Legislative Activity

This resolution supports the designation of May 10, 2025, as "National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Mental Health Day" to address mental health disparities and improve access to care within these communities. It recognizes the unique challenges faced by these populations, including low service utilization, language barriers, and the impact of discrimination. The resolution encourages better data collection, increasing the number of AANHPI mental health providers, and raising awareness to reduce stigma, while also highlighting the importance of cultural heritage in mental health. It urges federal, state, and local health agencies to adopt policies that improve mental health service utilization for AANHPI communities and other communities of color.

This resolution recognizes May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the significant contributions of these communities to the history and culture of the United States. It acknowledges key historical milestones and achievements, while also addressing past discrimination and ongoing challenges faced by these communities. The resolution aims to honor the diverse heritage and resilience of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, highlighting their importance in enriching and strengthening the nation.

This resolution expresses support for designating May 5, 2025, as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, acknowledging the ongoing crisis and need for increased awareness, resources, and updated research. It calls on the public to remember the lives lost and support the victims' families, while also urging the Department of Justice to conduct a new study to update statistics on this critical issue.

This resolution directs the Secretary of State to provide Congress with a report on El Salvador's human rights practices, focusing on alleged violations like torture, forced disappearances, and denial of due process. It asks for details on U.S. efforts to promote human rights in El Salvador and to ensure that U.S. security assistance does not support activities that violate human rights or lead to the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens or residents. The report should also assess conditions in El Salvador's Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) and actions taken to address allegations of human rights abuses against U.S. citizens/residents.

This resolution condemns North Korea's abduction of Japanese citizens since the 1970s, demanding the release of all abductees, the return of remains and information on deceased abductees, reparations, and a formal apology. It urges North Korea to cease these activities and encourages the President to address this issue in future interactions with North Korean officials. The resolution affirms that these abductions violate fundamental principles of liberty and freedom.

The "Repeatedly Flooded Communities Preparation Act" aims to increase community accountability for addressing repetitive flooding. It requires communities with a high number of repetitive loss properties to develop and implement mitigation plans, and make them public. FEMA is directed to assist communities in this process and can sanction those that fail to comply, and must report to Congress on the progress of these communities.

Lulu's Law requires the Federal Communications Commission to include shark attacks in wireless emergency alerts. This will allow people in affected areas to receive timely warnings about potential shark attacks.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury service. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics, including intersex traits. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act aims to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ individuals and women across various aspects of life.

The Medicare for All Act establishes a national health insurance program guaranteeing comprehensive healthcare coverage to all U.S. residents, including medical, dental, vision, and long-term care, without cost-sharing. It sets standards for provider participation, protects whistleblowers, and allows private contracts under specific conditions, while also creating a national health budget and trust fund to finance the program through a combination of reallocated funds and new tax revenues. The Act aims to streamline existing health programs, eliminate duplicate coverage, and ensure a smooth transition by expanding Medicare benefits and offering a Medicare buy-in option. This legislation also addresses health equity and updates SSI resource limits, potentially impacting employer-sponsored health plans and the financial landscape of healthcare.

The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act of 2025 modifies the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit by increasing the amount of expenses that can be claimed, adjusting the income phase-out ranges, and making the credit refundable. The bill increases the dollar limit on creditable expenses to $8,000 for one qualifying individual and $16,000 for two or more. It also adjusts the income level at which the credit begins to phase out and indexes it to inflation.

The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to limit consumer reporting agencies from providing consumer reports to other entities for credit transactions involving residential mortgage loans. Exceptions are made for firm offers of credit or insurance, authorized access, or if the entity currently originates or services the consumer's mortgage, or is an insured depository institution or credit union holding a current account for the consumer. The act will take effect 180 days after enactment.

The Housing for All Act of 2025 aims to combat housing shortages and homelessness through increased funding for affordable housing programs, support for vulnerable populations like the elderly and disabled, and the establishment of a commission to address racial equity in housing. It expands housing assistance programs, provides resources for emergency housing and support services, and promotes innovative community-driven solutions. This act also focuses on initiatives such as safe parking programs, hotel conversions into permanent housing, eviction protection, and mobile crisis intervention teams. Additionally, the act seeks to improve coordination between healthcare and homelessness services while promoting climate mitigation and disaster resilience through transit-oriented development.

The "Expanding Access to Family Planning Act" aims to increase investment in family planning clinics by establishing the Title X Clinic Fund, managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. The fund will provide significant annual appropriations for grants, contracts, and infrastructure improvements for Title X clinics from 2026 through 2035. The act ensures that all pregnancy counseling is nondirective, offering patients comprehensive information on all options, including prenatal care, adoption, and pregnancy termination.

The Protecting Employees and Retirees in Business Bankruptcies Act of 2025 aims to improve financial recoveries for employees and retirees during company bankruptcy proceedings by prioritizing wage claims and protecting retirement savings. The bill modifies bankruptcy code to require good-faith negotiation between the trustee and labor organization, prioritize job preservation, and safeguard earned benefits during corporate restructurings. It also restricts excessive executive compensation and benefits, especially in cases where companies are facing bankruptcy. Additionally, the bill protects the rights of labor organizations and collective bargaining agreements during bankruptcy proceedings.

The American Family Act establishes a new, fully refundable monthly child tax credit, providing monthly allowances to eligible families with children. It creates a system for monthly advance payments of the child tax credit, administered by the Secretary, and includes income limitations and eligibility criteria. The Act also provides a credit for certain other dependents and terminates the existing annual child tax credit after 2024. This aims to provide regular financial support to families with children, reducing child poverty and enhancing economic stability.

The "Tax Cut for Workers Act of 2025" expands the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for individuals without qualifying children by lowering the minimum age, eliminating the maximum age, and increasing credit and phaseout percentages. It also makes permanent the application of the EITC to U.S. possessions and allows taxpayers to elect to use prior year earned income when calculating the EITC if it results in a larger credit. These changes aim to provide additional tax relief to low- and moderate-income workers.

The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 aims to increase the federal minimum wage to $17.00 per hour over a five-year period, after which it will be adjusted annually based on the percentage increase in the median hourly wage of all employees. The bill also gradually raises the minimum wage for tipped employees and newly hired employees under 20, eventually eliminating the separate wage tiers. Additionally, it increases the minimum wage for individuals with disabilities and promotes their economic self-sufficiency by phasing out special certificates that allow employers to pay them a subminimum wage.

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2025 establishes federal minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for public employees and supervisory employees. It requires the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine if each state's laws substantially provide these rights; if not, the Authority will administer collective bargaining rights in that state. The Act outlines the rights of public employees and employers, including the right to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activities, and prohibits lockouts and strikes that would disrupt emergency or public safety services. This law does not invalidate existing collective bargaining agreements and certifications and includes exceptions for certain state laws and political subdivisions.

This resolution honors the life and distinguished career of former Louisiana Senator John Bennett Johnston, Jr., recognizing his contributions to energy policy, natural resource conservation, and Louisiana's cultural heritage. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to notify the House of Representatives and send a copy of the resolution to Senator Johnston's family. Upon adoption, the Senate will adjourn in his honor.

This resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, which recognizes Tribal sovereignty and empowers Indian Tribes to administer Federal programs and services. It acknowledges the Act's success in promoting local decision-making, community development, and improved quality of life for Tribal communities. The resolution calls for the continued implementation of the Act, reaffirming the federal government's commitment to supporting Native self-determination and ensuring responsive federal services. It celebrates the achievements of Indian Tribes over the past 50 years through self-determination and governance.