Legislative Activity

The Farmers’ Market Expansion Act of 2025 updates the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program to enhance purchasing options for seniors. This legislation specifically amends the eligible foods list to include tree nuts alongside herbs. The goal is to provide greater nutritional variety for program participants utilizing their benefits at farmers' markets.

This resolution officially commends Volkert, Inc. on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. It recognizes the engineering firm's century of significant contributions to infrastructure development across Alabama and the United States. The Senate celebrates the company's history, major projects, and continued success as an employee-owned firm.

The Honey Integrity Act establishes a formal standard of identity for honey based on recognized quality benchmarks. It mandates a new Honey Integrity Program requiring commercial packers to conduct rigorous DNA and forensic testing to detect fraud. Furthermore, the bill requires the government to report on enforcement actions taken against misbranded or adulterated honey.

The HBOT Access Act of 2025 directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to explore and provide hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as an alternative treatment for veterans suffering from TBI or PTSD. This therapy will be made available to veterans who have already attempted at least two other evidence-based treatments for their condition. The bill aims to offer non-drug, non-invasive options to veterans facing high risks of self-harm or suicide.

The "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025" amends Title IX to prohibit schools receiving federal funding from allowing individuals born male to participate in female athletic programs. Sex is defined as determined by reproductive biology and genetics at birth. This bill aims to ensure fair competition for women and girls in sports.

The "Protecting Americas Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act of 2025" prohibits individuals and entities associated with the governments of Iran, North Korea, China, and Russia from purchasing or leasing agricultural land in the United States and from participating in certain Department of Agriculture programs. The bill also expands reporting requirements and increases penalties for violations of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978. Finally, the Act mandates reports from the Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Government Accountability Office on foreign ownership of agricultural land.

The "Ensuring Continuity in Veterans Health Act" amends the Veterans Community Care Program to prioritize continuity of care for veterans. This ensures veterans can maintain consistent relationships with healthcare providers and receive uninterrupted treatment through the program.

The "Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act" repeals the inclusion of Social Security benefits in gross income for taxable years beginning after the enactment date. It also appropriates funds to the Social Security Act and the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to offset any reduction in transfers caused by this repeal. The Act expresses Congress's preference against using tax increases to fund these provisions.

The "Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act" amends Title 36 of the United States Code to define "female," "male," and "sex" based on reproductive systems. It prohibits individuals whose biological sex is male from participating in amateur athletic competitions designated for females, women, or girls.

The Graduate Opportunity and Affordable Loans Act amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reform loan provisions for graduate and professional students. Starting July 1, 2025, it sets new annual and aggregate limits for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans and discontinues Federal Direct PLUS Loans for graduate students. Institutions must notify students about these changes and have the authority to further limit loan amounts.

The Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act aims to protect U.S. agriculture by including it under the oversight of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This bill adds the Secretary of Agriculture to the CFIUS committee and expands CFIUS authority to review transactions that could result in foreign control of U.S. businesses involved in agriculture. Additionally, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Comptroller General are required to analyze foreign influence in the U.S. agriculture industry and submit a report to Congress.

The "Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act" repeals the Corporate Transparency Act, eliminating beneficial ownership reporting requirements for businesses. It also makes necessary technical adjustments to Title 31 of the United States Code to reflect this repeal. These adjustments involve removing and revising references to specific sections related to the Corporate Transparency Act within existing legal frameworks.

This resolution supports the original selection of Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, as the location for the U.S. Space Command Headquarters, based on factors like workforce quality and cost-effectiveness. It criticizes the Biden administration's plan to move the headquarters to Colorado Springs, urging a return to the initial decision under a future Trump administration. The resolution asserts that the original decision was lawful and grounded in facts that prioritized national security.