Legislative Activity

This Senate resolution expresses deep concern over the arrest and continued detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in Türkiye. It urges the Turkish government to uphold democratic values, ensure due process, and either present credible evidence or release the mayor immediately. The resolution also calls on the Secretary of State to publicly address these anti-democratic actions.

The Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 comprehensively defines and bans the manufacture, sale, and transfer of specific semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices. It grandfathers existing possessions but requires background checks for all future private transfers of these previously owned weapons. The bill also permits the use of federal Byrne grant funds for state-run buy-back programs targeting these banned items.

The FIREWALL Act establishes a refundable personal tax credit for homeowners who make qualified expenditures to increase their property's resilience against natural disasters like fires, floods, and hurricanes. This credit covers 50% of the mitigation costs, up to a lifetime cap of \$25,000, for principal residences in recently impacted disaster areas. The goal is to incentivize proactive home hardening and lower future disaster-related liabilities.

This resolution expresses strong support for the nation's public K-12 schools and condemns any efforts to defund or dismantle the Department of Education. It affirms the crucial federal role in ensuring equitable funding and support for students, especially those with disabilities and from low-income families. The resolution warns that weakening the Department would severely disrupt vital programs serving millions of students nationwide.