Legislative Activity

The "Paying a Fair Share Act of 2025" introduces a new tax on high-income taxpayers with an adjusted gross income exceeding $1,000,000, referred to as the "fair share tax". This tax aims to ensure wealthy individuals pay a minimum level of tax and contribute to deficit reduction. The tax is calculated based on a percentage of the taxpayer's adjusted gross income above a certain threshold, taking into account charitable contributions and other tax liabilities. The Act expresses the Senate's intention for broader tax system reforms, including eliminating loopholes and simplifying the tax code.

This resolution designates April 2025 as "Preserving and Protecting Local News Month" to highlight the importance of local news in American democracy. It recognizes the decline of local news outlets and the negative impact this has on informed citizens and communities. The resolution acknowledges local journalism as a public good and affirms its valuable contributions.

This resolution designates March 27, 2025, as "National Women in Agriculture Day" to recognize the vital role of women in agriculture. It acknowledges women's significant contributions as producers, educators, leaders, and mentors within the agricultural sector. The resolution supports celebrating women's impact on food resources and the agricultural workforce, encouraging their continued involvement and leadership in the field.

The "Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025" mandates a wide range of sanctions on Russia, its government, affiliated individuals and entities, and sectors of its economy in response to actions against Ukraine. It requires the President to make regular determinations regarding Russia's behavior and imposes escalating penalties, including financial restrictions, import bans, and increased duties, if Russia refuses to negotiate peace, violates agreements, or takes further aggressive actions against Ukraine. The Act also targets international entities that support Russia's sanctioned activities and sets conditions for the termination and reimposition of sanctions based on Russia's adherence to peace agreements.

This resolution expresses Congressional support for International Transgender Day of Visibility, recognizing the achievements and contributions of the transgender community while raising awareness of the discrimination and violence they face. It acknowledges the disproportionate oppression faced by transgender individuals in various areas, celebrates their progress in political representation and media, and urges Americans to observe the day with events that honor transgender individuals and their advocacy for equality.

This resolution recognizes and celebrates the heritage, culture, and significant contributions of Latinas to the United States across various sectors, including the economy, arts, sciences, and military. It also acknowledges the economic disparities Latinas face, such as the wage gap, and emphasizes the importance of investing in their future to address these challenges and ensure their continued growth and impact.

This resolution honors the life and distinguished career of former Wyoming Senator Alan K. Simpson, recognizing his public service, military service, and contributions to Wyoming and the nation. It celebrates his work on border security, veterans affairs, entitlement reform, and fiscal responsibility, as well as his dedication to various Wyoming institutions. The resolution expresses sorrow at his passing, directs communication to the House of Representatives and his family, and adjourns the Senate in his memory.

The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act aims to preserve natural landscapes by designating wilderness areas, establishing biological connecting corridors, and protecting wild and scenic rivers in the Northern Rockies region. It focuses on protecting ecosystems, securing water rights, managing grazing, and coordinating management between federal agencies. The Act also includes provisions for wildland restoration and recovery, implementation and monitoring of the Act's goals, and protection of Indian Tribes' rights and access. This legislation seeks to balance conservation with existing rights and economic activities in the region.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to allow Congress and states to regulate campaign finance, setting reasonable limits on contributions and expenditures to promote democracy, political equality, and the integrity of government and elections. It aims to clarify the power to differentiate between natural persons and corporations in campaign finance regulations, potentially restricting corporate spending in elections. The amendment explicitly protects the freedom of the press from any restrictions.

The Honor Farmer Contracts Act of 2025 ensures the Department of Agriculture honors existing agreements with farmers and related entities by releasing committed funding and settling outstanding debts. It prevents the cancellation of contracts unless there is a violation and requires a 60-day notice to Congress before closing any Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development Service Center office.

This resolution supports the designation of May 29, 2025, as "Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day" to bring attention to mental health challenges within the agricultural community. It aims to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness among farmers and farmworkers, who face unique stressors and have higher suicide rates. The resolution promotes the use of available resources like the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network and encourages the prioritization of mental well-being in agriculture.

The "Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2025" permits federal appellate and district court judges to allow media coverage of court proceedings, with certain protections for witnesses and jurors. It requires the Judicial Conference of the United States to issue mandatory guidelines protecting vulnerable witnesses. This authority for district courts to allow media coverage will end 3 years after the enactment of this law. The law aims to increase transparency in the judicial system while safeguarding due process and individual privacy.

This resolution designates the first week of April 2025 as "National Asbestos Awareness Week" to raise awareness about asbestos-related diseases and the dangers of asbestos exposure. It urges the Surgeon General to educate the public about the health risks associated with asbestos and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the Office of the Surgeon General.

This resolution celebrates the 204th anniversary of Greek independence and reaffirms the strong relationship between the United States and Greece, rooted in shared democratic values. It recognizes Greece's role as a valued NATO ally and acknowledges the contributions of the Greek-American community to the United States. The resolution also highlights the importance of the U.S.-Greece partnership in areas like energy security and regional stability.

The "Providing a Quality Defense Act of 2025" aims to improve the quality of legal representation for defendants who cannot afford an attorney. It authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to states, local governments, and tribal organizations to collect data on public defense and hire more public defenders or increase their compensation. The Act also requires the Attorney General to conduct studies and develop recommendations regarding public defender caseloads and compensation. Finally, it allocates funding for educational programs for public defenders and panel attorneys.

The Paycheck Fairness Act aims to strengthen and enhance the enforcement of equal pay requirements by modifying the "bona fide factor" defense, protecting employees who discuss their wages, and enhancing penalties for equal pay violations. It requires training and directs research, education, and outreach to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. The Act also prohibits employers from relying on wage history when considering prospective employees and mandates the collection of compensation data by the EEOC. Finally, the Act establishes the National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace and provides small business assistance.

This resolution expresses the Senate's support for public K-12 schools and the Department of Education, recognizing the Department's vital role in supporting students with disabilities, low-income families, and English language learners. It affirms that federal investment in public education is crucial and should not be diverted to private schools through vouchers. The resolution condemns any actions that would defund public education, weaken the Department of Education, or shift education funding responsibilities to state and local governments.

The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act of 2025 aims to combat machinegun conversion devices by directing federal agencies to develop a coordinated strategy to prevent their import and trafficking, enhance law enforcement capabilities, and improve data collection. It also amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow for the forfeiture of proceeds from illegal machinegun trafficking and requires the Attorney General to include data on machinegun conversion devices in the annual firearms trafficking report.

The "Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act of 2025" amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude certain loan repayments received by dental school faculty from taxable income, aiming to incentivize teaching careers in dentistry. It mandates a report to Congress on the long-term impact of the Dental Faculty Development and Loan Repayment Program, ensuring beneficiaries continue to serve in educational and practice roles post-funding. These provisions take effect for taxable years following the bill's enactment.

The Major Richard Star Act allows veterans with combat-related disabilities to receive both veteran's disability compensation and military retired pay concurrently, without reduction. This act amends Title 10 of the United States Code to ensure that disability retirees with combat-related disabilities are not subject to reductions in retired pay due to receiving veteran's disability compensation. These changes will take effect the first day of the month following the enactment of the Act.