Legislative Activity

The Guarding American Technology from Exploitation (GATE) Act of 2025 prohibits U.S. National Laboratories from granting access to foreign nationals from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, or Cuba, regardless of the length of their intended visit. This immediate ban applies to both current and future visitors and assignees from these specified countries. Exceptions can only be granted by the Secretary of Energy if they certify that the benefit to the U.S. outweighs the national security risks, following consultation with the FBI. Any granted waiver must be reported to Congress within 30 days.

The WEST Act of 2025 establishes a new 6% federal excise tax on the endowments of very large, non-religious private colleges and universities that meet specific asset thresholds. This tax applies to institutions with prior-year assets exceeding $11.9 billion, or $10.5 billion for certain state-affiliated entities. The tax is calculated based on the total fair market value of the institution's assets at the end of the preceding year, beginning in 2025.

The "No Student Loans for Campus Criminals Act" prohibits individuals convicted of any federal or state crime related to on-campus protests from receiving federal student loan forgiveness or cancellation. Furthermore, these convicted individuals are barred from taking out any new federal student loans. This restriction applies to most existing federal student loan programs.

The "Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act of 2025" directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct biennial risk assessments of cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities within the agriculture and food critical infrastructure sector, in coordination with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. It also mandates annual crisis simulation exercises for five years to evaluate and improve the preparedness of government and private sectors in responding to food-related emergencies and cyberattacks. The Act aims to enhance cybersecurity and resilience in the agriculture and food sector, protect food safety, and ensure national security. It authorizes \$1,000,000 to be appropriated for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030 to carry out these activities.

The "DEFENSE Act" allows the Department of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to authorize state and local law enforcement to use drone countermeasures to protect sites with flight restrictions or large public gatherings. Deputized officers must complete training and will be subject to oversight. The equipment authorized for drone detection and tracking will be limited to a list maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.

This resolution authorizes the Select Committee on Intelligence to spend money from the Senate's contingent fund, hire staff, and utilize personnel from other government departments or agencies to support its functions, including holding hearings and conducting investigations, from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2027. It sets specific expense limits for multiple periods and outlines how the committee will handle its expenses and agency contributions, ensuring financial oversight and accountability.

The "Focus on Learning Act" aims to study and address the impact of mobile devices on students in schools. It directs the Surgeon General to conduct a comprehensive study on the effects of mobile device use on various aspects of student life and academics. The Act also establishes a pilot program providing grants to schools for creating mobile device-free environments, with specific exemptions and communication protocols. Finally, it allocates funding for the program and the associated administrative and data collection efforts.

The "RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria Act" directs the U.S. government to officially refer to the "West Bank" as Judea and Samaria, the historical names for the land annexed by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War. The Act prohibits the use of "West Bank" in government documents and amends existing laws to reflect this change, with exceptions for international agreements and potential waivers by the Secretary of State.

The "Protecting Minors from Medical Malpractice Act of 2025" allows individuals who underwent gender-transition procedures as minors to sue medical practitioners for damages resulting from those procedures up to 30 years after turning 18. It also protects medical practitioners' freedom to not perform gender-transition procedures and prohibits federal funding to states that require them. The bill defines "gender-transition procedure" and "biological sex," and specifies that the Act will take effect immediately upon enactment.

The "Restoring Trade Fairness Act" suspends normal trade relations with China, leading to increased tariffs on Chinese goods, with a phased implementation over five years, and directs the President to revise the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) to include duty rates specifically for goods from the People's Republic of China. It also directs the United States Ambassador to the World Trade Organization to change the United States Schedule of Concessions on goods to allow the United States to deny normal trade relations to a WTO member if warranted, without violating the duty concessions in the Schedule. Revenue generated from these tariffs will be allocated to a trust fund to compensate U.S. producers affected by Chinese retaliatory measures and to bolster national defense. The bill also amends Section 321 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to prohibit duty-free or tax-free admission for articles originating from covered nations, even if they fall under the $800 limit.

The PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2025 mandates sanctions on foreign individuals, entities, and financial institutions found to be supporting terrorism through the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA). These sanctions target those involved in the PLO and PA's system of compensation for terrorists and their families. The Act requires the President to impose these sanctions, including blocking assets, visa restrictions, and prohibiting U.S. bank accounts for foreign financial institutions involved. The Act will be terminated if the Secretary of State certifies that the PLO and PA have ceased all payments to terrorists and their families.

The "Not One More Inch or Acre Act" prohibits citizens and entities of the People's Republic of China from purchasing public or private real estate in the United States and mandates the sale of any U.S. real estate owned by these individuals or entities if deemed a national security risk. Refugees and asylum seekers from China are exempt, as well as U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents. The bill also increases the penalty for violations of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 to no less than 10 percent, and up to 25 percent, of the value of the land holdings for which the person failed to report or submitted a deliberately false report.

This resolution condemns President Biden's commutation of Marvin Charles Gabrion II's death sentence, asserting it undermines the rule of law and insults Gabrion's victims. Gabrion was convicted of murdering Rachel Timmerman, a witness against him, and was suspected in other disappearances and murders. The resolution suggests the commutation was politically motivated, given Biden's inconsistent stance on the death penalty. The Senate unequivocally condemns this commutation.

This resolution condemns President Biden's commutation of Anthony George Battle's death sentence, arguing it undermines the rule of law and insults Battle's victims. Battle, convicted of murdering his wife and a correctional officer, received the commutation despite showing no remorse. The resolution suggests the commutation was politically motivated due to Biden's inconsistent stance on the death penalty.

The "Expel Illegal Chinese Police Act of 2025" requires the President to impose sanctions on individuals and entities tied to law enforcement in the People's Republic of China, especially those involved with Chinese police operations in the U.S. These sanctions include blocking property transactions and imposing visa restrictions. The President can waive these sanctions temporarily for national security reasons. The act also restricts federal agencies from participating in investigations into these individuals/entities unless initiated by the U.S. government or necessary for the safety of U.S. citizens.

The Justice for 9/11 Act aims to ensure trials for individuals detained at Guantanamo Bay—specifically, Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi—in relation to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. It clarifies that plea agreements or judgments do not prevent trials under existing laws and allows for the consideration of a death sentence. If convicted, these individuals must be held in solitary confinement at Guantanamo Bay, with strict limitations on communication and transfer.