Legislative Activity

The Pay the People Act ensures that federal employees, military service members, and essential contractors continue to receive their regular pay and benefits automatically if Congress fails to pass full-year or interim continuing appropriations. This automatic funding is drawn from the Treasury and ceases once standard appropriations are enacted. The bill is designed to prevent government shutdowns from disrupting essential personnel compensation.

The Paychecks for Patriots Act of 2025 ensures that all members of the Armed Forces receive their pay and allowances for Fiscal Year 2026, even if standard appropriations bills have not yet been enacted. This automatic funding mechanism guarantees continuous compensation for active duty and reserve service members. The authority remains in effect until a specific law is passed to fund these military personnel costs.

The Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act mandates that Members of Congress will not receive pay for any day a government shutdown is in effect. This pay reduction will be calculated based on the number of shutdown days within a pay period. For shutdowns occurring before November 2026, the withheld pay will be held in escrow until that date to comply with constitutional requirements.

The STREAMLINE Act updates federal regulations to modernize anti-money laundering reporting requirements. It significantly raises the cash transaction reporting threshold from $\$10,000$ to $\$30,000$ and adjusts thresholds for Suspicious Activity Reports. Furthermore, the bill mandates that these reporting thresholds be reviewed and adjusted every five years to account for inflation. The Treasury Department is also required to review and streamline existing reporting forms and processes.

The NFIP Extension Act temporarily reauthorizes the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This legislation extends the program's funding and operational authority from its current expiration date until November 21, 2025. The bill ensures continuous coverage by pushing back key deadlines within the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968.

This Act extends the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) until 2027 and directs the U.S. Trade Representative to develop a strategy for future bilateral trade agreements with beneficiary nations. Additionally, Title II mandates a comprehensive review of the U.S.-South Africa relationship, requiring the President to report on whether South Africa's actions harm U.S. national security interests. This section also calls for a classified report identifying South African officials eligible for sanctions.

This resolution urges the Executive Branch and G7/EU leaders to seize frozen Russian sovereign assets under their jurisdiction. These seized assets should then be disbursed to Ukraine in regular tranches of at least $10 billion per month until fully expended. The action is justified by documenting Russia's extensive war crimes and the massive financial cost of its invasion.

The NFIP Extension Act temporarily reauthorizes the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This legislation extends the program's funding authorization and overall expiration date from September 30, 2023, to September 30, 2026. The bill ensures continuous operation of federal flood insurance programs for three additional years.

The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act aims to reduce erroneous government payments by improving data sharing between the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Do Not Pay working system. This legislation mandates the SSA to share relevant information to prevent improper benefits and recover mistaken payments, provided clear evidence of death is established. The bill also outlines procedures for correcting records if an individual is wrongly marked as deceased.

The District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act eliminates the existing Judicial Nomination Commission responsible for recommending judicial candidates. This act grants the President of the United States the authority to directly nominate candidates for D.C. judicial positions, including chief judges. Consequently, the process for filling judicial vacancies in the District of Columbia is fundamentally changed.

The U.S.-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act mandates a comprehensive review of the current relationship between the two nations based on concerns over South Africa's foreign policy alignment with Russia, China, and Hamas. Following this review, the President must report to Congress and certify whether South Africa's actions harm U.S. national security interests. If such harm is certified, the bill requires the President to identify sanctionable officials and immediately terminate South Africa's eligibility for key trade preference programs.

This resolution commends the Caesars Superdome on the occasion of its golden jubilee, celebrating 50 years of service to Louisiana and the United States. It recognizes the venue's history of hosting major sporting events, cultural performances, and serving as a vital shelter during numerous hurricanes. The resolution officially honors the facility's enduring legacy and recent modernizations.

This resolution urges all NATO members to commit to spending a minimum of 5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defense, clarifying the breakdown between traditional and non-traditional defense expenditures. It emphasizes that failing to meet current spending goals reflects a lack of political will rather than financial inability. Ultimately, the resolution reaffirms the U.S. Senate's strong support for a unified and robust NATO alliance.

The Service-Disabled Veteran Opportunities in Small Business Act aims to increase federal contract awards to small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans. It mandates that the Small Business Administrator provide specialized training to any agency failing to meet its established contract goals for these businesses. Furthermore, the Act requires the Administrator to issue best practices guidance and report annually to Congress on agency compliance and training efforts.

The Build Now Act of 2025 adjusts Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations by rewarding cities and counties with faster recent housing growth and reducing funds for those with slower growth. It establishes a "Housing Growth Improvement Rate" based on historical housing unit increases to determine eligibility for bonus funding or mandatory allocation cuts. The law mandates the use of precise Census data for these housing counts and requires annual public reporting on the resulting adjustments.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's final rule regarding the Barred Owl Management Strategy in Washington, Oregon, and California. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this action nullifies the submitted management rule, preventing it from taking legal effect. Essentially, Congress is overturning the executive branch's specific plan for managing the Barred Owl population in these states.

This resolution congratulates the Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSU Shreveport) baseball team for achieving the first undefeated season in collegiate baseball history. It specifically recognizes their perfect 59-0 record and their victory in the 2025 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) World Series. The measure also honors the team's top performers and Head Coach Brad Neffendorf for bringing significant pride to the university and the State of Louisiana.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of a recent rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) concerning the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this measure nullifies the specific OCC regulation regarding bank mergers. If enacted, the disapproved rule will have no legal force or effect.

The Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act mandates that colleges and universities prominently display critical mental health and suicide prevention resources on student ID cards or main websites. This includes contact information for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and the campus mental health center. Schools will have one year after the Act's enactment to comply with these new requirements.

The CFPB Pay Fairness Act of 2025 grants the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) the authority to set and adjust the basic pay rates for all Bureau employees. This new pay structure will align CFPB employees with the standard General Schedule pay system used by many other federal workers. This change will take effect 90 days after the Act is enacted into law.