Legislative Activity

This resolution formally declares the nation's foundational belief in the inherent right to life for every human being, including the unborn. It recognizes the Supreme Court's decision to return authority over life protection laws to the people and their elected officials. Furthermore, the bill establishes an annual "Life Month" to commend organizations supporting life and urge lawmakers to enact protections for the unborn.

This resolution officially designates May 2025 as "Older Americans Month" to recognize the vital contributions of senior citizens to the nation. It highlights the growing senior population and their continued involvement in the workforce and volunteering. The bill encourages communities nationwide to celebrate older Americans and create opportunities for them to share their wisdom and remain active participants in society.

The Buying American Cotton Act of 2025 establishes a new tax credit to incentivize businesses to use cotton grown in the United States. This Domestic Cotton Consumption Credit is calculated based on the amount of qualified U.S. cotton in an eligible product sold, factoring in processing location and market price. The bill mandates strict digital tracing requirements to prove the origin of the cotton throughout the supply chain. Special enhanced credit multipliers are available for businesses that elect to claim the credit separately for qualified U.S. cotton yarn or fabric components.

This resolution serves as a formal tribute honoring the life, achievements, and enduring legacy of former United States Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond of Missouri. It recognizes his decades of public service, including his terms as Missouri Governor and U.S. Senator, where he championed infrastructure, agriculture, and conservative values. The Senate expresses deep sadness over his passing and directs that official copies of this tribute be sent to his family.

The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the Crime Victims Fund by expanding the sources of deposits. This includes allowing the Fund to receive money from certain legal settlements that do not result in a criminal conviction. Additionally, the bill temporarily allows certain recoveries from False Claims Act settlements to fund victim services through 2030, while protecting payments to whistleblowers and the government's direct recovery.

The No Loan Forgiveness for Terrorists Act of 2025 amends the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to disqualify employment with organizations that engage in activities with a "substantial illegal purpose." This exclusion specifically targets organizations involved in terrorism support, significant violations of immigration or child protection laws, or repeated illegal acts like vandalism or trespassing. Therefore, working for such entities will no longer count toward the forgiveness of federal student loans.

The Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 authorizes livestock producers and their employees to take action against black vultures that are harming or threatening livestock or related property. This provision allows for the capture, killing, or dispersal of the birds, provided that poisoning is strictly prohibited. Those who take action must report the activity to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service once the required reporting form is made available.

This resolution congratulates the students, parents, teachers, and leaders of public charter schools for their ongoing contributions to American education. It highlights the growth, academic achievements, and parental choice offered by these tuition-free public schools. The measure officially recognizes and supports the goals of the 26th Annual National Charter Schools Week, scheduled for May 11–17, 2025.

The Drone Espionage Act updates federal law to explicitly include "video" alongside "photographic negatives" when prohibiting the unauthorized taking or transmission of defense information. This amendment ensures that individuals illegally capturing or sharing sensitive video footage are subject to the existing penalties under U.S. Code Section 793.

The Kids Online Safety Act establishes a comprehensive "duty of care" requiring online platforms to design features that mitigate specific harms to minors, such as those related to mental health and exploitation. It mandates that platforms provide minors with default, restrictive safety settings and robust parental controls over data sharing and recommendations. Furthermore, the legislation demands significant transparency regarding algorithmic ranking systems and grants the FTC enforcement authority.

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians Parity Act officially extends the provisions of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 to the tribe, treating them as if they were under federal jurisdiction since that date. This legislation also confirms the status of all land previously taken into trust by the Secretary of the Interior for the tribe. In essence, the Act ensures parity and validates past federal actions regarding the tribe's land status.

This resolution officially designates the week of May 11 through May 17, 2025, as "National Police Week." It serves to honor the valor and integrity of law enforcement officers across the nation. The resolution specifically remembers the officers killed in the line of duty during 2024 and encourages the public to observe this week to show appreciation for law enforcement personnel.

The Equitable Access to School Facilities Act aims to improve charter school facilities by supporting states in developing policies that enhance funding and financing options for school buildings. It authorizes a new competitive grant program for states to create or improve their own facility aid programs, prioritizing fairness and access, especially for schools in low-income and rural areas. Furthermore, the bill adjusts existing grant structures to allow states more flexibility in using funds for facility acquisition, renovation, and startup loans for high-quality charter schools.

The Helping Young Americans Save for Retirement Act lowers the minimum age requirement for younger employees to begin participating in certain employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as 401(k)s. This change allows employees to count service time toward eligibility starting at age 18 instead of age 21 under both ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. The legislation provides alternative eligibility paths while making technical updates to ensure consistency across retirement plan rules. These provisions will take effect for plan years beginning one year or more after the Act is enacted.

The Growing America’s Small Businesses and Manufacturing Act aims to support businesses through significant tax code changes. This bill permanently extends a specific method for calculating business interest expense limitations. Additionally, it substantially increases the immediate expensing limits (Section 179) for purchasing new depreciable business assets. These provisions are designed to encourage investment and growth for small businesses and manufacturers starting in tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act introduces a new aggravating factor for federal death penalty consideration. This factor applies when an individual who is illegally present in the U.S. is convicted of killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a United States citizen. This measure aims to provide justice for victims of crimes committed by unauthorized immigrants.

The American Innovation and Jobs Act aims to boost U.S. competitiveness by restoring immediate expensing for most business research and development (R&D) investments. It also significantly expands the refundable R&D tax credit for new and small businesses, increasing the maximum refund amount and raising eligibility thresholds. Furthermore, the bill makes technical adjustments to the R&D credit calculation to make it more accessible for startups. These provisions are designed to incentivize domestic innovation and job creation starting in tax years after 2021 and 2024, respectively.

The Overtime Wages Tax Relief Act introduces a new federal income tax deduction of up to $\$10,000$ for qualifying overtime compensation earned by workers. This deduction is available to both itemizers and non-itemizers, though it phases out for taxpayers with a Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) exceeding $\$100,000$. The changes, which require updates to tax forms and withholding procedures, will take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2025 significantly overhauls the use of immigration parole, requiring the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant it only on a strict case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. The bill narrowly defines these reasons and restricts parole from being used as a pathway to adjust status for most recipients. Furthermore, it establishes specific parole provisions for certain military family members and Cuban nationals, while also creating a mechanism for legal challenges against improper implementation.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating the week of May 4 through May 10, 2025, as National Small Business Week. It aims to celebrate the vital contributions of the over 34.5 million small businesses that support tens of millions of jobs nationwide. The bill honors the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners in every community.