Legislative Activity

This bill, the Restoring Access for Detainees Act, mandates that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) provide detained individuals with free, limited telephone and electronic communication services. It aims to ensure detainees can consult with legal counsel and maintain essential family ties at no cost. The legislation specifies minimum free calling minutes, required access for legal consultation, and prohibits monitoring of confidential communications with attorneys.

The Fair Credit for Farmers Act of 2025 aims to provide financial relief and reform loan processes for farmers and ranchers. It mandates a two-year deferment of principal and interest payments on direct farm loans for eligible borrowers, while also waiving guarantee fees for covered producers on certain loans. Furthermore, the bill introduces significant reforms to farm loan administration, including stricter requirements for adverse decision letters and limitations on using a principal residence as loan collateral. Finally, it shifts the burden of proof in certain appeals to the agency for low-income appellants.

This Senate resolution urges the Department of Agriculture to immediately use its contingency funds and interchange authority to ensure the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is fully financed. The Senate asserts the administration has a legal obligation to use these existing resources to support millions of vulnerable Americans through November. This measure expresses a position and does not enact new law.

The Armed Forces Pay Act of 2025 ensures continued funding for the pay and allowances of members of the Armed Forces and certain civilian intelligence employees through fiscal year 2026, should full appropriations bills not be enacted. This temporary measure provides necessary financial continuity until regular appropriations legislation is passed or until September 30, 2026. The Act also authorizes intelligence-related funds for FY 2026 until the relevant Intelligence Authorization Act is signed into law.

This Act establishes the Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act to provide temporary financial assistance to benefit recipients. It authorizes an additional $\$200$ monthly economic recovery payment for eligible Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement, and Veterans' benefit recipients between January 1, 2026, and June 30, 2026. These payments are disregarded for federal income tax and benefit eligibility purposes.

The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 ensures that essential nutrition programs, including SNAP and WIC, continue to provide benefits without interruption if full appropriations for the Department of Agriculture are not enacted for Fiscal Year 2026. This legislation immediately makes funds available to cover benefits and state operating costs during any funding lapse, retroactive to September 30, 2025. These special appropriations terminate once the standard FY 2026 funding bill is passed or by September 30, 2026.

The Shutdown Student Loans for Feds Act provides relief for federal employees and certain contractors affected by government shutdowns lasting 14 days or more, starting in fiscal year 2026. During these lapses in appropriations, federal student loan payments must be suspended, and no interest will accrue on those loans. Furthermore, suspended payment periods will count toward loan forgiveness requirements and be reported positively to credit agencies.

The Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue (GUARD) Act establishes federal requirements for companies providing artificial intelligence chatbots to U.S. users. It mandates age verification for all users and prohibits minors from accessing specialized "AI Companions." Furthermore, the bill creates criminal penalties for developing chatbots that solicit minors into sexually explicit conduct or promote violence, and requires covered entities to ensure chatbots clearly disclose they are not human.

The Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act seeks to update how Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are calculated. It mandates using the index that results in a higher adjustment: either the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers or a newly established Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers. This change aims to provide a more accurate reflection of seniors' actual cost of living in benefit calculations starting after September 2026.

The Military and Federal Employee Protection Act ensures that federal employees, military members, and covered contractors receive their full standard compensation for work performed or time furloughed during a lapse in government appropriations occurring after September 30, 2025. This bill appropriates necessary funds for agencies to make these retroactive payments. Payments must be made promptly, generally within seven days of enactment for furloughed individuals. This legislation guarantees that no covered individual loses pay due to a government shutdown during the specified period.

This resolution formally condemns President Trump's pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who previously pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws. The measure expresses strong disapproval of the pardon, citing potential conflicts of interest related to the Trump family's financial dealings with Binance. Finally, it calls upon Congress to utilize its authority to prevent similar acts of corruption in the pardon process moving forward.

The Voter Purge Protection Act aims to safeguard voter registration by preventing states from removing individuals from voter rolls solely because they moved within the state. This legislation establishes strict standards for voter list maintenance, requiring objective proof before removal and allowing registered voters to update their address up to Election Day. Furthermore, it ensures that voters who move within a state can easily cast their ballot by updating their address at the polls.

The Shutdown Guidance for Financial Institutions Act requires federal financial regulators to issue guidance encouraging banks and lenders to support consumers and businesses impacted by a government shutdown. This guidance must promote flexible loan modifications and prevent negative credit reporting for those experiencing lost income. Furthermore, regulators must quickly inform the public when a shutdown occurs and report on the effectiveness of the guidance afterward.

The Extending Expired Cybersecurity Authorities Act ensures the continuation of vital cybersecurity information sharing between the government and private industry. This bill extends the authority for sharing cyber threat information for an additional ten years, pushing the expiration date from 2025 to 2035. Furthermore, it retroactively applies this extension to prevent any lapse in coverage and officially renames the program to the "Protecting America from Cyber Threats Act."

The Federal Employees Civil Relief Act temporarily halts certain legal and administrative actions that could negatively affect the civil rights of federal employees and contractors during a government shutdown. This protection includes pausing evictions, foreclosures, lien enforcement, and providing relief for student loan and income tax obligations. The law also ensures that seeking these protections will not negatively impact an employee's credit or future financial standing.

This resolution designates September 30, 2025, as "Impact Aid Recognition Day" to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Impact Aid program. The program provides crucial financial assistance to local school districts that educate students living on or whose parents work on federal property. This recognition highlights the federal government's ongoing commitment to ensuring quality education in these uniquely impacted communities.

The Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025 ensures federal agencies compensate contractors for employee costs incurred due to government funding lapses or shutdowns. This act mandates contract price adjustments to cover reasonable expenses for furloughed or impacted contractor employees, up to a specified weekly limit. The law also provides necessary appropriations to cover these adjustments and requires public reporting on the compensation provided.

This joint resolution seeks to disapprove and nullify a specific rule published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services concerning the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Market Integrity and Affordability." If enacted, this measure would prevent the CMS rule from having any legal force or effect.

The New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act establishes a new, voluntary program to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitats and water quality across the New York-New Jersey Watershed. This effort will be supported by a competitive matching grant program, prioritizing projects that address climate resilience and environmental justice concerns. The Act authorizes \$20 million annually from 2026 through 2031, after which the legislation will expire.

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to establish a new, increasing schedule for federal appropriations for Impact Aid programs through fiscal year 2031. It specifically sets new funding limits for payments related to federal property acquisition, basic payments for heavily impacted districts, services for children with disabilities, and construction activities. The legislation aims to advance progress toward full federal funding for these essential school support programs.