Legislative Activity

This resolution officially designates May 2025 as National Brain Tumor Awareness Month to honor those affected by brain tumors. It highlights the serious impact of these tumors, which are the leading cause of cancer death in children. The designation aims to increase public awareness, support ongoing research efforts, and encourage collaboration to find better treatments and improve survival rates.

The Connecticut River Watershed Partnership Act establishes a new, non-regulatory program to coordinate restoration and protection efforts across the five-state watershed. This initiative will develop a comprehensive strategy and support it through a competitive, voluntary grant program to fund projects benefiting ecology, water quality, and climate resilience. The law specifically mandates outreach to environmental justice communities and requires annual reporting to Congress on funded projects. Funding is authorized through fiscal year 2030, with at least 75% of appropriations dedicated to the grant program.

The Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2025 significantly increases federal funding allocations for clean water, drinking water, and rural water infrastructure programs. It mandates comprehensive reporting on water affordability and discrimination issues while allowing states greater flexibility in using revolving funds, including purchasing private water systems. The Act also establishes new grant opportunities for lead line replacement and PFAS contamination cleanup, and institutes requirements for Project Labor Agreements on funded construction projects. Finally, it updates definitions to expand drinking water assistance eligibility for underserved border communities known as colonias.

The Children Don't Belong on Tobacco Farms Act amends child labor laws to significantly restrict the employment of minors in tobacco agriculture. This legislation prohibits individuals under 18 from having direct contact with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves while working on farms. The goal is to strengthen child labor protections specifically within the tobacco industry.

This resolution calls for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to address the severe crisis facing civilians in Gaza, highlighting widespread hunger and the collapse of essential services due to blocked aid. It urges the Administration to immediately use all diplomatic tools to secure the release of hostages, lift the blockade on aid, and work toward a lasting end to the fighting.

The Due Process Continuity of Care Act aims to ensure that individuals held in custody awaiting the disposition of their charges maintain access to Medicaid coverage. This legislation removes the current automatic ban on Medicaid payments for pre-trial detainees. Furthermore, the bill establishes federal planning grants to help states prepare their systems for this change, focusing on assessing needs and building provider networks.

This bill establishes federal minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for hospitals to improve patient safety and quality of care. It mandates that hospitals create transparent staffing plans developed with input from direct care nurses and sets strict enforcement mechanisms, including civil penalties for non-compliance. Additionally, the Act supports the nursing profession by expanding scholarship and stipend programs and funding new nurse retention and mentorship initiatives.

The Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act mandates that health plans cover medically necessary diagnosis and treatment for congenital anomalies or birth defects affecting the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth, or jaw. This coverage must apply to outpatient and inpatient care, including necessary dental and orthodontic support, unless the procedure is purely cosmetic. These new requirements take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The Traveler Privacy Protection Act of 2025 strictly limits the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) use of facial recognition technology during airport security screening. This bill establishes a default ban on collecting or storing passenger biometric data, requiring explicit opt-in consent for general passengers and clear opt-out rights for Trusted Traveler members. Furthermore, it imposes strict data minimization and storage limits, and prohibits the use of this technology for surveillance outside of the screening process.

This resolution supports designating May 10, 2025, as "National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Mental Health Day." It highlights the urgent mental health crisis facing AANHPI communities, noting significant barriers to care and high rates of untreated mental health needs. The bill calls for better data collection, increased access to culturally competent providers, and efforts to combat stigma. Ultimately, it encourages federal, state, and local agencies to improve mental health services for these vital communities.

The End Crypto Corruption Act of 2025 prohibits high-ranking government officials and their immediate families from issuing, sponsoring, or endorsing specific digital assets while in office and for one year after leaving. This legislation establishes both civil penalties, including fines based on financial gain, and criminal penalties, including imprisonment, for knowing violations involving digital assets like cryptocurrencies and NFTs. The Act specifically targets conflicts of interest by treating these prohibited financial transactions as unofficial acts, removing official immunity protections.

The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2025 bans the practice of paid conversion therapy aimed at changing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, deeming it ineffective and harmful. This Act treats the provision or advertisement of such therapy as an unfair or deceptive business practice under the FTC Act. Enforcement authority is granted to the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Attorney General, and State Attorneys General. The law includes a severability clause ensuring that the invalidation of one provision does not void the entire Act.

The Ellie Helton, Lisa Colagrossi, Kristen Shafer Englert, Teresa Anne Lawrence, and Jennifer Sedney Focused Research Act, or "Ellies Law," addresses the significant public health threat posed by brain aneurysms. This legislation authorizes $10 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030 specifically for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). These funds are dedicated to supporting and expanding research on unruptured intracranial aneurysms, ensuring diverse patient representation in studies. The funding is intended to supplement, not replace, existing research budgets.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating the week of May 4 through May 10, 2025, as National Small Business Week. It aims to celebrate the vital contributions of the over 34.5 million small businesses that support tens of millions of jobs nationwide. The bill honors the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners in every community.

The Captive Primate Safety Act amends the Lacey Act to prohibit the importation, sale, breeding, and possession of certain nonhuman primate species across state lines. This new law makes most commercial and private activities involving these primates illegal, with limited exceptions for pre-existing, registered owners and authorized research facilities. The Secretary of the Interior is tasked with developing enforcement regulations within 180 days of enactment.

The America the Beautiful Act reauthorizes and extends the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through fiscal year 2033, increasing its total authorized funding. This legislation adjusts funding priorities to favor projects receiving private contributions and streamlines the process for accepting and allocating public donations. Additionally, it mandates reporting on efforts to reduce the existing deferred maintenance backlog and improve future preventative maintenance across public lands.

This Senate resolution urges the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to withdraw a proposed rule that would reduce opportunities for public notice and comment on new regulations. The Senate emphasizes that robust public input is essential for creating fair and effective policies that impact millions of Americans. It calls for HHS to maintain the established 54-year practice of allowing stakeholders to provide feedback before finalizing significant rule changes.

The Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 comprehensively defines and bans the manufacture, sale, and transfer of specific semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices. It grandfathers existing possessions but requires background checks for all future private transfers of these previously owned weapons. The bill also permits the use of federal Byrne grant funds for state-run buy-back programs targeting these banned items.

The Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025 establishes aggressive national goals for the agricultural sector to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 through mandated emission reductions, massive increases in climate and soil health research funding, and significant overhauls to conservation and crop insurance programs. The bill also focuses on bolstering farm viability by supporting local food systems, strengthening meat labeling integrity, and expanding on-farm renewable energy adoption. Overall, it directs substantial federal resources toward incentivizing climate-smart farming practices while placing new restrictions on land conversion and waste management.

The Equality Act comprehensively amends federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity across key areas of American life. This legislation expands existing protections in public accommodations, employment, housing, credit access, and jury service. Its purpose is to ensure consistent and clear nationwide enforcement of non-discrimination principles for LGBTQ individuals and women.