Legislative Activity

The Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2025 aims to support smaller meat and poultry establishments by providing resources for food safety planning, increasing the federal share of state inspection expenses, and expanding interstate shipment opportunities. It also establishes a grant program to enhance processing resilience and career training programs to develop a skilled workforce in the meat and poultry processing sector. The act focuses on improving the capacity and safety of local processing facilities, ensuring a more resilient and diversified meat supply chain.

This resolution authorizes the Senate Legal Counsel to represent Senator Ronald Wyden in the case of Desmond Bellard v. Ronald Wyden, U.S. Senator, which is pending in the Oregon Supreme Court. This action is in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.

The "Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act of 2025" simplifies state income tax for employees working in multiple states by limiting taxation and withholding to the employee's state of residence and states where they work for more than 30 days per year. Employers can generally rely on employee estimates of time spent in different states, with exceptions for time and attendance systems. Certain categories of employees, such as professional athletes and entertainers, are excluded from these rules. The act takes effect on January 1 of the second year following enactment and applies to tax obligations accruing on or after that date.

The "Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields Act of 2025" (SAFETY Act) seeks to protect the ability of U.S. agricultural producers to use common names for their products in foreign markets. It defines "common name" and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to negotiate agreements with foreign countries, in coordination with the United States Trade Representative, to ensure these names can continue to be used. The Secretary and the United States Trade Representative must provide semi-annual briefings to the relevant congressional committees on their progress.

The American Prairie Conservation Act aims to protect native sod by requiring producers who till it for crop production to certify and report the acreage to the Secretary of Agriculture. This certification includes submitting acreage reports and maps, with corrections required for any changes in tilled acreage. The Secretary of Agriculture must provide annual reports to the Senate and House Agriculture Committees detailing the certified tilled native sod acreage in each county and state from 2026 to 2030.

The "Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2025" aims to promote healthier lifestyles and prevent obesity-related diseases by making physical fitness activities more affordable and accessible. It amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers to use pre-tax dollars for qualified fitness expenses, including gym memberships, fitness classes, and exercise equipment, up to certain limits. This bill defines qualified expenses and sets specific requirements for fitness facilities and equipment to be eligible for the tax benefit. The goal is to encourage individuals and families to engage in regular physical activity by providing financial incentives for doing so.

The Livestock Disaster Assistance Improvement Act of 2025 aims to improve federal programs assisting livestock producers affected by natural disasters. It expands eligibility for emergency conservation programs, modifies the Livestock Forage Disaster Program to provide more timely assistance, broadens the scope of livestock emergency assistance to include drought and other factors, and enhances support for honeybee producers. The bill also establishes an interagency working group to improve the data used for the U.S. Drought Monitor and requires better coordination between the Farm Service Agency and the Forest Service in drought response efforts.

The "Accelerating Broadband Permits Act" aims to speed up the approval process for broadband infrastructure projects. It mandates federal agencies to track and address delays in processing communications use applications, report these delays to Congress, and set up alerts for applications nearing the approval deadline. Additionally, the act broadens the definition of covered projects to include those with an expected investment of over $5,000,000 that are subject to NEPA and involve broadband construction.

The "Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025" aims to streamline the Bureau of Indian Affairs' (BIA) process for reviewing and approving mortgages and right-of-way documents on Indian land by setting strict deadlines for document processing, mandating notifications regarding delays, and ensuring direct delivery of title status reports. This act also establishes a Realty Ombudsman position to ensure compliance and address inquiries or complaints from tribes, members, and lenders. Additionally, it requires annual reports on mortgage processing performance and a GAO study on digitizing land documents to further improve the mortgage process.

The "Death Tax Repeal Act of 2025" eliminates both estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, while also modifying gift tax laws. It adjusts gift tax calculations, addresses transfers in trust, sets an initial $10,000,000 amount for calculating tentative tax, and adjusts for inflation. These changes apply to estates of decedents dying, generation-skipping transfers occurring, and gifts made on or after the enactment date of this Act.

The "Promoting Precision Agriculture Act of 2025" aims to increase the use of precision agriculture technologies in the United States by directing the Secretary of Agriculture to develop voluntary interconnectivity standards for precision agriculture equipment. It also requires the Comptroller General to assess these standards to ensure they are effective and promote the adoption of precision agriculture practices. The goal is to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and maintain environmental quality in crop and livestock production.

The "Expediting Forest Restoration and Recovery Act of 2025" aims to streamline environmental reviews for forest projects that reduce hazardous fuels and address insect and disease risks, prioritizing these treatments in designated areas. It mandates the use of categorical exclusions in certain timber production areas and emphasizes wildfire and infestation risk reduction in project planning. The act also modifies Good Neighbor Agreements, allowing states to retain and use revenue from timber sales for further restoration efforts within the state.

The American Beef Labeling Act of 2025 amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to mandate country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef and ground beef. It requires the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, to find a way to reinstate MCOOL for beef in compliance with World Trade Organization rules. The changes to beef labeling will take effect within one year of enactment.

This resolution formally appoints the Republican party members to serve on key Senate committees for the 119th Congress, including committees on Environment and Public Works, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Judiciary, and others. It designates the chairs and members, ensuring these committees can begin their work. These appointments will stand until successors are chosen.

This resolution formally designates the Republican party members for specific committees in the Senate for the 119th Congress, including Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Energy and Natural Resources; Aging; and Small Business and Entrepreneurship. It names the chairs and members of each committee, establishing the Republican representation and leadership within these key Senate bodies. The appointments will stand until successors are chosen.

This resolution designates the Republican Party's membership on various Senate committees for the 119th Congress. It specifies the chairs and members for key committees, including Appropriations, Armed Services, Finance, and Judiciary. The resolution ensures the Republican Party's representation and leadership roles within these important legislative bodies. This structure will remain in place until successors are appointed.

This concurrent resolution outlines the procedures for the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2025, to count the electoral votes for President and Vice President of the United States. It specifies the time, location, presiding officer, and roles of tellers from both the House and Senate. The resolution also describes the process of reading, tallying, and officially declaring the electoral votes, ensuring the results are recorded in the journals of both houses.

This concurrent resolution extends the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, allowing it to continue organizing the Presidential and Vice Presidential inauguration. The committee will retain its original powers and authority, beginning January 3, 2025. Additionally, it will maintain the authorization to use the Capitol's rotunda and Emancipation Hall for inaugural proceedings and ceremonies.

This resolution informs the House of Representatives about the Senate's selection of Jennifer A. Hemingway as the new Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper.

This resolution formally elects Jackie Barber as the Secretary of the Senate. Her term will commence on January 3rd, 2025.