Legislative Activity

This Act mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand essential services, including telehealth and mail-order pharmacy benefits, to eligible veterans residing in the Freely Associated States. It also requires the VA to provide beneficiary travel payments to these veterans and submit regular progress reports to Congress. Additionally, the bill extends a current limitation on pension payments by two months.

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 updates school nutrition standards to allow schools to offer organic or non-organic whole milk as a beverage option. This legislation also revises the criteria for milk substitutions based on medical or dietary needs and excludes milk fat from saturated fat calculations for meal compliance. Furthermore, the bill mandates that training for school food service personnel must now include comprehensive information on food allergies.

This Act establishes a new program within the Indian Health Service to provide public health veterinary services, focusing on preventing diseases that spread between animals and humans in Tribal communities using a "One Health" approach. It also mandates a study on the feasibility of using oral rabies vaccines in Arctic regions. Furthermore, the bill formally includes the Director of the Indian Health Service in the interagency One Health Working Group.

The Tribal Forest Protection Act Amendments Act of 2025 significantly updates existing law to enhance tribal authority over forest and rangeland protection. This legislation expands the definition of eligible tribal lands, including certain lands in Alaska, and broadens the scope of authorized restoration projects. Furthermore, it increases funding authorization to $15 million annually through fiscal year 2031.

This bill authorizes specific adjusted interest payments to the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos trust funds. It makes technical corrections related to these water rights settlements and waives certain prior interest due to the Aamodt Pueblos. The legislation also clarifies that investment earnings on these funds are available for use.

This resolution honors the extraordinary life, leadership, and enduring legacy of Dr. Jane Goodall. It recognizes her groundbreaking scientific contributions to primatology and her tireless global advocacy for wildlife conservation and environmental education. The resolution pays tribute to her dedication to protecting chimpanzees and inspiring humanity to live in greater harmony with the natural world.

This resolution strongly condemns white supremacy, hate, and antisemitism, specifically targeting the promotion of these dangerous ideologies by Nick Fuentes. It further condemns Tucker Carlson and Kevin Roberts for platforming and defending Fuentes's documented antisemitic and Holocaust-denying statements. The resolution affirms the nation's commitment to fighting antisemitism and urges all leaders to reject these hateful views.

This bill, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025, mandates an increase in disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation rates for veterans. Effective December 1, 2025, these rates will be raised by the same percentage as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for that year. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to implement these increases and publish the adjusted rates.

This Act amends the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act to establish new supplemental trust funds for groundwater and surface water development. It also creates a new grant program to fund mutual-benefit water infrastructure projects with non-Pueblo entities, including provisions for alternative offset infrastructure. These amendments update definitions and provide specific mandatory funding allocations, adjusted for inflation, to support these water management and infrastructure goals.

The Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025 directs the FAA to establish a committee to review and recommend updates to policies regarding the medical certification of pilots and air traffic controllers with mental health conditions. The bill mandates regulatory updates to encourage aviation personnel to seek mental health care without fear of penalty. Furthermore, it allocates funding to enhance the FAA's capacity to process reviews and launches a public campaign to reduce mental health stigma within the industry.

This resolution supports the goals of Transgender Day of Remembrance by formally recognizing the epidemic of violence targeting transgender people. It specifically honors the lives lost to violence over the past year, particularly transgender women of color. The resolution calls on Congress and the executive branch to enact inclusive legislation and policies to protect transgender lives and ensure their dignity.

The Background Check Expansion Act mandates that nearly all private firearm transfers between unlicensed individuals must go through a licensed dealer to complete a federal background check. This legislation establishes a universal background check requirement for these transactions, with specific exceptions for family gifts and law enforcement transfers. The bill aims to close loopholes in existing firearm transfer laws while explicitly prohibiting the creation of a national firearms registry.

This bill establishes the Right to Representation for Department of Veterans Affairs Workers Act of 2025. It grants most VA employees the right to have a representative present during certain examinations if they believe the exam could lead to disciplinary action. This representation can occur during paid duty time upon the employee's request.

This resolution officially recognizes November as National Native American Heritage Month. It celebrates the rich cultures, histories, and significant contributions of Native Americans to the United States across various fields. The resolution also reaffirms the government's commitment to tribal self-governance and the government-to-government relationship with Indian Tribes.

This resolution honors Dr. Jane Goodall for her groundbreaking work as an ethologist, conservationist, and activist, recognizing her pioneering research on chimpanzees. It highlights the significant impact of the Jane Goodall Institute and her global efforts in environmental restoration and youth engagement. The resolution further designates specific national days to commemorate her birthday and enduring legacy.

The Keep Head Start Funded Act of 2025 ensures the uninterrupted continuation of all Head Start projects and activities throughout fiscal year 2026, even if full appropriations are delayed. This legislation provides necessary continuing funding based on the terms of existing 2025 continuing resolutions. Funding authority under this Act will terminate upon the enactment of regular 2026 appropriations or by September 30, 2026.

The END Illicit Chinese Tobacco Act amends federal law to explicitly mandate the destruction of any imported tobacco products found to be adulterated, misbranded, or counterfeit. This legislation strengthens the ability of the FDA to stop illicit Chinese tobacco products at the border.

The No Nuclear Testing Without Approval Act prohibits the United States from conducting any explosive nuclear testing unless a foreign state tests first or a specific technical need is certified. Before any test, the President must notify Congress 180 days in advance, and Congress must approve the action through a joint resolution. Approval requires a two-thirds affirmative vote in the Senate, with specific, rigorous procedural requirements outlined for both chambers.

The Pay Our Capitol Police Act appropriates necessary funds to ensure officers, employees, and contractors of the Capitol Police receive full pay and benefits for work performed during the government shutdown beginning October 1, 2025. These funds will be charged against future official appropriations for the Capitol Police. The funding remains available until regular appropriations are enacted or until September 30, 2026.

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.