Legislative Activity

This bill, the Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2025, significantly strengthens protections for individuals working under federal contracts and grants, including those with the DoD and NASA. It broadens the scope of who is protected and what types of disclosures—such as reporting waste or safety dangers—are covered. Furthermore, the legislation explicitly voids any agreement, including mandatory arbitration clauses, that attempts to waive these new whistleblower rights and remedies.

The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Justice Grant Reauthorization Act extends the authorization period for key addiction and recovery justice programs. This legislation removes previous funding caps and extends the program authorization from 2023 to 2030. This ensures continued federal support for vital community-based justice initiatives addressing substance use disorders.

The Chief Herbert D. Proffitt Act of 2025 expands eligibility for the Public Safety Officers Death Benefits program to include certain retired law enforcement officers. This legislation provides benefits to retired officers, or their families, if their injury or death resulted from a targeted attack directly related to their prior service. These changes are effective immediately and apply retroactively to qualifying incidents occurring on or after January 1, 2012.

The College Transparency Act establishes a secure, new Postsecondary Student Data System to track student enrollment, completion, and post-college outcomes across higher education institutions. This system aims to increase transparency for students and families by providing clear data on costs and success rates, while minimizing duplicate reporting burdens for schools. The collected data will be used for secure research and public reporting of aggregate statistics, strictly prohibiting the sale of data or its use for federal college rankings.

The CHILD Act of 2025, or the Comprehensive Health and Integrity in Licensing and Documentation Act of 2025, significantly expands background check requirements under the National Child Protection Act of 1993. This legislation broadens the definition of a "covered individual" to include more employees, volunteers, and applicants seeking licensure or certification from organizations that contract with qualified entities. The goal is to ensure comprehensive vetting for anyone working or seeking approval within organizations connected to child protection services.

The Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2025 aims to significantly boost employee ownership in S corporations through Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). This bill extends crucial tax deferral benefits for stock sales to ESOPs and establishes new offices within the Treasury and Labor Departments to provide technical assistance and advocacy. Furthermore, it amends the Small Business Act to ensure ESOP-owned businesses do not automatically lose small business status when they transition to majority employee ownership.

The Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act aims to rapidly improve tracking of fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses and the use of reversal medications like naloxone. It amends the comprehensive opioid abuse grant program to fund states, localities, and law enforcement coalitions in creating instant, mobile-friendly systems for reporting overdose incidents. Grantees must use this data to coordinate public safety and health responses and ensure interoperability with existing federal and state data systems.

The Art Market Integrity Act updates federal law to require certain participants in the art market to report large monetary transactions. This applies to dealers, advisors, and intermediaries involved in art sales exceeding specified monetary thresholds. The Treasury Department is tasked with developing the necessary regulations to implement these new anti-money laundering reporting requirements.

The Ending Lending to China Act of 2025 establishes a new U.S. policy opposing further financial assistance to the People's Republic of China from multilateral development banks. Citing China's status as a high-income economy with massive foreign reserves, the bill directs the Treasury Secretary to use U.S. influence to block new loans to China. Furthermore, the Secretary must advocate for ending assistance to all countries that have surpassed the established income threshold for graduation. The Treasury Department is also required to submit annual reports detailing compliance and U.S. actions taken.

The IRS Accountability and Taxpayer Protection Act mandates that IRS personnel must obtain supervisor approval *before* issuing initial notices regarding tax penalties or the disallowance of certain tax benefits. This legislation aims to increase internal oversight on enforcement actions taken against taxpayers. Additionally, the Treasury Department must annually report publicly on all penalties assessed by the IRS.

The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act mandates that electronic communication and remote computing service providers must report confirmed or reasonably suspected illegal activity involving fentanyl, methamphetamine, or counterfeit prescription drugs to the Attorney General. Providers must submit identifying account information, though they are not required to actively monitor content or break encryption. The law establishes penalties for non-compliance and requires the Attorney General to issue an annual public report on the enforcement of these provisions.

The Short on Competition Act establishes a temporary importation authority for prescription drugs when shortages occur or are likely. This authority allows the FDA to approve safe and effective foreign versions of drugs for up to three years. Furthermore, the bill creates a special designation for "marginally competitive drug markets," which triggers the same temporary importation rules to increase supply. The Act also mandates annual reporting on the use of this new importation authority.

The Patients Deserve Price Tags Act aims to drastically increase healthcare price transparency across the board. It mandates that hospitals, diagnostic labs, and ambulatory surgical centers publicly disclose detailed negotiated rates, cash prices, and gross charges in standardized formats. Furthermore, the bill strengthens requirements for health plans to provide consumers with real-time cost estimates and mandates itemized billing for patients after receiving care. These measures are backed by new compliance checks and significant daily penalties for non-compliance.

The Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl (HALT Fentanyl) Act aims to combat the opioid crisis by immediately classifying structurally similar fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I controlled substances. The bill also streamlines the registration process for researchers working with Schedule I drugs and strengthens criminal penalties for trafficking these compounds. The Attorney General is required to issue implementing rules within six months of enactment.

The Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2025 ensures continuity of care by allowing physical therapists to utilize locum tenens arrangements under Medicare. This legislation updates existing rules to ensure that temporary coverage for outpatient physical therapy services is treated the same way as coverage for physicians' services. The goal is to prevent disruptions in patient access to necessary physical therapy.

This resolution formally condemns the recent deadly attacks on Minnesota lawmakers and their families, honoring the victims and praising first responders. It serves as a strong statement rejecting political violence as fundamentally incompatible with American democracy. The resolution calls upon all leaders to denounce such acts and urges unity in upholding civil discourse.

This resolution formally honors the life, achievements, and enduring legacy of Frederick W. Smith, the visionary founder of FedEx. It recognizes his pioneering role in revolutionizing global logistics and his significant contributions to entrepreneurship and community service in Memphis. The Senate passes this tribute to celebrate his remarkable career and dedication to innovation.

This Act establishes a comprehensive U.S. strategy to support Ukraine in recovering children abducted by Russia. It authorizes federal agencies to provide technical assistance for investigations, fund rehabilitation and reintegration services for returned children, and support accountability efforts through prosecution training. Furthermore, the bill allows the President to use seized Russian sovereign assets to fund these recovery and justice initiatives.

This Act, named in honor of Daniel J. Harvey, Jr. and Adam Lambert, aims to reduce veteran suicide by strengthening mental health resources during the transition from military service to civilian life. It mandates updated mental health and suicide risk briefings within the Department of Defense's Transition Assistance Program (TAP). Furthermore, the bill enhances the VA's Solid Start Program by requiring specific outreach regarding healthcare enrollment and mental health services.

The STOP CSAM Act of 2025 significantly overhauls federal protections for child victims and witnesses in court proceedings by expanding definitions of abuse and strengthening rules around protecting personal information. It mandates stricter reporting requirements for online service providers regarding child sexual exploitation material and imposes substantial penalties for non-compliance. Furthermore, the Act expands civil remedies, allowing victims to sue online platforms directly for damages related to hosting or promoting such content. Finally, it facilitates the payment of restitution to vulnerable victims by allowing for the appointment of trustees to manage those funds.