Legislative Activity

This resolution condemns President Trump's attacks on the freedom of the press, citing specific instances of disparaging remarks, exclusion of media outlets, and actions against news organizations. It reaffirms the United States' commitment to protecting freedom of the press as vital for democracy and government accountability. The resolution expresses concern that these actions set a dangerous precedent, endangering journalists and emboldening authoritarian regimes, and calls for the release of imprisoned USAGM journalists.

This resolution expresses support for designating May 5, 2025, as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, acknowledging the ongoing crisis and need for increased awareness, resources, and updated research. It calls on the public to remember the lives lost and support the victims' families, while also urging the Department of Justice to conduct a new study to update statistics on this critical issue.

This resolution supports the designation of May 4-10, 2025, as "National Small Business Week". It recognizes the significant role of over 34.5 million small businesses in the U.S. that contribute to the economy and provide over 59 million jobs. The resolution celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit, achievements, and resilience of small business owners and their employees.

This resolution urges the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withdraw a notice that reduces public notice and comment opportunities. It emphasizes the importance of public participation in the regulatory process, particularly for regulations impacting millions of Americans. The resolution supports maintaining existing practices that ensure input from various stakeholders when regulatory changes are proposed.

The Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 prohibits discrimination in life, disability, and long-term care insurance against living organ donors. It clarifies that organ donation surgery qualifies as a serious health condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act, ensuring job protection for donors. The Act also mandates updated educational materials from the Department of Health and Human Services regarding the benefits, risks, and protections for living organ donors.

The "Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act" requires the FCC to publish and maintain a list of entities with FCC licenses or authorizations that have significant foreign ownership or control by entities from countries of concern. The initial list focuses on specific licenses, with subsequent rule-making to expand the list to include other FCC authorizations. The FCC must update this list annually to ensure accuracy.

The TAME Extreme Weather and Wildfires Act aims to improve weather forecasting and wildfire risk analysis by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). It directs the Under Secretary to develop weather forecasting training datasets, create AI-driven weather models, and enhance information dissemination, while also supporting traditional weather observation methods. The Act promotes public-private partnerships, requires making AI weather models publicly available, and addresses potential risks to U.S. security from foreign access to weather data. It allocates specific appropriations for these activities through 2030.

The Enhancing First Response Act aims to improve emergency communications and response. It mandates the FCC to issue reports and hold public hearings after major disasters to assess and improve network resilience and 911 outage reporting. The Act also directs the Office of Management and Budget to classify public safety telecommunicators as a protective service occupation and requires a report on the FCC's enforcement of Karis Law, which ensures direct dialing to 911 from multi-line phone systems.

The MAIN Event Ticketing Act aims to combat unfair practices in online event ticketing by strengthening the BOTS Act. It bans the use of automated systems to bypass ticket purchasing rules and requires ticket sellers to implement security measures protecting their websites. The act also mandates reporting of circumvention incidents to the FTC, establishes significant penalties for violations, and encourages collaboration between law enforcement agencies to address cyberattacks on ticketing platforms.

This resolution supports National Fentanyl Awareness Day in 2025 and aims to increase awareness of the dangers of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, particularly among young people. It acknowledges the alarming rise in fentanyl-related deaths and supports efforts to combat the spread of these deadly pills. The resolution designates April 29, 2025, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day.

The Arctic Refuge Protection Act of 2025 designates approximately 1,559,538 acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska as wilderness under the National Wilderness Preservation System. This act amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, providing increased protection to this area.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury service. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics, including intersex traits. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act aims to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ individuals and women across various aspects of life.

**Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 Summary:** This bill aims to expand and improve the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program by updating state allocation formulas, reforming tenant eligibility requirements, and modifying credit eligibility rules. It also focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for Native Americans and in rural areas. Additionally, the bill updates terminology in the Internal Revenue Code to replace "low-income" with "affordable" when referring to housing tax credits, and promotes data sharing and discourages discriminatory land use policies to enhance transparency and effectiveness.

The Medicare for All Act establishes a national health insurance program guaranteeing comprehensive healthcare coverage to all U.S. residents, including medical, dental, vision, and long-term care, without cost-sharing. It sets standards for provider participation, protects whistleblowers, and allows private contracts under specific conditions, while also creating a national health budget and trust fund to finance the program through a combination of reallocated funds and new tax revenues. The Act aims to streamline existing health programs, eliminate duplicate coverage, and ensure a smooth transition by expanding Medicare benefits and offering a Medicare buy-in option. This legislation also addresses health equity and updates SSI resource limits, potentially impacting employer-sponsored health plans and the financial landscape of healthcare.

The "Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act" aims to enhance the safety and well-being of law enforcement officers through comprehensive data collection and analysis. It mandates the Attorney General to submit reports to Congress on attacks against officers, unreported aggressive actions, and the mental health challenges they face. These reports will include recommendations for improving responses to attacks, enhancing training programs, and providing better mental health resources. Ultimately, the Act seeks to provide law enforcement with the resources and support they need to protect themselves and serve their communities effectively.

The SGE Ethics Enforcement Reform Act of 2025 (SEER Act 2025) aims to address financial conflicts of interest among special government employees (SGEs) by expanding conflict of interest rules, restricting communications with agencies regarding large companies, mandating a public database of SGEs, and broadening financial disclosure requirements. It ensures that SGEs with significant responsibilities are subject to similar ethics regulations as regular government employees, promoting transparency and accountability. The act requires waivers or exemptions granted to certain SGEs to be proactively published online. Additionally, the act restricts certain SGEs from communicating with agencies or offices that deal with large companies with which the employee has a financial connection.

The "Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act" renames an area to "Ro Grande del Norte National Monument" and designates approximately 12,295 acres of land in Taos County, New Mexico, as the "Cerro de la Olla Wilderness". It allows for maintenance of existing wildlife projects if wilderness values are enhanced and requires a cooperative agreement with New Mexico for wildlife management activities. The Act also updates the boundary of the Ro Grande del Norte National Monument.

The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act of 2025 modifies the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit by increasing the amount of expenses that can be claimed, adjusting the income phase-out ranges, and making the credit refundable. The bill increases the dollar limit on creditable expenses to $8,000 for one qualifying individual and $16,000 for two or more. It also adjusts the income level at which the credit begins to phase out and indexes it to inflation.

This resolution recognizes April 2025 as National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, reaffirming the Senate's commitment to preventing sexual violence, supporting survivors, and holding perpetrators accountable. It highlights the prevalence and impact of sexual assault, referencing statistics on its widespread occurrence and the challenges faced by survivors, while also acknowledging the critical role of various organizations and professionals in addressing this issue. The resolution encourages education, prevention, improved treatment, and increased prosecution to combat sexual violence.

The Buffalo Tract Protection Act withdraws approximately 4,288 acres of Federal land in Placitas, New Mexico from mining, mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing. It allows the Secretary of the Interior to convey the surface estate of the land while the mineral estate remains with the United States.