Legislative Activity

This resolution recognizes May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the significant contributions of these communities to the history and culture of the United States. It acknowledges key historical milestones and achievements, while also addressing past discrimination and ongoing challenges faced by these communities. The resolution aims to honor the diverse heritage and resilience of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, highlighting their importance in enriching and strengthening the nation.

The End Crypto Corruption Act of 2025 prohibits covered government officials, including members of Congress, the President, and Vice President, from engaging in cryptocurrency and other digital asset transactions during and one year after their service. Violators may face civil penalties, including fines and the return of profits to the U.S. Treasury, as well as criminal penalties such as imprisonment for significant financial losses or bribery related to these transactions. This act aims to prevent conflicts of interest and corruption by ensuring that covered individuals do not financially benefit from the emerging digital asset market while in public service.

This resolution supports the designation of May 4-10, 2025, as "National Small Business Week". It recognizes the significant role of over 34.5 million small businesses in the U.S. that contribute to the economy and provide over 59 million jobs. The resolution celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit, achievements, and resilience of small business owners and their employees.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury service. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics, including intersex traits. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act aims to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ individuals and women across various aspects of life.

The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act of 2025 modifies the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit by increasing the amount of expenses that can be claimed, adjusting the income phase-out ranges, and making the credit refundable. The bill increases the dollar limit on creditable expenses to $8,000 for one qualifying individual and $16,000 for two or more. It also adjusts the income level at which the credit begins to phase out and indexes it to inflation.

The Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2025 retroactively reauthorizes trade adjustment assistance programs for workers, firms, and farmers that expired on June 30, 2021, through December 31, 2031. It directs the Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Commerce to reconsider and certify certain groups of workers and firms who were previously denied certification between July 1, 2021 and the enactment date, if they meet the eligibility requirements as of the enactment date. The bill also outlines eligibility for benefits and extends funding for training and reemployment programs.

The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act of 2025 amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to increase meal and supplement reimbursement by 10 cents. It also modifies the calculation of reimbursements for family or group day care home sponsoring organizations, and makes technical corrections.

The New England Coastal Protection Act prohibits the Department of Interior from issuing leases for oil and gas exploration in the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of New England. This includes the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to include this prohibition.

The Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act of 2025 (COAST Anti-Drilling Act of 2025) prohibits the Department of Interior from issuing leases for oil, natural gas, or mineral exploration in the North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida Planning Areas. This prohibition applies to activities outlined in the 2024-2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. This act amends Section 8 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

This resolution expresses support for library staff and the essential services that libraries provide to communities, while also recognizing the need for adequate funding and the protection of library staff's civil rights. It emphasizes the importance of free access to information, condemns censorship and book bans, and supports the right of library workers to organize and collectively bargain. The resolution also designates April 6-12, 2025, as National Library Week, reaffirming the critical role of libraries in the United States.

The Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to improve nutrition programs for young children. It revises eligibility criteria for proprietary child care centers, mandates a review of the serious deficiency process, and adjusts reimbursement rules for additional meals or snacks. The Act also establishes an advisory committee to reduce unnecessary paperwork for program participants while maintaining accountability. Finally, it updates the index used to adjust payments.

The American Family Act establishes a new, fully refundable monthly child tax credit, providing monthly allowances to eligible families with children. It creates a system for monthly advance payments of the child tax credit, administered by the Secretary, and includes income limitations and eligibility criteria. The Act also provides a credit for certain other dependents and terminates the existing annual child tax credit after 2024. This aims to provide regular financial support to families with children, reducing child poverty and enhancing economic stability.

The Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act prohibits the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt, or possession of devices that convert semiautomatic firearms into machine guns. It requires individuals who legally owned modified firearms before the enactment of the BUMP Act to register them. The act amends both title 18 of the U.S. Code and the Internal Revenue Code to include these devices under the regulatory scope of machine guns.

The "Tax Cut for Workers Act of 2025" expands the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for individuals without qualifying children by lowering the minimum age, eliminating the maximum age, and increasing credit and phaseout percentages. It also makes permanent the application of the EITC to U.S. possessions and allows taxpayers to elect to use prior year earned income when calculating the EITC if it results in a larger credit. These changes aim to provide additional tax relief to low- and moderate-income workers.

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees and supervisory employees. It requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine if each state's laws substantially provide these rights; if not, the Authority will administer collective bargaining rights in that state. The Act outlines the rights of public employees and employers, including the right to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activities, and prohibits lockouts and strikes that would disrupt emergency or public safety services. This law does not invalidate existing collective bargaining agreements and certifications and includes exceptions for certain state laws and political subdivisions.

The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 aims to increase the federal minimum wage to $17.00 per hour over a five-year period, after which it will be adjusted annually based on the percentage increase in the median hourly wage of all employees. The bill also gradually raises the minimum wage for tipped employees and newly hired employees under 20, eventually eliminating the separate wage tiers. Additionally, it increases the minimum wage for individuals with disabilities and promotes their economic self-sufficiency by phasing out special certificates that allow employers to pay them a subminimum wage.

The BRAIN Act aims to strengthen brain tumor research and treatment development, and improve access to specialized healthcare. It requires transparency for brain tumor biospecimen collections, establishes the Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network, and promotes brain tumor-related cellular immunotherapy research. The act also mandates a national campaign to educate about cancer clinical trials and biomarker testing, supports pilot programs for brain tumor survivor care, and directs the FDA to ensure brain tumor patient access to clinical trials.

This resolution honors the life and distinguished career of former Louisiana Senator John Bennett Johnston, Jr., recognizing his contributions to energy policy, natural resource conservation, and Louisiana's cultural heritage. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to notify the House of Representatives and send a copy of the resolution to Senator Johnston's family. Upon adoption, the Senate will adjourn in his honor.

The "No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny tax deductions for employer expenses used to influence employees regarding union activities, including union elections and collective bargaining. It requires detailed reporting of such expenditures on tax returns, with significant penalties for non-compliance, while providing exemptions for certain communications and activities. The Act aims to prevent taxpayer subsidization of employer interference in workers' rights to organize and collectively bargain.

The IDEA Full Funding Act amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to authorize and appropriate specific funding amounts for fiscal years 2026 through 2035 and subsequent years. It aims to increase federal funding for special education, gradually working towards full federal funding by fiscal year 2035. The funding is calculated based on the number of children with disabilities receiving special education and the average per-pupil expenditure in public schools. This act ensures that funds are available to states to support special education and related services for children with disabilities.