Legislative Activity

This resolution recognizes the critical role of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in advancing U.S. national security interests. It emphasizes USAID's importance in reducing global threats, promoting stability, addressing migration and extremism, and maintaining U.S. leadership against China. The resolution also references the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, which requires USAID to consult with Congress on significant organizational changes.

The "Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025" allows the Department of Agriculture to permit electrical utilities to remove trees and vegetation near power lines on National Forest System land to prevent wildfires without requiring a timber sale. If the utility sells the removed vegetation, the proceeds, minus transportation costs, must be given to the Secretary of Agriculture. The law ensures compliance with existing land management plans and environmental laws.

The "Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act" expands Medicare coverage to include innovative multi-cancer early detection screening tests starting in 2028. These tests, which use genomic sequencing to detect multiple cancer types, will be covered for eligible beneficiaries with age and frequency limitations. The payment amount for these tests will initially align with that of multi-target stool screening DNA tests. This new coverage aims to improve early cancer detection without affecting existing Medicare-covered cancer screenings.

The Purple Heart Veterans Education Act of 2025 allows veterans awarded the Purple Heart after September 11, 2001, to transfer their unused Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits to eligible family members. It defines eligible dependents, sets conditions for benefit use, and allows veterans to modify or revoke transfers. The bill also addresses scenarios involving the death of the veteran and sets age limits for child transferees, ensuring dependents receive the same educational assistance as the veteran.

This resolution designates the week beginning February 3, 2025, as "National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week," recognizing the vital role of TCUs in providing culturally relevant education to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and other students. TCUs serve over 230 federally recognized Indian Tribes by offering high-quality postsecondary education and workforce preparation. The resolution encourages the public to participate in activities and programs that support these institutions.

The Wildfire Emergency Act of 2025 addresses wildfire risk through three main avenues: establishing a novel financing pilot program to accelerate large-scale forest restoration, increasing community resilience through infrastructure hardening and home weatherization updates, and building capacity via new research centers and workforce development grants. This comprehensive bill seeks to leverage private investment for ecological work while simultaneously making communities safer and developing the necessary skilled workforce for future mitigation efforts.

The "Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2025" authorizes the posthumous award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Fred Korematsu in recognition of his civil rights contributions, loyalty, patriotism, and dedication to justice and equality. The Act directs the Secretary of the Treasury to create the gold medal, which will be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution after the award presentation. Additionally, the Act allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates of the gold medal to cover production costs.

The "Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Amendment Act of 2025" amends existing law to establish an interest-bearing account within the U.S. Treasury for non-federal contributions to the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program. This fund will hold contributions and earned interest, making the funds available to the Secretary for program expenditures without further appropriation. The bill also outlines the roles and responsibilities of the Treasury Secretary and State Parties in managing and protecting these funds.

The "Charitable Act" modifies and extends the deduction for charitable contributions for individuals who do not itemize deductions. For the 2026 and 2027 tax years, the deduction is capped at one-third of the standard deduction for the individual. The bill also eliminates a penalty related to this deduction. These changes are effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "Small Business Technological Act of 2025" amends the Small Business Act, enabling the Small Business Administration to provide loans for modern business software and cloud computing services. These loans will help small businesses improve operations, manage resources, and utilize AI-powered tools. The act clarifies that it does not authorize loans for research and development.

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.

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.

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 bill authorizes the creation of a Congressional Gold Medal for Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, posthumously recognizing his courageous actions during World War II when he saved approximately 200 Jewish-American soldiers from Nazi persecution by defying a direct order to identify them. The medal will be presented to his next of kin, and the bill also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to commemorate his heroism.

This bill amends the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to expand eligibility and increase compensation for individuals affected by radiation exposure from Manhattan Project waste and uranium mining. It extends the claim filing period, allows for the use of affidavits as evidence, and establishes a grant program for studying the health impacts of uranium mining. The bill also addresses compensation for those present downwind of atmospheric nuclear testing, and directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a cooperative agreement to protect human and ecological health at the Amchitka, Alaska, Site.

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 "Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act Amendments Act" amends the 1989 Act to update definitions and authorize additional land transfers within the Apex Site to Clark County, the City of North Las Vegas, or the Apex Industrial Park Owners Association. It permits the sale of mineral materials from land grading at fair market value and ensures all land transfers comply with federal environmental laws.

This resolution designates January 23, 2025, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" to raise awareness about maternal mortality, illness, and disparities in the United States. It supports initiatives to eliminate disparities in maternal health and ensure equitable maternity care for all women. The resolution also honors those who have died from pregnancy-related causes and promotes investments in improving maternal health outcomes.

The "Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025" aims to increase awareness and oversight of civil rights protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on college campuses. It mandates a Title VI awareness campaign, requires institutions to display information about how to file complaints, and orders monthly briefings to Congress on civil rights complaints. The Act also requires institutions to report discrimination complaints annually and mandates audits of institutions with the highest complaint rates, as well as directs the Inspector General to study discrepancies in complaints submitted to higher education institutions versus the Office of Civil Rights. Additionally, the Office for Civil Rights must continue investigating complaints even if they have been addressed by another agency or the institution's internal processes.

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.