Legislative Activity

The Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act restructures and updates the existing Marine Debris Act to enhance NOAA's ability to fund marine debris projects. This legislation also modifies the structure and expands the scope of the Marine Debris Foundation, explicitly including outreach and funding opportunities for Indian Tribes. Finally, the Act reauthorizes the marine debris program through fiscal year 2029 and standardizes key definitions within the law.

The Bycatch Reduction and Research Act of 2025 aims to significantly reduce the unintended capture of non-target species in federal fisheries. It mandates extensive new research on Alaska salmon life history and ecosystem factors affecting marine species. The bill also establishes partnerships to build a flume tank for gear testing and creates new funding mechanisms to assist the fishing industry in adopting bycatch-reducing technology. Finally, it streamlines processes for electronic monitoring and reporting to improve data integration for management.

The Advancing Digital Support for Mental Health Services Act requires large digital advertising platforms to report annually to the FTC on their public service advertisements promoting mental and behavioral health resources. These reports will detail the volume and value of such ads, including those focused on local or free resources. The FTC will then summarize this data for Congress, with all reporting requirements expiring five years after enactment.

This joint resolution seeks to disapprove the Bureau of Land Management's rule regarding the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Record of Decision. If enacted, this action would nullify the submitted rule, preventing it from taking effect.

This bill establishes the LINC VA Act to create a pilot program for a community integration platform connecting veterans with local support services like housing, healthcare, and job training. The platform will coordinate services, track referrals, and collect standardized data on veterans' social needs. The program will be evaluated to assess its impact on veterans' health outcomes and access to necessary resources.

This resolution expresses the Senate's opposition to the Chinese Communist Party's historical revisionism regarding Allied victory in World War II. It commemorates the vital contributions of the Republic of China to the Allied victory and acknowledges Japan's postwar role in promoting peace and stability in Asia. The bill urges the U.S. government to counter CCP propaganda and ensure accurate teaching of history concerning U.S. allies.

The Measuring Availability of Providers (MAP) for Veterans Act mandates a feasibility study on building new, full-service VA hospitals in Alaska, Hawaii, and New Hampshire. It also requires the public release of these study results within one year. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that a veteran's eligibility for the Veterans Community Care Program, based on their state lacking a full-service VA facility, is locked to the date this Act is enacted.

This bill reauthorizes and extends key Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs established under the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act to combat marine plastic pollution. Specifically, it extends the authorization for these critical infrastructure programs through the year 2030.

The VISIT USA Act transfers \$160 million from the Travel Promotion Fund to Brand USA to support international tourism promotion. This funding is specifically allocated from existing unobligated balances collected through certain travel-related fees. The transfer is made within 30 days of the law's enactment.

The Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act of 2025 addresses operational failures of diesel vehicles in extreme cold. It directs the EPA to revise regulations allowing manufacturers to temporarily suspend engine derate or shutdown functions triggered by emissions control faults when temperatures are below freezing. Additionally, the bill provides a year-round exemption from Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system requirements for vehicles primarily operated in far northern latitudes or areas with persistently freezing conditions. This measure aims to ensure essential transportation and safety in cold weather regions without waiving overall emissions compliance.

The DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act directs the Department of Energy and NASA to formally collaborate on research and development projects that benefit both agencies. This collaboration focuses on key areas such as advanced propulsion, quantum information sciences, and Arctic resilience. The bill also establishes new mechanisms for transferring research funds between federal agencies to support NASA's science and engineering missions.

The Pay Our Military Act of 2025 ensures that active duty and reserve military personnel continue to receive pay and essential allowances if Congress has not passed the full budget for fiscal year 2026 by the start of that year. This legislation provides automatic continuing appropriations to cover military salaries, support staff, and necessary contractor payments during any funding lapse. The authority granted by this Act is set to terminate on September 30, 2026, or sooner if a comprehensive budget is enacted. Furthermore, the provisions of this Act are made retroactively effective as of September 30, 2025.

The Judicial Efficiency Improvement Act restructures the federal appellate system by splitting the Ninth Circuit into a new Ninth Circuit and a new Twelfth Circuit. This legislation adjusts the total number of judicial circuits to fourteen and establishes new judgeships across various federal courts. The Act also sets forth a transition plan for handling existing cases and outlines a staggered schedule for adding new district court judgeships through 2035.

The Young Fishermen's Development Extension Act reauthorizes and extends the existing Young Fishermen's Development Act. This legislation pushes the program's scheduled expiration date from 2026 to 2031. The bill ensures continued support for young individuals entering the commercial fishing industry.

The Pay Our Military Act of 2025 ensures that members of the Armed Forces, along with essential Department of Defense civilian personnel and contractors, continue to receive pay and allowances in fiscal year 2026 if regular appropriations are not enacted. This measure provides temporary, continuing funding to support active service members. This authority automatically terminates upon the enactment of a new appropriations law or by January 1, 2027.

The Alaska’s Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition Act, or ARTIST Act, creates an exemption under federal law allowing Alaska Natives living along the North Pacific or Arctic Ocean coasts to take marine mammals for subsistence or to create and sell authentic handicrafts. This bill strictly defines what qualifies as an authentic Alaska Native article, ensuring it is handmade by a coastal Alaska Native without mass-copying tools. Furthermore, the Act prevents states from banning the sale of these authentic handicrafts incorporating marine mammal materials.

This resolution officially supports the goals and objectives of "Choose Respect Day" to raise awareness about the serious issue of domestic violence in the United States. It encourages all levels of government, organizations, and citizens to recognize this day through educational activities and proclamations. Ultimately, the measure aims to reinforce efforts to end intimate partner violence and promote respect in all relationships.

The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2025 significantly updates federal efforts to combat harmful algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia across all U.S. waters, including freshwater systems. The bill expands the scope of the interagency Task Force, mandates the creation of a five-year national Action Strategy for HABs, and enhances monitoring and forecasting capabilities. It also clarifies agency roles, assigning EPA new duties for freshwater blooms while tasking NOAA with marine and Great Lakes response, and establishes a new incubator program for control technologies.

The Protecting Regular Order for Veterans Act of 2025 mandates quarterly budget briefings for Congress by the VA Secretary and places new restrictions on critical skills bonuses for senior executives. Additionally, the bill establishes a new Veterans Experience Office, reporting directly to the Secretary, tasked with improving beneficiary satisfaction and reporting on customer feedback data to Congress. This new office will sunset on September 30, 2028, following a review by the Comptroller General.

The Representing VA with Accuracy Act (REP VA Act) mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) standardize all outgoing calls to veterans using a single, recognizable phone number by January 1, 2026. This legislation also requires the VA to establish dedicated health care call centers across all major U.S. time zones to improve appointment scheduling and access for veterans. The goal is to increase transparency in VA communications and ensure veterans can easily reach necessary services.