Legislative Activity

The Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act aims to fight human trafficking by allowing the use of funds to install awareness signage at rest stops and welcome centers. It also increases the number of members on the Department of Transportation's advisory committee on human trafficking from 15 to 16 and adds state departments of transportation to the committee's representation. The Secretary of Transportation must appoint a state representative to the committee within 9 months of the act's enactment.

The "Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act" modifies the clean fuel production credit to require that qualifying fuels are derived from feedstocks grown in the U.S. and extends the credit through 2034. It also changes how emissions rates are determined by excluding indirect land use changes and refines the emissions factor for the credit. These changes aim to incentivize the use of domestically produced agricultural products for clean fuel production.

This resolution designates the week of April 19 through April 27, 2025, as "National Park Week" to recognize the importance of national parks for recreation, education, and economic contributions. It encourages people to visit and support these parks while acknowledging the role of the National Park Service in protecting these resources for future generations.

The "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act" aims to reduce organized retail theft by amending Title 18 of the United States Code to include theft from interstate shipments, interstate transportation of stolen goods, and sale or receipt of stolen goods. It also establishes an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center to align federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal efforts to combat organized retail crime and organized supply chain crime. The center will coordinate law enforcement, share information, assist in investigations, track crime trends, and support training and technical assistance. This act seeks to provide law enforcement with the necessary tools to combat organized retail crime and enhance the coordination between different levels of government and the private sector.

The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act of 2025 modifies the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit by increasing the amount of expenses that can be claimed, adjusting the income phase-out ranges, and making the credit refundable. The bill increases the dollar limit on creditable expenses to $8,000 for one qualifying individual and $16,000 for two or more. It also adjusts the income level at which the credit begins to phase out and indexes it to inflation.

The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2025 makes the adoption tax credit refundable, allowing more families to benefit from it regardless of their tax liability. It also streamlines the process for verifying legal adoptions through standardized affidavits. These changes apply to taxable years after December 31, 2024, with provisions to carry forward any excess credit from the previous year.

The Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act prohibits the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt, or possession of devices that convert semiautomatic firearms into machine guns. It requires individuals who legally owned modified firearms before the enactment of the BUMP Act to register them. The act amends both title 18 of the U.S. Code and the Internal Revenue Code to include these devices under the regulatory scope of machine guns.

The "Tax Cut for Workers Act of 2025" expands the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for individuals without qualifying children by lowering the minimum age, eliminating the maximum age, and increasing credit and phaseout percentages. It also makes permanent the application of the EITC to U.S. possessions and allows taxpayers to elect to use prior year earned income when calculating the EITC if it results in a larger credit. These changes aim to provide additional tax relief to low- and moderate-income workers.

The American Family Act establishes a new, fully refundable monthly child tax credit, providing monthly allowances to eligible families with children. It creates a system for monthly advance payments of the child tax credit, administered by the Secretary, and includes income limitations and eligibility criteria. The Act also provides a credit for certain other dependents and terminates the existing annual child tax credit after 2024. This aims to provide regular financial support to families with children, reducing child poverty and enhancing economic stability.

The Protecting Employees and Retirees in Business Bankruptcies Act of 2025 aims to improve financial recoveries for employees and retirees during company bankruptcy proceedings by prioritizing wage claims and protecting retirement savings. The bill modifies bankruptcy code to require good-faith negotiation between the trustee and labor organization, prioritize job preservation, and safeguard earned benefits during corporate restructurings. It also restricts excessive executive compensation and benefits, especially in cases where companies are facing bankruptcy. Additionally, the bill protects the rights of labor organizations and collective bargaining agreements during bankruptcy proceedings.

The NO FAKES Act of 2025 establishes a digital replication right, granting individuals and their rights holders the right to authorize the use of their voice and visual likeness in digital replicas. It defines the scope of this right, sets requirements for licenses, and addresses liability for unauthorized use, including safe harbors for online service providers. The act also outlines civil action remedies and preempts state laws, with specific exceptions, while clarifying that online service providers are not required to monitor their services for digital replicas.

The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 aims to increase the federal minimum wage to $17.00 per hour over a five-year period, after which it will be adjusted annually based on the percentage increase in the median hourly wage of all employees. The bill also gradually raises the minimum wage for tipped employees and newly hired employees under 20, eventually eliminating the separate wage tiers. Additionally, it increases the minimum wage for individuals with disabilities and promotes their economic self-sufficiency by phasing out special certificates that allow employers to pay them a subminimum wage.

The "Jobs in the Woods Act" establishes a competitive grant program within the Department of Agriculture to support career pathway training programs in low-income, nonmetropolitan areas for forestry operations and forestry products industries. Grants will range from $500,000 to $2,000,000 for up to 4 years. The bill authorizes $10,000,000 to be appropriated each year from 2025 through 2029 to carry out the grant program.

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees and supervisory employees. It requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine if each state's laws substantially provide these rights; if not, the Authority will administer collective bargaining rights in that state. The Act outlines the rights of public employees and employers, including the right to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activities, and prohibits lockouts and strikes that would disrupt emergency or public safety services. This law does not invalidate existing collective bargaining agreements and certifications and includes exceptions for certain state laws and political subdivisions.

This resolution honors the life and distinguished career of former Louisiana Senator John Bennett Johnston, Jr., recognizing his contributions to energy policy, natural resource conservation, and Louisiana's cultural heritage. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to notify the House of Representatives and send a copy of the resolution to Senator Johnston's family. Upon adoption, the Senate will adjourn in his honor.

The "Strong Communities Act of 2025" establishes the "COPS Strong Communities Program," which provides grants to local law enforcement agencies and higher education institutions for law enforcement training programs. To be eligible, officers and recruits must commit to serving as full-time law enforcement officers in their communities for at least four years after completing their training. The bill also mandates that the Attorney General submit annual reports to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, detailing information about grant recipients, the number of officers and recruits trained, and their subsequent employment status.

This resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, which recognizes Tribal sovereignty and empowers Indian Tribes to administer Federal programs and services. It acknowledges the Act's success in promoting local decision-making, community development, and improved quality of life for Tribal communities. The resolution calls for the continued implementation of the Act, reaffirming the federal government's commitment to supporting Native self-determination and ensuring responsive federal services. It celebrates the achievements of Indian Tribes over the past 50 years through self-determination and governance.

The "No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny tax deductions for employer expenses used to influence employees regarding union activities, including union elections and collective bargaining. It requires detailed reporting of such expenditures on tax returns, with significant penalties for non-compliance, while providing exemptions for certain communications and activities. The Act aims to prevent taxpayer subsidization of employer interference in workers' rights to organize and collectively bargain.

The "Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act of 2025" amends the Small Business Act to include "snow drought" as a type of disaster, enabling small businesses affected by low snowpack to access Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster relief programs. It requires the SBA Administrator to implement rules for this change and directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on resources, adaptation strategies, and legislative actions to further aid businesses impacted by snow droughts, including an evaluation of the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2025 aims to ensure that unaccompanied children have legal representation in immigration proceedings by providing government-funded counsel. It mandates that these children receive complete copies of their immigration files and have sufficient time to review them, and it also requires the Department of Homeland Security to allow counsel access to detained non-citizens. The Act directs the Office of Refugee Resettlement to develop guidelines for legal representation and requires annual reports on the provision of counsel to unaccompanied children. Additionally, it allows unaccompanied children to reopen their immigration cases if they were not provided with appointed counsel, and it authorizes the necessary appropriations for implementation.