Legislative Activity

The Protecting Global Fisheries Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive U.S. strategy to combat illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing worldwide through international collaboration. This Act authorizes the President to impose significant sanctions, including asset freezes and port denials, against foreign persons and vessels involved in IUU fishing or endangered species trade. Furthermore, it mandates regular briefings and detailed annual reports to Congress from the Secretary of State regarding global counter-IUU fishing efforts and China's role in the issue.

This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran unless Congress has explicitly authorized such military action. It asserts that no such authorization currently exists. The bill permits continued activities like intelligence sharing and assisting allies with necessary defensive measures against Iranian threats.

The Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2025 aims to significantly reform benefits for coal miners suffering from black lung disease by streamlining claims, increasing payments, and strengthening the trust fund. It establishes new assistance programs, creates automatic eligibility presumptions for severe cases, and holds mining companies more accountable for securing payments. Additionally, the bill formally establishes the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs within the Department of Labor for administrative stability and includes technical updates to modernize the Black Lung Benefits Act.

The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a new grant program focused on building digital skills for workers in high-demand industries and fostering digital resilience. This program will award formula grants to states and competitive grants to eligible entities to expand digital workplace skills training, prioritizing individuals facing employment barriers. The legislation aims to close the significant digital skills gap affecting the current workforce and promote digital equity across communities.

This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from any hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been explicitly authorized by Congress. It affirms Congress's constitutional authority to declare war and mandates expedited procedures for considering this measure. The resolution ensures that any ongoing military action against Venezuela ceases unless Congress provides a specific authorization for the use of force.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 10660 Page Avenue in Fairfax, Virginia. The building will now be known as the "Congressman Gerald E. Connolly Post Office Building." This designation applies to all current and future federal references to the post office.

The Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act mandates the Secretary of the Interior to issue a specific right-of-way for an emergency exit from the Blue Ridge Parkway near Milepost 9.6. This issuance is conditional upon the Secretary certifying that alternative non-federal routes have been evaluated, a fire behavior analysis is complete, and all necessary environmental reviews are finalized. This legislation aims to secure a vital emergency egress route for the Wintergreen area.

This Senate resolution commemorates the 93rd anniversary of the Holodomor, the devastating Ukrainian famine of 1932-1933, linking it to current events. It expresses the Senate's condemnation of Russia's brutal, unprovoked war against Ukraine, which threatens the Ukrainian people's existence. Furthermore, the resolution highlights how Russia's actions are exacerbating global hunger by weaponizing food supplies. The Senate calls for Russia to cease attacks, withdraw troops, and respect Ukraine's sovereignty.

This bill, the Service Academies District of Columbia Equality Act of 2025, significantly increases the number of residents from the District of Columbia eligible for appointment to the U.S. Military Academy, Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy. It raises the appointment limit for each service academy from five to fifteen individuals from D.C.

This joint resolution officially terminates the national emergency declared by the President on February 1, 2025, which was used to impose duties on articles imported from Canada. It exercises the authority granted under the National Emergencies Act to end the emergency status established by Executive Order 14193.

This resolution commemorates the seventh anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi's murder and addresses ongoing transnational repression by the Government of Saudi Arabia. It calls for accountability for those responsible for Khashoggi's death and urges Saudi Arabia to release all wrongfully detained individuals. Furthermore, the resolution emphasizes that these human rights abuses strain the strategic relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

This joint resolution terminates the national emergency declared by Executive Order 14323 on July 30, 2025. The declaration was originally put in place to impose duties on articles imported from Brazil. This bill officially ends that emergency status using the authority granted by the National Emergencies Act.

The Virginia Wilderness Additions Act of 2025 seeks to expand protected lands within the George Washington National Forest. This bill adds approximately 1,000 acres to the Rough Mountain Wilderness Area. Additionally, it designates about 4,600 acres as a potential addition to the Rich Hole Wilderness Area, allowing for necessary water quality improvement activities before its final inclusion, which will occur within five years or upon completion of those projects.

The Shenandoah Mountain Act establishes the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area within the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests to protect its scenic quality, water resources, and unique biological values. This legislation also designates five new Wilderness Areas within the National Forest System. Management within the Scenic Area prioritizes conservation while allowing for existing and improved nonmotorized recreation opportunities. Furthermore, the Act withdraws the area from new mineral entry, leasing, and renewable energy development.

This joint resolution directs the President to immediately remove United States Armed Forces from any hostilities within or against Venezuela that lack explicit authorization from Congress. It asserts that only Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war or approve such military actions. The bill ensures that U.S. forces can only remain if acting in self-defense against an armed attack.

This joint resolution officially terminates the national emergency concerning energy that was declared on January 20, 2025. By enacting this measure, all special authorities and regulations implemented under the National Emergencies Act due to the energy crisis are immediately canceled.

The Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act of 2025 provides financial relief to federal employees affected by government shutdowns. This bill waives the 10% early withdrawal penalty on Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) distributions up to \$30,000 taken due to a shutdown. Furthermore, it establishes rules allowing furloughed or non-paid employees to take TSP loans and prevents missed loan payments during a shutdown from being treated as a taxable distribution.

The Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2025 amends the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination in housing based on source of income, veteran status, or military status. This expansion broadens protections to cover lawful income sources, including housing vouchers and various benefits, alongside military service. The Act ensures these new protected classes are covered across all aspects of the housing transaction, from advertising to rental agreements.

The Appalachian Trail Centennial Act aims to strengthen the cooperative management model for the Appalachian Trail and other National Scenic and Historic Trails. It officially recognizes and empowers non-profit partners, like the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, to take on significant operational roles in trail maintenance and stewardship. The bill also mandates new planning requirements, including determining visitor capacity and assessing economic impacts on gateway communities.

This resolution formally requests the Secretary of State to provide a detailed report on the Republic of Panama's human rights practices, particularly concerning non-citizens transferred there by the U.S. government. The report must detail alleged abuses, due process protections, and U.S. actions taken to promote human rights observance in Panama. It also requires an assessment of the risk that U.S. security assistance could support officials involved in the detention or mistreatment of these individuals.