Legislative Activity

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 It prohibits the implementation of these withdrawn standards or any substantially similar ones across HUD, USDA, and VA programs.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.

The SAFE KIDS Act addresses concerns that foreign entities of concern are exploiting U.S. surrogacy laws, potentially risking national security and human trafficking. This bill voids surrogacy agreements involving citizens from these designated foreign entities and establishes criminal penalties for brokers who facilitate such arrangements. Custody of any resulting child will be determined by state law based on the child's best interests, disregarding the voided contract.

This resolution officially designates the week of November 3 through November 7, 2025, as National Veterans Small Business Week. It recognizes the significant contributions of the over 1.65 million veteran-owned small businesses to the U.S. economy. The bill supports creating a business-friendly environment and expresses appreciation for veterans' continued service through entrepreneurship.

The Pay Our Capitol Police Act ensures that the United States Capitol Police will continue to receive funding for salaries and essential expenses for Fiscal Year 2026, even if standard appropriations are delayed. This bill provides continuing appropriations to cover excepted employees, emergency workers, and necessary support staff. Funds spent under this Act will be charged against future official appropriations once enacted. The authority granted by this Act terminates on September 30, 2026, or earlier if standard appropriations are passed.

The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2025 proposes to reauthorize the existing Diesel Emissions Reduction Act. This bill specifically extends the program's expiration date from 2024 to 2029.

This joint resolution seeks to disapprove the Bureau of Land Management's rule regarding the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision. If enacted, this action would nullify the BLM's rule, preventing it from taking effect.

This Act establishes a clear U.S. policy to hold Chinese officials accountable for gross human rights violations against religious groups by making them subject to sanctions. It mandates that the Department of State actively promote and monitor religious freedom within the People's Republic of China. Furthermore, Congress urges the designation of China as a "country of particular concern" and calls for robust diplomatic action to secure the release of unjustly detained religious prisoners.

The TREATS Act modifies existing law to expand access to medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders. Specifically, it allows a single telehealth evaluation to satisfy the prior in-person evaluation requirement for prescribing certain Schedule III, IV, or V controlled substances approved for addiction treatment. This change aims to improve the delivery of necessary therapy services via remote care.

The AUKUS Improvement Act of 2025 streamlines defense cooperation under the AUKUS agreement by modifying U.S. arms transfer requirements. This legislation exempts certain defense article reexports and temporary imports between the U.S., Australia, and the U.K. from specific presidential consent requirements. Furthermore, it eliminates the mandatory certification process for commercial technical assistance or manufacturing license agreements involving Australia and the United Kingdom.

This resolution condemns the Government of the People's Republic of China for engaging in transnational repression against individuals residing in the United States. It specifically denounces the PRC's coordinated campaign to surveil, harass, and coerce dissidents, activists, and ethnic minorities. The Senate affirms that these extraterritorial actions violate U.S. sovereignty and the rights of all individuals to live without foreign intimidation.

This bill proposes establishing a new, Senate-confirmed position: the Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs within the Department of State. This Ambassador will report directly to the Secretary of State to lead U.S. foreign policy coordination across key areas in the Arctic. Their responsibilities will focus on national security, environmental protection, scientific research, and strengthening cooperation among Arctic nations.

The Keep America Flying Act of 2026 ensures that essential Air Traffic Controllers and TSA security personnel continue to receive pay and benefits at the start of fiscal year 2026, even if Congress has not yet passed a budget. This continuing appropriation provides necessary funding for FAA and TSA staff, as well as their contractors, to maintain safe and secure air travel operations. The funding automatically ceases once a full budget is enacted or on September 30, 2026.