Legislative Activity

The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act primarily repeals previous health subtitle changes and permanently extends enhanced premium tax credits for marketplace health insurance. This extension removes the income cap for receiving enhanced credits and updates the calculation method for determining an individual's required premium contribution. The bill aims to simplify the tax code related to health insurance affordability.

The Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 aims to increase transparency in federal spending by expanding reporting requirements for "other transaction agreements" on USAspending.gov. The bill mandates the automatic submission of this agreement data and requires annual public reports detailing any federal spending data that remains unreported. Furthermore, it strengthens accountability by requiring agency Inspector Generals to submit public reports and establishing standards for the completeness and accuracy of all posted federal funding information.

This bill, the PELOSI Act, prohibits Members of Congress and their spouses from owning or trading most individual stocks and similar investments while in office. Members must divest prohibited assets within 180 days of taking office or the law's enactment. Violations result in disgorgement of profits and potential civil fines assessed by ethics committees, whose compliance certifications must be made public.

The Risky Research Review Act establishes the Life Sciences Research Security Board, an independent body tasked with reviewing and issuing binding decisions on federal funding for proposed high-risk life sciences research. This research includes Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) involving high-consequence pathogens or any gain-of-function research. Agencies are prohibited from funding such research without the Board's explicit approval, which is granted only after weighing public safety risks against potential benefits. The Board is composed of non-partisan scientific and security experts appointed by the President.

This bill mandates an independent study comparing the quality of mental health and addiction therapy care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) versus non-VA providers. The study will examine differences across various treatment settings and report on key outcomes like patient improvement, use of evidence-based practices, and coordination of care. The findings will be submitted to Congress and made publicly available.

The FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2025 significantly strengthens protections for FBI employees who report wrongdoing, explicitly prohibiting retaliation for protected disclosures. It mandates the Attorney General to actively prevent prohibited personnel actions and ensure staff are fully informed of their rights. Furthermore, the Act establishes clearer standards and conflict-of-interest safeguards for handling whistleblower retaliation claims.

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the Voting Rights Act by establishing new standards to challenge discriminatory voting practices and updating federal oversight criteria for states. It mandates greater transparency for all changes to voting rules and implements "practice-based preclearance" for certain jurisdictions. Additionally, the bill creates new federal criminal penalties for using force or threats to intimidate voters or election workers.

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 National Net Interest is National Security Act of 2025 requires the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense and State, to report on how the growing national debt and interest payments threaten U.S. national security. This comprehensive report must analyze impacts on defense spending, global standing, and the capacity to manage crises. The bill also mandates that the Government Accountability Office add these debt-related security threats to its High Risk List.

This bill establishes new restrictions and transparency requirements for donations made to Presidential Libraries and Centers. It bans certain prohibited entities, such as lobbyists and foreign nationals, from donating while a President is in office or for two years after leaving. The legislation also imposes a $10,000 aggregate donation limit per person and mandates public quarterly reporting of all significant contributions.

This Senate resolution expresses the view that the Trump Administration's drastic staff reductions, funding freezes, and agency dismantlements have harmed communities and increased costs for American families. It argues these actions disrupt essential services like healthcare, benefits, and research without targeting actual waste. The resolution calls for a shift in focus toward protecting families, lowering costs, and supporting veterans, research, and small businesses.

The Child Care for Working Families Act establishes comprehensive federal programs to guarantee access to high-quality, affordable child care for young children of working families. It mandates significant investments to stabilize the child care workforce by requiring higher provider pay and sets strict caps on costs for parents based on income. Additionally, the bill creates a framework for universal, free preschool for three- and four-year-olds and extends service hours and raises compensation for Head Start staff.

The VISIBLE Act mandates that federal immigration officers (CBP and ICE) clearly display their agency and name/badge number on their outermost clothing during all public-facing enforcement activities. This law aims to increase transparency and public trust by ensuring officers are easily identifiable from a distance. The Department of Homeland Security must report annually to Congress on compliance rates and disciplinary actions taken for violations. Furthermore, the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties will investigate public complaints regarding these new identification standards.

The Special Diabetes Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends critical funding for both Type 1 Diabetes research programs and diabetes programs serving Native Americans. This legislation secures specific annual appropriations of \$160 million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, along with a transition allocation in late 2027. The bill ensures continued financial support for these vital public health initiatives through the end of 2027.

This resolution officially recognizes June 2025 as LGBTQ Pride Month to honor the history, struggles, and significant contributions of the LGBTQ community in the United States. It acknowledges past and ongoing discrimination while celebrating key legal milestones toward equality. The Senate encourages the nation to use this month to learn about inequality and celebrate the community's achievements both domestically and globally.

The Refund Equality Act of 2025 extends the deadline for certain legally married couples to amend past tax returns filed separately before September 16, 2013, based on Revenue Ruling 2013-17. This allows these couples to now file jointly for those years, extending the statute of limitations for filing the joint return and claiming related refunds or credits. These extensions are strictly limited to changes resulting from recognizing their marital status for federal tax purposes.

The Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025 establishes a rigorous new vetting process for companies seeking federal funding from the High-Cost Universal Service Fund to build broadband networks. This legislation requires the FCC to create rules ensuring applicants prove they possess the necessary technical expertise, financial stability, and operational capacity before receiving awards. The review will heavily weigh an applicant's past performance in government broadband programs. Additionally, the Act imposes significant minimum penalties for early defaults on funding commitments.

This resolution expresses the Senate's support for the rights and freedoms of LGBTQI+ individuals across the United States. It recognizes key Supreme Court victories that advanced equality while acknowledging the ongoing need for federal legislation to combat discrimination. The bill specifically supports designating June 26th as "LGBTQI+ Equality Day" to commemorate these legal milestones.

The Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 2025 is a legislative update designed to modernize the Internal Revenue Code by ensuring gender-neutral language is used when referencing married taxpayers and their spouses. This bill systematically replaces outdated gendered terms like "husband and wife" or "his" with inclusive terms such as "married couple" and "spouse." The changes are purely linguistic, ensuring consistency across tax rules without altering any existing tax liabilities or deductions.

The No Adversarial AI Act establishes a government "Do Not Buy" list for Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools developed by foreign adversaries. Federal agencies are required to prohibit the acquisition and use of this listed AI within 90 days of the law's enactment. Agencies may only receive an exception to use the restricted AI if they prove it is absolutely necessary for critical national security, research, or mission functions.