Legislative Activity

This resolution officially designates the week of May 11 through May 17, 2025, as "National Police Week." It serves to honor the valor and integrity of law enforcement officers across the nation. The resolution specifically remembers the officers killed in the line of duty during 2024 and encourages the public to observe this week to show appreciation for law enforcement personnel.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and processors from requiring firearms retailers to use a unique Merchant Category Code (MCC) that singles them out. This ensures that credit and debit card transactions for firearms and ammunition are treated the same as general retail purchases. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcing this prohibition and reporting annually to Congress on compliance efforts.

The National Taxpayer Advocate Enhancement Act of 2025 grants the National Taxpayer Advocate the explicit authority to hire and appoint legal counsel who will report directly to their office. This change strengthens the independence and capabilities of the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The provisions are effective retroactively to 1998.

The INDEX Act mandates that investment advisers managing passively managed funds must ensure actual investors have a say in proxy voting by adhering to proportional voting instructions. If instructions are not received for non-routine matters, advisers generally cannot vote those shares unless specific exceptions apply. This legislation aims to enhance investor democracy by clarifying proxy voting responsibilities for funds tracking market indexes.

This resolution formally commends Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) on the occasion of its Centennial anniversary. It recognizes the university's significant history, growth since its founding in 1925, and its ongoing service to the State of Louisiana and the United States. The Senate directs that official notice of this commendation be sent to key university leaders.

The Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2025 extends critical Medicare payment provisions for ambulance services. This bill delays the expiration of special payment rules for "super rural" areas until January 1, 2028, while also implementing temporary payment increases for both super rural and standard ground ambulance services during that transition period. The goal is to ensure continued financial stability and access to essential ground ambulance care.

The CRAWDAD Act expands emergency assistance programs to better support agricultural producers facing disaster-related losses. It specifically updates the Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program to include drought as an eligible trigger and explicitly covers losses to crawfish harvest due to adverse weather or drought. Additionally, the bill broadens the definition of "livestock" under the Livestock Forage Disaster Program to ensure coverage for unweaned animals.

This Act establishes a "single point of contact" within the Social Security Administration (SSA) to assist victims of Social Security number misuse or lost cards. This dedicated contact will manage the entire resolution process, ensuring continuity and coordination across SSA departments. The goal is to streamline service and reduce the burden on individuals affected by identity theft involving their SSN.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating the week of May 4 through May 10, 2025, as National Small Business Week. It aims to celebrate the vital contributions of the over 34.5 million small businesses that support tens of millions of jobs nationwide. The bill honors the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners in every community.

The Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2025 significantly overhauls the use of immigration parole, requiring the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant it only on a strict case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. The bill narrowly defines these reasons and restricts parole from being used as a pathway to adjust status for most recipients. Furthermore, it establishes specific parole provisions for certain military family members and Cuban nationals, while also creating a mechanism for legal challenges against improper implementation.

The Preventing Power Outages Act revises federal funding criteria to enhance the resilience of the electric grid and prevent outages. It mandates the use of specific reliability metrics (SAIDI, SAIFI, CAIDI) that count all outages over five minutes, prioritizing areas with the worst historical performance for federal grants. Furthermore, the Act prohibits bundling requirements for grant applications and extends the program's funding timeline through 2031.

This Act prohibits the use of federal funds for gender transition procedures across several major programs. It specifically denies federal Medicaid, CHIP for minors, and Medicare funding for these procedures. Furthermore, the bill prevents individuals from claiming medical expense tax deductions for gender transition procedures.

The Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act of 2025 aims to ease the financial burden on individuals caring for family members. This bill expands eligibility for contributions to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) by allowing parents to contribute on behalf of an individual or their spouse. Furthermore, it permits the use of Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs) and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) to cover medical expenses for parents and in-laws. Finally, the Act updates Archer MSA rules to include parents in the definition of covered individuals.

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.

The Veterans’ Transition to Trucking Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to directly approve multi-state apprenticeship programs for veterans seeking to use their educational benefits in the trucking industry. This streamlines the approval process for interstate commerce carrier programs. Essentially, the VA can now act as the approving agency for these specific, multi-state training opportunities.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 comprehensively reforms the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program by updating state allocation formulas based on population and inflation, and by modifying tenant eligibility rules to protect vulnerable residents. The bill also introduces significant changes for property owners regarding casualty loss, acquisition costs, and incentives for serving extremely low-income households. Finally, it directs efforts toward increasing program transparency and encouraging local governments to reform restrictive housing policies.

This resolution officially supports the mission of National Fentanyl Awareness Day in 2025 to combat the deadly counterfeit pill crisis. It highlights the severe danger posed by fake pills containing lethal doses of fentanyl, which are increasingly accessible to young people. The bill aims to increase public awareness regarding this threat and applauds law enforcement efforts to stop the spread of illicit drugs.

The Affordable Housing Bond Enhancement Act revises rules governing private activity bonds and mortgage revenue bonds to increase housing finance flexibility. It establishes new annual reporting requirements for bond usage while easing restrictions on refinancing and significantly increasing the limit for qualified home improvement loans. Furthermore, the Act adjusts tax recapture periods and extends deadlines related to mortgage credit certificates.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act aims to combat sophisticated criminal gangs engaged in large-scale retail and supply chain theft. This bill strengthens federal law by updating money laundering and stolen property statutes, including establishing a $5,000 aggregate value threshold for certain offenses. Crucially, it mandates the creation of a specialized federal Coordination Center within Homeland Security to unify efforts across all levels of law enforcement and private industry against these transnational criminal organizations.

The Preserving Patient Access to Accountable Care Act extends the availability of incentive payments for healthcare providers participating in approved alternative payment models. Specifically, it pushes the final year for these bonuses from 2026 to 2027. For the extended year of 2027, the bill establishes a new incentive payment percentage of 3.53 percent.