Legislative Activity

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 This bill systematically replaces outdated gendered terms like "husband and wife" or "his" with inclusive terms such as "married couple" and "spouse."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 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 Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025 updates definitions to expand protections for victims of intimate partner violence, including broadening who qualifies as an intimate partner. This legislation clarifies what constitutes a "dating relationship" and extends misdemeanor domestic violence protections to children harmed by a parent's dating partner. Crucially, the Act also creates a new federal prohibition preventing individuals convicted of misdemeanor stalking from owning or possessing firearms.

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 3D Printed Gun Safety Act of 2025 aims to prevent the proliferation of untraceable firearms manufactured using 3D printing technology. This legislation makes it illegal to intentionally distribute digital files or instructions online that can program a device to manufacture a complete firearm or key firearm components. The goal is to preserve existing gun tracing capabilities and enhance public safety against the threat of ghost guns.

This resolution officially commemorates June 19, 2025, as "Juneteenth National Independence Day." It recognizes the historical significance of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in the Southwest finally received news of their freedom. The resolution supports the nationwide celebration of this day as a vital part of American history and heritage.

The Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025 establishes a federal right to access abortion services without facing state-imposed restrictions that are not medically necessary for comparable procedures. This Act prohibits states from enacting targeted regulations that create hurdles for abortion access, protects the right to travel out of state for care, and allows individuals and the Attorney General to sue to enforce these protections. Ultimately, the bill aims to ensure equitable access to reproductive healthcare decisions based on a provider's good-faith medical judgment.

The End Junk Fees for Renters Act aims to protect tenants in federally backed housing by prohibiting landlords from charging application fees and limiting late fees to 3% of the monthly rent, only after 15 days past due. This legislation mandates that owners must disclose total monthly costs, past rent increases, and known maintenance issues before a lease is signed. Furthermore, federal agencies are tasked with formally defining "junk fees" in the rental context.

The Health Equity and Access under the Law for Immigrant Families Act of 2025 aims to expand healthcare access for immigrants residing legally in the U.S. by mandating their eligibility for Medicaid and removing state barriers to coverage. The bill also allows individuals with federally authorized presence to access ACA marketplace subsidies and makes it optional for states to extend Medicaid and CHIP coverage to those without lawful status. Ultimately, this legislation seeks to simplify and broaden access to federally funded health programs for various immigrant populations.

The Election Worker Protection Act of 2025 establishes federal grants to states for recruiting, training, and securing election workers, while also enhancing the Department of Justice's resources to address threats. The bill creates new federal crimes prohibiting the harassment, doxxing, and intimidation of election workers involved in federal elections. Furthermore, it empowers election officials to remove disruptive poll observers and strengthens protections for election worker personal information.

The Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends critical funding for counties with significant federal land through 2026, ensuring continued financial support for local services. This legislation also extends the authorization for related resource advisory committee pilot programs and project funding authority. The bill includes technical corrections to clarify existing language within the Secure Rural Schools Act.

The **SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025** is a comprehensive bill designed to strengthen national efforts against substance use disorders and improve public health infrastructure. It significantly increases and extends funding for prevention, treatment, and recovery support programs through 2030, while also updating regulations for provider training and controlled substance distribution. Key provisions focus on enhancing maternal health support, improving overdose monitoring, bolstering the mental health workforce, and ensuring accountability in state-level mental health spending.

The Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill designed to strengthen the network supporting older Americans by improving health outcomes, enhancing nutrition services, and bolstering support for family caregivers. It focuses on increasing accountability, transparency, and coordination across federal and local aging services. Key provisions include dedicated mental health advocacy, modernized nutrition options like medically tailored meals, and significant support enhancements for family caregivers and Native elders.

The Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act creates a new pathway for certain immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) history to apply for permanent residency within the U.S. This legislation also establishes strict confidentiality protections for applicants against immigration enforcement actions based on their application information. Furthermore, the bill mandates detailed reporting to Congress regarding the conditions in countries whose TPS designations are terminated. Finally, it ensures that eligibility for this new status does not preclude applicants from seeking other immigration benefits.

The End the Fed’s Big Bank Bailout Act prohibits the Federal Reserve from paying any interest or earnings on the reserve balances that commercial banks hold on deposit. This measure aims to eliminate a potential subsidy for large banks by ensuring that money parked at the Fed earns nothing.

The Insurrection Act of 2025 completely rewrites the rules governing the President's authority to deploy the U.S. Armed Forces domestically, establishing military intervention as a strict last resort. It mandates specific, severe conditions—such as overwhelming insurrection or widespread denial of constitutional rights—and requires the President to issue a detailed proclamation and consult with Congress before deployment. Any initial deployment automatically expires after seven days unless Congress passes a resolution of approval.

The Keeping Obstetrics Local Act is a comprehensive bill designed to stabilize rural and safety-net hospitals providing maternity care through enhanced financial support, including minimum Medicaid payment rates and anchor payments. It also expands continuous Medicaid and CHIP coverage for new mothers for a full year postpartum and invests in the maternal health workforce by supporting emergency staffing and simplifying cross-state provider enrollment. Finally, the act mandates greater transparency by requiring hospitals to give advance public notice of obstetric unit closures and report more detailed operational data to Medicare.

The Protect IVF Act establishes a federal right to access fertility treatments, such as IVF, based on widely accepted medical standards. It prohibits states from enacting or enforcing rules that create unnecessary roadblocks or conflict with these established medical practices. The law empowers individuals, providers, and insurers to sue to strike down restrictive state laws that interfere with evidence-based fertility care. Ultimately, this Act ensures that decisions regarding fertility treatment remain between patients and their doctors, overriding conflicting state regulations.

The Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2025 aims to provide lasting protection for inventoried roadless areas within our National Forests. This legislation mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture must adhere to the existing "Roadless Rule," prohibiting the construction of new roads, the reconstruction of old roads, and timber harvesting within these designated areas. The Act seeks to preserve critical watersheds, support wildlife, and maintain areas for traditional recreation without imposing new restrictions outside of these roadless zones.

The Fit to Serve Act prohibits the Department of Defense from discriminating against service members or recruits based on their gender identity. This means military standards, involuntary separation, and access to medically necessary healthcare cannot be based on an individual's gender identity. The bill ensures that a service member's gender identity cannot be used to deny entry, continued service, or force them to serve under the sex assigned at birth.