Legislative Activity

The Food Secure Strikers Act of 2025 removes the automatic ban preventing workers participating in a strike from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This legislation updates eligibility rules to ensure that striking workers are no longer automatically disqualified from receiving food assistance solely because they are on strike. The bill simplifies the language to focus ineligibility on the *result* of striking, rather than the act of striking itself.

The Cameras in the Courtroom Act mandates that the Supreme Court must allow television cameras to record all open court sessions. This requirement stands unless a majority of the justices vote to block coverage for a specific case due to concerns over due process rights. This legislation updates Title 28 of the U.S. Code to formalize the presence of cameras in the highest court.

This Senate resolution affirms the foundational principle that the power to interpret federal law rests solely with the federal judiciary, as established by Article III of the Constitution. It reaffirms the doctrine of judicial review, stating that the courts definitively determine what the law means. Consequently, the resolution mandates that the Executive Branch must abide by all federal court rulings or pursue appropriate legal appeals.

The Paycheck Fairness Act aims to strengthen protections against sex-based wage discrimination and close the gender pay gap. It enhances enforcement by tightening employer defenses for pay disparities, expanding anti-retaliation protections, and increasing penalties for violations. The bill also mandates new data collection by the EEOC and establishes grant programs to support negotiation skills training.

This resolution expresses strong support for the nation's public K-12 schools and condemns any efforts to defund or dismantle the Department of Education. It affirms the crucial federal role in ensuring equitable funding and support for students, especially those with disabilities and from low-income families. The resolution warns that weakening the Department would severely disrupt vital programs serving millions of students nationwide.

This resolution officially designates March 24, 2025, as "National Women of Color in Tech Day" to recognize the vital contributions of women of color in technology. It highlights their historical achievements while addressing the systemic barriers they face in STEM education and employment. The bill commits the Senate to boosting diversity, supporting inclusive STEM education pathways, and improving data transparency to strengthen the nation's tech workforce.

This resolution designates the third week of March 2025 as "National CACFP Week" to recognize the Child and Adult Care Food Program's (CACFP) impact. The CACFP provides millions of children and adults in care settings with nutritious meals and snacks. The program improves child care quality, supports working families, and enhances the health and well-being of participants.

The FCC Legal Enforcement Act grants the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the authority to take over the collection of unpaid fines, particularly those related to illegal telemarketing calls, if the Department of Justice fails to act within 120 days. This legislation also explicitly empowers the FCC to create new regulations to protect consumers from unwanted automated telephone equipment and robocalls. Furthermore, the FCC must prioritize enforcing the collection of the largest outstanding fines exceeding $25 million.

The Putting Veterans First Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill designed to support military-affiliated federal employees by reversing past unfair employment actions and establishing new procedural safeguards against future disciplinary actions. It also imposes significant limitations, increased transparency, and accountability measures across the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regarding personnel actions, office closures, and contracting. Furthermore, the Act strengthens protections, mental health support, and employment assistance for civil servants while mandating extensive public reporting on VA operations and staffing.

The Major Richard Star Act allows veterans with combat-related disabilities to receive both veteran's disability compensation and military retired pay concurrently, without reduction. This act amends Title 10 of the United States Code to ensure that disability retirees with combat-related disabilities are not subject to reductions in retired pay due to receiving veteran's disability compensation. These changes will take effect the first day of the month following the enactment of the Act.

The AMERICA Act aims to increase transparency and competition in the digital advertising market by imposing strict ownership separation requirements on large industry players. It establishes new fiduciary duties for digital advertising brokers, requiring them to act in their customers' best interests and provide detailed execution data upon request. The bill also mandates public routing disclosures and grants the Attorney General enforcement power, including the ability to seek damages and oversee required divestitures.

The Rights for the Transportation Security Administration Workforce Act moves TSA personnel from their special management system into the standard federal employee system under Title 5 of the U.S. Code by a set deadline. This transition aims to grant TSA employees the same workplace protections and benefits as other federal workers while ensuring current pay and service time are protected. The bill also mandates several reviews by the Comptroller General and requires consultation with employee representatives regarding the implementation process. Finally, it preserves existing anti-strike laws and addresses specific concerns for Federal Air Marshals.

The Safe Schools Improvement Act aims to combat bullying and harassment in schools by requiring states that accept federal funding to establish clear anti-bullying policies, define prohibited conduct based on protected characteristics, and implement systems for reporting and tracking incidents. This legislation mandates that local districts inform all stakeholders about prohibited conduct and establish formal complaint processes. Furthermore, the bill requires regular state and federal evaluations to assess the effectiveness of these measures in reducing harmful behavior while respecting existing non-discrimination laws and free speech rights.

This bill reauthorizes and updates funding for a critical program supporting treatment for pregnant and postpartum women through fiscal year 2029. It increases the annual funding level to $\$38,931,000$ for the reauthorization period. The legislation also clarifies program language and encourages applicants to detail outreach plans targeting women disproportionately affected by substance use disorders.

The Women's Retirement Protection Act aims to address the significant retirement savings gap disproportionately affecting women by strengthening spousal protections in defined contribution plans. The bill mandates new consent requirements for distributions and beneficiary changes to safeguard a spouse's interest in retirement assets. Furthermore, it establishes grant programs to boost financial literacy for women and specifically assist low-income women and survivors of domestic violence in securing their rightful retirement benefits via court orders.

The Deliver for Democracy Act ties the Postal Service's ability to raise periodical rates to meeting specific on-time delivery performance targets for magazines and newspapers. It mandates annual public reporting by the Postmaster General on newspaper delivery performance, requiring input from relevant industry groups. Finally, the bill directs the GAO to study and report on alternative pricing strategies for periodicals that currently cost the USPS more to handle than they generate in postage.

The Baltic Security Initiative Act establishes a new program to deepen U.S. military cooperation with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to deter Russian aggression and implement NATO strategy. This initiative will focus on long-term projects like enhancing air defense, improving cyber resilience, and developing regional military capabilities. The Secretary of Defense must submit a strategy outlining these efforts and is authorized $350 million annually from FY2026 through FY2028 to support the program.

The Insurance Fraud Accountability Act aims to significantly reduce fraudulent enrollment in health plans under the Affordable Care Act. This bill establishes much stiffer financial and criminal penalties for agents and brokers who knowingly provide false enrollment information. Furthermore, it mandates a new verification process on federal Exchanges to ensure consumer consent and proper data accuracy before commissions are paid. The legislation also tightens oversight on the entire enrollment chain involving agents, brokers, and marketing organizations.

The Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025 aims to accelerate the development of new cancer treatments for children by expanding the FDA's authority to require pediatric investigations for molecularly targeted cancer drugs. It also extends the incentive program that grants priority review vouchers to encourage the development of drugs for rare pediatric diseases. The bill mandates studies on the effectiveness of these new requirements and the existing voucher system.

The Protecting Children Over Profits Act amends federal law to streamline law enforcement access to electronic records in child exploitation cases. This legislation adjusts the standards for obtaining telephone records related to such crimes. Furthermore, it prevents electronic service providers from being compensated for the costs associated with providing assistance or facilities for investigations involving child exploitation.