Legislative Activity

The PEER Support Act aims to formally recognize and professionalize the role of certified peer support specialists who have lived experience in recovery. It establishes a new Office of Recovery within SAMHSA to support these specialists and enhance recovery services nationwide. Furthermore, the bill mandates the official classification of this profession and requires a federal report on state criminal background check policies for peer specialists.

The America's First Fuels Act aims to incentivize the adoption of biomass heating technology through significant tax credits. It increases the existing energy-efficient home improvement credit limit up to \$10,000 for qualifying biomass stoves and boilers installed after 2025. Furthermore, the bill introduces a new 30% investment tax credit for businesses installing qualifying "open-loop biomass heating property."

The Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act of 2025 significantly updates the program that helps low-income households improve energy efficiency. This bill establishes a new fund to cover essential pre-weatherization repairs that currently block necessary upgrades. Furthermore, it substantially raises the maximum financial assistance allowed per home, increasing the general cap from $6,500 to $15,000 to better reflect current market costs. The Secretary is also granted flexibility to further adjust these limits based on economic conditions.

This resolution formally honors the life and extensive public service of the late Honorable John Bennett Johnston, Jr., former U.S. Senator for Louisiana. It details his career, highlighting his significant tenure on key Senate committees, particularly his leadership on energy policy. The resolution recognizes his legislative achievements benefiting Louisiana, including flood control and conservation efforts. Finally, the Senate adjourns immediately in his memory as a final tribute to his service.

The Religious Workforce Protection Act aims to support religious workers facing long delays in obtaining lawful permanent residence. It extends nonimmigrant status for those stuck in green card backlogs, even past the normal five-year limit for R-1 visas. Furthermore, the bill modifies job flexibility rules for certain long-waiting religious workers and exempts those who left the U.S. due to the R-1 visa time limit from the usual one-year foreign residence requirement before reapplying.

The Trade Review Act of 2025 establishes a mandatory 60-day congressional review period for any new or increased import duties imposed by the President. The President must notify Congress within 48 hours of imposing such duties, detailing the justification and impact. Unless Congress passes a joint resolution of approval within 60 days, the new or increased duty automatically expires.

The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 aims to significantly expand access to telehealth services under Medicare by permanently removing outdated geographic restrictions and broadening provider eligibility. The bill also enhances program integrity by dedicating new funding to oversight and establishing educational outreach for providers with unusual billing patterns. Finally, it mandates new resources, training, and public data reporting to ensure the quality and accessibility of virtual care for all beneficiaries.

This resolution officially designates March 27, 2025, as "National Women in Agriculture Day." It recognizes the vital and substantial contributions of the over 1.2 million female agricultural producers to the U.S. economy and global food supply. The measure encourages citizens to acknowledge the leadership, mentorship, and economic impact women have across the entire agricultural sector.

The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act significantly raises the resource limits for individuals and couples to qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), starting in 2025. This legislation increases the individual savings limit to \$20,000 and the couple's limit to \$20,000 total. Furthermore, these new resource limits will automatically adjust annually for inflation beginning in 2026.

The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 mandates sweeping economic penalties against the Russian Federation and its affiliates for actions against Ukraine. This legislation requires the President and Treasury Secretary to impose escalating sanctions on Russian officials, financial institutions, and energy sector entities. Furthermore, the Act prohibits U.S. persons from investing in Russian debt, bans the trading of Russian securities on U.S. exchanges, and imposes a massive 500% import duty on Russian goods. Sanctions can only be terminated if Russia agrees to a verifiable peace deal with Ukraine.

The Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act of 2025 expands access to credit from Farm Credit Banks and Production Credit Associations. This legislation specifically allows these institutions to provide loans and financial services to businesses that furnish essential operating services to aquatic product producers and harvesters. The goal is to strengthen the financial support network for the commercial fishing and aquaculture industries.

This resolution formally honors the life and distinguished public service career of the Honorable Alan K. Simpson, former U.S. Senator for Wyoming. It celebrates his extensive tenure in both state and federal government, highlighting his focus on fiscal responsibility and support for veterans. The Senate expresses its deep sorrow at his passing and directs that the day's adjournment serve as a final tribute to his memory.

This Senate resolution expresses the strong sense of Congress that the United States Postal Service must remain an independent federal establishment and should not be privatized. It emphasizes the USPS's vital constitutional role, its massive economic footprint supporting millions of jobs, and its essential function in providing universal service to every American address. The resolution warns that privatization would likely lead to higher costs and reduced service, particularly for rural communities.

The Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act of 2025 establishes a new federal tax credit to incentivize investments in upgrading existing hydroelectric facilities. This credit covers improvements focused on fish passage, water quality, safety, and habitat restoration at qualified dams. Furthermore, the bill allows for elective direct payment or transferability of this new credit.

The Small County PILT Parity Act revises federal funding distribution rules to better support very small local governments. It significantly lowers the population threshold defining a "low-population unit" from 4,999 residents to just 999. This adjustment broadens eligibility for special allocation considerations previously reserved for slightly larger, low-population areas.

The Mining Schools Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program, administered by the Secretary of Energy, to strengthen domestic mining education at qualified colleges and universities. This program will award up to ten competitive grants annually to improve curriculum and recruit professionals needed for the nation's mineral supply. The Act also creates the Mining Professional Development Advisory Board to assist in the grant selection process and repeals the previous Mining and Mineral Resources Institutes Act.

The BAH Restoration Act aims to ensure military service members receive adequate housing support by directly tying the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to the actual cost of finding suitable housing in their specific duty location. This change mandates that the allowance calculation must accurately reflect the service member's pay grade and dependency status. The goal is to make the housing allowance a true reflection of local rental market rates.

The Military Spouse Hiring Act amends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include military spouses as eligible hires. This allows employers to claim the tax credit for hiring individuals certified as spouses of active-duty military personnel. The provision applies to wages paid for individuals hired after the Act's enactment date.

The Major Richard Star Act allows veterans with combat-related disabilities to receive both veteran's disability compensation and military retired pay concurrently, without reduction. This act amends Title 10 of the United States Code to ensure that disability retirees with combat-related disabilities are not subject to reductions in retired pay due to receiving veteran's disability compensation. These changes will take effect the first day of the month following the enactment of the Act.

The HELPER Act of 2025 establishes a new FHA mortgage insurance program to help first responders, educators, and law enforcement officers purchase homes. This program offers qualifying first-time homebuyers the potential for a zero down payment mortgage. A key feature is the elimination of monthly mortgage insurance premiums, though an upfront premium will still be charged.