Legislative Activity

The Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025 authorizes the EPA to provide grants and technical assistance to help local communities prepare for and mitigate the health risks of wildfire smoke and extreme heat. The bill also establishes research centers and funding initiatives to improve air quality monitoring, public communication, and community-based resilience strategies.

The American Music Fairness Act updates federal copyright law to require terrestrial radio broadcasters to pay royalties for the music they play, ensuring equitable treatment with digital music services. The bill establishes a fair royalty-setting process while providing significant fee protections for small and local broadcasters. It also includes safeguards to ensure these changes do not negatively impact the royalties of songwriters or musical work copyright owners.

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 (Global HER) Act ensures that foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) remain eligible for U.S. foreign assistance regardless of the legal health services or advocacy they provide using their own non-U.S. funds. By overriding restrictive policies, the bill protects the autonomy of these organizations to deliver comprehensive care and engage in advocacy, provided their activities comply with local laws and would be legal if performed in the United States.

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 United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act aims to reduce double taxation for residents of Taiwan and the U.S. by lowering withholding rates on cross-border income and establishing clear tax residency rules. Additionally, the bill authorizes the President to negotiate a formal tax agreement with Taiwan, ensuring congressional oversight and public transparency throughout the process. This legislation seeks to boost bilateral trade and investment while ensuring reciprocal tax benefits for both nations.

The Neighbors Not Enemies Act seeks to repeal the Alien Enemies Act, a law that currently grants the President broad authority to apprehend, restrain, or remove non-citizens based on their nationality during times of declared war or foreign threat. This legislation aims to eliminate these executive powers to ensure the protection of non-citizens from discriminatory detention and removal.

The Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2025 establishes an EPA grant program to help communities protect themselves from the health risks of wildland fire smoke. This initiative provides funding to state, local, and Tribal agencies to establish public clean air centers and distribute free, high-quality air filtration units to vulnerable, low-income households.

The Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025 establishes permanent, specialized base pay rates for federal wildland firefighters to replace expiring temporary salary increases. The bill also introduces a new incident response premium pay for those deployed to fire incidents and mandates paid rest and recuperation leave to support firefighter well-being. These measures aim to provide long-term financial stability and improved working conditions for the federal wildland firefighting workforce.

The Saving the Civil Service Act protects the merit-based federal hiring system by placing strict limits on the ability of agencies to move civil service positions into the excepted service. It requires employee consent for job transfers, caps the number of positions that can be reclassified during a presidential term, and mandates annual reporting to Congress. These measures ensure that federal employment remains grounded in professional standards rather than political appointments.

The Fire Suppression and Response Funding Assurance Act establishes a federal cost-share floor of 75% for fire management assistance and mandates the creation of clear criteria for increasing federal support during emergencies. Additionally, the bill directs FEMA to update its policies to allow for the reimbursement of state, local, and tribal governments for the predeployment of domestic fire-suppression assets.

The FAIR Act proposes a 3.3% pay increase for federal civilian and wage-grade employees for the 2026 calendar year. Additionally, the bill mandates a 1% increase in locality pay adjustments for federal civilian employees.

The Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act authorizes the presentation of Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team in recognition of their historic victory. This legislation honors the team’s extraordinary achievement, which served as a defining moment in American sports and a source of national inspiration during the Cold War. The medals will be permanently displayed at three prominent institutions dedicated to Olympic and hockey history.

The Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act establishes a 13-member commission tasked with investigating the legacy of slavery and systemic discrimination in the United States. The commission is charged with documenting these historical injustices and their ongoing impact on living African Americans to develop formal proposals for reparatory justice. Ultimately, the body will submit its findings and recommendations for remedies, including potential compensation and educational initiatives, to Congress.

The Washington, D.C. Admission Act provides for the admission of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, while maintaining a smaller federal district to serve as the seat of the U.S. government. This legislation establishes the framework for the transition, including the transfer of property, the restructuring of local and federal authorities, and the granting of full congressional representation to the new state's residents. It also creates a transition commission to ensure the orderly shift of legal, financial, and administrative responsibilities.

This bill directs the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library to procure a statue of Benjamin Franklin for permanent display within the United States Capitol. The legislation mandates that the statue be acquired by the end of 2025 and installed in a public-accessible location by December 31, 2026.

The Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 expands access to premium tax credits by removing the current income eligibility cap, allowing more households to qualify for financial assistance. The bill also introduces a new sliding scale for premium contributions to ensure health insurance costs remain more manageable for families. These changes are set to take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.