Legislative Activity

This resolution commends Southeastern Louisiana University on its Centennial anniversary, recognizing its historical growth, academic contributions, and service to Louisiana and the United States. It acknowledges the university's evolution from Hammond Junior College to a comprehensive university with over 15,000 students, highlighting its impact on the state's economy and culture. The resolution also directs the Secretary of the Senate to send copies to key university leaders.

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 "Preventing Power Outages Act" amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to improve electric grid reliability. It prioritizes grant applicants with the least reliable grids, as measured by industry standards (SAIDI, SAIFI, and CAIDI), and extends funding for grid improvement projects through 2031. The Act ensures that grants are focused on areas needing the most improvement and prevents the prioritization of applications based on the number of grid improvements proposed.

The "Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act of 2025" expands the use of tax-advantaged health accounts, such as HSAs, FSAs, HRAs and Archer MSAs, to include medical expenses and contributions for the parents of the account holder or their spouse. This allows individuals to use these funds for their parents' medical care, offering tax benefits without disqualifying the accounts. These provisions are effective for expenses incurred and amounts paid after December 31, 2025.

The "No Subsidies for Gender Transition Procedures Act" aims to amend the Internal Revenue Code and the Social Security Act to ensure that medical expense tax deductions, federal Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program, and Medicare funding are not used for gender transition procedures. It defines gender transition procedures and sets specific exclusions for certain medical conditions and treatments. The bill also excludes gender transition procedures from being considered essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act.

Lulu's Law requires the Federal Communications Commission to include shark attacks in wireless emergency alerts. This will allow people in affected areas to receive timely warnings about potential shark attacks.

The Veterans Transition to Trucking Act of 2025 allows the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve interstate commercial trucking apprenticeship programs for veterans using their educational assistance benefits. This expands opportunities for veterans seeking careers in the trucking industry by enabling the VA to oversee and approve multi-state programs. This simplifies the approval process for these programs, making it easier for veterans to access training and educational benefits.

The Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025 amends the Energy Act of 2020, updating the definition of critical minerals to include critical materials designated by the Secretary of Energy. This bill requires the Secretary of Energy to update the list of critical minerals within 45 days of a new critical material designation.

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.

**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.

The Affordable Housing Bond Enhancement Act aims to increase affordable housing options by modifying existing tax code related to mortgage revenue bonds and mortgage credit certificates. These changes include easing refinancing restrictions, increasing limits on home improvement loans, revising recapture tax calculations, and modifying credit calculations for interest paid on certified indebtedness. The Act also extends the period for mortgage credit certificates to be in effect and allows for easier revocation of elections to issue these certificates, alongside adjusting public notice requirements and shifting reporting responsibilities from lenders to certificate issuers. Additionally, the bill mandates more detailed reporting on bond usage and provides greater flexibility in using carryforward bond authority for housing-related purposes.

The TAKE IT DOWN Act aims to combat the nonconsensual sharing of intimate visual depictions, including deepfakes, by establishing criminal penalties for those who knowingly publish such content and requiring online platforms to create a process for individuals to request the removal of these depictions. Platforms must remove the content within 48 hours of a valid request and make reasonable efforts to remove any known identical copies. Failure to comply with these takedown obligations will be treated as a violation under the Federal Trade Commission Act. The Act also defines key terms related to consent, digital forgeries, and covered platforms.

The "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act" aims to reduce organized retail theft by amending Title 18 of the United States Code to include theft from interstate shipments, interstate transportation of stolen goods, and sale or receipt of stolen goods. It also establishes an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center to align federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal efforts to combat organized retail crime and organized supply chain crime. The center will coordinate law enforcement, share information, assist in investigations, track crime trends, and support training and technical assistance. This act seeks to provide law enforcement with the necessary tools to combat organized retail crime and enhance the coordination between different levels of government and the private sector.

The "Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act" aims to enhance the safety and well-being of law enforcement officers through comprehensive data collection and analysis. It mandates the Attorney General to submit reports to Congress on attacks against officers, unreported aggressive actions, and the mental health challenges they face. These reports will include recommendations for improving responses to attacks, enhancing training programs, and providing better mental health resources. Ultimately, the Act seeks to provide law enforcement with the resources and support they need to protect themselves and serve their communities effectively.

The "Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act" excludes certain disability benefits received by veterans from being considered as income when determining eligibility for the supported housing program and other housing assistance programs. This exclusion applies specifically to disability benefits received under chapter 11 or chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code. Additionally, the Act ensures that these disability benefits are excluded from income calculations when determining a veteran's eligibility to rent housing on Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) property built after the enactment of this law.

The "Preserving Patient Access to Accountable Care Act" amends the Social Security Act to extend incentive payments for healthcare providers participating in eligible alternative payment models (APMs) by one year. This extension updates key dates from 2026 to 2027 and from 2027 to 2028 within specific sections of the Act related to APM incentive payments. The bill also adjusts the incentive payment percentage for the year 2027.

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 Protecting Global Fisheries Act of 2025 aims to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by increasing international collaboration, authorizing sanctions on foreign individuals and vessels involved in IUU fishing or trade in endangered species, and requiring regular reports to Congress on global IUU fishing activities and efforts to address them. The Act empowers the President to impose measures such as blocking property, denying entry to the U.S., and prohibiting access to U.S. ports for those engaged in these illicit activities. It also prioritizes working with allies and international organizations to deploy technology and hold accountable those involved in IUU fishing, with a particular focus on the actions of the People's Republic of China.

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 PRO Veterans Act of 2025 seeks to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operations through increased oversight and accountability. It mandates quarterly budget briefings to Congress, limits critical skill incentives for VA Senior Executive Service employees, and establishes a Veterans Experience Office to enhance customer service and gather data on veteran satisfaction. The act also requires annual reports and congressional reviews to ensure effective implementation and improvement of veteran services.