Legislative Activity

The Restore and Modernize Our National Laboratories Act of 2025 authorizes $\$5$ billion annually from 2026 to 2030 to address deferred maintenance and modernize critical infrastructure across the National Laboratories. This legislation mandates comprehensive reporting to Congress on funded projects and updates the Department of Energy's facility strategy to align infrastructure planning with current and future scientific missions. The bill ensures that modernization efforts support cutting-edge research while requiring a detailed 10-year reconfiguration plan for all national laboratory facilities.

The Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act establishes a new federal grant program to help states recruit and retain paraprofessionals in public schools. Funds are distributed to states based on Title I allocations and must be used for state administration or competitive subgrants to local entities. Subgrants must support activities like mentoring, professional development, credentialing assistance, or wage increases, with priority given to entities serving high-poverty areas. States must report annually on wage changes and program effectiveness.

The Waste and Illegal Property Eradication (WIPE) Act authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD) to use portable, specialized solid waste disposal systems for the on-site destruction of seized contraband, counterfeit goods, and unauthorized materials. This legislation explicitly prohibits the use of open-air burn pits for disposing of illicit or classified items. The Act provides $8.95 million in funding for fiscal year 2026, offsetting this cost by reducing funds previously allocated for open-air burn pit operations.

The Access to Birth Control Act aims to ensure that individuals can easily obtain FDA-approved contraception and related medications without systemic barriers. This legislation mandates that pharmacies must promptly dispense birth control or immediately facilitate a transfer or order if the item is out of stock. Furthermore, the bill prohibits intimidation, interference, or misleading information when customers seek these essential healthcare services.

The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025 mandates that employers protect workers from dangerous heat stress conditions. This Act requires the Secretary (of Labor) to rapidly establish comprehensive, science-based worker heat protection standards, including mandatory rest, water, and shade provisions. Furthermore, it grants enforcement power to OSHA, ensuring these new heat safety rules carry the full weight of existing occupational safety law. The legislation also establishes strong anti-retaliation protections for employees who report heat hazards.

The Child Care for Working Families Act establishes comprehensive federal programs to guarantee access to high-quality, affordable child care for young children of working families. It mandates significant investments to stabilize the child care workforce by requiring higher provider pay and sets strict caps on costs for parents based on income. Additionally, the bill creates a framework for universal, free preschool for three- and four-year-olds and extends service hours and raises compensation for Head Start staff.

The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act updates and continues funding for federal programs addressing tick-borne diseases. This legislation modifies the composition of the Vector-Borne Disease Strategy Group and adjusts the authorized funding levels for the national strategy and local health department support through fiscal year 2030.

The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act aims to significantly expand the palliative care and hospice workforce through new federal grant and award programs for education, training, and career incentives. The bill also mandates the dissemination of information about palliative care services to patients, families, and providers, while enhancing palliative care research efforts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Importantly, the legislation clarifies that funds cannot support activities intended to cause death, ensuring alignment with existing federal funding restrictions.

The Consumer Online Payment Transparency and Integrity Act establishes strict new rules to protect consumers from deceptive automatic renewal and free trial charges. It mandates that businesses must obtain express, informed consent before billing for renewals and provide clear, easy cancellation methods upfront. Violations of these consent and disclosure requirements will render the renewal void, requiring full refunds, and will be enforced by the FTC as unfair business practices.

This concurrent resolution officially recognizes the significance of equal pay and highlights the persistent wage disparity faced by Black women compared to White, non-Hispanic men. It designates July 10, 2025, as Black Women's Equal Pay Day to draw attention to the economic losses caused by this gap. The resolution underscores that closing this disparity is vital for the economic stability and wealth-building of Black women and their families.

This Act establishes a five-year pilot program treating pregnancy as a qualifying event for enrollment in TRICARE Select. This allows eligible military family members to sign up for expanded coverage upon becoming pregnant. The Department of Defense is required to submit annual reports to Congress detailing enrollment changes under this new provision.

This resolution officially recognizes June 2025 as LGBTQ Pride Month to honor the history, struggles, and significant contributions of the LGBTQ community in the United States. It acknowledges past and ongoing discrimination while celebrating key legal milestones toward equality. The Senate encourages the nation to use this month to learn about inequality and celebrate the community's achievements both domestically and globally.

The Break the Cycle of Violence Act establishes a comprehensive federal strategy to reduce community violence through non-carceral, evidence-based interventions. Title I creates a new grant program within HHS to fund local violence intervention programs focused on high-risk individuals and trauma-responsive care. Title II authorizes $1.5 billion in Department of Labor grants to fund year-round job training and workforce development specifically for opportunity youth in high-violence areas. Overall, the bill directs significant federal resources toward community-led solutions that prioritize public health, economic opportunity, and violence reduction.

The Military in Law Enforcement Accountability Act aims to strictly limit the Department of Defense's support for civilian law enforcement to only overwhelming crises, requiring explicit Congressional approval for extensions beyond 14 days. It also prohibits active military or DoD civilian personnel from simultaneously holding positions in civilian law enforcement agencies, with exceptions for reservists in non-active duty status. Furthermore, the Act establishes a private right of action, allowing individuals and governments to sue federal entities for violations of these new accountability standards.

The Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 2025 is a legislative update designed to modernize the Internal Revenue Code by ensuring gender-neutral language is used when referencing married taxpayers and their spouses. This bill systematically replaces outdated gendered terms like "husband and wife" or "his" with inclusive terms such as "married couple" and "spouse." The changes are purely linguistic, ensuring consistency across tax rules without altering any existing tax liabilities or deductions.

The Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025 updates definitions to expand protections for victims of intimate partner violence, including broadening who qualifies as an intimate partner. This legislation clarifies what constitutes a "dating relationship" and extends misdemeanor domestic violence protections to children harmed by a parent's dating partner. Crucially, the Act also creates a new federal prohibition preventing individuals convicted of misdemeanor stalking from owning or possessing firearms.

The Refund Equality Act of 2025 extends the deadline for certain legally married couples to amend past tax returns filed separately before September 16, 2013, based on Revenue Ruling 2013-17. This allows these couples to now file jointly for those years, extending the statute of limitations for filing the joint return and claiming related refunds or credits. These extensions are strictly limited to changes resulting from recognizing their marital status for federal tax purposes.

The 3D Printed Gun Safety Act of 2025 aims to prevent the proliferation of untraceable firearms manufactured using 3D printing technology. This legislation makes it illegal to intentionally distribute digital files or instructions online that can program a device to manufacture a complete firearm or key firearm components. The goal is to preserve existing gun tracing capabilities and enhance public safety against the threat of ghost guns.

This resolution officially commemorates June 19, 2025, as "Juneteenth National Independence Day." It recognizes the historical significance of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in the Southwest finally received news of their freedom. The resolution supports the nationwide celebration of this day as a vital part of American history and heritage.

The Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025 establishes a federal right to access abortion services without facing state-imposed restrictions that are not medically necessary for comparable procedures. This Act prohibits states from enacting targeted regulations that create hurdles for abortion access, protects the right to travel out of state for care, and allows individuals and the Attorney General to sue to enforce these protections. Ultimately, the bill aims to ensure equitable access to reproductive healthcare decisions based on a provider's good-faith medical judgment.