Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses support for designating the first Saturday of May as "National Lowrider Day." It recognizes lowrider culture as an integral part of American history and celebrates the contributions of its builders and artists. The resolution also acknowledges the community's importance in building connections while calling for support for related cultural events and education.

This bill, the Protect Culturally Sensitive Information Act, establishes strict confidentiality protections for information shared by Tribal Governments, Alaska Native Entities, and Native Hawaiian Organizations with the Federal Government. It prohibits the public disclosure of designated culturally sensitive information unless compelled by a lawful court order or with explicit written consent. The Act aims to build trust, strengthen relationships, and advance repatriation efforts by ensuring a safe space for consultation and information exchange.

The No Payola Act repeals existing Senate notification requirements concerning legal processes related to the disclosure of Senate data. Furthermore, it mandates that any Senator who received funds through a private right of action under the repealed law must return those awarded funds to the Treasury.

The Responsible Wildland Fire Recovery Act ensures that parties harmed by wildland fires caused by Forest Service management activities can receive 100 percent federal funding for recovery costs. This is achieved by granting the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to waive matching fund requirements for rehabilitation projects in areas affected by such fires. The goal is to fully cover direct and indirect damages resulting from these management-caused incidents.

The Integrated Resource Planning Modernization Act directs the Secretary of Energy to develop updated guidelines and best practices for electric utility planning, focusing on modern resource adequacy analysis and diverse energy solutions. The bill also establishes a grant program to help states align their planning requirements with these new federal standards. This effort aims to ensure the reliability and cost-effectiveness of the future electricity system through comprehensive, forward-looking planning.

The Historic Preservation Enhancement Act significantly increases mandatory annual funding for the Historic Preservation Fund to \$300 million. It establishes minimum funding allocations for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, ensuring greater support for these entities. Furthermore, the bill streamlines fund availability starting in Fiscal Year 2027 and authorizes specific grant programs to advance preservation efforts.

The Every Child Deserves a Head Start Act of 2025 aims to solidify the foundational support for the Head Start program, recognizing its vital role in early childhood development. This bill permanently establishes the structure and staffing levels of the Office of Head Start, including its 12 regional offices, as they existed before January 20, 2025. The legislation strictly limits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from altering this established structure or reducing staff without specific Congressional notification procedures. Ultimately, the Act ensures the consistent delivery of essential educational and support services to eligible children and families nationwide.

This resolution officially designates October 8, 2025, as Latina Equal Pay Day to highlight the significant wage disparity faced by Latina workers. It recognizes that Latinas currently earn only about 58 cents for every dollar earned by White, non-Hispanic men, resulting in substantial lifetime earnings loss. The bill calls attention to systemic factors like workplace policies and harassment that contribute to this ongoing economic injustice. Ultimately, Congress reaffirms its commitment to achieving pay equity for all women.

The Seedlings for Sustainable Habitat Restoration Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to expand partnerships for ecosystem restoration activities. This allows the Forest Service to fund a broader range of groups, including universities and tribal organizations, for crucial work. The bill specifically enables the use of funds for collecting native seeds and growing seedlings necessary for habitat replanting efforts.

This bill enacts technical corrections across several New Mexico water rights acts, primarily authorizing specific, adjusted interest payments to boost the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos water development funds. It also waives certain past interest payments owed by the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos. Finally, the legislation includes disclaimers to ensure these changes do not invalidate previously settled agreements or administrative findings under existing law.

The Healing Partnerships for Survivors Act establishes new federal grants to foster stronger collaborations between health providers, behavioral health programs, disability services, and sexual assault organizations. These funds aim to create coordinated, trauma-informed systems of care that improve comprehensive support for survivors of sexual assault, including adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The grants will support activities like direct services, specialized training, and culturally relevant wellness options.

The Weather-Safe Energy Act of 2025 establishes a new digital tool, the Weather-Safe Energy Platform, to provide high-resolution weather and water data for electricity grid planning and operations. This initiative mandates research into extreme weather impacts on the grid and provides technical assistance to utilities and regulators. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance the resilience of the nation's electricity system against severe weather events.

The Small Cemetery Conveyance Act establishes a streamlined process for the Secretary to convey up to 40 acres of federal land used as a cemetery to a qualified entity, such as a state, local government, or Indian Tribe. This transfer must be for the express purpose of operating a cemetery, with the government retaining the right to reclaim the property if the condition is violated. The Act also grants the Secretary authority to waive associated transfer costs for qualified recipients.

The Support Water-Efficient Strategies and Technologies Act of 2025 aims to bolster agricultural water conservation efforts. It allows the Secretary of Agriculture to significantly increase cost-share payments for farmers adopting drought-resilient or water-saving practices. The bill also updates conservation stewardship payments to better account for economic risk and expands eligible practices to include perennial production systems. Finally, it sets a $200,000 cap on payments per entity (excluding tribes) while prioritizing soil health improvements and offering payments for soil testing.

This Act officially designates approximately 12,295 acres of federal land in Taos County, New Mexico, as the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness. The legislation also updates the boundaries and references related to the adjacent Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Provisions are included to allow for the maintenance of existing wildlife water projects under specific environmental guidelines and require cooperation with the State of New Mexico on wildlife management.

The Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2025 withdraws specific federal lands near Chaco Culture National Historical Park from oil, gas, and mineral leasing to protect significant cultural sites and ancestral resources. This action aims to halt new development pressures impacting the region's historical importance and local tribal communities. The bill also mandates the termination of non-producing oil and gas leases on these affected federal lands.

This Act establishes a framework for cooperation between the federal government and New Mexico's historical community land grants (mercedes) regarding their traditional, noncommercial uses of federal lands. It mandates the creation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to streamline permitting, fee waivers, and infrastructure maintenance for these established uses. Furthermore, the bill requires federal land use planning to specifically consider and incorporate the impact on these historical community practices. This legislation does not create new land use rights but rather coordinates existing traditional uses within current federal and state law.

The Pecos Watershed Protection Act withdraws specific federal lands in New Mexico from future mining and leasing to protect the watershed. It also officially designates approximately 11,599 acres of Forest Service land as the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area, managed under the Wilderness Act. Existing valid rights, including pre-existing grazing, are preserved within both the withdrawn area and the new wilderness.

The Women in Agriculture Act establishes a dedicated Liaison within the USDA to advocate for and assist women farmers and ranchers in accessing USDA programs. The bill also prioritizes federal research funding for the development of ergonomically designed farm equipment for women. Finally, it grants priority consideration for rural development loans and grants to applicants focused on improving rural child care infrastructure.

The Telehealth Access for Tribal Communities Act of 2025 makes permanent crucial telehealth flexibilities for services provided by Indian health programs under Medicare. This legislation ensures that patients served by these programs can receive care from any location in the U.S., including their homes. Furthermore, it permanently mandates Medicare coverage and payment for audio-only telehealth services furnished by these providers.