Legislative Activity

The Tax Cut for Workers Act of 2025 significantly expands and makes permanent the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for workers without qualifying children by lowering the minimum age, substantially increasing the credit amount, and raising income thresholds. It also allows taxpayers to elect to use higher prior-year earned income to calculate their current EITC benefit. Furthermore, the bill permanently extends current EITC application rules for U.S. territories like Puerto Rico.

The Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts Act (BUMP Act) prohibits the manufacture, sale, and possession of devices or modifications that significantly increase the firing rate of semiautomatic firearms to mimic machinegun function. Existing owners of such modified firearms must register them within 120 days of enactment to maintain lawful possession. This legislation updates federal law by classifying these rate-of-fire-enhancing modifications as regulated items under the National Firearms Act.

The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 systematically increases the federal minimum wage to \$17.00 per hour over five years, after which it will be indexed to median wage growth. This legislation also phases out the subminimum wage for tipped employees and workers with disabilities, requiring them to eventually earn the standard federal minimum wage. Furthermore, the bill repeals the special minimum wage for workers under 20 once their rate catches up to the standard minimum.

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees across the nation. It tasks the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) with reviewing state laws to ensure they substantially provide these minimum rights, taking over administration where state laws fall short. The Act explicitly protects existing labor agreements while prohibiting strikes or lockouts that would endanger public safety services. Finally, it ensures that existing state or local laws providing equal or greater protections are not preempted by this federal minimum standard.

This resolution formally honors the life and extensive public service of the late Honorable John Bennett Johnston, Jr., former U.S. Senator for Louisiana. It details his career, highlighting his significant tenure on key Senate committees, particularly his leadership on energy policy. The resolution recognizes his legislative achievements benefiting Louisiana, including flood control and conservation efforts. Finally, the Senate adjourns immediately in his memory as a final tribute to his service.

This resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA). It celebrates the success of this landmark legislation, which allows Tribal Nations to contract and manage federal programs like health and education for their communities. The resolution reaffirms the U.S. commitment to Tribal sovereignty and self-governance.

The No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act aims to disallow federal tax deductions for employer expenditures used to influence employees regarding union organizing activities. This legislation targets significant corporate spending on anti-union consultants and captive audience meetings, arguing that taxpayers should not subsidize efforts to interfere with workers' rights to organize. The bill also introduces strict new reporting requirements and penalties for companies that fail to disclose these influence expenditures.

The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2025 aims to improve efficiency and fairness in immigration courts by significantly increasing access to legal representation for unaccompanied children. This bill mandates the government to provide counsel for these children at no cost through all stages of removal proceedings. Furthermore, it ensures noncitizens receive their case files promptly and establishes new standards for lawyer access to detention facilities and required annual reporting on legal representation outcomes.

The Tax Fairness for Workers Act aims to restore certain federal tax deductions for employees. This bill makes union dues fully deductible "above-the-line," meaning they can be claimed without itemizing. Additionally, it temporarily allows employees to itemize specific work-related business expenses through the end of 2025.

The IDEA Full Funding Act mandates specific federal funding levels for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs, excluding preschool services, starting in fiscal year 2026 through 2035 and beyond. This legislation establishes a formula that requires the government to allocate the greater of a set dollar amount or a percentage of a calculated amount based on the number of students served and average per-pupil spending. The goal is to significantly increase and stabilize federal contributions to special education services over the next decade.

The American Innovation Act establishes significant, multi-year funding authorizations for key federal science and technology agencies, including the NSF, DOE Office of Science, DoD, NIST, and NASA. This legislation sets specific budget ceilings through fiscal year 2035, with subsequent funding automatically adjusted for inflation. Furthermore, these appropriations are protected from sequestration and do not expire at the end of the fiscal year.

The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 aims to significantly expand access to telehealth services under Medicare by permanently removing outdated geographic restrictions and broadening provider eligibility. The bill also enhances program integrity by dedicating new funding to oversight and establishing educational outreach for providers with unusual billing patterns. Finally, it mandates new resources, training, and public data reporting to ensure the quality and accessibility of virtual care for all beneficiaries.

The Convenient Contraception Act ensures that individuals covered by group health plans or insurance can obtain a full 365-day supply of their covered contraceptives at once. This upfront supply must be provided without any copays, deductibles, or coinsurance. The requirement takes effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and mandates federal outreach to inform providers and consumers of this new option.

The Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act (ABC Act) mandates a comprehensive review of Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Social Security programs to significantly simplify application processes, forms, and communications. This effort aims to reduce the burden on family caregivers by eliminating redundant information requests across agencies. The responsible officials must report their simplification plans and progress to Congress within two years of enactment.

The Savings Opportunity and Affordable Repayment Act establishes a new income-contingent student loan repayment plan designed to lower monthly payments based on family size and income relative to the poverty line. This plan offers loan forgiveness after 10 years for undergraduate-only debt or 15 years for debt including graduate loans. Furthermore, the bill eliminates interest accrual that exceeds the borrower's calculated monthly payment.

This Act mandates the Department of Labor to establish comprehensive, enforceable standards for preventing workplace violence in healthcare and social service settings. It requires covered employers to develop and implement written prevention plans, conduct risk assessments, provide thorough training, and maintain detailed incident logs. The legislation also amends the Social Security Act to ensure facilities receiving Medicare funds comply with these new federal workplace safety requirements.

The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 mandates sweeping economic penalties against the Russian Federation and its affiliates for actions against Ukraine. This legislation requires the President and Treasury Secretary to impose escalating sanctions on Russian officials, financial institutions, and energy sector entities. Furthermore, the Act prohibits U.S. persons from investing in Russian debt, bans the trading of Russian securities on U.S. exchanges, and imposes a massive 500% import duty on Russian goods. Sanctions can only be terminated if Russia agrees to a verifiable peace deal with Ukraine.

The Securing Smart Investments in our Ports Act updates the Port Infrastructure Development Program to ensure fairer distribution of funding. This legislation mandates that project selections for both major and smaller port improvements must achieve equitable geographic representation across the United States. The goal is to spread vital port investments more evenly nationwide.

This resolution officially designates March 27, 2025, as "National Women in Agriculture Day." It recognizes the vital and substantial contributions of the over 1.2 million female agricultural producers to the U.S. economy and global food supply. The measure encourages citizens to acknowledge the leadership, mentorship, and economic impact women have across the entire agricultural sector.

The AID Youth Employment Act overhauls youth job training by establishing competitive grant programs for subsidized summer and year-round employment opportunities. It defines eligible youth (ages 14-24) and allocates billions in funding for these programs, prioritizing partnerships with local agencies and employers. The Act mandates performance evaluations focused on long-term employment and education outcomes for participants.