Legislative Activity

The Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2025 updates the Clean Air Act to formally include "prescribed fires" alongside "exceptional events" when reviewing air quality monitoring data. This legislation mandates the EPA Administrator to revise rules within a strict timeline, ensuring state determinations regarding pollution spikes from these events are consistently reviewed. The bill also clarifies definitions and establishes procedures for handling large, multi-jurisdictional events involving prescribed fires or natural disasters.

The Fix Our Forests Act is comprehensive legislation designed to aggressively reduce catastrophic wildfire risk through landscape-scale restoration and streamlined management of high-risk federal lands. It establishes new centralized intelligence centers, accelerates hazardous fuel reduction projects by reforming environmental reviews, and bolsters community resilience through new risk reduction programs. Furthermore, the bill enhances support for firefighters' families and promotes technological innovation and transparency in forest management practices.

The Consumer Safety Technology Act establishes initiatives to enhance consumer protection in the face of emerging technologies. It mandates a pilot program for the CPSC to test the use of Artificial Intelligence in product safety enforcement. Furthermore, the bill requires studies on how blockchain technology can combat fraud and directs the FTC to report on deceptive practices involving digital tokens.

This bill authorizes pipeline owners and operators to use risk-based inspection methods for in-service breakout tanks, replacing existing standard inspection requirements. The Secretary of Transportation is directed to promptly update federal regulations to formally permit these risk-based inspections. This change provides flexibility in how certain storage tanks are inspected.

The Modern Risk Detection Act of 2025 mandates that transportation safety standards allow organizations to implement risk-based approaches when meeting regulatory requirements. This shifts the focus from rigid, one-size-fits-all rules to methods that prioritize managing specific, identified risks. The goal is to encourage the use of risk-based concepts in achieving overall safety compliance.

The Star-Spangled Summit Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to issue a 10-year special use permit for the placement and maintenance of an American flag flagpole at Kyhv Peak Lookout Point in Utah. This permit is initially offered to a specific individual, Robert S. Collins, with a clear preference system established for subsequent renewals or transfers. Crucially, the Act stipulates that no land use fees can be charged for this permit, and it exempts the permit process from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

This resolution commemorates the 33rd anniversary of the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing and the 31st anniversary of the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires. It strongly condemns these terrorist acts, which were allegedly directed by Iran, and highlights the decades-long struggle for justice for the victims. The resolution urges continued international efforts to hold the perpetrators accountable and commends recent Argentine legal actions toward achieving that goal.

The Taiwan Undersea Cable Resilience Initiative Act establishes a U.S. effort to protect and strengthen undersea communication cables vital to Taiwan's security against sabotage, particularly from the People's Republic of China. The bill mandates the creation of a new initiative focused on improved monitoring, rapid repair capabilities, joint maritime surveillance, and hardening cable infrastructure. Furthermore, it authorizes sanctions against PRC individuals or entities involved in such sabotage and requires regular reporting to Congress on interference incidents and U.S. responses.

This Joint Resolution uses the Congressional Review Act to formally disapprove and nullify an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule. The rejected rule concerned the reclassification of major sources of pollution as area sources under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act. Consequently, the EPA's December 29, 2023, final rule will have no legal effect.

The Restoring WIFIA Eligibility Act of 2025 modifies how the federal government budgets for certain financial assistance provided under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA). This bill stipulates that if loan repayments for water infrastructure projects come entirely from non-Federal sources, the assistance must be counted as a direct loan or loan guarantee for budgetary scoring purposes. This change effectively treats these specific WIFIA loans as non-Federal financing in the federal budget.

The Alex Gate Safety Act of 2025 mandates the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish new mandatory safety standards for various types of gates, incorporating current industry benchmarks. This legislation also requires the CPSC to launch a national education and awareness campaign detailing the risks associated with covered gates and best prevention practices. Furthermore, the Act clearly defines key terms like "covered gate" and establishes a process for updating mandatory safety rules when voluntary industry standards change.

The Uyghur Policy Act of 2025 addresses the severe human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minorities in China's Xinjiang region, which Congress finds constitute genocide and crimes against humanity. The bill directs the U.S. government to prioritize diplomatic efforts to secure the release of political prisoners and gain access to detention facilities. Furthermore, it mandates increased State Department coordination, public diplomacy funding to raise awareness in the Islamic world, and the promotion of Uyghur language training for diplomats.

The Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act defines the Tribe and its lands for legal purposes. It grants Utah state courts jurisdiction over civil lawsuits involving the Band on their lands, while ensuring disputes arising from contracts on those lands can be heard in federal court. Crucially, the Act explicitly preserves the Shivwits Band of Paiutes' sovereign immunity from being sued without their consent. Finally, it grants the Tribe the authority to lease its federal trust lands under existing federal leasing statutes.

The Stop CCP Money Laundering Act of 2025 requires federal agencies to assess Hong Kong's role in illicit finance and trade violations. Specifically, the Treasury Secretary must determine if Hong Kong should be designated a "jurisdiction of primary money laundering concern." Furthermore, the State Department must report to Congress on how effectively Hong Kong financial institutions are preventing transactions that violate U.S. sanctions and export controls against adversaries like Russia and Iran.

The Moab UMTRA Project Transition Act of 2025 establishes the process for transferring ownership of the completed cleanup site in Moab, Utah, from the U.S. government to Grand County, Utah, at no cost. This transfer is contingent upon the Secretary of Energy determining cleanup is complete and is subject to necessary health and safety restrictions. Crucially, the U.S. government retains necessary water rights for any ongoing environmental responsibilities, and Grand County is permanently restricted from selling the land to private entities.

This resolution formally honors the life and legacy of the Honorable Mia Bourdeau Love, former Representative for the State of Utah. It recognizes her historic achievements, including being the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, and celebrates her dedication to faith, family, and public service. The resolution directs that a copy be sent to her family and concludes by noting the Senate will adjourn for the day in her memory.

The No Hezbollah In Our Hemisphere Act aims to counter the growing presence and criminal activities of Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah, in Latin America. The bill directs the Secretary of State to pressure foreign governments to stop enabling these networks and encourages regional allies to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Furthermore, it establishes a process for designating "terrorist sanctuaries" in the hemisphere, which could lead to visa revocations for foreign officials from those areas. These sanctions will automatically expire five years after the Act's enactment unless renewed by Congress.

The Studying NEPA’s Impact on Projects Act mandates that the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) produce a comprehensive annual report detailing the effects of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This report, starting in 2025, must track NEPA-related lawsuits, the length and cost of environmental reviews, project timelines, and agency use of categorical exclusions. The goal is to provide detailed, sector-specific data to enhance transparency regarding NEPA compliance.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study for designating the Bonneville Shoreline Trail under the National Trails System Act. The proposed trail would stretch approximately 280 miles along the ancient Lake Bonneville shoreline from the Idaho-Utah border to Nephi, Utah. This study will determine the viability of officially recognizing this significant natural feature as a national trail.

The Making Access To Cleanup Happen (MATCH) Act of 2025 aims to streamline the Emergency Watershed Program by allowing eligible sponsors, like state or local governments and Tribes, to begin critical cleanup work before a formal agreement is signed. This legislation clarifies which pre-agreement costs will count toward a sponsor's required share if an agreement is later finalized. However, sponsors who start work early assume the financial risk if the project does not ultimately move forward.