Legislative Activity

This resolution formally honors the life and service of Kansas City, Kansas Police Officer Hunter Simoncic, who tragically died in the line of duty. It recognizes his dedication to his community, including his volunteer work, and details the circumstances of his sacrifice. The Senate extends condolences to his family and calls for support for the families of officers who die serving their communities.

The Empower Parents to Protect their Kids Act of 2025 aims to ensure that schools receiving federal funding cannot affirm a student's gender identity that differs from their biological sex without explicit parental consent. This bill mandates that school employees must not conceal information from parents regarding a student's gender transition discussions or social changes. Any school violating these requirements faces civil lawsuits from affected parents or the Attorney General, with the potential for financial penalties and court-ordered relief.

The Protecting Regular Order for Veterans Act of 2025 mandates quarterly budget briefings for Congress by the VA Secretary and places new restrictions on critical skills bonuses for senior executives. Additionally, the bill establishes a new Veterans Experience Office, reporting directly to the Secretary, tasked with improving beneficiary satisfaction and reporting on customer feedback data to Congress. This new office will sunset on September 30, 2028, following a review by the Comptroller General.

This resolution solemnly marks the one-year anniversary of the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump. It condemns the multiple attempts against his life and other political officials, while honoring the victims and first responders involved in the July 2024 shooting. The measure further calls for an end to the incitement of political violence that threatens the democratic process.

This bill aims to strengthen efforts to prevent maternal deaths by reauthorizing support for State-based Maternal Mortality Review Committees. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to regularly disseminate proven best practices for maternal mortality prevention to hospitals and professional societies. Furthermore, the legislation increases federal funding dedicated to these crucial prevention initiatives.

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.

This bill prohibits non-U.S. citizens from voting in any election within the District of Columbia. It also repeals the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022, effectively undoing that prior legislation. The measure ensures that only citizens can participate in D.C. local elections and ballot initiatives.

The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act extends crucial federal programs aimed at combating vector-borne diseases like those carried by ticks. This legislation reauthorizes funding and support for national strategies, regional centers, and local health departments through 2030. It also updates the composition of the advisory group overseeing the national strategy.

The DAIRY PRIDE Act aims to ensure food products labeled as "milk," "cheese," or other standardized dairy terms actually meet established definitions. This legislation prevents companies from selling non-dairy items across state lines using official dairy names unless they meet strict ingredient and sourcing standards. The FDA is required to quickly issue new guidance on enforcing these labeling requirements.

The Fair Billing Act mandates that off-campus hospital outpatient departments must obtain a unique identification number to receive Medicare payment starting in 2026. Providers must also attest to the Secretary that these off-campus departments comply with all relevant regulations. This ensures proper identification and compliance verification for services provided away from the main hospital campus.

The SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act modernizes how the FDA reviews the safety and effectiveness of topical drug ingredients, including those in sunscreen, by allowing the use of real-world evidence and promoting non-animal testing alternatives. The bill mandates that the FDA's final administrative order on sunscreen ingredients must consider historical data and the role of broad-spectrum SPF 15+ sunscreens in preventing skin cancer. Furthermore, it establishes annual reporting requirements to Congress detailing progress on these new evidence standards and the adoption of alternative testing methods.

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 Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting in 2026. This legislation covers pharmacist services that align with state law and are provided in collaboration with a physician or approved practitioner. The bill specifies payment rates for these covered services, particularly enhancing reimbursement for services related to public health emergencies like COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Furthermore, it prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

The CLEAR Waters Act narrows the definition of "navigable waters" under federal law. This legislation explicitly excludes features like wastewater treatment systems, ephemeral streams, and groundwater from federal water protection regulations. The goal is to clarify which bodies of water fall under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

The 287(g) Program Protection Act mandates that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must approve nearly all requests from state and local law enforcement agencies seeking agreements to assist with federal immigration enforcement. This legislation significantly restricts DHS's ability to deny or terminate these agreements, requiring extensive justification and advance notice for any denial or cancellation. Furthermore, the bill transfers authority over the Breached Bond Detention Fund to DHS and requires annual reporting on program performance and recruitment efforts.

The Ending Lending to China Act of 2025 establishes a new U.S. policy opposing further financial assistance to the People's Republic of China from multilateral development banks. Citing China's status as a high-income economy with massive foreign reserves, the bill directs the Treasury Secretary to use U.S. influence to block new loans to China. Furthermore, the Secretary must advocate for ending assistance to all countries that have surpassed the established income threshold for graduation. The Treasury Department is also required to submit annual reports detailing compliance and U.S. actions taken.

The Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl (HALT Fentanyl) Act aims to combat the opioid crisis by immediately classifying structurally similar fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I controlled substances. The bill also streamlines the registration process for researchers working with Schedule I drugs and strengthens criminal penalties for trafficking these compounds. The Attorney General is required to issue implementing rules within six months of enactment.

The Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act aims to eliminate delays in certifying the deaths of veterans who pass away from natural causes. This bill mandates that VA physicians or nurse practitioners must certify a veteran's death within 48 hours, or a local official can step in. The legislation also requires the VA Secretary to annually report on compliance with this new timely certification standard.

The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act aims to significantly expand the palliative care and hospice workforce through new federal grant and award programs for education, training, and career incentives. The bill also mandates the dissemination of information about palliative care services to patients, families, and providers, while enhancing palliative care research efforts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Importantly, the legislation clarifies that funds cannot support activities intended to cause death, ensuring alignment with existing federal funding restrictions.

The Say No to Indoctrination Act prohibits the teaching or promotion of concepts related to "gender ideology" in elementary and secondary schools. This amendment directly restricts curriculum content under existing federal education law. The goal is to prevent instruction on specific concepts defined elsewhere as "gender ideology."