Legislative Activity

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.

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.

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 expresses strong support for designating May 2025 as "Renewable Fuels Month." It recognizes the vital role renewable fuels play in reducing carbon emissions and lowering consumer fuel prices. Furthermore, the bill highlights how these fuels support rural economies and decrease U.S. reliance on foreign energy sources.

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 America the Beautiful Act reauthorizes and modifies the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through fiscal year 2033, increasing its authorized funding to \$2.0 billion. This legislation broadens eligible lands for maintenance projects and prioritizes those receiving significant private donations. It also enhances transparency by requiring multi-year project lists and actively encouraging public contributions to address deferred maintenance across federal lands.

The Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act of 2025 aims to ease the financial burden on individuals caring for family members. This bill expands eligibility for contributions to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) by allowing parents to contribute on behalf of an individual or their spouse. Furthermore, it permits the use of Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs) and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) to cover medical expenses for parents and in-laws. Finally, the Act updates Archer MSA rules to include parents in the definition of covered individuals.

This Senate resolution urges the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to withdraw a proposed rule that would reduce opportunities for public notice and comment on new regulations. The Senate emphasizes that robust public input is essential for creating fair and effective policies that impact millions of Americans. It calls for HHS to maintain the established 54-year practice of allowing stakeholders to provide feedback before finalizing significant rule changes.

This bill modifies the railroad track maintenance credit by significantly increasing the maximum credit amount per mile from $\$3,500$ to $\$6,100$. It also updates the eligibility period for qualifying expenditures and mandates that the new credit limit will be adjusted for inflation starting in 2026. These changes are designed to provide greater financial support for ongoing railroad infrastructure upkeep.

The Better CARE for Animals Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by clarifying definitions and expanding inspection powers. It grants the Attorney General direct authority to sue violators, seek injunctions, and impose substantial daily civil penalties. Furthermore, the bill allows for the seizure of animals involved in violations and mandates that collected penalty funds be used to reimburse temporary animal care costs.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating April 2025 as "Fair Chance Jobs Month." It highlights the significant employment barriers faced by the millions of Americans with past conviction records. The bill champions efforts to remove structural roadblocks, expand job training, and connect formerly incarcerated individuals with stable employment opportunities.

The Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive framework to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry, shipbuilding capacity, and merchant marine workforce. It centralizes national maritime oversight, creates a dedicated Maritime Security Trust Fund financed partly by penalties on foreign-linked vessels, and mandates increased use of U.S.-flagged ships for government and certain commercial cargo. Ultimately, the bill aims to secure critical sealift capabilities and boost domestic maritime economic competitiveness against foreign rivals.

The Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2025 establishes a new grant program administered by the National Science Foundation. This program is designed to increase the participation and retention of women, people with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Eligible organizations can apply for competitive funding to support activities like mentoring, internships, and outreach programs aimed at these groups. Congress has authorized $15 million annually for this initiative from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

The Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 comprehensively defines and bans the manufacture, sale, and transfer of specific semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices. It grandfathers existing possessions but requires background checks for all future private transfers of these previously owned weapons. The bill also permits the use of federal Byrne grant funds for state-run buy-back programs targeting these banned items.

The Equality Act comprehensively amends federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity across key areas of American life. This legislation expands existing protections in public accommodations, employment, housing, credit access, and jury service. Its purpose is to ensure consistent and clear nationwide enforcement of non-discrimination principles for LGBTQ individuals and women.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 comprehensively reforms the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program by updating state allocation formulas based on population and inflation, and by modifying tenant eligibility rules to protect vulnerable residents. The bill also introduces significant changes for property owners regarding casualty loss, acquisition costs, and incentives for serving extremely low-income households. Finally, it directs efforts toward increasing program transparency and encouraging local governments to reform restrictive housing policies.

The Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2025 officially extends the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, which supports workers, firms, and farmers negatively impacted by trade, through December 31, 2031. This legislation also clarifies the application of TAA rules for petitions filed between July 1, 2021, and the date of enactment, often requiring reconsideration under current standards. Furthermore, it updates the funding and training calculation windows to align with the new program extension dates.

The Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act modifies the clean fuel production tax credit by requiring that qualifying fuel be made from feedstocks grown in the United States starting in 2025. The bill also extends the availability of this credit until 2034 and adjusts how emissions rates are calculated by excluding indirect land use changes for future tax years. These changes aim to incentivize domestic production and alter the environmental metrics used for the tax incentive.

The Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act of 2025 significantly enhances the rehabilitation tax credit by setting a standard 20% credit rate and introducing a new, higher 30% rate for qualifying small projects, including special provisions for rural areas. The bill also allows for the transfer of these credits and eliminates the requirement to reduce a property's cost basis when claiming the credit. These changes aim to incentivize the rehabilitation and placement in service of historic properties after the enactment date.