Legislative Activity

The Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025 allows individuals to exclude from their gross income any payments or benefits they receive from state-based catastrophe loss mitigation programs. These programs are designed to reduce property damage from natural disasters like windstorms, earthquakes, floods, or wildfires. This exclusion applies retroactively to taxable years starting after December 31, 2021, allowing individuals to claim refunds on previous tax returns.

This resolution designates February 3-7, 2025, as "National School Counseling Week" to recognize the vital role school counselors play in students' academic, social, and emotional development. It aims to raise awareness of the challenges students face and the importance of adequately supporting school counseling programs. The resolution encourages Americans to participate in events that highlight the importance of school counselors in helping students succeed.

The "Keep Our PACT Act" aims to increase funding for Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) over the next decade. It mandates specific funding increases for these programs each year from 2026 to 2035, with the goal of fully funding IDEA at 40% of the national average per-pupil expenditure for students with disabilities by 2035. This bill designates these funding increases as emergency spending.

The American Music Fairness Act updates copyright law to require terrestrial radio broadcasts to pay royalties to music creators, similar to internet radio services. It establishes royalty rates for eligible small broadcasters and ensures that songwriters' royalties are not negatively impacted. The bill also directs Copyright Royalty Judges to consider the promotional value of radio airplay when determining royalty rates.

This bill, known as the "PSA Screening for HIM Act," mandates that group health plans and health insurance issuers provide coverage for prostate cancer screenings without cost-sharing for high-risk men, including African-American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer, starting in 2025. The goal is to improve early detection and survival rates for those at higher risk of developing prostate cancer. This bill ensures coverage aligns with current recommendations for breast cancer screening and prevention, while also allowing plans to offer additional services.

The "Smarter Weather Forecasting for Water Management, Farming, and Ranching Act of 2025" directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to establish pilot projects aimed at improving subseasonal to seasonal precipitation forecasts for agriculture and water management. These projects will address scientific challenges like improving model resolution in mountainous terrain and predicting atmospheric circulation. The Act allocates \$45 million annually from 2025-2029 for these initiatives, which will involve higher education institutions and NOAA entities. The pilot project authority will end five years after the enactment of the law.

The "Build Housing with Care Act of 2025" aims to increase access to affordable housing and child care by establishing a grant program that encourages the co-location of housing and child care services. The program will provide competitive grants to eligible entities for the design, construction, or renovation of facilities that combine housing and child care. It prioritizes entities operating in child care deserts or serving low-income families. The Act also requires a study on child care access for public housing residents and authorizes $100,000,000 annually from 2026-2031 for the grant program.

The "Coordinated Federal Response to Extreme Heat Act of 2025" aims to reduce health risks associated with extreme heat by establishing the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It also creates the NIHHIS Interagency Committee to coordinate federal efforts in preparing for, planning for, and responding to extreme heat events. The Act mandates the development of a strategic plan to improve data collection, research, and communication related to heat-related illnesses and deaths, and authorizes $5,000,000 annually from 2025 through 2029 for these activities.

The Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act seeks to ensure that foreign non-governmental organizations are eligible for assistance under part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, regardless of the health or medical services they provide, as long as those services adhere to specific guidelines. It ensures that these organizations are not subject to more restrictive requirements for using non-U.S. government funds for advocacy and lobbying compared to U.S. non-governmental organizations.

This resolution expresses disapproval of any pardons granted to individuals convicted of assaulting Capitol Police officers. It serves as a formal condemnation of such pardons.

This resolution authorizes the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate to organize quarterly blood donation drives during the 119th Congress. The Sergeant at Arms will determine the dates, locations, and partnering organizations for these drives, in consultation with the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. This aims to facilitate regular opportunities for blood donations within the Senate community.

This resolution emphasizes the importance of the Department of Health and Human Services' role in providing timely and accurate health information to the public. It recognizes the value of resources like the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and the Health Alert Network in protecting public health. The resolution expresses the Senate's belief that Americans should have continuous access to this vital information.

This resolution expresses the Senate's view that the U.S. should remain committed to the Paris Agreement, support policies at all levels of government to reduce global warming pollution, and encourage actions by businesses, investors, and individuals to combat climate change. It recognizes the economic benefits of clean energy investments and the need for collective efforts to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The WEATHER Act of 2025 directs the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to research and develop a single index insurance policy that protects farmers against income losses resulting from extreme weather events. This policy must be available nationwide and offer flexible coverage options, with priority given to small-scale and underserved producers. The goal is to provide timely financial assistance to farmers affected by severe weather, supporting the resilience of the agricultural sector. A report to Congress is required within one year detailing the research, development, and recommendations for the policy.

This resolution supports the recognition of January as "Muslim-American Heritage Month" to honor the heritage, culture, and contributions of Muslim Americans to the United States. It acknowledges their diverse backgrounds, contributions to various sectors, and the discrimination many have faced. The resolution encourages public celebration of Muslim-American achievements and contributions to the country.

The Neighbors Not Enemies Act repeals the Alien Enemies Act, which granted the president broad authority to detain or remove citizens of hostile nations during times of war or declared invasion. This repeal eliminates the possibility of using this outdated law to target individuals based on their national origin during conflict.

The Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2025 authorizes the EPA to provide grants, up to $3,000,000 each, to air pollution control agencies for establishing cleaner air space programs in wildfire smoke-prone areas. These programs must partner with community organizations to establish clean air centers, distribute air filtration units to low-income households, and provide educational resources. The EPA will report to Congress on program implementation and effectiveness and authorizes $30,000,000 to be appropriated to carry out this section for fiscal years 2026 through 2028.

The "Disaster Housing Reform for American Families Act" establishes a pilot program allowing the President to contract for manufactured or modular homes to provide temporary disaster housing, available within 90 days of a major disaster. These homes must meet specific construction and safety standards and can potentially become permanent affordable housing after the disaster. The bill also directs the creation of guidelines for transferring these homes to local affordable housing programs and allows financial aid for closing costs on federal mortgages for disaster victims. This pilot program will end 5 years after the enactment of this bill.

The FAIR Act mandates a 3.3% increase in basic pay rates for federal employees under statutory pay systems and prevailing rate employees in 2026. Additionally, it increases locality pay adjustments for federal employees by 1% in 2026.

The "Saving the Civil Service Act" limits the ability of federal agencies to move positions out of the competitive service, ensuring that civil service positions are filled based on merit and qualifications. It restricts the transfer of positions between different types of service, requires employee consent for certain transfers, and mandates reporting to Congress on any changes made. The goal is to prevent political influence over career civil servants and maintain a nonpartisan, professional civil service.