Legislative Activity

The Defending International Security by Restricting Unacceptable Partnerships and Tactics (DISRUPT) Act aims to counter the growing security threat posed by the deepening cooperation between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The bill mandates the creation of interagency task forces and detailed intelligence reports to analyze and disrupt this adversarial alignment across military, economic, and technological fronts. Ultimately, the policy seeks to constrain the global reach of these nations and enhance U.S. deterrence capabilities against simultaneous challenges.

This Act mandates that any final convention or agreement on pandemic preparedness resulting from the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Negotiating Body must be treated as a formal treaty. Consequently, the United States cannot adopt or implement such an agreement without receiving the "advice and consent" of the Senate. This ensures that the Senate has a final, two-thirds majority vote on any binding international health instrument negotiated by the WHO.

The PARTNER with ASEAN, CERN, and PIF Act grants the President the authority to extend the legal privileges and immunities of the International Organizations Immunities Act to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). This allows the U.S. to provide these key international partners with the same federal protections afforded to other recognized international organizations. The President will determine the specific terms and conditions for extending these benefits to each group.

The AFIDA Improvements Act of 2025 updates the rules for reporting foreign ownership of U.S. farmland under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978. This bill lowers the minimum reporting threshold to 1% ownership for certain foreign investors and clarifies enforcement procedures for the Secretary of Agriculture. Furthermore, it mandates information sharing between the Department of Agriculture and national security officials (CFIUS) regarding these foreign investment disclosures. The Act also requires updates to official handbooks and an analysis of implementing a fully electronic reporting system.

The Energy Choice Act aims to prevent state and local governments from enacting regulations that restrict consumer access to various energy sources, including natural gas, hydrogen, and electricity, if those sources are transported across state lines. This legislation ensures that local codes cannot ban or limit the connection or expansion of services based on the energy type or source. In essence, it protects the ability of residents and businesses to choose from energy options available through interstate commerce.

The Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act revises federal statutes concerning several serious offenses. This bill strengthens penalties for bank robbery and motor vehicle crimes, while also clarifying the intent required to convict individuals who assault federal officers. Furthermore, it establishes a new federal crime targeting the distribution of controlled substances disguised as candy or drinks to minors.

The Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act mandates that colleges and universities prominently display critical mental health and suicide prevention resources on student ID cards or main websites. This includes contact information for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and the campus mental health center. Schools will have one year after the Act's enactment to comply with these new requirements.

This resolution serves as a formal tribute honoring the life, achievements, and enduring legacy of former United States Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond of Missouri. It recognizes his decades of public service, including his terms as Missouri Governor and U.S. Senator, where he championed infrastructure, agriculture, and conservative values. The Senate expresses deep sadness over his passing and directs that official copies of this tribute be sent to his family.

The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the Crime Victims Fund by expanding the sources of deposits. This includes allowing the Fund to receive money from certain legal settlements that do not result in a criminal conviction. Additionally, the bill temporarily allows certain recoveries from False Claims Act settlements to fund victim services through 2030, while protecting payments to whistleblowers and the government's direct recovery.

This resolution officially designates May 2025 as "Older Americans Month" to recognize the vital contributions of senior citizens to the nation. It highlights the growing senior population and their continued involvement in the workforce and volunteering. The bill encourages communities nationwide to celebrate older Americans and create opportunities for them to share their wisdom and remain active participants in society.

The Protect LNG Act of 2025 establishes specific rules for federal agency decisions and litigation concerning Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export facilities. This bill ensures that existing LNG facility permits remain valid even if their environmental reviews are challenged in court, requiring agencies to fix errors rather than voiding authorizations. Furthermore, it centralizes legal challenges to these decisions in the U.S. Court of Appeals circuit where the facility is located and imposes a strict 90-day deadline for filing lawsuits after final agency approval.

The ANTE Act, or Axing Nonmarket Tariff Evasion Act, grants the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) new authority to combat duty evasion by entities from nonmarket economy countries. This allows the USTR to impose remedial measures, such as new duties, on goods produced in a third country if a covered entity is using that location specifically to circumvent existing U.S. import duties. The process includes investigations initiated by the USTR, Congress, or interested parties, leading to potential penalties equal to the original evaded duties.

This bill, the Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act, establishes a new, high federal tax on the profits earned by third-party investors in lawsuits, known as litigation financing. The tax is applied at the highest individual income tax rate plus an additional 3.8 percentage points on "qualified litigation proceeds." To ensure compliance, the law mandates that parties or their attorneys withhold 50% of this tax from payments made to the funder. Importantly, while taxing the funder, the bill explicitly excludes the actual settlement proceeds received by the winning party from their gross income.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to modernize and increase transparency in the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and requires plans to publicly report detailed data on their approval, denial, and appeal rates. Furthermore, it establishes new standards to protect enrollees and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timelines for care requests.

The SAFE FOOD Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive study on consolidating federal food safety agencies into a single entity. The Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for initiating this study within 60 days of enactment. A final report, including recommendations on whether to proceed with consolidation, must be submitted to Congress within one year.

The CARGO Act of 2025 prohibits the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from awarding funding or support for any research activity that uses live animals if that research is conducted outside of the United States. This measure is intended to address concerns regarding the lack of oversight and potential mistreatment of animals in foreign research labs funded by U.S. taxpayers. The bill effectively bans NIH grants for overseas animal testing, requiring all such research to occur within U.S. borders.

The Business Owners Protection Act of 2025 terminates specific, unused regulatory authorities granted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Dodd-Frank Act. If the SEC failed to initiate rulemaking for these discretionary powers by January 1, 2025, those authorities automatically expire upon the enactment of this Act. The SEC is required to publicly report to Congress on all terminated authorities within 180 days.

The Confronting CCP Human Rights Abusers Act mandates the addition of the Ministry of Public Security's Institute of Forensic Science of China to the U.S. trade entity list within 60 days of enactment. This action restricts the institute's ability to conduct business with U.S. entities. The President may waive this requirement only if they certify to Congress that the institute is not involved in the repression or surveillance of minorities in Xinjiang.

The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 establishes a presumption that certain cancers leading to death or disability in public safety officers were caused by on-duty exposure to recognized carcinogens. This law defines specific exposure-related cancers and sets conditions, such as five years of service, for the presumption to apply. It also updates review processes for adding new cancers to the list and grants retroactive application and filing extensions for eligible past and present claims.

The LOCOMOTIVES Act clarifies federal authority under the Clean Air Act regarding emissions standards for certain existing locomotives and engines used in construction or farm equipment. This legislation ensures that federal standards, rather than varying state standards, apply to these specific engines, particularly those under 175 horsepower and locomotives engaged in commerce. Essentially, it centralizes regulatory power over these emissions sources at the federal level.