Legislative Activity

This resolution formally condemns the tragic act of violence at Evergreen High School on September 10, 2025, and extends condolences to the victims, survivors, and their families. It specifically recognizes the swift and heroic response of law enforcement, school personnel, medical teams, and community members. Ultimately, this measure affirms the profound impact of the event and honors the resilience shown by the entire Evergreen community.

The Reconciliation in Place Names Act establishes a formal, public process for reviewing and replacing offensive place names across the United States. It creates an Advisory Committee on Reconciliation in Place Names, composed of diverse experts and tribal representatives, to gather and propose new names for geographic features and federal land units. The Board on Geographic Names must then review these proposals, approving them unless a compelling reason exists not to, thereby promoting names that reflect fairness and respect for all Americans.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of a recent rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) concerning adherence to the text of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this resolution immediately nullifies the proposed HHS policy. Consequently, the new rule regarding APA adherence will have no legal effect.

The Safe Step Act establishes mandatory exception processes for group health plans and insurance issuers that utilize step therapy protocols for prescription drugs. This ensures patients and doctors have a clear, timely pathway to request coverage for medically necessary alternatives when required initial treatments are inappropriate or ineffective. Plans must provide rapid decisions for urgent requests and adhere to specific reporting requirements detailing exception outcomes.

The Semiquincentennial Tourism and Access to Recreation Sites Act, or STARS Act, designates September 17, 2026, as a national day of free access to federal recreation sites. This celebration of the U.S. 250th anniversary waives entrance fees for National Park and Wildlife Refuge System units. Additionally, standard amenity recreation fees will be waived at sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Forest Service on that day.

The Protect America’s Workforce Act nullifies two specific Executive Orders related to federal labor-management programs and prohibits the use of federal funds to enforce them. Furthermore, the Act ensures that all existing collective bargaining agreements between the federal government and labor organizations remain fully in effect until their original expiration dates. This legislation solidifies current federal union contracts while removing the authority of the voided orders.

The Energizing Our Communities Act establishes the Community Economic Development Transmission Fund to provide direct financial benefits to local communities hosting major new electric power transmission projects. This Fund is capitalized by a portion of the interest collected from related federal transmission loans. Host communities will receive a one-time payment to be used for local infrastructure, public services, and dedicated conservation or recreation efforts.

The Child Care Modernization Act of 2025 aims to significantly update federal child care funding by increasing state flexibility, broadening eligibility for assistance, and strengthening workforce support. The bill mandates that states develop plans ensuring child care payment rates cover actual costs, determined by new cost estimation models. Furthermore, it establishes new grant programs to fund the startup, expansion, and physical improvement of child care facilities.

This resolution expresses support for designating November 16, 2025, as "National Warrior Call Day" to combat isolation and suicide among service members and veterans. It encourages all Americans to reach out and connect with those who have served to strengthen vital support structures. The day aims to foster peer-to-peer connection as a critical step in addressing the mental health challenges faced by our military community.

The Small Business RELIEF Act exempts qualifying small businesses from import duties imposed under Executive Order 14257 due to a national emergency declaration. This legislation also mandates refunds for any such duties already paid by these small businesses. The goal is to provide immediate financial relief to small businesses impacted by these specific emergency tariffs.

The Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act allows the Forest Service to retain and reinvest fees collected from ski area permits. These funds will be used to improve ski area program administration, reduce wildfire risk, repair and maintain facilities, and support recreational activities. This act ensures that revenue generated from ski areas directly benefits those areas and other National Forest System units. It specifies how the funds are to be distributed and prohibits their use for wildfire suppression or land acquisition.

The Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act aims to protect Social Security from external government interference, specifically exempting it from the jurisdiction of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The bill also tightens restrictions on political appointees accessing beneficiary data, mandates that only verified deceased individuals are added to the Death Master File, and locks in current SSA office levels. Finally, it allocates significant new funding for improving customer service, modernizing technology, and establishing state and community grants to assist disability applicants.

The Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act transfers federal land, including Crystal Reservoir and the Full Moon Dam, to the City of Ouray, Colorado. In exchange, the City assumes all maintenance responsibilities for the infrastructure and must keep the land open for public recreation without charging fees. The transfer is conditioned on the City maintaining the land as open space and prohibiting new development beyond necessary water infrastructure operations.

The Taiwan Energy Security and Anti-Embargo Act of 2025 aims to bolster Taiwan's energy resilience against potential threats and coercion. The bill prioritizes increasing U.S. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports to Taiwan and mandates cooperation to strengthen Taiwan's critical energy infrastructure defenses. Furthermore, it encourages Taiwan to maintain nuclear energy as a reliable option and authorizes the U.S. to insure vessels carrying vital goods to strategic partners like Taiwan.

The Headwaters Protection Act of 2025 reauthorizes and significantly improves the Water Source Protection Program to better safeguard national forest watersheds. This legislation expands eligibility for water protection projects to include more local entities and private partners, while prioritizing work that builds resilience against drought and wildfire. The bill also sets stricter standards to ensure forest management activities do not degrade long-term watershed health and increases annual funding authorization for these critical restoration efforts. Importantly, the Act explicitly preserves all existing state and federal water rights and laws.

The Lowering Electric Bills Act extends crucial tax credits for residential clean energy installations until 2034. It also modifies the phase-out schedule for the Clean Electricity Production and Investment Credits, tying their continuation to achieving specific emissions reduction targets or the year 2032. These changes aim to provide long-term stability for clean energy investments.

The West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025 mandates the President to impose targeted sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans, on foreign individuals or groups whose actions threaten the peace and stability of the West Bank. These penalties specifically target those involved in violence against civilians, property destruction, or terrorism. The law requires regular reporting to Congress detailing those sanctioned and the steps being taken to mitigate violence in the region.

The Catastrophic Specialty Hospital Act of 2025 establishes a new designation for hospitals specializing in long-term care for severe injuries like spinal cord or acquired brain injuries. This designation exempts qualifying hospitals from standard Medicare payment rules, implementing a new payment structure tailored to their specialized services. Hospitals must meet strict criteria regarding patient volume, continuum of care, and research commitment to receive and maintain this three-year designation.

The IEIS Act mandates that federal immigration enforcement officers visibly display their name, unique ID, and agency during public-facing enforcement duties, with exceptions for undercover or high-risk operations. The bill also allows agencies to fully reimburse covered employees for privacy-enhancing services to protect them and their families. Furthermore, the Act includes provisions ensuring it does not impede legitimate journalistic investigation or the public disclosure of matters of public concern regarding these employees.

The Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act requires the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to evaluate existing research on menopause, perimenopause, and mid-life health for servicewomen and veterans. This evaluation must specifically examine how military service and exposures may impact these conditions and their mental health. Following the review, both departments must submit reports to Congress with recommendations and develop strategic plans to address identified research gaps in treatment options.