Legislative Activity

This resolution formally congratulates His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his historic election as the first American Pope. The Senate recognizes the Pope as a global symbol of peace and justice, acknowledging his commitment to human dignity and interfaith dialogue. The measure also expresses hope for strengthening relations between the United States and the Holy See.

The CHIP IN for Veterans Act of 2025 expands and extends a pilot program allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to accept donated facilities, improvements, and minor construction projects. This legislation updates the program's terminology and clarifies the VA's authority to alter and maintain these donated assets. Crucially, the Act extends the program's operational deadline from 2026 to 2031.

The Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 authorizes livestock producers and their employees to take action against black vultures that are harming or threatening livestock or related property. This provision allows for the capture, killing, or dispersal of the birds, provided that poisoning is strictly prohibited. Those who take action must report the activity to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service once the required reporting form is made available.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to modernize and increase transparency in the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and requires plans to publicly report detailed data on their approval, denial, and appeal rates. Furthermore, it establishes new standards to protect enrollees and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timelines for care requests.

The No Tax on Tips Act creates a new federal income tax deduction for qualified tips received by workers, capped at \$25,000 annually. This deduction can be claimed regardless of whether the taxpayer itemizes or takes the standard deduction. Additionally, the bill expands an existing tax credit for employers to include beauty service establishments that pay Social Security taxes on employee tips. These provisions are set to take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

This bill, the Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act, establishes a new, high federal tax on the profits earned by third-party investors in lawsuits, known as litigation financing. The tax is applied at the highest individual income tax rate plus an additional 3.8 percentage points on "qualified litigation proceeds." To ensure compliance, the law mandates that parties or their attorneys withhold 50% of this tax from payments made to the funder. Importantly, while taxing the funder, the bill explicitly excludes the actual settlement proceeds received by the winning party from their gross income.

This resolution supports designating May 29, 2025, as "Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day." It aims to raise awareness about the significant mental health challenges faced by farmers and farmworkers, who experience disproportionately high rates of suicide. The day seeks to reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health support within the agricultural industry.

The LOCOMOTIVES Act clarifies federal authority under the Clean Air Act regarding emissions standards for certain existing locomotives and engines used in construction or farm equipment. This legislation ensures that federal standards, rather than varying state standards, apply to these specific engines, particularly those under 175 horsepower and locomotives engaged in commerce. Essentially, it centralizes regulatory power over these emissions sources at the federal level.

The Training and Nutrition Stability Act of 2025 ensures that income received from specific job training, educational, and vocational rehabilitation programs will not count against an individual's eligibility for federal food assistance. This change aims to encourage participation in workforce development activities without jeopardizing necessary nutritional support. The bill also includes minor technical updates to existing law to accommodate this new exclusion.

The COUNTER Act grants the Department of Defense (DoD) expanded authority to neutralize threats from unmanned aircraft systems (drones) operating outside of the United States. This legislation delegates response authority, clarifies mitigation methods like remote identification, and exempts security details regarding these operations from public disclosure. Furthermore, it limits the application of certain criminal and security laws to authorized DoD and Coast Guard activities aimed at countering these aerial threats overseas.

This Act mandates that the U.S. government actively oppose restrictions imposed by major international financial institutions on financing for fossil fuel and civil nuclear energy projects. The Treasury Secretary must direct U.S. representatives to reverse current policies blocking these energy sources and promote financing for reliable, affordable power in developing nations. Furthermore, U.S. funding to the World Bank's lending arm may be significantly reduced until it certifies the removal of these financing bans and adopts policies promoting these energy projects.

The Protecting Minors in Federal Health Plans Act amends the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program to prohibit coverage for gender-affirming care for individuals under the age of 18. This restriction defines gender-affirming care broadly to include hormones and surgeries related to gender transition. The bill includes several specific medical exceptions to this prohibition, such as for disorders of sexual development or life-saving procedures. Any existing hormone therapy for minors must be phased out within one year of the Act's effective date.

The Conscience Protection Act of 2025 aims to strengthen protections for healthcare entities and individuals who object to participating in specific medical procedures, such as abortion, based on moral or religious beliefs. It prohibits discrimination against providers who refuse such services and significantly bolsters enforcement mechanisms within the Department of Health and Human Services. Furthermore, the Act explicitly grants individuals and affected parties the right to file private lawsuits seeking damages when these conscience protections are violated.

This bill primarily repeals and modifies numerous existing requirements across federal science and technology acts, specifically targeting and eliminating mandates related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in STEM programs and research funding. It also restricts federal agencies from imposing policy requirements on funding recipients that are not explicitly established in law. The legislation streamlines various programs while maintaining specific encouragement for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs).

This resolution officially designates the week of May 11 through May 17, 2025, as "National Police Week." It serves to honor the valor and integrity of law enforcement officers across the nation. The resolution specifically remembers the officers killed in the line of duty during 2024 and encourages the public to observe this week to show appreciation for law enforcement personnel.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and processors from requiring firearms retailers to use a unique Merchant Category Code (MCC) that singles them out. This ensures that credit and debit card transactions for firearms and ammunition are treated the same as general retail purchases. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcing this prohibition and reporting annually to Congress on compliance efforts.

The Safeguarding Transit Operations to Prohibit China Act (STOP China Act) aims to prevent U.S. taxpayer funds from supporting transit vehicle manufacturing tied to the People's Republic of China (PRC). The bill specifically prohibits federal funding for the purchase of covered vehicles, such as buses or trains, produced by entities controlled by or based in designated foreign nations. To enforce this, the Act mandates the creation and regular updating of a public watchlist identifying these restricted manufacturers.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of the recent rule finalized by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (BCFP) concerning overdraft lending practices at very large financial institutions. By passing this resolution, Congress is effectively vetoing and preventing the enforcement of that specific BCFP regulation.

This resolution affirms the official U.S. position that the only acceptable outcome of any nuclear deal with Iran is the complete dismantlement and destruction of its entire nuclear program. It mandates that any future peaceful nuclear cooperation must require Iran to cease all domestic uranium enrichment and submit to stringent, unconditional international verification protocols. Ultimately, the bill asserts that the U.S. must never permit Iran to gain the capability to produce a nuclear weapon.

The Growing America’s Small Businesses and Manufacturing Act aims to support businesses through significant tax code changes. This bill permanently extends a specific method for calculating business interest expense limitations. Additionally, it substantially increases the immediate expensing limits (Section 179) for purchasing new depreciable business assets. These provisions are designed to encourage investment and growth for small businesses and manufacturers starting in tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.