Legislative Activity

The Veterans Scam And Fraud Evasion Act of 2025, or VSAFE Act of 2025, establishes a dedicated Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This new officer will be responsible for leading efforts to prevent, track, and respond to fraud and scams targeting veterans. The bill also temporarily extends existing limits on certain pension payment rules for two additional months.

The Recovery of Stolen Checks Act allows taxpayers whose original IRS refund check was lost or stolen to elect to receive their replacement refund via direct deposit. This change provides an alternative to receiving a second paper check for the lost funds. The Treasury Department must establish the necessary procedures for this election.

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 Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting in 2026. This legislation covers pharmacist services that align with state law and are provided in collaboration with a physician or approved practitioner. The bill specifies payment rates for these covered services, particularly enhancing reimbursement for services related to public health emergencies like COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Furthermore, it prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

The Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025 updates federal law by removing the requirement that manufactured homes must sit on a permanent chassis to qualify under federal safety standards. This Act mandates that all states must certify to HUD within one year that they treat these homes equally across financing, taxation, and sales regulations. States failing to certify risk having the sale of non-chassis manufactured homes prohibited within their borders. The law also requires annual compliance updates and federal coordination to ensure consistent treatment of these housing types.

The EACH Act of 2025 mandates that all federally funded health programs and insurance plans must cover abortion services without imposing restrictions based on income or insurance type. This legislation aims to eliminate existing federal bans and state-level restrictions that prevent access to comprehensive reproductive care. Furthermore, the bill prevents the federal government from interfering with state or private insurance plans that choose to cover abortion services. It explicitly repeals Section 1303 of the Affordable Care Act and establishes that this Act takes precedence over all conflicting federal laws.

The Halting the Epidemic of Addiction and Loss Act of 2025 mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) update all relevant grant programs to include any FDA-approved medication for emergency opioid overdose reversal. This ensures that federal funding guidance reflects the broadest range of life-saving reversal agents available. HHS has one year to revise all existing regulations and guidance documents to incorporate these updated definitions.

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 Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act aims to eliminate delays in certifying the deaths of veterans who pass away from natural causes. This bill mandates that VA physicians or nurse practitioners must certify a veteran's death within 48 hours, or a local official can step in. The legislation also requires the VA Secretary to annually report on compliance with this new timely certification standard.

The Healthy Moms and Babies Act aims to significantly improve maternal and infant health outcomes through the Medicaid program. This legislation mandates enhanced quality reporting, establishes initiatives to safely reduce C-section rates, and offers states the option to create coordinated "maternity health homes" for pregnant and postpartum women. Furthermore, the Act supports workforce training, explores the role of community health workers like doulas, and requires studies on social factors affecting maternal health.

The Graham Hoffman Act establishes a new federal crime for knowingly assaulting a first responder while they are performing their duties, especially if serious bodily injury results. Federal prosecution is limited to cases involving interstate activity and requires written approval from the Attorney General under specific circumstances. This law broadly defines first responders to include firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency medical personnel.

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.

This Act authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue a limited series of commemorative gold, silver, and clad coins to honor the history and service of the United States Foreign Service. The coins must be issued in 2029, with designs approved after consultation with the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. All surcharges collected from the sale of these coins will be directed to that Association to support its mission of preserving diplomatic history. The Treasury must fully recover all production and issuance costs before any surcharge funds are distributed.

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.

This resolution expresses the Senate's support for the rights and freedoms of LGBTQI+ individuals across the United States. It recognizes key Supreme Court victories that advanced equality while acknowledging the ongoing need for federal legislation to combat discrimination. The bill specifically supports designating June 26th as "LGBTQI+ Equality Day" to commemorate these legal milestones.

The Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a national strategy for building the cybersecurity workforce specifically supporting rural hospitals. This strategy must include plans for partnerships, training materials for rural schools, and recommendations for addressing unique workforce challenges. Furthermore, the Act mandates the creation and promotion of basic cybersecurity instructional materials for current rural hospital staff. Importantly, this legislation authorizes no new federal funding for its implementation.

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.

This Senate resolution formally condemns the recent rise in ideologically motivated attacks against Jewish individuals and institutions across the United States, specifically citing the violent assault in Boulder, Colorado. It reaffirms the Senate's commitment to combating antisemitism and all forms of politically motivated violence. The resolution calls for thorough investigation and prosecution of such acts, upholding the right of all citizens to live without fear of religious or political intimidation.

The Veterans Full-Service Care and Access Act of 2025 mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must ensure at least one full-service VA hospital is located within the borders of each of the 48 contiguous states. If a physical hospital is not feasible, the VA must provide comparable services through contracts with other local health care providers. The Secretary must report to Congress within one year on compliance with these new access requirements.