Legislative Activity

The Global Respect Act of 2025 mandates the President to publicly identify foreign individuals responsible for serious human rights abuses against LGBTQI individuals. Those identified will be deemed inadmissible to the United States, and their visas will be subject to cancellation. The Act also requires enhanced reporting to Congress regarding the identification process and strengthens the State Department's tracking of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity abroad.

This resolution expresses the Senate's support for the rights and freedoms of LGBTQI+ individuals across the United States. It recognizes key Supreme Court victories that advanced equality while acknowledging the ongoing need for federal legislation to combat discrimination. The bill specifically supports designating June 26th as "LGBTQI+ Equality Day" to commemorate these legal milestones.

The Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 2025 is a legislative update designed to modernize the Internal Revenue Code by ensuring gender-neutral language is used when referencing married taxpayers and their spouses. This bill systematically replaces outdated gendered terms like "husband and wife" or "his" with inclusive terms such as "married couple" and "spouse." The changes are purely linguistic, ensuring consistency across tax rules without altering any existing tax liabilities or deductions.

The Refund Equality Act of 2025 extends the deadline for certain legally married couples to amend past tax returns filed separately before September 16, 2013, based on Revenue Ruling 2013-17. This allows these couples to now file jointly for those years, extending the statute of limitations for filing the joint return and claiming related refunds or credits. These extensions are strictly limited to changes resulting from recognizing their marital status for federal tax purposes.

The Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2025 requires large entities using Automated Decision Systems (ADS) for "critical decisions"—like those affecting employment, housing, or finance—to conduct rigorous impact assessments. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with creating detailed regulations and establishing a public repository for summary reports on these systems. This legislation aims to ensure transparency, test for bias, and mandate remediation for significant negative impacts caused by automated decision-making processes.

The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act significantly updates existing law to expand privacy protections for individuals aged 13 to 16 online. It imposes new obligations on digital operators regarding the collection, use, and deletion of personal information, including broader definitions for data like geolocation and persistent identifiers. The bill also mandates new security practices and grants specific rights to teens and parents to access, correct, or delete collected data.

This resolution officially commemorates June 19, 2025, as "Juneteenth National Independence Day." It recognizes the historical significance of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in the Southwest finally received news of their freedom. The resolution supports the nationwide celebration of this day as a vital part of American history and heritage.

The Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025 establishes a federal right to access abortion services without facing state-imposed restrictions that are not medically necessary for comparable procedures. This Act prohibits states from enacting targeted regulations that create hurdles for abortion access, protects the right to travel out of state for care, and allows individuals and the Attorney General to sue to enforce these protections. Ultimately, the bill aims to ensure equitable access to reproductive healthcare decisions based on a provider's good-faith medical judgment.

The Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act creates a new pathway for certain immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) history to apply for permanent residency within the U.S. This legislation also establishes strict confidentiality protections for applicants against immigration enforcement actions based on their application information. Furthermore, the bill mandates detailed reporting to Congress regarding the conditions in countries whose TPS designations are terminated. Finally, it ensures that eligibility for this new status does not preclude applicants from seeking other immigration benefits.

The Election Worker Protection Act of 2025 establishes federal grants to states for recruiting, training, and securing election workers, while also enhancing the Department of Justice's resources to address threats. The bill creates new federal crimes prohibiting the harassment, doxxing, and intimidation of election workers involved in federal elections. Furthermore, it empowers election officials to remove disruptive poll observers and strengthens protections for election worker personal information.

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 POST Act of 2025 updates the "85/15 rule" for private, for-profit higher education institutions receiving federal student aid. This new requirement mandates that these schools must derive at least 15 percent of their total revenue from non-federal sources to maintain eligibility. Failure to meet this threshold results in an immediate two-year suspension from federal student aid programs. The Act also establishes strict guidelines for calculating qualifying revenue and requires annual reporting to Congress on institutional funding sources.

The Wall Street Tax Act of 2025 establishes a new federal tax on covered financial trading transactions involving securities and derivatives. This transaction tax rate will gradually increase from 0.02 percent in 2026 to 0.1 percent by 2030. The responsibility for paying the tax falls on exchanges, brokers, or the involved parties, depending on how the trade is executed. The bill also includes specific rules for foreign corporations and provides detailed definitions and exceptions for what constitutes a taxable security or derivative.

This Act, named in honor of Daniel J. Harvey, Jr. and Adam Lambert, aims to reduce veteran suicide by strengthening mental health resources during the transition from military service to civilian life. It mandates updated mental health and suicide risk briefings within the Department of Defense's Transition Assistance Program (TAP). Furthermore, the bill enhances the VA's Solid Start Program by requiring specific outreach regarding healthcare enrollment and mental health services.

The No War Against Iran Act prohibits the President from using U.S. military force in or against Iran without explicit authorization from Congress. This means no federal funds can be spent on such military action unless Congress formally declares war or passes a specific new law authorizing the use of force, in accordance with the War Powers Resolution. The bill maintains existing requirements for presidential reporting and consultation regarding military actions.

The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act restricts how consumer reporting agencies can share your credit report when you are seeking a residential mortgage loan. Specifically, it limits the sharing of these reports unless they are connected to a firm offer of credit or are being sent to parties directly involved in your current mortgage, such as the originator or servicer. This ensures that your sensitive financial information is only accessed by relevant parties during the home loan process.

The Insurrection Act of 2025 completely rewrites the rules governing the President's authority to deploy the U.S. Armed Forces domestically, establishing military intervention as a strict last resort. It mandates specific, severe conditions—such as overwhelming insurrection or widespread denial of constitutional rights—and requires the President to issue a detailed proclamation and consult with Congress before deployment. Any initial deployment automatically expires after seven days unless Congress passes a resolution of approval.

The HCBS Relief Act of 2025 significantly increases federal Medicaid funding for states that commit to improving their Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) programs. This temporary boost requires states to use the extra funds to raise provider reimbursement rates, increase worker compensation, and expand access to services for eligible individuals. States must ensure this new federal money supplements, rather than replaces, existing state spending on HCBS.

The Medicare and Medicaid Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2025 expands essential healthcare coverage under both programs. This bill mandates that Medicare begin covering routine dental, vision, and hearing services, including hearing aids, through a phased-in payment schedule reaching 80% coverage by the eighth year. Additionally, it increases the federal matching rate to 90% for states covering these specific dental, vision, and hearing services for certain adults under Medicaid. These comprehensive changes aim to integrate crucial preventative and restorative care into federal health programs.

The State Public Option Act establishes a new Medicaid buy-in option for eligible individuals starting in 2026, with federal support for state administrative costs. The bill also mandates that Medicaid payments for certain primary care services must meet Medicare Part B rates and requires states to cover comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services, including abortions. Finally, it updates federal funding timelines for newly eligible individuals and directs a review of Medicaid quality measures.