Legislative Activity

This resolution officially designates September 25, 2025, as "National Lobster Day." It recognizes the lobster's significant historical, economic, and cultural importance to the United States, highlighting the industry's long-standing commitment to sustainability. The measure encourages Americans to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities celebrating this iconic seafood.

The Equal Employment for All Act of 2025 significantly amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit employers from using credit checks when making most hiring or firing decisions, even with applicant consent. This new restriction only allows credit checks for jobs requiring national security clearance or when specifically mandated by another law. The Act ensures that applicants cannot be penalized simply for refusing to authorize a credit check unless one of these narrow exceptions applies.

The Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act invalidates pre-dispute agreements that force individuals into private arbitration for employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights claims. This legislation protects the right of individuals and groups to pursue legal action in court rather than being compelled into private arbitration before a dispute arises. It ensures that courts, not arbitrators, decide if this new law applies to a specific agreement. The Act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

This resolution officially recognizes suicide as a serious and preventable public health crisis impacting the nation, highlighting its significant role as a leading cause of death, especially among young people. It expresses strong support for designating September as National Suicide Prevention Month to raise awareness. Furthermore, the resolution advocates for prioritizing suicide prevention efforts and improving access to high-quality mental health and substance use disorder services.

This Act officially establishes the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 to honor the life and groundbreaking civil rights achievements of the late legal pioneer. The bill authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to her family in recognition of her service, including her role in *Brown v. Board of Education*. Furthermore, it permits the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the medal to cover production costs.

This Senate resolution expresses a profound lack of confidence in Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing numerous actions that allegedly undermine public health, scientific integrity, and the legal duties of his office. The resolution details accusations of illegal funding cuts, mass firings of career staff, and the dismantling of key advisory committees. Therefore, the Senate declares that the Secretary should be removed from his position.

The TRACE Act mandates updates to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) to specifically track cases occurring on federal land or in U.S. territorial waters. This legislation requires the Attorney General to add a distinct data field to record these specific locations for missing persons reports. Furthermore, the Act requires the Attorney General to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the number of missing persons cases linked to these federal jurisdictions.

This Act officially renames the VA medical center in West Haven, Connecticut, in honor of Medal of Honor recipient and dedicated veterans advocate, Captain Paul W. 'Bud' Bucha. The designation recognizes his extraordinary military service and lifelong commitment to supporting fellow veterans. This legislation ensures his legacy is permanently associated with the facility where he received compassionate care.

The Warehouse Worker Protection Act establishes new federal standards to safeguard warehouse employees from excessive performance quotas and unsafe working conditions. It creates a dedicated office within the Department of Labor to enforce transparency requirements regarding quotas and mandates new OSHA standards to prevent musculoskeletal injuries. Furthermore, the bill strengthens labor protections by clarifying when performance targets unlawfully interfere with workers' rights to organize.

The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act primarily repeals previous health subtitle changes and permanently extends enhanced premium tax credits for marketplace health insurance. This extension removes the income cap for receiving enhanced credits and updates the calculation method for determining an individual's required premium contribution. The bill aims to simplify the tax code related to health insurance affordability.

The Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2025 authorizes $50 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to be appropriated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This funding is specifically designated for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention. This appropriation is in addition to any existing funds allocated for this purpose.

The College Transparency Act establishes a secure, new Postsecondary Student Data System to track student enrollment, completion, and post-college outcomes across higher education institutions. This system aims to increase transparency for students and families by providing clear data on costs and success rates, while minimizing duplicate reporting burdens for schools. The collected data will be used for secure research and public reporting of aggregate statistics, strictly prohibiting the sale of data or its use for federal college rankings.

The Medical Disability Examination Improvement Act of 2025 aims to enhance the efficiency and quality of medical disability examinations for veterans' claims. It establishes a pilot program for the VA to use its own medical facilities for these exams and mandates studies to improve access for rural veterans and review current scheduling processes. Furthermore, the bill requires improved training for VA staff reviewing these examinations and establishes a system for regular quality reviews of all disability exams.

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the Voting Rights Act by establishing new standards to challenge discriminatory voting practices and updating federal oversight criteria for states. It mandates greater transparency for all changes to voting rules and implements "practice-based preclearance" for certain jurisdictions. Additionally, the bill creates new federal criminal penalties for using force or threats to intimidate voters or election workers.

The Restoring Essential Healthcare Act repeals a previous ban that prohibited Medicaid payments to certain healthcare entities. This legislation retroactively validates and ensures payment for essential healthcare services provided by these now-unbanned organizations during the period the prohibition was in effect.

The All Aboard Act of 2025 aims to significantly modernize and expand the nation's passenger and freight rail systems through massive federal investment. It establishes major grant programs focused on electrifying infrastructure, developing zero-emission locomotives, and improving high-performance rail service. Furthermore, the Act mandates strong labor protections and creates new training centers to ensure a skilled workforce is ready for the industry's technological transition.

The Empowering App-Based Workers Act aims to increase transparency and accountability for digital labor platforms by requiring detailed disclosures about electronic monitoring, automated decision-making, and pay calculations. The bill establishes strict limits on platform "take rates" for ride-hailing services and prohibits the use of personal data to unfairly set compensation. Furthermore, it grants app-based workers new enforcement rights, including the ability to sue for violations and invalidates pre-dispute arbitration clauses.

This bill, the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, updates the eligibility requirements for a specific immigration registry status. It replaces outdated entry date requirements with a new standard requiring applicants to have resided in the United States for at least seven years prior to applying. These changes aim to modernize the criteria for long-term residents seeking this status.

This resolution celebrates the 100th anniversary of Pratt & Whitney, recognizing its century of leadership in designing and servicing aircraft engines. It specifically commends the dedication of Connecticut's workforce, whose contributions have been central to the company's global success. The Senate encourages public recognition of Pratt & Whitney's significant contributions to aviation innovation and the economy.

This resolution supports the designation of the third annual "National Community Health Worker Awareness Week" to recognize the vital role of Community Health Workers (CHWs). It highlights how CHWs serve as trusted cultural bridges, connecting diverse communities to essential health and social services. The bill encourages federal, state, and local efforts to raise awareness and ensure sustainable support for this crucial public health workforce.