Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses the Senate's support for designating May 12-16, 2025, as "Veterans Affairs Research Week" to celebrate the centennial of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) research. It recognizes the VA's significant contributions to medical advancements and improved healthcare for veterans and the global population. The resolution highlights key milestones, Nobel Prize-winning researchers, and the ongoing impact of VA research, while emphasizing the importance of continued support and funding for these vital initiatives.

This resolution recognizes May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the significant contributions of these communities to the history and culture of the United States. It acknowledges key historical milestones and achievements, while also addressing past discrimination and ongoing challenges faced by these communities. The resolution aims to honor the diverse heritage and resilience of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, highlighting their importance in enriching and strengthening the nation.

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.

The "Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act" transfers approximately 72 acres of land in Washington State from the Forest Service to the Department of the Interior, to be held in trust for the Quinault Indian Nation. This land will become part of the Quinault Indian Reservation but is not eligible for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The transfer does not affect existing treaty rights. The Secretary of the Interior must disclose information about hazardous materials on the land but is not required to remediate them.

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 Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act transfers approximately 1,082.63 acres of federal land into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, incorporating it into their reservation. This land will be managed according to existing environmental regulations, and the transfer does not impact existing treaty rights. The land cannot be used for gaming purposes.

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.

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.

This resolution supports the designation of April 11-17, 2025, as "Black Maternal Health Week" to raise awareness about the maternal health crisis affecting Black women and birthing people in the U.S. It recognizes the disproportionately high maternal mortality rates among Black women, urges Congress to address systemic inequities, and calls for policies promoting equitable access to maternal healthcare and reproductive justice. The resolution also emphasizes the importance of community-led solutions and increased investment in Black-led organizations to improve maternal health outcomes.

The Climate Change Financial Risk Act of 2025 requires the Federal Reserve to develop climate change risk scenarios and assess the ability of large financial institutions to withstand these risks. It establishes a technical group of climate scientists and economists to advise on these scenarios and mandates that financial institutions create climate risk resolution plans. The bill also directs the Federal Reserve to conduct surveys of smaller financial institutions to evaluate their climate change preparedness and adaptation strategies. Ultimately, this act aims to ensure the stability of the financial system in the face of climate-related financial risks.

The West Coast Ocean Protection Act of 2025 permanently prohibits new oil and gas leasing in federal waters off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. This act prevents the Department of Interior from issuing any new leases for oil and gas exploration, development, or production in the Outer Continental Shelf along the West Coast. The areas affected include the Washington-Oregon, Northern California, Central California, and Southern California Planning Areas as defined by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. This prohibition is implemented through an amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

This resolution designates the week of April 19 through April 27, 2025, as "National Park Week" to recognize the importance of national parks for recreation, education, and economic contributions. It encourages people to visit and support these parks while acknowledging the role of the National Park Service in protecting these resources for future generations.

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.

The "Expanding Access to Family Planning Act" aims to increase investment in family planning clinics by establishing the Title X Clinic Fund, managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. The fund will provide significant annual appropriations for grants, contracts, and infrastructure improvements for Title X clinics from 2026 through 2035. The act ensures that all pregnancy counseling is nondirective, offering patients comprehensive information on all options, including prenatal care, adoption, and pregnancy termination.

The American Family Act establishes a new, fully refundable monthly child tax credit, providing monthly allowances to eligible families with children. It creates a system for monthly advance payments of the child tax credit, administered by the Secretary, and includes income limitations and eligibility criteria. The Act also provides a credit for certain other dependents and terminates the existing annual child tax credit after 2024. This aims to provide regular financial support to families with children, reducing child poverty and enhancing economic stability.

The "Tax Cut for Workers Act of 2025" expands the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for individuals without qualifying children by lowering the minimum age, eliminating the maximum age, and increasing credit and phaseout percentages. It also makes permanent the application of the EITC to U.S. possessions and allows taxpayers to elect to use prior year earned income when calculating the EITC if it results in a larger credit. These changes aim to provide additional tax relief to low- and moderate-income workers.

The Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act of 2025 aims to foster sustainable growth in the "Blue Economy" by designating and supporting Ocean Innovation Clusters. These clusters, composed of diverse stakeholders, will promote collaboration, innovation, and economic development related to oceans and Great Lakes resources. The Act directs federal agencies to support these clusters through partnership managers, technical knowledge exchange, and measurement of their economic impact. Additionally, it establishes a grant program to fund the operation and administration of Ocean Innovation Clusters, with the goal of creating self-sustaining entities that drive regional economic benefits.

The Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act prohibits the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt, or possession of devices that convert semiautomatic firearms into machine guns. It requires individuals who legally owned modified firearms before the enactment of the BUMP Act to register them. The act amends both title 18 of the U.S. Code and the Internal Revenue Code to include these devices under the regulatory scope of machine guns.

The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 aims to increase the federal minimum wage to $17.00 per hour over a five-year period, after which it will be adjusted annually based on the percentage increase in the median hourly wage of all employees. The bill also gradually raises the minimum wage for tipped employees and newly hired employees under 20, eventually eliminating the separate wage tiers. Additionally, it increases the minimum wage for individuals with disabilities and promotes their economic self-sufficiency by phasing out special certificates that allow employers to pay them a subminimum wage.