Legislative Activity

This resolution reaffirms the United States' commitment to the safety and well-being of refugees and displaced persons globally, recognizing the severity of the current worldwide displacement crisis. It strongly advocates for upholding U.S. legal and moral obligations by restoring and strengthening the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and full asylum protections. The measure specifically calls on federal leaders to reverse recent restrictive policies that have suspended refugee admissions and limited access to protection. Ultimately, this statement urges the U.S. to resume its leadership role in humanitarian aid and international refugee resettlement efforts.

The Keeping Obstetrics Local Act is a comprehensive bill designed to stabilize rural and safety-net hospitals providing maternity care through enhanced financial support, including minimum Medicaid payment rates and anchor payments. It also expands continuous Medicaid and CHIP coverage for new mothers for a full year postpartum and invests in the maternal health workforce by supporting emergency staffing and simplifying cross-state provider enrollment. Finally, the act mandates greater transparency by requiring hospitals to give advance public notice of obstetric unit closures and report more detailed operational data to Medicare.

The My Body, My Data Act of 2025 establishes strict rules for how businesses (regulated entities) can collect, use, and share sensitive reproductive and sexual health information. This Act grants individuals the rights to access, correct, and delete their personal health data held by these entities. Furthermore, it mandates transparent privacy policies and explicitly prohibits entities from retaliating against individuals who exercise their new privacy rights.

The Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2025 aims to provide lasting protection for inventoried roadless areas within our National Forests. This legislation mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture must adhere to the existing "Roadless Rule," prohibiting the construction of new roads, the reconstruction of old roads, and timber harvesting within these designated areas. The Act seeks to preserve critical watersheds, support wildlife, and maintain areas for traditional recreation without imposing new restrictions outside of these roadless zones.

The Protect IVF Act establishes a federal right to access fertility treatments, such as IVF, based on widely accepted medical standards. It prohibits states from enacting or enforcing rules that create unnecessary roadblocks or conflict with these established medical practices. The law empowers individuals, providers, and insurers to sue to strike down restrictive state laws that interfere with evidence-based fertility care. Ultimately, this Act ensures that decisions regarding fertility treatment remain between patients and their doctors, overriding conflicting state regulations.

The Fit to Serve Act prohibits the Department of Defense from discriminating against service members or recruits based on their gender identity. This means military standards, involuntary separation, and access to medically necessary healthcare cannot be based on an individual's gender identity. The bill ensures that a service member's gender identity cannot be used to deny entry, continued service, or force them to serve under the sex assigned at birth.

The Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act aims to remove annual numerical caps on employment-based visas specifically for special immigrant juveniles. This change ensures that these vulnerable youths are no longer subject to the same yearly visa limitations as other categories. By updating relevant sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the bill prioritizes their access to available visas.

The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act repeals key liability protections for gun manufacturers found in the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). This legislation also mandates that records from the federal Firearms Trace System database must be discoverable and admissible as evidence in civil proceedings. The bill aims to allow victims of gun violence greater access to information for civil lawsuits.

This resolution officially recognizes May as Jewish American Heritage Month to celebrate the significant contributions of Jewish Americans throughout U.S. history. It calls on leaders to use this month to educate the public about Jewish heritage and actively counter the current rise in antisemitism. The measure emphasizes the importance of ensuring the safety and dignity of the Jewish American community.

The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the Crime Victims Fund by expanding the sources of deposits. This includes allowing the Fund to receive money from certain legal settlements that do not result in a criminal conviction. Additionally, the bill temporarily allows certain recoveries from False Claims Act settlements to fund victim services through 2030, while protecting payments to whistleblowers and the government's direct recovery.

This resolution serves as a formal tribute honoring the life, achievements, and enduring legacy of former United States Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond of Missouri. It recognizes his decades of public service, including his terms as Missouri Governor and U.S. Senator, where he championed infrastructure, agriculture, and conservative values. The Senate expresses deep sadness over his passing and directs that official copies of this tribute be sent to his family.

This resolution officially recognizes and celebrates Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month every May. It honors the significant and diverse contributions of AANHPI communities to the history and strength of the United States. The resolution also acknowledges the historical struggles and ongoing challenges faced by these communities. Ultimately, it reaffirms the importance of recognizing their achievements and ensuring their representation.

The SMART Prices Act aims to strengthen Medicare by significantly accelerating and expanding the number of drugs eligible for price negotiation. This bill lowers the time requirements for certain single-source drugs to qualify for negotiation and adjusts the maximum fair price ceilings for negotiated drugs starting in 2028. Overall, the legislation seeks to increase price competition and lower costs within the Medicare drug program.

The Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2025 establishes a formal, publicly accessible code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices and creates a judicial investigation panel to handle related ethics complaints. The bill also mandates stricter disclosure requirements for gifts and income received by Justices, and significantly expands the circumstances under which a federal judge must recuse themselves due to financial ties or lobbying influence. Finally, it institutes new disclosure rules for parties and *amici curiae* in cases before the Court, alongside studies to monitor judicial compliance.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to modernize and increase transparency in the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and requires plans to publicly report detailed data on their approval, denial, and appeal rates. Furthermore, it establishes new standards to protect enrollees and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timelines for care requests.

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.

This resolution condemns the acceptance of substantial gifts, such as presidential aircraft, from foreign governments, citing serious national security and foreign influence concerns. It asserts that accepting such gifts violates the Constitution's Emoluments Clause and undermines public trust. The measure demands that the President must receive explicit Congressional approval before accepting any significant foreign gift.

This resolution expresses support for designating the week of May 12-16, 2025, as "Veterans Affairs Research Week." It celebrates the Department of Veterans Affairs' 100 years of groundbreaking research and innovation that has significantly improved healthcare for veterans and the public worldwide. The bill applauds VA researchers for their vital contributions, including major medical breakthroughs, and supports continued funding for their essential work.

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 American Innovation and Jobs Act aims to boost U.S. competitiveness by restoring immediate expensing for most business research and development (R&D) investments. It also significantly expands the refundable R&D tax credit for new and small businesses, increasing the maximum refund amount and raising eligibility thresholds. Furthermore, the bill makes technical adjustments to the R&D credit calculation to make it more accessible for startups. These provisions are designed to incentivize domestic innovation and job creation starting in tax years after 2021 and 2024, respectively.