Legislative Activity

The Health Care Workforce Expansion Act of 2025 aims to significantly increase the number of healthcare professionals by establishing tuition-free grant programs for medical, dental, and nursing students who commit to service. The bill also provides substantial funding for schools to expand enrollment and increases Medicare funding for residency programs, particularly prioritizing psychiatry and primary care slots. Finally, it creates a new grant program to incentivize doctors, dentists, and nurses to relocate and practice in underserved rural areas for at least three years.

The Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act of 2025 imposes a new surtax on corporations whose ratio of top executive pay to average worker pay exceeds 50 to 1. This penalty tax is calculated based on a five-year average of the compensation ratio and applies to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025. The legislation mandates that large private companies must also calculate and report this ratio to avoid the penalty. The Treasury Department is tasked with issuing regulations to prevent companies from exploiting loopholes to avoid this tax.

The Head Start for America's Children Act aims to strengthen early childhood education by explicitly including infants and toddlers in growth goals and emphasizing mental health support. The bill significantly increases funding authorizations, updates numerous definitions to promote inclusivity (especially for Native American and Native Hawaiian communities), and establishes new requirements for staff compensation and professional development. Furthermore, it creates several new pilot programs focused on extending operating hours, fostering partnerships with higher education, and enabling community-wide eligibility in high-poverty areas.

The Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act aims to protect Social Security from external government interference, specifically exempting it from the jurisdiction of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The bill also tightens restrictions on political appointees accessing beneficiary data, mandates that only verified deceased individuals are added to the Death Master File, and locks in current SSA office levels. Finally, it allocates significant new funding for improving customer service, modernizing technology, and establishing state and community grants to assist disability applicants.

This joint resolution expresses congressional disapproval to halt a specific proposed defense export to Israel. The measure blocks the shipment of certain firearms, including 5,000 M5 Commando rifles, valued at $1,000,000 or more. This action effectively prohibits the export of these defense articles to the Israel National Police.

The Pay Teachers Act is a comprehensive bill designed to significantly boost federal investment in public education across three main areas. Title I guarantees substantial, growing funding for disadvantaged students, rural schools, Impact Aid, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Title II mandates a national minimum teacher salary of $60,000, raises pay floors for support staff, and requires states to address pay inequities. Finally, Title III establishes mandatory, increasing appropriations for programs that recruit, train, and support new educators, especially through paid residencies and specialized disability services.

The Employee Ownership Financing Act establishes a new Office of Employee Ownership within the Department of Labor to oversee initiatives supporting worker ownership. This bill creates a dedicated Employee Ownership Loan Program to help entities like ESOPs and worker cooperatives acquire or expand majority employee ownership. Furthermore, it grants employees a right of first refusal to purchase a facility facing closure under specific conditions. The Act also establishes an advisory council to guide the Secretary of Labor on implementing these employee ownership provisions.

The **End Polluter Welfare Act of 2025** is a comprehensive bill designed to eliminate financial support for the fossil fuel industry across federal subsidies, tax incentives, and international lending. It achieves this by increasing government royalties on federal resource extraction, terminating numerous tax breaks for oil, gas, and coal, and restricting federal funding for fossil fuel infrastructure. Ultimately, the Act shifts financial burdens onto large corporations while accelerating the sunset of certain methane reduction programs and adjusting incentives for clean hydrogen production.

The Pensions for All Act mandates that all employers and self-employed individuals must provide a retirement plan equivalent to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or enroll participants in FERS itself. This legislation also creates a pathway for non-Federal employees and the self-employed to participate directly in FERS, including crediting their service time. Furthermore, the bill establishes a new, tiered federal income tax credit to incentivize retirement contributions for smaller entities. Finally, it imposes a daily penalty tax on employers and the self-employed who fail to meet these new retirement coverage requirements.

The No War Against Iran Act prohibits the President from using U.S. military force in or against Iran without explicit authorization from Congress. This means no federal funds can be spent on such military action unless Congress formally declares war or passes a specific new law authorizing the use of force, in accordance with the War Powers Resolution. The bill maintains existing requirements for presidential reporting and consultation regarding military actions.

The End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act prohibits pharmaceutical companies from advertising prescription drugs directly to consumers within the final 30 days before a drug's approval or license expires. This ban covers all forms of direct-to-consumer marketing, including television, internet, and print advertisements. The new restriction takes effect 30 days after the Act becomes law.

The College for All Act of 2025 establishes a federal-state partnership to eliminate tuition and required fees at public colleges for eligible students, while also creating grants to cover costs at private HBCUs and MSIs. The bill significantly increases funding for Federal Pell Grants, expands eligibility to include "Dreamer students," and introduces new grants to improve student success at underfunded institutions. Overall, this comprehensive legislation aims to make public higher education tuition-free and increase support for students at minority-serving institutions.

The Prescription Drug Price Relief Act of 2025 establishes a system for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review brand-name drugs priced excessively high compared to international benchmarks or other factors. If a price is deemed excessive, the bill immediately cancels the manufacturer's government-granted monopolies, allowing generic and biosimilar competition to begin quickly. The Act also mandates comprehensive annual reporting from manufacturers on pricing, R&D, and marketing costs, which will be made public via a new database.

The Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2025 significantly increases federal funding allocations for clean water, drinking water, and rural water infrastructure programs. It mandates comprehensive reporting on water affordability and discrimination issues while allowing states greater flexibility in using revolving funds, including purchasing private water systems. The Act also establishes new grant opportunities for lead line replacement and PFAS contamination cleanup, and institutes requirements for Project Labor Agreements on funded construction projects. Finally, it updates definitions to expand drinking water assistance eligibility for underserved border communities known as colonias.

The Medicare for All Act establishes a comprehensive, universal national health insurance program to cover all U.S. residents, eliminating most private insurance duplication and nearly all out-of-pocket costs for covered services. The bill mandates extensive benefits, including long-term care, and institutes a strict National Health Budget to control overall spending through global payments for facilities and negotiated drug prices. It also includes a transition period that immediately enhances current Medicare by eliminating deductibles and adding dental, vision, and hearing benefits.

This Senate resolution expresses strong disapproval of a reported plan by President Trump and Elon Musk to reduce the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) workforce by up to 83,000 employees. The resolution demands that the VA immediately cease any current reorganization or staff reduction plans. Ultimately, it calls for the cancellation of any proposed mass layoffs affecting veterans' care and benefits staff.

The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 systematically increases the federal minimum wage to \$17.00 per hour over five years, after which it will be indexed to median wage growth. This legislation also phases out the subminimum wage for tipped employees and workers with disabilities, requiring them to eventually earn the standard federal minimum wage. Furthermore, the bill repeals the special minimum wage for workers under 20 once their rate catches up to the standard minimum.

This joint resolution seeks to disapprove and halt a specific proposed export of defense articles from the United States to Israel. The blocked shipment includes over 5,000 rifles and related components valued at a minimum of $1,000,000. These tightly controlled military items were intended for use by the Israel National Police.

This joint resolution seeks to disapprove and halt a specific proposed export of defense articles to Israel. It specifically blocks the shipment of 20,000 Colt Carbine fully automatic rifles, valued at over \$1 million. The resolution targets items controlled under Category I of the United States Munitions List intended for the Israel National Police.

This joint resolution seeks to disapprove and halt a specific proposed defense export to Israel. It immediately prohibits the shipment of 2,300 fully automatic Colt M4 carbines and related components valued at $1 million or more. The blocked export was intended for the Israel National Police via M. R. D. Efram Investments Ltd.