Legislative Activity

This resolution honors the life, achievements, and legacy of former Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. It recognizes his distinguished service in the Air Force, his Olympic athletic career, and his historic tenure in the U.S. Congress. The resolution specifically highlights his landmark legislative accomplishments, including establishing the National Museum of the American Indian. The Senate expresses its sorrow and will recess as a mark of respect for his memory.

This Act requires the Secretary of State to annually determine whether Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) deserve their current privileges and immunities. If the Secretary finds they do not, the offices must terminate operations within 180 days, subject to Congressional review. Furthermore, the bill places new restrictions on U.S. government contracting with HKETOs and limits the promotion of Hong Kong as an autonomous entity if it lacks sufficient autonomy from China.

The Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends critical funding programs for counties containing federal lands through fiscal year 2026. This legislation ensures the continuation of secure payments and resource advisory committee authorities established under the original 2000 Act. It also streamlines payment elections for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 by carrying over the previous year's choice. Finally, the bill includes technical corrections to improve the administration of these rural support programs.

The Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025 authorizes a land swap between the Chugach Alaska Corporation and the U.S. government to resolve complex ownership issues stemming from the Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement lands. This exchange allows the government to perfect its surface conservation efforts while granting Chugach Alaska clear subsurface rights in exchange for other federally owned lands. The goal is to resolve split estate conflicts that have hindered both conservation management and the corporation's ability to develop its assets.

The Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security Act of 2025 seeks to safeguard U.S. national security by restricting American investments in sensitive technology sectors within adversarial nations, primarily China. The bill establishes a framework for the Treasury Department to prohibit or require notification for U.S. capital flowing into foreign military, surveillance, or human rights-related technologies. It also authorizes targeted financial sanctions against specific foreign entities tied to these critical sectors. Ultimately, the legislation aims to prevent U.S. expertise and funding from inadvertently strengthening foreign adversaries.

The American Voices in Federal Lands Act revises public involvement procedures for rulemaking on federal lands managed by the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service. This bill mandates that only comments from U.S. citizens be considered for new Bureau of Land Management regulations. Additionally, it requires the use of CAPTCHA technology to prevent automated submissions during the public comment period for these lands.

The Tribal Forest Protection Act Amendments Act of 2025 significantly updates existing law to enhance tribal authority over forest and rangeland protection. This legislation expands the definition of eligible tribal lands, including certain lands in Alaska, and broadens the scope of authorized restoration projects. Furthermore, it increases funding authorization to $15 million annually through fiscal year 2031.

This resolution recognizes the 80th anniversary of the continuous operations of the *Stars and Stripes* newspaper in the Pacific. It commends the publication for its invaluable, long-standing service as the "hometown newspaper" for members of the Armed Forces, civilian employees, and their families worldwide. The resolution honors the dedication of the men and women who have produced this vital news source through every major conflict since World War II.

The Back the Blue Act of 2025 establishes new federal crimes and harsher penalties for killing or assaulting law enforcement officers and other public safety officials. The bill also creates specific aggravating factors for the federal death penalty in such cases and places new restrictions on federal habeas corpus relief for related state convictions. Finally, it expands federal protections allowing active and retired law enforcement officers to carry firearms in various federal locations.

The SAFE Chips Act of 2025 establishes strict new export controls on advanced integrated circuits to foreign adversary countries. This law mandates a license for the export or transfer of these specified high-performance chips, with a policy to deny all such applications. The bill specifically defines "advanced integrated circuit" based on technical performance thresholds or existing export control classifications, excluding those not designed for data center use.

The Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025 directs the FAA to establish a committee to review and recommend updates to policies regarding the medical certification of pilots and air traffic controllers with mental health conditions. The bill mandates regulatory updates to encourage aviation personnel to seek mental health care without fear of penalty. Furthermore, it allocates funding to enhance the FAA's capacity to process reviews and launches a public campaign to reduce mental health stigma within the industry.

This Act enhances safety and wellness in the commercial fishing industry by expanding federal grant programs for safety training and research. It specifically directs funding toward addressing behavioral and physical health risks, such as worker fatigue and substance use disorder, for vessel operators and crew. The legislation also updates the grant award process and increases authorized funding through fiscal year 2029.

The Enhancing Arctic Readiness Act of 2025 mandates the Secretary of the Army to report on potential locations for expanding Arctic and cold weather training exercises. This report, due by January 15, 2026, must identify sites for key cold weather courses and analyze the logistical challenges of operating in extreme cold. The goal is to enhance the Army's readiness for operations in the Arctic environment.

This resolution officially recognizes November as National Native American Heritage Month. It celebrates the rich cultures, histories, and significant contributions of Native Americans to the United States across various fields. The resolution also reaffirms the government's commitment to tribal self-governance and the government-to-government relationship with Indian Tribes.

This bill mandates the Secretaries of HUD and Agriculture to withdraw their recent final determination on energy efficiency standards for federally financed housing. It prohibits the implementation of these withdrawn standards or any substantially similar ones across HUD, USDA, and VA programs. Furthermore, the legislation restricts the Federal Housing Finance Agency from finalizing new energy efficiency rules and requires consideration of existing state-level energy codes.

The Shutdown Fairness Act ensures that federal employees, active-duty military, and supporting contractors who worked or were employed during a lapse in appropriations receive their full compensation retroactively and going forward. It appropriates necessary funds to agencies to cover "standard employee compensation" for all "covered employees" and "covered contract employees" for the entire duration of any funding lapse. This aims to guarantee that affected personnel are paid promptly, regardless of furlough status or scheduled pay dates during the shutdown period.

This resolution officially recognizes the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps on November 10, 2025. It honors the Corps' history, its values of honor, courage, and commitment, and its distinguished record as a premier fighting force. The resolution invites the American public to join in celebrating this significant milestone and honoring the service and sacrifice of all Marines.

This resolution condemns the Chinese Communist Party's severe persecution of religious minority groups, including Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists. It specifically denounces the detention of Pastor "Ezra" Jin Mingri and Zion Church leaders amid a broader campaign to "sinicize" religion. The measure reaffirms the United States' global commitment to promoting religious freedom and calls for the immediate release of all wrongfully detained religious practitioners in China.

The Shutdown Fairness Act ensures that essential government employees, military personnel, and supporting contractors who must work during a lapse in appropriations receive their guaranteed pay. This bill automatically sets aside necessary funds from the Treasury to cover the salaries and benefits of these "excepted employees" for the duration of the shutdown. These special appropriations remain available until a full-year budget is enacted, at which point the payments are reconciled against the new funding law.

This resolution commemorates the 80th anniversary of the continuous operations of the *Stars and Stripes* newspaper in the Pacific. It recognizes the invaluable service of the publication as the "hometown newspaper" for members of the Armed Forces and their families worldwide. The Senate honors the dedication of all current and former personnel who have supported this vital institution throughout its history.