Legislative Activity

The Diego Garcia Treaty Oversight Act mandates that the President provide Congress with at least 180 days' notice and a detailed national security report before modifying or terminating the 1966 agreement regarding the British Indian Ocean Territory. Furthermore, the bill requires the Senate’s formal advice and consent for any changes to the agreement and prohibits the use of federal funds for such modifications without this approval.

The National Domestic Preparedness Consortium Reauthorization Act updates and reauthorizes the consortium’s mission to provide critical training to state, local, tribal, and territorial public safety agencies. The bill expands the consortium's membership, modernizes its training focus, and authorizes $587 million in funding over five years. Additionally, it establishes protections to ensure consistent and equitable funding distribution among member organizations.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board Reform Act of 2026 restructures the MSRB to improve oversight of the municipal securities market. The bill mandates a new board composition, updates rulemaking authority to enhance investor protection, and establishes standardized data practices. Additionally, it grants the SEC greater authority to appoint board members and oversee the board's operational and financial standards.

This bill, the "Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act," aims to reduce fraudulent payments by improving information sharing between the Social Security Administration and the federal Do Not Pay working system. It mandates cooperation to use death data to prevent and recover improper benefit payments. The legislation also establishes standards for recording deaths and requires notification if an individual is incorrectly flagged as deceased.

The Poverty Statistics Enhancement Act mandates the Census Bureau to develop and implement a new methodology for measuring poverty and income inequality, supplementing existing measures. This new approach will calculate individual income by adding earned income and government benefits while subtracting taxes paid, based on a specific Congressional Budget Office framework. The bill requires federal and state agencies to provide necessary data for this calculation and mandates comprehensive reporting to Congress on the implementation and resulting statistics.

The Close the Shadow Banking Loophole Act aims to increase federal oversight of industrial banks and their parent companies, often referred to as industrial loan companies. This legislation amends the Bank Holding Company Act to establish new supervisory authority for the FDIC over these institutions, particularly those that have recently gained federal deposit insurance. The bill also imposes stricter conditions on changes in control for industrial banks.

This resolution formally commends Centenary College of Louisiana as it celebrates its bicentennial anniversary. It recognizes the college as the oldest institution of higher learning in Louisiana and honors its significant history and ongoing contributions to education and the Northwest Louisiana community.

This resolution mandates the withholding of salaries for all Senators during any period of a government shutdown. The withheld pay must be released to the Senators once the shutdown has officially ended. This measure will take effect following the general election in November 2026.

This Act amends the charter for the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association to modernize its governance structure. It grants the corporation's bylaws greater authority to define membership, board composition, and officer procedures. The bill also imposes strict financial restrictions, prohibiting political activity and stock issuance, while removing the requirement for the principal office to be located in the District of Columbia.

The Preventing Unnecessary Resource Expenditures Act (PURE Act) addresses the current methamphetamine crisis driven by high-purity imports. This bill reforms federal law by removing outdated purity-based weight thresholds in trafficking prosecutions to reduce the burden on crime labs. It also directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to update guidelines to ensure penalties adequately reflect the severe harm caused by methamphetamine offenses.

This bill provides fiscal year 2026 appropriations for the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Interior's water programs, the Department of Energy, and several independent agencies. It allocates billions for water infrastructure, western water management, energy research, and nuclear safety oversight. The legislation also imposes strict rules on how these agencies can transfer funds and manage their operations to ensure congressional spending directives are followed.

The **SPEED Act** (Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act) reforms the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to streamline the environmental review process for federal agency actions. It clarifies NEPA as a procedural statute, limits the scope of reviewable environmental effects, and establishes strict timelines for agency decisions. Furthermore, the bill imposes significant limitations on judicial review, setting narrow standards for courts to overturn agency compliance with procedural requirements.

The Greenlighting Growth Act modifies financial reporting requirements for emerging growth companies during their initial public offerings and exchange registrations. Specifically, it reduces the need for these companies to present historical financial statements from acquired companies or their own prior periods. This aims to streamline the process for emerging companies going public or listing on an exchange.

The Protecting Our Courts from Foreign Manipulation Act of 2025 mandates strict transparency regarding foreign funding in U.S. civil litigation. It requires parties to disclose any financial interest held by foreign persons, states, or sovereign wealth funds contingent on a case's outcome. Furthermore, the bill explicitly prohibits using funds directly sourced from a foreign state or sovereign wealth fund for third-party litigation funding. The Attorney General must also submit annual reports to Congress detailing foreign litigation funding activities in federal courts.

The Stuck On Hold Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implement an automated system on all covered customer service lines to inform callers of their expected wait time. If the wait exceeds 10 minutes, the system must offer an automatic callback option. Furthermore, the VA is required to issue guidance aimed at reducing average wait times to 10 minutes or less.

This resolution mandates a reduction in the annual pay rate for Senators if a government shutdown occurs. Specifically, Senators will lose one day's pay for every 24-hour period a shutdown is active during a pay period. This pay reduction mechanism is set to take effect after the November 2026 general Federal election, with any earlier withheld funds being returned to Senators.

This Act, the Ideologically Motivated Violence Accountability Act, establishes the victim's actual or perceived political or religious beliefs as a new aggravating factor for imposing the death penalty in federal cases. It targets violence intended to intimidate or silence individuals based on their lawful beliefs. The bill also mandates adjustments to federal sentencing guidelines to reflect this new aggravating factor.

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 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 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.