Legislative Activity

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the Voting Rights Act by establishing new standards to challenge discriminatory voting practices and updating federal oversight criteria for states. It mandates greater transparency for all changes to voting rules and implements "practice-based preclearance" for certain jurisdictions. Additionally, the bill creates new federal criminal penalties for using force or threats to intimidate voters or election workers.

The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 aims to address physician shortages by adding 2,000 new Medicare-funded residency positions annually from 2027 through 2033. These new slots are distributed through an application process, prioritizing hospitals serving rural areas, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), and those supporting new medical schools. Additionally, the bill mandates a study and report on effective strategies for increasing diversity within the healthcare workforce.

The CARING for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025 mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) establish clear guidance and measurable goals for community care providers regarding timely and accurate submission of veteran medical records. This legislation requires the VA to set performance targets for medical centers to ensure proper follow-up on paperwork after veterans receive care outside the VA system. The VA must regularly report its progress on implementing these new coordination and training requirements to Congress.

The Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025 establishes federal prohibitions against selling goods or services at "grossly excessive" prices, particularly during exceptional market shocks like natural disasters. The bill empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce these rules, setting specific revenue thresholds for businesses subject to the anti-gouging provisions. Furthermore, it mandates that companies experiencing a market shock must provide detailed disclosures to the SEC regarding changes in pricing, volume, and profit margins in subsequent financial filings.

This bill directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and NIST to develop voluntary guidelines for election offices on the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. It also mandates a study on how AI was actually used in the 2024 federal elections to inform future updates to these guidelines. The goal is to help election administrators manage the risks and opportunities presented by AI while protecting election integrity.

The Child Care for Working Families Act establishes comprehensive federal programs to guarantee access to high-quality, affordable child care for young children of working families. It mandates significant investments to stabilize the child care workforce by requiring higher provider pay and sets strict caps on costs for parents based on income. Additionally, the bill creates a framework for universal, free preschool for three- and four-year-olds and extends service hours and raises compensation for Head Start staff.

The Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025 ensures the Secretary of Agriculture participates in reviews by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for transactions involving U.S. agricultural land, biotechnology, or the broader industry. This bill mandates a specific, expedited review process for certain agricultural land deals involving designated foreign adversaries. Ultimately, it strengthens national security oversight of foreign investments impacting the U.S. food supply and agricultural sector.

The Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act mandates the Department of Labor to establish comprehensive, ongoing training for its personnel on identifying and referring potential human trafficking cases. This training must cover detection methods, identification techniques, and proper referral processes that prioritize victim protection. Furthermore, the Secretary of Labor is required to submit annual reports to Congress detailing the training provided and the human trafficking referrals made to the Department of Justice.

This resolution expresses support for designating July 10, 2025, as Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. It honors the critical, often dangerous work these essential employees perform to maintain the nation's power grid 24/7. The day commemorates their service, especially during emergencies, and recognizes the sacrifice of those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

The Special Diabetes Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends critical funding for both Type 1 Diabetes research programs and diabetes programs serving Native Americans. This legislation secures specific annual appropriations of \$160 million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, along with a transition allocation in late 2027. The bill ensures continued financial support for these vital public health initiatives through the end of 2027.

The VISIBLE Act mandates that federal immigration officers (CBP and ICE) clearly display their agency and name/badge number on their outermost clothing during all public-facing enforcement activities. This law aims to increase transparency and public trust by ensuring officers are easily identifiable from a distance. The Department of Homeland Security must report annually to Congress on compliance rates and disciplinary actions taken for violations. Furthermore, the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties will investigate public complaints regarding these new identification standards.

This resolution officially recognizes June 2025 as LGBTQ Pride Month to honor the history, struggles, and significant contributions of the LGBTQ community in the United States. It acknowledges past and ongoing discrimination while celebrating key legal milestones toward equality. The Senate encourages the nation to use this month to learn about inequality and celebrate the community's achievements both domestically and globally.

The Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 2025 is a legislative update designed to modernize the Internal Revenue Code by ensuring gender-neutral language is used when referencing married taxpayers and their spouses. This bill systematically replaces outdated gendered terms like "husband and wife" or "his" with inclusive terms such as "married couple" and "spouse." The changes are purely linguistic, ensuring consistency across tax rules without altering any existing tax liabilities or deductions.

The Refund Equality Act of 2025 extends the deadline for certain legally married couples to amend past tax returns filed separately before September 16, 2013, based on Revenue Ruling 2013-17. This allows these couples to now file jointly for those years, extending the statute of limitations for filing the joint return and claiming related refunds or credits. These extensions are strictly limited to changes resulting from recognizing their marital status for federal tax purposes.

The Head Start for Our Future Act amends federal work-study rules to explicitly allow students to use their funds for child development and early learning services, such as supporting Head Start programs. This legislation ensures that institutions placing work-study students in these roles guarantee program compliance with existing Head Start Act requirements. Furthermore, it establishes specific supervision rules for work-study students in Head Start and Early Head Start, mandating that they must always be supervised by paid staff and cannot count toward required staff-to-child ratios.

The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Restoration Act of 2025 officially recognizes the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians as a federally recognized Tribe. This Act restores their eligibility for all federal services and benefits available to recognized Tribes. Furthermore, it mandates the Secretary of the Interior to acquire and hold land in trust for the Tribe within specific Michigan counties. This legislation affirms the Tribe's continuous existence and rights despite past administrative delays.

The Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025 establishes a federal right to access abortion services without facing state-imposed restrictions that are not medically necessary for comparable procedures. This Act prohibits states from enacting targeted regulations that create hurdles for abortion access, protects the right to travel out of state for care, and allows individuals and the Attorney General to sue to enforce these protections. Ultimately, the bill aims to ensure equitable access to reproductive healthcare decisions based on a provider's good-faith medical judgment.

This resolution formally condemns the recent surge in antisemitic attacks across the United States, citing specific tragedies in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colorado. It acknowledges the widespread celebration of this violence online and highlights alarming statistics showing the dramatic increase in religiously motivated hate crimes against Jewish Americans. Ultimately, the Senate reaffirms its commitment to fighting antisemitism as a threat to American democracy.

The Curbing Officials' Income and Nondisclosure (COIN) Act aims to prevent public officials from financially exploiting their positions through digital assets. The bill prohibits covered individuals and their immediate families from engaging in specific digital asset transactions during and shortly after their service. Furthermore, it imposes new criminal penalties for violations and mandates increased financial disclosure requirements for federal employees regarding their cryptocurrency holdings.

The Election Worker Protection Act of 2025 establishes federal grants to states for recruiting, training, and securing election workers, while also enhancing the Department of Justice's resources to address threats. The bill creates new federal crimes prohibiting the harassment, doxxing, and intimidation of election workers involved in federal elections. Furthermore, it empowers election officials to remove disruptive poll observers and strengthens protections for election worker personal information.