Legislative Activity

The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by licensed pharmacists. These covered services must be delivered to patients in designated health professional shortage or medically underserved areas. The bill establishes a specific reimbursement structure for these pharmacist services, effective beginning January 1, 2027.

The Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act invalidates pre-dispute agreements that force individuals into private arbitration for employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights claims. This legislation protects the right of individuals and groups to pursue legal action in court rather than being compelled into private arbitration before a dispute arises. It ensures that courts, not arbitrators, decide if this new law applies to a specific agreement. The Act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

The Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act establishes a dedicated "Ski Area Fee Retention Account" to hold fees collected from ski area permits on National Forest land. These retained funds are primarily directed back to the specific forest unit where they were collected to support administration, permit processing, and facility maintenance. The bill ensures these fees supplement, rather than replace, existing congressional appropriations for Forest Service operations.

This Act officially establishes the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 to honor the life and groundbreaking civil rights achievements of the late legal pioneer. The bill authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to her family in recognition of her service, including her role in *Brown v. Board of Education*. Furthermore, it permits the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the medal to cover production costs.

The Ensuring Access to Essential Providers Act of 2025 requires Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to include specific "Essential Community Providers" (ECPs) in their networks to ensure access for underserved populations. MA plans must contract with available ECPs and demonstrate adequate geographic distribution, especially for low-income and rural enrollees. Failure to meet this standard will result in the denial of plan approval unless the organization provides an acceptable remediation plan.

The Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive national program within NOAA to enhance fire weather forecasting, data management, and emergency response capabilities. This legislation creates new services, including a dedicated Incident Meteorologist Service, and mandates the development of advanced fire weather models and observation tools. Furthermore, the Act focuses on modernizing data infrastructure, improving interagency coordination, and ensuring equitable access to critical fire information for all communities.

The Enhancing First Response Act mandates the FCC to hold annual hearings and issue reports following major disaster communications outages to identify areas for improvement. It also requires the Office of Management and Budget to officially classify 911 dispatchers as a protective service occupation. Furthermore, the bill directs the FCC to report on the enforcement and effectiveness of existing laws regarding multi-line phone system compliance for emergency calls.

This bill, the ESP, Paraprofessional, and Education Support Staff Family Leave Act, modifies the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for school employees. It establishes a new, more flexible standard for paraprofessionals and education support staff to meet the FMLA's hours-of-service requirement based on their typical school-year schedule. Furthermore, the Act mandates the Department of Labor to create specific calculation methods for FMLA leave entitlement tailored to the unique scheduling of educational employees.

The Produce Epstein Treasury Records Act mandates the Secretary of the Treasury to swiftly produce specific financial records related to Jeffrey Epstein and his associates to key Senate committees. This includes handing over all Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) mentioning Epstein, his partners, or related entities within 30 days of enactment. Furthermore, the Treasury must report on the financial institutions involved and any related investigations into potential violations by those institutions within 60 days.

This Senate resolution expresses a profound lack of confidence in Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing numerous actions that allegedly undermine public health, scientific integrity, and the legal duties of his office. The resolution details accusations of illegal funding cuts, mass firings of career staff, and the dismantling of key advisory committees. Therefore, the Senate declares that the Secretary should be removed from his position.

The Headwaters Protection Act of 2025 reauthorizes and significantly improves the Water Source Protection Program to better safeguard national forest watersheds. This legislation expands eligibility for water protection projects to include more local entities and private partners, while prioritizing work that builds resilience against drought and wildfire. The bill also sets stricter standards to ensure forest management activities do not degrade long-term watershed health and increases annual funding authorization for these critical restoration efforts. Importantly, the Act explicitly preserves all existing state and federal water rights and laws.

The Lowering Electric Bills Act extends crucial tax credits for residential clean energy installations until 2034. It also modifies the phase-out schedule for the Clean Electricity Production and Investment Credits, tying their continuation to achieving specific emissions reduction targets or the year 2032. These changes aim to provide long-term stability for clean energy investments.

The West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025 mandates the President to impose targeted sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans, on foreign individuals or groups whose actions threaten the peace and stability of the West Bank. These penalties specifically target those involved in violence against civilians, property destruction, or terrorism. The law requires regular reporting to Congress detailing those sanctioned and the steps being taken to mitigate violence in the region.

This resolution officially designates July 30, 2025, as "National Whistleblower Appreciation Day." It honors individuals who report waste, fraud, and abuse, recognizing their vital role in government accountability. Furthermore, the bill directs federal agencies to use this day to educate employees and the public about whistleblower rights and acknowledge the importance of their service.

The Tribal Gaming Regulatory Compliance Act aims to streamline gaming regulations for the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. This legislation ensures that these two Tribes are governed exclusively by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), just like all other federally recognized Tribes. By removing conflicting provisions from their restoration acts, the bill resolves overlapping regulatory authority. This provides regulatory consistency for Tribal gaming operations in Texas.

The Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act expands Medicare coverage to include physical and occupational therapy during Annual Wellness Visits and Initial Preventive Physical Exams for seniors at risk of falling. This aims to provide preventative care by covering falls risk assessments and fall prevention services for eligible patients. Additionally, the bill mandates annual reporting to Congress on fall incidents and resulting injuries among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older.

The Expanding the VOTE Act clarifies existing requirements for providing voting materials in minority languages under the Voting Rights Act. It establishes a new grant program to incentivize jurisdictions to offer language assistance beyond current mandates. Furthermore, the bill addresses specific provisions for American Indian and Alaska Native languages and directs a study on lowering language assistance thresholds.

The SAVES Act of 2025 establishes a five-year pilot program within the VA to award competitive grants to nonprofits providing service dogs to eligible veterans with disabilities like PTSD or mobility issues. These grants, capped at $2 million per recipient, will cover the cost of training the dog and veteran, and the VA will also provide veterinary insurance for each service dog. The goal is to ensure veterans receive necessary support dogs without incurring any personal fees.

The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act primarily repeals previous health subtitle changes and permanently extends enhanced premium tax credits for marketplace health insurance. This extension removes the income cap for receiving enhanced credits and updates the calculation method for determining an individual's required premium contribution. The bill aims to simplify the tax code related to health insurance affordability.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act mandates the Attorney General to release all unclassified Department of Justice records related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of enactment. This sweeping requirement covers investigations, travel logs, and communications, with limited exceptions primarily focused on protecting victim privacy and active cases. Any redactions must be publicly justified, and the Attorney General must report the details of the release and any withheld information to Congress.