Legislative Activity

This resolution designates the week of April 19 through April 27, 2025, as "National Park Week" to recognize the importance of national parks for recreation, education, and economic contributions. It encourages people to visit and support these parks while acknowledging the role of the National Park Service in protecting these resources for future generations.

The Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to improve nutrition programs for young children. It revises eligibility criteria for proprietary child care centers, mandates a review of the serious deficiency process, and adjusts reimbursement rules for additional meals or snacks. The Act also establishes an advisory committee to reduce unnecessary paperwork for program participants while maintaining accountability. Finally, it updates the index used to adjust payments.

The Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act aims to improve mental health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority groups through increased funding, research, and culturally competent training and outreach programs. It mandates a study on mental health disparities, promotes best practices in healthcare training, requires a national outreach strategy, and allocates additional funds to the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The bill reauthorizes and expands grant programs to prioritize entities serving high proportions of racial and ethnic minority groups.

The Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2025 seeks to address racism as a public health crisis by establishing a National Center on Antiracism and Health within the CDC to conduct research, promote understanding, and develop interventions to dismantle structural racism and promote health equity. The Act also establishes a law enforcement violence prevention program within the CDC to study and prevent deaths, injuries, and trauma resulting from police brutality and violence, as well as to promote alternatives to law enforcement response. This program will award grants, conduct research, and coordinate with the Department of Justice to collect and analyze data on police violence. The Act authorizes necessary appropriations to carry out these provisions.

The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program Enhancement Act of 2025 amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996. The bill revises subsection (a)(1)(A)(ii) by removing "except in the case of crops and grasses used for grazing" and revises subsection (l)(1) by removing ".". This change expands the program to include crops and grasses used for grazing.

The Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2025 retroactively reauthorizes trade adjustment assistance programs for workers, firms, and farmers that expired on June 30, 2021, through December 31, 2031. It directs the Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Commerce to reconsider and certify certain groups of workers and firms who were previously denied certification between July 1, 2021 and the enactment date, if they meet the eligibility requirements as of the enactment date. The bill also outlines eligibility for benefits and extends funding for training and reemployment programs.

The "New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act of 2025" amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to allow interstate shipment of meat and poultry products inspected under state programs. It authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to oversee state meat and poultry inspection programs, enforce federal requirements, and report on the status of these programs. This act overrides state laws that restrict the sale of state-inspected meat and poultry products in interstate commerce, aiming to broaden market access for state-inspected producers.

The Organic Imports Verification Act of 2025 requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit an annual report to Congress regarding residue testing on imported organic feedstuffs. This act also directs the Secretary to develop risk-based protocols to determine which imported organic feedstuffs will be tested annually for prohibited substances and to create a confidential list of those feedstuffs. The Secretary must then conduct annual residue testing on each feedstuff on the list, and if prohibited substances are found above permitted levels, the shipment cannot be sold or labeled as organic.

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 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 Organic Science and Research Investment Act of 2025 aims to bolster organic agriculture by expanding research initiatives, providing grants for transitioning to organic practices, and enhancing data collection on organic production and markets. It establishes a coordinated research initiative across agricultural agencies, extends funding for organic research and extension programs, and promotes research into the economic and environmental impacts of organic farming. The act also supports partnerships with various educational institutions and prioritizes projects involving on-farm research and traditional ecological knowledge.

The Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act prohibits the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt, or possession of devices that convert semiautomatic firearms into machine guns. It requires individuals who legally owned modified firearms before the enactment of the BUMP Act to register them. The act amends both title 18 of the U.S. Code and the Internal Revenue Code to include these devices under the regulatory scope of machine guns.

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.

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 "Jobs in the Woods Act" establishes a competitive grant program within the Department of Agriculture to support career pathway training programs in low-income, nonmetropolitan areas for forestry operations and forestry products industries. Grants will range from $500,000 to $2,000,000 for up to 4 years. The bill authorizes $10,000,000 to be appropriated each year from 2025 through 2029 to carry out the grant program.

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.

The "Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act of 2025" amends the Small Business Act to include "snow drought" as a type of disaster, enabling small businesses affected by low snowpack to access Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster relief programs. It requires the SBA Administrator to implement rules for this change and directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on resources, adaptation strategies, and legislative actions to further aid businesses impacted by snow droughts, including an evaluation of the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

The "No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny tax deductions for employer expenses used to influence employees regarding union activities, including union elections and collective bargaining. It requires detailed reporting of such expenditures on tax returns, with significant penalties for non-compliance, while providing exemptions for certain communications and activities. The Act aims to prevent taxpayer subsidization of employer interference in workers' rights to organize and collectively bargain.

The "Building Child Care for a Better Future Act" increases funding for the Child Care Entitlement to States and establishes grants aimed at improving the child care workforce, supply, quality, and access, particularly in underserved areas. The bill allocates significant funds to states, territories, and tribal organizations, emphasizing community engagement and data-driven strategies to address specific child care needs. These grants support various initiatives, including workforce development, facility improvements, and financial assistance for providers, with a focus on serving vulnerable populations and ensuring fair wages for child care professionals. The bill also includes reporting requirements and ongoing evaluations to assess the impact of these investments on the child care landscape.