Legislative Activity

This resolution officially designates the week of October 5–11, 2025, as "Religious Education Week" to celebrate the importance of religious education in the United States. It affirms that religious instruction is vital for developing moral and civic citizens, citing historical precedent and Supreme Court rulings that protect parental rights in education. Furthermore, the resolution calls upon states and territories to accommodate students who wish to be released from public school for religious instruction.

The Semiquincentennial Tourism and Access to Recreation Sites Act, or STARS Act, designates September 17, 2026, as a national day of free access to federal recreation sites. This celebration of the U.S. 250th anniversary waives entrance fees for National Park and Wildlife Refuge System units. Additionally, standard amenity recreation fees will be waived at sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Forest Service on that day.

This resolution supports the designation of September 19, 2025, as "National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day" to recognize the tens of thousands of families affected by stillbirth. It celebrates the passage of the Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act of 2024, which aims to increase federal funding for stillbirth prevention research. Furthermore, the resolution urges the President to issue a proclamation encouraging national observance and action to reduce stillbirth rates.

This resolution expresses support for designating October 14, 2025, as the "National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk." It formally honors Kirk's legacy as a champion of free speech, civic education, and individual liberty through his work with Turning Point USA and his writing. The resolution encourages citizens and organizations nationwide to observe this day through activities promoting faith, liberty, and democracy.

The Equal Campus Access Act of 2025 ensures that public colleges receiving federal funding must grant religious student organizations the same rights, benefits, and privileges afforded to all other student groups. This prevents institutions from denying resources or penalizing religious groups based on their beliefs, practices, speech, leadership selection, or conduct standards. Essentially, the bill mandates equal treatment for all student organizations on campus to maintain federal funding eligibility.

The SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve the national understanding and prevention of stillbirths. It authorizes federal grants to help states enhance stillbirth surveillance, data collection, and analysis, ensuring all collected data remains de-identified. Furthermore, the Act mandates the creation of clear federal guidelines for standardized data collection and the development of public educational materials regarding stillbirth risk factors.

The Financial Exploitation Prevention Act of 2025 allows investment companies to voluntarily adopt rules enabling them to postpone the redemption of shares for vulnerable investors suspected of being financially exploited. If a company opts in, it can delay payouts for up to 25 business days while investigating potential exploitation of an older or impaired adult. Companies must also establish internal procedures and notify customers that such delays are possible under these specific circumstances.

This joint resolution formally honors the thirteen U.S. service members who were killed in the August 26, 2021, bombing at Abbey Gate during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. It recognizes their ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation and expresses deep gratitude to their families. The resolution also designates a National Day of Remembrance to ensure their faithful service is never forgotten.

This resolution formally condemns the assassination of Charlie Kirk and honors his life and legacy as a devoted husband, father, and founder of Turning Point USA. It recognizes his commitment to encouraging civil discourse on college campuses across the nation. The Senate also extends its deepest sympathies to his surviving family.

The Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act allows the Forest Service to retain and reinvest fees collected from ski area permits. These funds will be used to improve ski area program administration, reduce wildfire risk, repair and maintain facilities, and support recreational activities. This act ensures that revenue generated from ski areas directly benefits those areas and other National Forest System units. It specifies how the funds are to be distributed and prohibits their use for wildfire suppression or land acquisition.

The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025 establishes an automatic, 14-day continuing funding mechanism to keep federal programs operational if Congress fails to pass a full budget by the start of the fiscal year. This automatic funding continues in two-week increments until a final budget is enacted, while simultaneously imposing strict travel and procedural limitations on Congress and federal employees during these lapses. The Act is designed to prevent government shutdowns by ensuring continuity of essential services while incentivizing timely budget passage.

This bill amends the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act to enhance liquidity for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). It authorizes the Fund to provide capitalization assistance, such as purchasing loans or offering guarantees, to organizations that support CDFIs. The legislation significantly raises the funding cap for this assistance and mandates annual reporting to Congress on its impact.

The Protecting Regular Order for Veterans Act of 2025 mandates quarterly budget briefings for Congress by the VA Secretary and places new restrictions on critical skills bonuses for senior executives. Additionally, the bill establishes a new Veterans Experience Office, reporting directly to the Secretary, tasked with improving beneficiary satisfaction and reporting on customer feedback data to Congress. This new office will sunset on September 30, 2028, following a review by the Comptroller General.

The LETITIA Act significantly increases criminal penalties for public officials who commit financial crimes, including bank fraud, lying on loan applications, and tax fraud. This legislation establishes mandatory minimum sentences and higher fines that escalate based on the number of prior offenses committed by the official. Furthermore, it directs the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury to issue guidance ensuring rigorous investigation and enforcement of these enhanced statutes against public servants.

The Merchant Banking Modernization Act updates regulations for bank holding companies regarding their merchant banking investments. This legislation extends the minimum holding period for these investments to 15 years. This new minimum duration applies retroactively to investments already held by banks.

The Forest Bioeconomy Act aims to boost the commercialization of wood-based products and renewable fuels by establishing a new Office of Technology Transfer within the Forest Service. The bill also creates a Joint Mass Timber Science and Education Program to advance research, education, and practical application of engineered wood products in construction. Furthermore, it authorizes a pilot program to provide innovation vouchers to small businesses for research and development in the forest products industry.

The MORE USDA Grants Act aims to boost economic opportunities in rural areas, specifically targeting counties with significant federal land ownership and low populations. This bill lowers the required local matching funds by 50% for qualifying USDA grants in these designated areas. It also mandates priority consideration and enhanced technical assistance for grant applications submitted by local and Tribal governments within these counties. Furthermore, the Secretary of Agriculture is empowered to offer flexibility in grant scoring and requirements that disadvantage smaller, isolated communities.

This bill prohibits non-U.S. citizens from voting in any election within the District of Columbia. It also repeals the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022, effectively undoing that prior legislation. The measure ensures that only citizens can participate in D.C. local elections and ballot initiatives.

The MORE DOT Grants Act aims to increase transportation funding opportunities for specific rural areas designated as "High-Density Public Land Counties." This bill lowers the required local matching funds by 50% for eligible DOT grant programs in these counties. It also mandates technical assistance and gives priority to applicants from these areas that have not recently received funding from the specific program. Finally, the legislation allows for greater flexibility in application requirements for these local and Tribal governments.

The Equal Shot Act of 2025 aims to prevent discrimination against businesses within the firearms industry when applying for financial assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA). This legislation explicitly prohibits the SBA from denying loans or guarantees solely based on an applicant's status as a firearm entity, affiliate, or trade association. The Act first establishes clear definitions for these industry participants to ensure fair and equal consideration for all qualified applicants.