Legislative Activity

The Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act of 2025 aims to modernize and accelerate the process for developing and updating official conservation standards. It reforms grant programs to specifically fund the innovation and evaluation of new conservation technologies and management techniques. Furthermore, the bill mandates a regular, public review schedule for all existing standards, ensuring they integrate the latest advancements. Finally, it establishes a new, flexible administrative process to quickly approve interim standards that incorporate emerging technologies at the state level.

This resolution expresses the Senate's support for designating May 2025 as "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month." It recognizes the importance of motorcycles in transportation while highlighting the increased safety risks riders face. The bill encourages all road users to practice increased awareness and supports efforts promoting rider education and the use of protective gear.

This concurrent resolution formally recognizes the critical importance and vital contributions of the United States Special Operations Forces (SOF) community to national security. It expresses strong support for the designation of an annual "SOF Week" to honor the service members and their families. The resolution underscores the need to continue providing these elite forces with the necessary resources, training, and support.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating the week of May 4 through May 10, 2025, as National Small Business Week. It aims to celebrate the vital contributions of the over 34.5 million small businesses that support tens of millions of jobs nationwide. The bill honors the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners in every community.

The SERVE Act addresses the military's recruitment challenges by mandating improved, consistent access for recruiters in high schools and colleges, including access to student academic data. It also formalizes "cross-town" affiliations for JROTC programs to expand student access to leadership training. Furthermore, the bill establishes a pilot program to recognize "military-friendly" high schools and grants priority consideration in service academy admissions to applicants from high schools with above-average enlistment rates.

The BE GONE Act, or Better Enforcement of Grievous Offenses by unNaturalized Emigrants Act, amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to expand the list of crimes considered "aggravated felonies." Specifically, this bill adds "sexual assault and aggravated sexual violence" to the list of offenses that trigger severe immigration consequences. This change broadens the scope of crimes that can lead to deportation or inadmissibility for non-citizens.

The Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act of 2025 amends federal law to classify the distribution of fentanyl that results in death as first-degree murder. This severe charge applies when an individual distributes at least two grams of a fentanyl mixture (or half a gram of an analogue) and that distribution is the cause of death. Convictions under this provision carry a penalty of either the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole.

The GHOST Act of 2025 establishes the Russia Sanctions Enforcement Fund to finance the seizure and forfeiture of assets related to Russian sanctions violations. It also creates the Export Enforcement Coordination Center, housed within Homeland Security Investigations, to centralize and improve interagency efforts against illegal exports. The bill mandates strict reporting on the Fund's activities and ensures robust coordination between law enforcement and intelligence communities on export control enforcement.

The Tax DODGER Act mandates the Treasury Department to annually report on federal employees and retirees with delinquent tax debt, broken down by agency. Furthermore, the bill makes having "seriously delinquent tax debt" grounds for ineligibility for federal employment, though it provides due process exceptions for those actively resolving their tax issues. Agencies can also take personnel action, including termination, against employees who willfully fail to file or understate their tax liability.

The Accountability in Foreign Animal Research Act prohibits U.S. federal funding for biomedical research involving live vertebrate animals conducted in or by entities in specific foreign countries, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. This measure aims to stop the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars to support animal testing in designated nations of concern. The Secretary of Health and Human Services can also add other countries to this restricted list after consulting with relevant departments.

The TRACKS Act mandates increased transparency regarding federal funds distributed to foreign entities, particularly those linked to countries of concern. It establishes new reporting requirements for prime award recipients passing down federal money as subawards to these specified foreign organizations. This legislation aims to ensure the government has full knowledge of where federal spending is directed overseas.

This bill prohibits the IRS Commissioner from using appropriated funds to purchase or maintain firearms and ammunition. It mandates the transfer of all existing IRS firearms and ammunition to the General Services Administration (GSA) for public sale, with proceeds going to the Treasury to reduce the national deficit. Furthermore, the bill transfers the administration and enforcement of all federal tax crime investigations from the IRS to the Attorney General within the Department of Justice.

The Audit the IRS Act prohibits individuals with seriously delinquent tax debt from being hired by or continuing employment with the Internal Revenue Service. This measure ensures that IRS employees meet basic tax compliance standards. The Commissioner is required to conduct regular checks on current employees and pre-employment screening for new applicants.

The Food Security and Farm Protection Act prohibits state and local governments from imposing new regulations on how agricultural products are grown in other states for interstate commerce. It establishes a federal right for affected parties to sue governments over such regulations that interfere with the flow of agricultural goods across state lines. Successful plaintiffs can seek to overturn the regulation and recover economic damages.

The Travel Trailer and Camper Tax Parity Act amends tax law to expand the definition of "floor plan financing interest" to specifically include interest paid on financing for certain towable travel trailers and campers. This change allows businesses selling these recreational vehicles to treat the interest on their inventory financing under special tax deduction rules. This provision takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

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 Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Transparency Act mandates that federal agencies annually report detailed information regarding the costs and time spent on union-related activities. This includes itemizing employee time spent on official union business, negotiation costs, and the value of government property provided to labor organizations. The goal is to increase public accountability for how taxpayer resources are utilized in connection with federal labor relations.

The Rural Housing Accessibility Act aims to streamline the process for families moving with housing vouchers to new jurisdictions. It requires public housing agencies that do not fully utilize their funds to either absorb incoming housing vouchers or limit billing the initial issuing agency to a maximum of 12 months. This ensures that families moving to new areas receive immediate assistance while placing a time limit on the financial responsibility of the original agency.

The Return to Sender Act focuses on fiscal cleanup by officially repealing specific funding authorizations within Public Law 117-169. This action immediately rescinds any unspent, obligated funds previously set aside under those repealed sections. In essence, the bill cancels old spending authority and returns the remaining money to the Treasury.

The FARMLAND Act of 2025 aims to increase scrutiny and penalties regarding foreign investment in U.S. agricultural land, driven by national security concerns. It enhances disclosure rules, mandates annual risk reports on ownership by certain foreign entities, and empowers the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review significant real estate purchases by "foreign entities of concern." Furthermore, the bill establishes new enforcement roles within the Department of Agriculture and prohibits foreign persons from participating in Farm Service Agency programs.