activity

This resolution celebrates the Blinded Veterans Association's 80th anniversary and its advocacy for blind and low-vision veterans. It recognizes the BVA's contributions to healthcare, rehabilitation, and employment opportunities for these veterans, while also highlighting ongoing needs such as equal access to services, safe environments for guide dogs, and addressing the impact of new technologies. The resolution urges the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure accessibility for guide dogs and expresses the Senate's commitment to supporting all veterans with disabilities.

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.

The "Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act" requires the FCC to publish and maintain a list of entities with FCC licenses or authorizations that have significant foreign ownership or control by entities from countries of concern. The initial list focuses on specific licenses, with subsequent rule-making to expand the list to include other FCC authorizations. The FCC must update this list annually to ensure accuracy.

The Stand with Israel Act amends the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 to prohibit U.S. funds from going to the United Nations or any of its entities that discriminate against Israel. Discrimination includes actions such as expelling or suspending Israel's membership or restricting its participation in a way that is not on par with other member states. The Act ensures that no funds from the Department of State or any other federal agency can be used for contributions that violate this prohibition.

The ASCEND Act directs NASA to establish a program for acquiring and disseminating commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery to support its scientific, operational, and educational goals, as well as to benefit other federal agencies and researchers. This program will prioritize data acquisition from U.S. vendors and ensure that data licenses do not hinder scientific publication. The NASA Administrator is required to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the program's activities, including vendor information, license terms, and advancements in scientific research and applications.

The "Finding Opportunities for Resource Exploration Act" aims to enhance international cooperation in mapping critical minerals and rare earth elements through memorandums of understanding with partner countries. This collaboration seeks to improve global supply chains, ensure U.S. and allied companies have priority in resource development, and encourage private investment in sustainable resource management. The Act prioritizes projects that process minerals in the U.S. or allied countries and protects mapping data from unauthorized access. It also mandates congressional notification and private sector consultation to facilitate private sector interest in developing critical minerals and rare earth elements.

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 Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act of 2025 (SAVES Act) directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to create a pilot program that awards grants to nonprofit organizations providing service dogs to veterans. These grants, up to $2,000,000 each, will support programs that offer service dogs to veterans with physical or mental health conditions, ensuring the dogs are provided at no cost to the veteran. The VA will also provide veterinary insurance for these service dogs and oversee the grant program's implementation. $10,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each of the five fiscal years following the establishment of the pilot program.

The "Targeting Child Predators Act of 2025" enhances law enforcement's ability to investigate and prosecute child predators by modifying the rules around administrative subpoenas. It extends nondisclosure requirements for certain subpoenas issued by the Department of Homeland Security to protect victims and investigations, while also establishing a process for judicial review of these nondisclosure requirements to ensure transparency and protect the rights of subpoena recipients. This judicial review process allows recipients to challenge nondisclosure requirements, balancing the need for secrecy in investigations with the principles of due process. The bill aims to prevent child predators from evading justice by ensuring investigations are not compromised through premature disclosure of subpoenas.

The Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act amends the Social Security Act to revise physician self-referral exemptions, particularly for physician-owned hospitals. It defines and exempts "covered rural hospitals" from certain restrictions, focusing on hospitals located in rural areas and meeting specific criteria. The act also lifts the prohibition on the expansion of existing physician-owned hospitals, effective from the date of enactment.

The "Food Security and Farm Protection Act" prevents state and local governments from interfering with the production of agricultural products in other states, especially regarding preharvest standards. It allows those affected by such regulations to sue in federal court to invalidate the regulation and recover economic damages. Courts are required to temporarily block the regulation while the case proceeds, unless the state demonstrates a high likelihood of winning the case and that the injunction would cause irreparable harm. The Act establishes a 10-year window for filing lawsuits.

The "Strong Communities Act of 2025" establishes the "COPS Strong Communities Program," which provides grants to local law enforcement agencies and higher education institutions for law enforcement training programs. To be eligible, officers and recruits must commit to serving as full-time law enforcement officers in their communities for at least four years after completing their training. The bill also mandates that the Attorney General submit annual reports to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, detailing information about grant recipients, the number of officers and recruits trained, and their subsequent employment status.

The Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act aims to identify and properly honor deceased Jewish members of the Armed Forces mistakenly buried under non-Jewish markers in U.S. military cemeteries overseas. The American Battle Monuments Commission will manage a 10-year program, partnering with a nonprofit organization to identify these servicemembers and contact their families, ensuring their religious heritage is appropriately recognized. $500,000 is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission for each of the 10 fiscal years to carry out this section.

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 Veterans Education and Technical Skills Opportunity Act of 2025, or VETS Opportunity Act of 2025, amends existing law regarding educational assistance programs for veterans. It mandates regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors in independent study programs at higher education institutions participating in federal student aid programs. This change applies to academic terms starting on or after August 1, 2025.

This resolution disapproves and nullifies the EPA's rule that allowed California to set its own vehicle and engine pollution control standards. The rule in question is the "Advanced Clean Cars II" and "Waiver of Preemption." By disapproving this rule, the resolution seeks to prevent California from implementing stricter emission standards than the federal government.

The DETERRENT Act aims to increase transparency and oversight of foreign funding in higher education by amending the Higher Education Act of 1965. It requires institutions to disclose foreign gifts and contracts, particularly those from countries or entities of concern, and establishes penalties for non-compliance. The Act also mandates policies to manage conflicts of interest and potential espionage risks, and enhances interagency coordination for enforcement. Ultimately, the bill seeks to protect U.S. national security and academic integrity by ensuring greater accountability in foreign funding of higher education.

The Securing Smart Investments in our Ports Act amends Title 46 of the United States Code to improve the geographic distribution of port infrastructure projects. This will be achieved when selecting projects for the Port and Intermodal Improvement Program. It will also improve the distribution of assistance for small inland river and coastal ports and terminals.

This resolution designates March 27, 2025, as "National Women in Agriculture Day" to recognize the vital role of women in agriculture. It acknowledges women's significant contributions as producers, educators, leaders, and mentors within the agricultural sector. The resolution supports celebrating women's impact on food resources and the agricultural workforce, encouraging their continued involvement and leadership in the field.

The "Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025" mandates a wide range of sanctions on Russia, its government, affiliated individuals and entities, and sectors of its economy in response to actions against Ukraine. It requires the President to make regular determinations regarding Russia's behavior and imposes escalating penalties, including financial restrictions, import bans, and increased duties, if Russia refuses to negotiate peace, violates agreements, or takes further aggressive actions against Ukraine. The Act also targets international entities that support Russia's sanctioned activities and sets conditions for the termination and reimposition of sanctions based on Russia's adherence to peace agreements.