Legislative Activity

This resolution condemns the acceptance of substantial gifts, such as presidential aircraft, from foreign governments, citing serious national security and foreign influence concerns. It asserts that accepting such gifts violates the Constitution's Emoluments Clause and undermines public trust. The measure demands that the President must receive explicit Congressional approval before accepting any significant foreign gift.

This resolution directs the Senate Legal Counsel to initiate a civil lawsuit to enforce the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution against the President. The action seeks to legally prevent the President from accepting gifts, payments, or benefits from foreign governments without explicit Congressional approval. This measure is being taken due to concerns that the President's personal financial dealings with foreign entities may violate constitutional restrictions designed to ensure undivided loyalty to the United States.

This resolution calls for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to address the severe crisis facing civilians in Gaza, highlighting widespread hunger and the collapse of essential services due to blocked aid. It urges the Administration to immediately use all diplomatic tools to secure the release of hostages, lift the blockade on aid, and work toward a lasting end to the fighting.

The MIL FMLA Act significantly expands existing family and medical leave protections for military families and veterans under the FMLA. It broadens the definition of "family" to include domestic partners and extended relatives for leave purposes related to service members. Crucially, the bill grants eligible employees up to 26 weeks of leave to care for an injured service member and grants covered service members up to 26 weeks of leave for their own service-related injuries. These expanded rights and definitions are also applied specifically to federal civilian employees.

The Medicare and Social Security Fair Share Act modifies payroll taxes by increasing the Social Security wage cap to $400,000 and introducing a new 1.2% Medicare tax on high earners. It also significantly raises the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) rate for top earners and directs all NIIT revenue to the Social Security Trust Funds starting in 2026. These changes apply to both wage earners and the self-employed.

The Alex Gate Safety Act of 2025 mandates the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish new mandatory safety standards for various types of gates, incorporating current industry benchmarks. This legislation also requires the CPSC to launch a national education and awareness campaign detailing the risks associated with covered gates and best prevention practices. Furthermore, the Act clearly defines key terms like "covered gate" and establishes a process for updating mandatory safety rules when voluntary industry standards change.

The Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act mandates that health plans cover medically necessary diagnosis and treatment for congenital anomalies or birth defects affecting the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth, or jaw. This coverage must apply to outpatient and inpatient care, including necessary dental and orthodontic support, unless the procedure is purely cosmetic. These new requirements take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The American Innovation and Jobs Act aims to boost U.S. competitiveness by restoring immediate expensing for most business research and development (R&D) investments. It also significantly expands the refundable R&D tax credit for new and small businesses, increasing the maximum refund amount and raising eligibility thresholds. Furthermore, the bill makes technical adjustments to the R&D credit calculation to make it more accessible for startups. These provisions are designed to incentivize domestic innovation and job creation starting in tax years after 2021 and 2024, respectively.

The Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2025 extends critical Medicare payment provisions for ambulance services. This bill delays the expiration of special payment rules for "super rural" areas until January 1, 2028, while also implementing temporary payment increases for both super rural and standard ground ambulance services during that transition period. The goal is to ensure continued financial stability and access to essential ground ambulance care.

The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2025 bans the practice of paid conversion therapy aimed at changing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, deeming it ineffective and harmful. This Act treats the provision or advertisement of such therapy as an unfair or deceptive business practice under the FTC Act. Enforcement authority is granted to the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Attorney General, and State Attorneys General. The law includes a severability clause ensuring that the invalidation of one provision does not void the entire Act.

The End Crypto Corruption Act of 2025 prohibits high-ranking government officials and their immediate families from issuing, sponsoring, or endorsing specific digital assets while in office and for one year after leaving. This legislation establishes both civil penalties, including fines based on financial gain, and criminal penalties, including imprisonment, for knowing violations involving digital assets like cryptocurrencies and NFTs. The Act specifically targets conflicts of interest by treating these prohibited financial transactions as unofficial acts, removing official immunity protections.

The PRECISE Act of 2025 aims to modernize agriculture by prioritizing precision agriculture technologies and practices across rural America. It expands federal assistance and incentives within existing conservation programs like EQIP and CSP to encourage the adoption of high-tech, data-driven farming methods. Furthermore, the bill clarifies definitions and enhances technical assistance delivery to support farmers in improving efficiency and environmental outcomes.

The Tax Relief for New Businesses Act simplifies tax treatment for new businesses by combining start-up and organizational expenditures under a single set of rules. This legislation significantly increases the immediate deduction limit for these initial costs from $\$5,000$ to $\$50,000$, with the phase-out threshold raised to $\$150,000$. It also introduces special rules for how these new deductions affect Net Operating Loss (NOL) calculations for partnerships and S corporations. These changes are effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Ellie Helton, Lisa Colagrossi, Kristen Shafer Englert, Teresa Anne Lawrence, and Jennifer Sedney Focused Research Act, or "Ellies Law," addresses the significant public health threat posed by brain aneurysms. This legislation authorizes $10 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030 specifically for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). These funds are dedicated to supporting and expanding research on unruptured intracranial aneurysms, ensuring diverse patient representation in studies. The funding is intended to supplement, not replace, existing research budgets.

This resolution strongly condemns recent actions by President Donald J. Trump that targeted and undermined the freedom of the press. It reaffirms the United States' foundational commitment to a free and independent media as essential for a functioning democracy. Furthermore, the resolution calls for the executive branch to respect journalistic rights and urges continued efforts to secure the release of imprisoned U.S. Agency for Global Media journalists abroad.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating the week of May 4 through May 10, 2025, as National Small Business Week. It aims to celebrate the vital contributions of the over 34.5 million small businesses that support tens of millions of jobs nationwide. The bill honors the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners in every community.

The Small Business Liberation Act exempts qualifying small business concerns from certain import duties or requirements imposed by the President under a national emergency declaration. This provision ensures that small businesses are shielded from specific trade restrictions enacted during national emergencies.

This resolution officially designates April 2025 as Community College Month to celebrate the vital role of over 1,000 community colleges nationwide. These institutions are recognized for providing accessible, affordable higher education and essential workforce training. The bill emphasizes their significant contribution to advancing local economies and overall U.S. prosperity.

This resolution expresses support for designating May 5, 2025, as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls." It highlights the severe crisis of violence, homicide, and human trafficking disproportionately affecting American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls. The bill calls for national recognition of this day to honor victims and urges the Department of Justice to conduct an updated study on the crisis. Ultimately, it acknowledges ongoing efforts while emphasizing that more action is urgently needed to address this national tragedy.

The Midwives for MOMS Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the maternity care workforce by authorizing significant federal funding to support and expand accredited midwifery and nurse-midwifery education programs. These grants will directly assist students, help establish or grow educational institutions, and support clinical preceptors. Priority for funding will be given to programs that increase diversity and train providers to work in designated health professional shortage areas.