Legislative Activity

This resolution strongly condemns the pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, detailing his extensive involvement in a major drug-trafficking conspiracy. It outlines how Hernández used his presidential power to facilitate the smuggling of hundreds of tons of cocaine into the U.S. while protecting criminal associates. The resolution asserts that the pardon undermines the rule of law and damages U.S. credibility in combating international drug trafficking.

The Restoring Patient Protections and Affordability Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the Affordable Care Act marketplaces by extending financial assistance and lengthening enrollment periods to keep coverage affordable. It also increases transparency by requiring insurers to notify enrollees of key coverage changes and establishes new rules to simplify enrollment and stabilize market costs. Overall, the bill seeks to increase health insurance accessibility and provide greater financial predictability for consumers.

The Hastening Arms Limitations Talks (HALT) Act of 2025 establishes a U.S. policy to lead international negotiations toward a comprehensive and verifiable global nuclear freeze on testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons. The bill outlines specific goals, including resuming inspections, negotiating future arms control agreements, and pursuing a Fissile Material Treaty. Furthermore, it prohibits the use of federal funds for nuclear test explosions beginning in fiscal year 2026 unless specific conditions regarding stockpile reporting and Congressional approval are met.

This bill establishes the **Temporary Immigration Judge Integrity Act** to authorize the Attorney General to appoint highly qualified individuals as temporary immigration judges for limited terms. These temporary judges will have the same authority as permanent judges but will be subject to rigorous oversight and mandatory training requirements. The legislation emphasizes that these temporary appointments are not intended to replace the need for permanent immigration judges.

This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from any hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been explicitly authorized by Congress. It affirms Congress's constitutional authority to declare war and mandates expedited procedures for considering this measure. The resolution ensures that any ongoing military action against Venezuela ceases unless Congress provides a specific authorization for the use of force.

The Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act of 2025 aims to strengthen protections for unaccompanied children navigating the immigration system. This bill exempts these children from various immigration-related fees, including those for asylum and employment authorization. Furthermore, it places limitations on body examinations and restricts the sharing of sponsor information with immigration enforcement agencies. The Act also mandates the refund of previously paid fees that are now waived.

This resolution strongly condemns the Government of Iran for its ongoing, state-sponsored persecution of the Baha'i religious minority. It highlights decades of systematic human rights abuses, including imprisonment, job discrimination, and violence against Baha'is. The resolution urges the Iranian government to immediately release all religious prisoners and reverse discriminatory policies. Furthermore, it calls on the U.S. President and Secretary of State to condemn these actions and utilize existing authorities to impose sanctions on responsible Iranian officials.

The Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act of 2025 establishes comprehensive rules to prevent discrimination by automated decision-making systems in critical areas like hiring, housing, and credit. It mandates that companies rigorously test, audit, and report on their algorithms for fairness and safety before and after deployment. The bill empowers the FTC, state attorneys general, and private citizens to enforce these standards, while also creating a dedicated federal workforce to oversee AI compliance. Ultimately, this legislation aims to increase accountability and ensure fairness when algorithms make consequential decisions about people's lives.

The Crime Gun Tracing Modernization Act of 2025 mandates the creation of electronic, searchable firearm record databases by the ATF's National Tracing Center. These databases will consolidate existing firearm transaction records to aid law enforcement investigations. Crucially, the system must be searchable by firearm descriptors but explicitly prohibited from being searched using any personally identifiable information of individuals.

The Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025 directs the FAA to establish a committee to review and recommend updates to policies regarding the medical certification of pilots and air traffic controllers with mental health conditions. The bill mandates regulatory updates to encourage aviation personnel to seek mental health care without fear of penalty. Furthermore, it allocates funding to enhance the FAA's capacity to process reviews and launches a public campaign to reduce mental health stigma within the industry.

The John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act prohibits discrimination based on religion, sex, or marital status in federally funded child welfare services. This aims to increase the number of available, stable foster and adoptive homes, particularly for LGBTQ youth and youth of color who are overrepresented in the system. The bill mandates federal guidance, cultural competency training, and the establishment of a resource center to improve safety and permanency outcomes for all children in care. Entities found in violation may face the withholding of federal payments.

The Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine (Healthy MOM) Act aims to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes by ensuring comprehensive and affordable maternity coverage. It establishes special enrollment periods for pregnant individuals across various health plans, including employer-sponsored and exchange plans. Furthermore, the bill mandates that dependent coverage must include maternity care and makes 12 months of continuous postpartum coverage mandatory under Medicaid and CHIP.

The Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025 aims to strengthen domestic food security by repealing specific sections of a previous law (Public Law 11921). This repeal effectively reinstates the original statutes that were previously altered by those sections.

This resolution supports the goals of Transgender Day of Remembrance by formally recognizing the epidemic of violence targeting transgender people. It specifically honors the lives lost to violence over the past year, particularly transgender women of color. The resolution calls on Congress and the executive branch to enact inclusive legislation and policies to protect transgender lives and ensure their dignity.

This resolution officially designates November 20, 2025, as "National Rural Health Day." It recognizes the unique healthcare challenges faced by rural communities, including provider shortages and hospital vulnerability. The Senate expresses support for rural health providers and commits to advancing policies that improve healthcare access and affordability in these areas.

The Transgender Health Care Access Act aims to ensure equitable access to gender-affirming care by prohibiting insurance discrimination and establishing federal nondiscrimination protections. The bill also invests significantly in improving the healthcare workforce by creating grant programs to enhance medical education and training in gender-affirming and culturally competent care. Finally, it supports community health centers in building their capacity to deliver these essential services, particularly in rural areas.

The Background Check Expansion Act mandates that nearly all private firearm transfers between unlicensed individuals must go through a licensed dealer to complete a federal background check. This legislation establishes a universal background check requirement for these transactions, with specific exceptions for family gifts and law enforcement transfers. The bill aims to close loopholes in existing firearm transfer laws while explicitly prohibiting the creation of a national firearms registry.

The EXPERTS Act of 2025 aims to reform the federal rulemaking process by increasing transparency and accountability across executive agencies. It mandates extensive disclosure requirements for studies and funding sources submitted during public comment periods and establishes new standards for judicial review of agency actions. Furthermore, the bill creates an Office of the Public Advocate to focus on social equity in regulations and streamlines the review timeline for significant regulatory actions by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).

This Act enhances safety and wellness in the commercial fishing industry by expanding federal grant programs for safety training and research. It specifically directs funding toward addressing behavioral and physical health risks, such as worker fatigue and substance use disorder, for vessel operators and crew. The legislation also updates the grant award process and increases authorized funding through fiscal year 2029.

This bill formally codifies the "Six Assurances" made by the Reagan Administration regarding U.S. policy toward Taiwan, emphasizing commitments on arms sales and non-mediation. It declares that maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait and determining Taiwan's future peacefully are vital U.S. interests. Furthermore, the Act establishes a mandatory congressional review process that the President must follow before taking specific actions that would alter these long-standing assurances.