Legislative Activity

This resolution officially honors the 67 victims of the tragic 2025 mid-air collision between an Army helicopter and an airliner over the Potomac River. It expresses deep sympathy for the families affected and commends the hundreds of agencies and first responders involved in the response and recovery efforts. Furthermore, the resolution commits to translating safety lessons from the incident into action to prevent future tragedies.

The United States Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Act establishes a comprehensive strategy to combat illegal gold mining and trafficking across the Western Hemisphere. This legislation directs the State Department to develop a multi-year plan focused on disrupting criminal financing, promoting responsible sourcing, and building international capacity. Furthermore, the Act mandates specific investigations into illicit gold trade networks connected to the Venezuelan regime and strengthens anti-money laundering efforts concerning precious metals.

This resolution honors the life, achievements, and legacy of former Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. It recognizes his distinguished service in the Air Force, his Olympic athletic career, and his historic tenure in the U.S. Congress. The resolution specifically highlights his landmark legislative accomplishments, including establishing the National Museum of the American Indian. The Senate expresses its sorrow and will recess as a mark of respect for his memory.

This resolution commends the successful execution of Operation Absolute Resolve, which resulted in the capture and transport of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores to the U.S. to face federal charges. It praises the operation for its precision, lack of American casualties, and its role in promoting liberty and democratic transition in Venezuela. The bill further recognizes the action's positive impact on regional stability in Latin America.

This Senate resolution strongly condemns the recent rise in ideologically motivated attacks targeting Jewish individuals and institutions across the United States, including specific violent incidents in Colorado and Washington, D.C. It reaffirms the Senate's commitment to combating antisemitism and politically motivated violence. The resolution calls for thorough investigation of these acts and urges leaders to speak out against all forms of religious and political intimidation.

This bill, the "Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act," amends immigration law to classify certain drunk driving offenses resulting in death or serious injury as an aggravated felony for non-citizens. Conviction of this new aggravated felony would make an alien inadmissible to the United States. These changes apply immediately upon enactment, even for prior convictions that trigger the new inadmissibility rules.

This comprehensive bill authorizes funding and sets policy across the entire Department of Defense for Fiscal Year 2026, covering everything from military procurement and research to personnel benefits and base construction. Key provisions include modernizing defense acquisition, reforming military healthcare, strengthening cybersecurity, and authorizing significant construction projects for all service branches. Additionally, the bill includes authorizations for the Department of Energy's national security programs, the Coast Guard, and the State Department, while also establishing new oversight for outbound U.S. investments in China.

This Act, the Hershel ‘Woody' Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, designates a specific location for the National Medal of Honor Monument in Washington D.C. It overrides standard placement rules to ensure the monument is situated within the "Reserve." This action supports the immediate honoring of Medal of Honor recipients, whose numbers are rapidly declining.

This resolution expresses strong opposition to any attempt by foreign entities, specifically citing the EU's Digital Services Act, to censor or penalize the constitutionally protected speech of United States persons. It finds that foreign regulations attempting to dictate content moderation on U.S. platforms undermine fundamental American free speech rights. The resolution commits the Senate to opposing such extraterritorial censorship and urges a firm response to any imposed penalties.

The Growing University Artificial Intelligence Research for Defense Act of 2025, or GUARD Act of 2025, establishes the National Security and Defense Artificial Intelligence Institute program. This legislation authorizes the Secretary of Defense to create AI research institutes at eligible U.S. universities to focus on national security challenges. These institutes will foster partnerships, drive innovation, and support workforce development in critical AI disciplines. Awards will be made competitively for five-year periods, ensuring all funding supports domestic research and development.

The Preventing Unnecessary Resource Expenditures Act (PURE Act) addresses the current methamphetamine crisis driven by high-purity imports. This bill reforms federal law by removing outdated purity-based weight thresholds in trafficking prosecutions to reduce the burden on crime labs. It also directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to update guidelines to ensure penalties adequately reflect the severe harm caused by methamphetamine offenses.

This bill, the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025, amends existing law to strengthen the ability of victims and heirs to file claims for art looted by the Nazis. It explicitly blocks procedural defenses, such as statutes of limitations, to ensure these claims are decided on their actual merits. The legislation clarifies that it applies to all victims of Nazi persecution, regardless of nationality, and overrides certain judicial doctrines that have previously prevented recovery.

The Back the Blue Act of 2025 establishes new federal crimes and harsher penalties for killing or assaulting law enforcement officers and other public safety officials. The bill also creates specific aggravating factors for the federal death penalty in such cases and places new restrictions on federal habeas corpus relief for related state convictions. Finally, it expands federal protections allowing active and retired law enforcement officers to carry firearms in various federal locations.

The Inspector General Access Act of 2025 amends existing law to streamline investigations of Department of Justice personnel. Specifically, this bill removes a previous exception regarding certain types of allegations from the general investigation procedures governing the Inspector General. This change ensures that the Inspector General has broader authority to investigate all relevant matters concerning DOJ personnel.

The Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act requires the TSA to update its guidance for the hygienic handling of breast milk, baby formula, and certain other liquids during airport security screening. This updated guidance must be developed in consultation with maternal health organizations to minimize contamination risks during any necessary extra screening. Furthermore, the Inspector General will audit compliance with these new hygienic standards.

The RECAPTURE Act amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to change how unspent federal broadband (BEAD) grant funds are handled when states or entities miss deadlines. Under this bill, any unallocated remaining grant funds that were not designated for a specific purpose will be deposited into the U.S. Treasury for deficit reduction. The remaining funds designated for specific purposes may still be made available to the eligible entity.

This Act establishes the Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Program, managed by the American Battle Monuments Commission. The program aims to identify Jewish servicemembers mistakenly buried under non-Jewish markers in overseas cemeteries. It authorizes funding for contracts with nonprofit organizations over ten years to help correct these historical errors and properly honor these fallen service members.

This Act, the Conscience Protections for Medical Residents Act, amends Medicare rules to prohibit residency programs from requiring participation in abortion training. Programs that mandate abortion training or discriminate against residents who opt out or refuse to participate will no longer qualify as "approved" under Medicare. This ensures medical residents are not forced to perform, assist, or refer for abortions as a condition of their training.

The Flight Risk Reduction Act amends federal law to establish a new presumption against pretrial release for non-citizens who are not lawful permanent residents. This change mandates a detention hearing for these individuals and requires courts to presume detention is necessary. Crucially, defendants cannot use ties to family or employment in the U.S. to overcome this presumption.

The Citizen Ballot Protection Act amends federal voter registration requirements, specifically concerning mail-in registration forms. It updates the required federal agency reference and grants states the option to require proof of U.S. citizenship after federal elections. This allows states to add an additional citizenship verification step for applicants.