Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses support for designating May 6, 2026, as "National Maternal Mental Health Awareness Day." It highlights the critical public health issue of maternal mental health conditions, which affect hundreds of thousands of American families annually. The bill calls for raising awareness, improving screening and treatment access, and supporting research to better address these preventable conditions.

The FRESH Act of 2026 reforms the process for issuing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This legislation requires that any proposed version of the guidelines must first be submitted to and approved by Congress before they can be published or implemented. This change ensures legislative oversight over the nation's official dietary recommendations.

The Consumer Price Information Act of 2026 mandates that federal agencies publish a Consumer Price Information Statement when issuing a major rule. This statement must detail the rule's potential impact on consumer prices across key sectors like energy, food, and housing. The goal is to increase transparency by ensuring the public understands how major regulations may affect household costs.

The No Rogue Jurors Act prohibits federal funding for any organization that trains or encourages potential federal or D.C. jurors to intentionally disregard the evidence or the law during deliberations. This measure specifically targets groups promoting jury nullification—the act of acquitting a defendant despite proven legal guilt.

The Freedom from Ideological Requirements in Employment Act (FIRE Act) prohibits the use of federal funds to mandate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training or require job applicants or employees to endorse specific DEI-related statements as a condition of federal employment. This legislation specifically bans spending on training related to concepts like critical race theory or any principle asserting inherent superiority or inferiority based on race, sex, or origin. The Act does not affect standard workplace practices designed to prevent sexual harassment.

The Buy American Seafood Act mandates that federal agencies must purchase only United States-produced seafood for covered food programs, including school meals and disaster relief. This requires seafood to be caught by U.S.-flagged vessels or domestically farmed and processed within the U.S. Waivers are permitted only if the Secretary of Agriculture certifies that domestic supply is insufficient or fails to meet quality standards.

The Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 significantly updates federal disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers. It expands eligibility for emergency funding to cover a wider range of natural disasters, increases the federal cost-share rate to 90%, and introduces options for advance payments on conservation and restoration work. The bill also authorizes mandatory funding and streamlines application processing timelines.

This bill amends federal law to redefine the boundaries of Louisiana's judicial districts. Specifically, it changes which parishes are assigned to the Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana. These changes will apply only to new legal actions commenced after the law takes effect.

The Empowering Rural Communities Act establishes a competitive grant program to fund innovative economic development and infrastructure projects in rural areas. Additionally, the bill mandates a technical assistance set-aside for existing rural development programs to help underserved and low-capacity communities successfully secure and manage federal funding.

The Newborns Essentials Support Toolkit (NEST) Act establishes a program to purchase and distribute essential supply kits to mothers recovering from childbirth and their newborn infants. These kits will contain necessary supplies, educational materials on maternal health resources, and information on federal support programs. The legislation reserves federal funds from 2026 through 2030 to award grants to nonprofit entities for the nationwide distribution of these kits, prioritizing areas of greatest need.

The Farm Rescue Act of 2025 allows agricultural producers to receive an advance partial payment for the 2025 Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program if projected payments are anticipated. Producers can opt to receive an immediate advance payment of 40% to 50% of their projected PLC amount for the 2025 crop year. The final payment will be adjusted after the marketing year concludes, and the Secretary retains the right to recover erroneous advance payments.

The Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act modifies federal Charter School Program grants to strengthen state oversight and support for high-quality charter schools. It prioritizes funding for educator-led groups planning to open new schools by offering pre-charter planning subgrants. The bill also refines how states allocate grant funds, ensuring the majority supports the opening and expansion of charter schools.

This bill establishes the Tariff Response And Damages to Exports (TRADE) Fund, managed by the Treasury Department and administered by the Secretary of Agriculture. The fund will be financed by specific tariffs collected on imported goods. Its purpose is to provide financial assistance to agricultural producers harmed by trade disruptions, such as retaliatory tariffs or decreased export markets. The authority to use this fund will expire on September 30, 2030.

The GREATER Act establishes a formal partnership between the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and the Delta Regional Authority (DRA). This agreement mandates these agencies to coordinate efforts to expand rural entrepreneurship and support small businesses specifically within the Appalachian and Delta regions. The partnership requires regular reporting to Congress on assistance provided and future collaboration plans.

This resolution recognizes and honors teachers who have achieved or maintained National Board Certification as of March 2025, acknowledging their positive impact on student learning and potential lifetime earnings. It encourages the growth of new National Board Certified Teachers by urging educators, administrators, school districts, and States to provide candidates with incentives and support.

The Drought Assistance Improvement Act amends the Livestock Forage Disaster Program to provide more flexible eligibility requirements for livestock owners experiencing forage losses due to drought. The bill also modifies the Agricultural Act of 2014 to include drought as a cause for emergency assistance for livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish, and adds loss of crawfish harvest due to adverse weather or drought as an eligible cause for assistance. It also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish documentation standards for data collection and loss conditions due to drought.

The "Quality Loss Adjustment Improvement for Farmers Act" amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to improve quality loss adjustment coverage for farmers. It mandates regular reviews of quality loss adjustment procedures with stakeholder input and requires reports to Congress. In the event of a disaster declaration or salvage market for soybeans, the Corporation must establish a state or regional discount factor to reflect average quality discounts applied to local soybean market prices.