Legislative Activity

The Targeting Environmental and Climate Recklessness Act of 2025 establishes U.S. policy to impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities whose actions significantly worsen climate change, illegal deforestation, or harm environmental defenders. This authority allows the President to block assets and restrict visas for those undermining global climate goals or committing related corruption and human rights abuses. The Act emphasizes that these targeted measures are part of a broader strategy that also includes international cooperation and financing. It also directs the consideration of sanctions against those involved in environment-linked corruption and human rights violations against climate advocates.

The Respite CARE Act amends the Older Americans Act to establish grants for eligible organizations to create or expand integrated caregiver support services. These grants fund programs that combine respite care with other supportive services for family caregivers. Funds must ensure accessibility through technology, translation, and appropriate formats.

The Family Caregiver Peer Support Act establishes a grant program to develop and expand peer support services for family caregivers, available both in-person and virtually. These grants will fund programs that offer emotional support and assistance with administrative tasks, while prioritizing underserved populations. The legislation also supports training for peer support specialists and ensures language access for diverse caregiver communities.

The FINANCE Act establishes a new grant program to provide essential financial planning services specifically for family caregivers under the Older Americans Act. This program aims to support those who informally care for older adults or individuals with Alzheimer's or related disorders. Eligible entities will receive funding to offer comprehensive guidance on benefits, budgeting, long-term care costs, and legal planning resources. The services must be delivered in an accessible manner, accommodating diverse needs including language and technology barriers.

The DINE Act, or Disease Intervention through Nutrition Education Act, aims to integrate "food is medicine" and food-based interventions into services for older adults under the Older Americans Act. This legislation mandates screening and referrals for federal and non-federal food-based programs during routine health assessments. It also encourages states to use innovative nutrition delivery systems, such as produce prescriptions, to improve health outcomes for seniors.

The Convenient Care for Caregivers Act establishes a pilot program to support family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders. This program will provide grants to qualified entities to offer integrated health care services and support to both the caregiver and the care recipient in accessible locations. The goal is to improve health outcomes for both parties through services like screenings, education, and support groups. The bill also mandates data collection on payments and health indicators to report on the program's effectiveness to Congress.

This Act, the Family Caregiving Research and Innovation Act, allocates significant funding through 2030 to support research and evidence-based practices for family caregivers under the Older Americans Act. It also updates and clarifies the definitions of "family caregiver" and introduces a definition for "older relative caregiver." Finally, the bill amends the National Family Caregiver Support Program to focus its support services on family caregivers.

This Act enhances safety and wellness in the commercial fishing industry by expanding federal grant programs for safety training and research. It specifically directs funding toward addressing behavioral and physical health risks, such as worker fatigue and substance use disorder, for vessel operators and crew. The legislation also updates the grant award process and increases authorized funding through fiscal year 2029.

This resolution expresses support for designating November 20 to December 20, 2025, as "National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month." It recognizes the profound trauma and ongoing needs of families who lose loved ones to homicide. The bill affirms the importance of providing holistic support services to survivors and honors their leadership in working to end violence. Ultimately, it calls upon the nation to raise awareness and respond to grieving families with compassion and competence.

The Stop Shut-Offs During Shutdowns Act recommends a nationwide moratorium on electric and natural gas utility disconnections when the federal government experiences a funding lapse affecting the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill specifically prohibits electric utilities from terminating service during these funding gaps. It also outlines procedures for how utilities can recover costs incurred from maintaining service during the shutdown period.

The Transgender Health Care Access Act aims to ensure equitable access to gender-affirming care by prohibiting insurance discrimination and establishing federal nondiscrimination protections. The bill also invests significantly in improving the healthcare workforce by creating grant programs to enhance medical education and training in gender-affirming and culturally competent care. Finally, it supports community health centers in building their capacity to deliver these essential services, particularly in rural areas.

The Veteran Entrepreneurship Empowerment Act aims to support veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs by addressing capital access barriers. This legislation waives specific guarantee and upfront fees for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans up to $1,000,000 made to veteran-owned small businesses. Additionally, the Act reduces the minimum required equity injection percentage for these qualifying loans. The SBA is also mandated to collect and publish data on veteran participation in key lending programs.

This resolution condemns any suggestion that criticizing the President is illegal, reaffirming the fundamental importance of free speech under the First Amendment. It declares that criticism of the President is lawful and essential for a healthy democracy. The Senate urges the administration to refrain from using government power to punish or intimidate dissenting viewpoints.

The No Nuclear Testing Act of 2025 prohibits the use of federal funds in fiscal year 2026 for any nuclear weapons test explosion that produces a measurable yield. This measure maintains the current ban on explosive testing while allowing for zero-yield stockpile stewardship activities to continue.

The Right to Override Act establishes mandatory policies requiring healthcare providers to ensure Artificial Intelligence Clinical Decision Support Systems (AICDSS) support, rather than replace, professional medical judgment. It provides robust whistleblower protections and prohibits retaliation against staff who correctly override AI recommendations or report concerns. The bill assigns enforcement authority to HHS and the Department of Labor, imposing significant civil penalties for non-compliance.

The Stop Medical Profiteering and Theft Act (Stop MPT Act) aims to protect healthcare stability and patient care by regulating property transactions between healthcare entities and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). This bill requires the Secretary of HHS to review and approve such deals to prevent long-term financial harm or public health risks, imposing penalties for violations. Additionally, it modifies tax code provisions to favorably treat rental income REITs receive from qualified healthcare properties.

The Smarter Approaches to Nuclear Expenditures Act aims to reduce the massive and escalating costs associated with maintaining the U.S. nuclear arsenal. This bill imposes strict caps on the number of deployed warheads, limits the procurement of new submarines and bombers, and halts funding for several specific modernization programs, including new ICBMs and certain warhead development. Furthermore, it requires detailed reporting from the executive branch on implementation plans and projected savings to ensure greater accountability for nuclear spending.

The **GREEN Streets Act** updates federal road performance measures to prioritize combating climate change, requiring states to set minimum standards for reducing driving, improving non-car alternatives, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. It mandates rigorous environmental and emissions analysis for any federally funded project that expands road capacity for single-occupancy vehicles. Furthermore, the bill establishes new national standards for transit accessibility, requiring major metropolitan areas to set goals for improving first/last mile connections and transit use. Finally, states failing to meet emissions targets must dedicate significant federal highway funds toward projects that help them achieve those goals.

This Senate resolution formally condemns FCC Chairman Brendan Carr for threatening ABC and Disney over political commentary made by a late-night host. The resolution asserts that the Chairman's actions were dangerous and unconstitutional, violating the First Amendment protections for broadcast speech. It demands the Chairman retract his threats, which created a chilling effect on free expression in broadcasting.

The Jumpstart on College Act aims to increase the number of students, particularly those from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds, who complete a recognized postsecondary degree or certificate on time. The bill authorizes $250 million annually for competitive grants to eligible entities (colleges partnering with school districts) and to states to expand early college high school and dual enrollment programs. Recipients must focus on rigorous academic support, professional development, and ensuring students earn college credit tuition-free. Finally, the Act mandates annual reporting on key student outcomes, including credential attainment and college enrollment rates.