Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses strong support for designating the week of May 4 through May 10, 2025, as National Small Business Week. It aims to celebrate the vital contributions of the over 34.5 million small businesses that support tens of millions of jobs nationwide. The bill honors the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners in every community.

This resolution officially designates April 2025 as Community College Month to celebrate the vital role of over 1,000 community colleges nationwide. These institutions are recognized for providing accessible, affordable higher education and essential workforce training. The bill emphasizes their significant contribution to advancing local economies and overall U.S. prosperity.

This resolution expresses support for designating May 5, 2025, as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls." It highlights the severe crisis of violence, homicide, and human trafficking disproportionately affecting American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls. The bill calls for national recognition of this day to honor victims and urges the Department of Justice to conduct an updated study on the crisis. Ultimately, it acknowledges ongoing efforts while emphasizing that more action is urgently needed to address this national tragedy.

The Captive Primate Safety Act amends the Lacey Act to prohibit the importation, sale, breeding, and possession of certain nonhuman primate species across state lines. This new law makes most commercial and private activities involving these primates illegal, with limited exceptions for pre-existing, registered owners and authorized research facilities. The Secretary of the Interior is tasked with developing enforcement regulations within 180 days of enactment.

This resolution formally requests the Secretary of State to submit a detailed report to Congress regarding human rights practices in El Salvador within 30 days. The report must cover credible allegations of abuses, including torture, forced disappearances, and judicial fairness, particularly in light of the "State of Exception." Furthermore, it requires an accounting of U.S. actions taken to promote human rights and assess the risk of U.S. security assistance supporting officials involved in abuses.

The Help Hoover Dam Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to use non-reimbursable funds recovered from the Boulder Canyon Project for the operation, maintenance, and capital improvements of the Hoover Dam. This allows for flexible spending on project needs, provided the Secretary consults with relevant Boulder Canyon Project contractors before expenditure.

The Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2025 establishes a new grant program administered by the National Science Foundation. This program is designed to increase the participation and retention of women, people with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Eligible organizations can apply for competitive funding to support activities like mentoring, internships, and outreach programs aimed at these groups. Congress has authorized $15 million annually for this initiative from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

The Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 comprehensively defines and bans the manufacture, sale, and transfer of specific semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices. It grandfathers existing possessions but requires background checks for all future private transfers of these previously owned weapons. The bill also permits the use of federal Byrne grant funds for state-run buy-back programs targeting these banned items.

The United States Research Protection Act of 2025 aims to strengthen national security by clarifying restrictions on malign foreign talent recruitment. This bill updates the definition of a "foreign country of concern" within existing research and innovation laws. It also broadens the scope of prohibited involvement in restricted programs to include both direct and indirect participation.

This Act establishes a project to significantly improve forecasts for coastal marine fog, focusing on areas where fog poses major safety and economic risks. The initiative will enhance data collection using federal and commercial sources, develop advanced tracking algorithms, and improve the accuracy and communication of fog advisories. The ultimate goal is to increase maritime safety and reduce economic losses caused by fog-related delays.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating April 2025 as "Fair Chance Jobs Month." It highlights the significant employment barriers faced by the millions of Americans with past conviction records. The bill champions efforts to remove structural roadblocks, expand job training, and connect formerly incarcerated individuals with stable employment opportunities.

The Better CARE for Animals Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by clarifying definitions and expanding inspection powers. It grants the Attorney General direct authority to sue violators, seek injunctions, and impose substantial daily civil penalties. Furthermore, the bill allows for the seizure of animals involved in violations and mandates that collected penalty funds be used to reimburse temporary animal care costs.

The Equality Act comprehensively amends federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity across key areas of American life. This legislation expands existing protections in public accommodations, employment, housing, credit access, and jury service. Its purpose is to ensure consistent and clear nationwide enforcement of non-discrimination principles for LGBTQ individuals and women.

The Medicare for All Act establishes a comprehensive, universal national health insurance program to cover all U.S. residents, eliminating most private insurance duplication and nearly all out-of-pocket costs for covered services. The bill mandates extensive benefits, including long-term care, and institutes a strict National Health Budget to control overall spending through global payments for facilities and negotiated drug prices. It also includes a transition period that immediately enhances current Medicare by eliminating deductibles and adding dental, vision, and hearing benefits.

The Arctic Refuge Protection Act of 2025 officially designates approximately 1.56 million acres of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as protected wilderness. This action places the specified area under the strict protections of the National Wilderness Preservation System. This designation overrides conflicting regulations within the National Wildlife Refuge System.

This resolution officially designates April 2025 as "Second Chance Month" to raise awareness about the automatic legal and social barriers preventing formerly incarcerated individuals from fully rejoining society. It highlights how these collateral consequences hinder employment, education, and housing opportunities, which ultimately increases recidivism. The bill encourages communities and employers to actively support successful reentry and recognize the efforts of those working to tear down these roadblocks.

The Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act aims to address mental health disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority groups through several key actions. It increases funding for existing grant programs, mandates a comprehensive study by the National Academies to identify mental health research gaps in minority populations, and supports the development of culturally competent health professional training. Finally, the bill establishes a national outreach and education strategy while providing significant new funding to the NIH and NIMHD to advance relevant research and community engagement.

The FORECAST Act of 2025 aims to significantly enhance the nation's ability to produce accurate, longer-range weather predictions, specifically focusing on subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) forecasting weeks or months in advance. This bill mandates improvements in research, advanced multi-model forecasting systems, and the integration of emerging technologies like AI. Furthermore, it establishes a new workforce program to recruit and train experts in next-generation weather modeling and data assimilation to support these critical forecasting efforts.

The SEER Act of 2025 aims to strengthen ethics enforcement and transparency for "special Government employees" (part-time or temporary federal workers). This bill clarifies conflict of interest rules, mandates public disclosure for certain financial waivers, and establishes a public database tracking these temporary employees. Ultimately, it seeks to close loopholes that allow some part-time workers to avoid the same financial scrutiny as full-time staff.

This bill mandates the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to establish a single, unique ZIP Code for fourteen specific communities across several states. The USPS is required to complete this assignment within 270 days of the bill's enactment. This action will standardize mail delivery for the designated towns and villages.