Legislative Activity

This resolution congratulates the Washington University in St. Louis Bears women's soccer team on their outstanding 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship victory. It recognizes the team's exceptional record, coaching, and individual player achievements. The resolution also acknowledges the contributions of the university's staff, faculty, and alumni and requests that the Secretary of the Senate send copies to key figures at the university.

The "Energy for America's Economic Future Act" directs 25% of revenue from federal oil and gas leases, including activities under Executive Order 14141, into a newly established Debt Reduction Fund. This fund will be used quarterly to reduce the federal debt by redeeming Treasury securities or other debt instruments. The Secretary of the Treasury is required to report to Congress on the fund's deposits, securities redeemed, and the resulting debt reduction.

The "Protecting Higher Education from the Chinese Communist Party Act of 2025" restricts certain visas for members of the Chinese Communist Party and their families, with exceptions only for UN obligations or national security waivers. This includes individuals who have served on the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. The President can waive the restriction for national security reasons.

The "Censorship Accountability Act" allows citizens to sue federal employees (excluding the President and Vice President) who violate their First Amendment rights. This act does not allow federal employees to sue their own agency or the government. Courts have the option to award attorney's fees to the winning party, excluding the U.S. government.

The COLLUDE Act amends Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, modifying protections for interactive computer service providers. To maintain immunity from liability, providers must prove they are not information content providers. The bill removes liability protection for providers who restrict political speech based on government or government-influenced communications, with exceptions for legitimate law enforcement and national security purposes.

The "Transparency in Bureaucratic Communications Act" amends the Inspector General Act of 1978, requiring inspectors general to report on communications between their establishment and internet service providers regarding content moderation, user content, data inputs, algorithms, and related tools. This aims to increase transparency in government interactions with online platforms.

The Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2025, or SOPRA, enhances judicial review of agency actions. It empowers courts to independently interpret laws and regulations, ensuring a check on agency interpretations. This applies broadly to judicial reviews unless explicitly exempted by law.

The ERASER Act requires agencies to repeal at least three existing regulations for every new regulation issued, especially major ones. For major rules, the cost of the new rule must be equal to or less than the cost of those being repealed, as certified by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must regularly study and report on the total number and economic impact of federal regulations. This aims to reduce regulatory burden and control the economic impact of federal rules.