Legislative Activity

The Save Healthcare Workers Act establishes new federal penalties for knowingly attacking hospital personnel while they are performing their duties. This legislation increases prison time and fines for assaults involving weapons or serious injury, and mandates a GAO study to review the law's impact on workplace violence and federal prosecution rates. The goal is to enhance the safety and security of healthcare providers across the nation.

This resolution formally recognizes the 200th anniversary of the incorporation of Vicksburg, Mississippi, and celebrates the city's profound historical significance. It highlights Vicksburg's crucial role in the Civil War, its unique contributions to American commerce and culture, and its ongoing importance today. The Senate encourages national recognition of the city throughout its bicentennial year.

This resolution officially designates April 2025 as "National Native Plant Month." It recognizes the critical ecological and economic importance of native plants for supporting local wildlife, maintaining healthy ecosystems, and conserving natural heritage. The designation aims to raise awareness about the vital role these indigenous species play across the United States.

The Protecting Life and Integrity in Research Act of 2025 prohibits all federal funding and support for research utilizing human fetal tissue obtained as a result of an induced abortion. The bill restricts federal agencies to only conducting or supporting research using tissue obtained after a miscarriage or stillbirth, subject to new regulations. Furthermore, it makes it illegal for individuals to solicit or knowingly accept donations of human fetal tissue obtained pursuant to an induced abortion.

The "Safer Shrimp Imports Act" aims to ensure the safety of shrimp imported into the United States by requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create agreements with foreign governments that have shrimp facilities registered for U.S. consumption. Beginning one year after enactment, shrimp will be denied entry into the U.S. from countries without agreements or whose food inspection systems do not meet FDA standards. The Act also mandates that foreign governments provide information on their food inspection systems and requires the Secretary to submit annual reports to Congress on the implementation of these amendments.

The "Respect State Housing Laws Act" repeals a provision in the CARES Act that restricted states' abilities to enforce their own eviction moratoriums. This change clarifies that state laws regarding evictions should be respected.

The "Rural Health Focus Act" establishes an Office of Rural Health within the CDC to address the unique healthcare challenges faced by rural communities. This office will conduct research, develop programs, and provide grants to improve health outcomes and access to care in rural areas. The office will also work with other federal agencies to coordinate rural health initiatives and avoid duplication of effort.

The "Saving American Workers Benefits Act of 2025" amends the Internal Revenue Code to require both taxpayers and their qualifying children to have a valid Social Security number for employment purposes in order to claim the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Credit. This ensures that these tax benefits are only received by individuals authorized to work in the United States. This change will be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

This resolution honors Mississippi's Gestational Age Act and Representative Becky Currie's role in the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade. It recognizes the decision to return the authority to regulate abortion to the states and expresses gratitude to states enacting laws to protect mothers and unborn children.

The "Promoting New Bank Formation Act of 2025" aims to encourage the creation of new financial institutions, especially in underserved areas, by phasing in capital standards, allowing changes to business plans, adjusting the Community Bank Leverage Ratio for rural community banks, and expanding agricultural loan authority for federal savings associations. The Act also requires federal banking agencies to study and report on the reasons for the decline in new financial institutions and ways to promote their formation.