Legislative Activity

This resolution supports National Nurses Week, observed from May 6-12, 2025, and recognizes the vital contributions of nurses to healthcare in various roles, including patient care, advocacy, and research. It emphasizes the need for strengthening nursing workforce development and encourages public recognition of nurses' importance to patients' lives.

This resolution supports the designation of May 4-10, 2025, as "National Small Business Week". It recognizes the significant role of over 34.5 million small businesses in the U.S. that contribute to the economy and provide over 59 million jobs. The resolution celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit, achievements, and resilience of small business owners and their employees.

This resolution supports the designation of May 2025 as "Renewable Fuels Month" to recognize the benefits of renewable fuels. It highlights the positive impact of biofuels on the economy, job creation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and decreasing reliance on foreign oil. The resolution acknowledges the role of renewable fuels in lowering fuel prices, supporting rural communities, and reducing the carbon footprint of the United States.

The "Retired Law Enforcement Officers Continuing Service Act" allows the Attorney General to award grants to state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies to hire retired law enforcement personnel. These retired officers will train civilian employees and perform civilian law enforcement tasks such as assisting in investigations, reviewing footage, and providing computer expertise. The grants are subject to strict accountability requirements, including audits, to prevent fraud and waste, with priority given to entities with a clean audit history. The Attorney General must provide annual certifications and reports to Congress on audit completion, exclusions, and any duplicative grants awarded.

The CHILD Act of 2025 amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993, expanding background check requirements. It broadens the definition of "covered individual" to include contractors, employees, volunteers, and those seeking to be licensed or certified by a qualified entity, as well as those associated with entities under contract with a qualified entity. This ensures more comprehensive screening of individuals who work with or around children.

The BE GONE Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include sexual assault and aggravated sexual abuse in the definition of aggravated felonies. This change would mean immigrants convicted of these crimes would be subject to deportation.

The "New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act of 2025" amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to allow interstate shipment of meat and poultry products inspected under state programs. It authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to oversee state meat and poultry inspection programs, enforce federal requirements, and report on the status of these programs. This act overrides state laws that restrict the sale of state-inspected meat and poultry products in interstate commerce, aiming to broaden market access for state-inspected producers.

The "Food Security and Farm Protection Act" prevents state and local governments from interfering with the production of agricultural products in other states, especially regarding preharvest standards. It allows those affected by such regulations to sue in federal court to invalidate the regulation and recover economic damages. Courts are required to temporarily block the regulation while the case proceeds, unless the state demonstrates a high likelihood of winning the case and that the injunction would cause irreparable harm. The Act establishes a 10-year window for filing lawsuits.

The PRO Veterans Act of 2025 seeks to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operations through increased oversight and accountability. It mandates quarterly budget briefings to Congress, limits critical skill incentives for VA Senior Executive Service employees, and establishes a Veterans Experience Office to enhance customer service and gather data on veteran satisfaction. The act also requires annual reports and congressional reviews to ensure effective implementation and improvement of veteran services.

The Aid Accountability Act of 2025 amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to establish penalties for federal employees and recipients of federal funds who violate aid allocation requirements. Federal employees who knowingly violate the requirements will be terminated, barred from future federal employment, and held financially liable. Grantees and contractors who violate the requirements will be barred from receiving future federal funds. The Secretary of State will make the final determination on violations and report to Congress.

This resolution honors the life and distinguished career of former Louisiana Senator John Bennett Johnston, Jr., recognizing his contributions to energy policy, natural resource conservation, and Louisiana's cultural heritage. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to notify the House of Representatives and send a copy of the resolution to Senator Johnston's family. Upon adoption, the Senate will adjourn in his honor.

The "Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act of 2025" establishes an Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters within the Department of Agriculture. This office will investigate and prosecute violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act related to competition and trade practices in the food and agriculture sector, serve as a liaison to other agencies, and coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security on national security issues in the food and agriculture sector. The Special Investigator has the authority to bring civil or administrative actions against entities regulated under the Packers and Stockyards Act.

The "Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act of 2025" aims to improve coordination among government agencies regarding patent-related issues.

The "Drug Competition Enhancement Act" aims to prevent pharmaceutical manufacturers from engaging in "product hopping," a practice that stifles generic and biosimilar competition by switching patients to a new version of a drug before lower-cost alternatives can enter the market. It defines specific actions as unfair competition, including hard switches (removing the original drug) and soft switches (disadvantaging the original drug), while providing manufacturers the opportunity to justify their actions under certain circumstances. The bill empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce these provisions through investigations, injunctions, and financial penalties, ensuring a fair marketplace for drug competition. This act does not limit other antitrust laws or FTC authority.

The "Combatting Money Laundering in Cyber Crime Act of 2025" expands the U.S. Secret Service's authority to investigate digital asset crimes, including those involving money transmitting businesses, money laundering, and structured transactions. It also includes amendments to existing laws, increasing the time period for certain actions related to financial crimes, and requires a report on the implementation of measures against money laundering in cybercrime.

The "Trade Review Act of 2025" mandates that the President must notify Congress within 48 hours of imposing or increasing import duties, explaining the justification and potential economic effects. Any such duty will expire after 60 days unless Congress approves it through a joint resolution. Congress can also disapprove and nullify a duty through a joint resolution. This act excludes antidumping and countervailing duties and establishes expedited procedures for congressional review.

The "Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act" aims to foster competition in the pharmaceutical market by preventing brand-name drug and biosimilar manufacturers from entering into anticompetitive agreements that delay or prevent the entry of generic drugs and biosimilars. It prohibits agreements where generic or biosimilar applicants receive compensation to limit competition, with certain exceptions, and empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce these prohibitions. The Act also requires companies to certify that their agreements with generic drug or biosimilar manufacturers are complete and include all related terms and clarifies that forfeiture of the 180-day exclusivity period can occur if an agreement violates the Federal Trade Commission Act. Finally, the Act directs the FTC to submit a recommendation on a potential amendment regarding the exclusion of certain damage claims and sets a statute of limitations for enforcement proceedings.

The "Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act" amends patent infringement laws to include patents related to the manufacturing of biological products. It sets limits on the number of patents a reference product sponsor can assert in an infringement action against a biological product applicant, with exceptions for certain circumstances and types of patents. These changes aim to balance patent protection with the goal of increasing access to affordable biological medications. The amendments apply to applications submitted after the enactment of this act.

The DETERRENT Act aims to increase transparency and oversight of foreign funding in higher education by amending the Higher Education Act of 1965. It requires institutions to disclose foreign gifts and contracts, particularly those from countries or entities of concern, and establishes penalties for non-compliance. The Act also mandates policies to manage conflicts of interest and potential espionage risks, and enhances interagency coordination for enforcement. Ultimately, the bill seeks to protect U.S. national security and academic integrity by ensuring greater accountability in foreign funding of higher education.

The "Project Safe Neighborhoods Reauthorization Act of 2025" reauthorizes and modifies the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program to reduce violent crime by allowing grant funds to be used for hiring crime analysts, covering overtime costs, and acquiring technology. It also requires the Attorney General to submit an annual report to the Judiciary Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives detailing how the funds were spent, the community outreach efforts undertaken, and the number and description of violent crimes committed. Additionally, the bill includes support for multi-jurisdictional task forces and is also known as the Officer Ella Grace French and Sergeant Jim Smith Task Force Support Act of 2025. Finally, the bill extends the authorization of appropriations through fiscal years 2026 through 2030.