Legislative Activity

The Buy Now, Pay Later Protection Act of 2025 extends key consumer protections from the Truth in Lending Act, such as clear disclosures and billing error rights, to "buy now, pay later" loans. This legislation also grants consumers the right to dispute merchant-related issues directly with the loan provider under certain circumstances. Furthermore, the bill places lenders offering these services under the direct supervision of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of a recent rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) concerning adherence to the text of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this resolution immediately nullifies the proposed HHS policy. Consequently, the new rule regarding APA adherence will have no legal effect.

This resolution recognizes that solar, storage, and wind power are the fastest and most cost-effective solutions to meet the United States' rapidly growing electricity demand. It highlights that these renewable sources currently dominate new power capacity additions and are essential for avoiding future power shortages. The Senate resolution calls for accelerating the deployment of solar, storage, and wind energy across the country.

This bill, the Public Health Air Quality Act of 2025, significantly expands air quality monitoring to protect public health, especially in affected communities. It mandates new fenceline and ambient air monitoring for hazardous air pollutants at industrial facilities, requiring real-time data submission and public access. The Act also strengthens the national air quality monitoring network and deploys thousands of low-cost community air quality systems. Finally, it requires updated reporting rules for industrial hazardous air pollutant and PFAS emissions.

This resolution formally acknowledges that climate change, driven by fossil fuel emissions, is a scientifically proven reality. It asserts that the evidence supporting climate change is robust and has been established over decades of research.

This resolution recognizes the serious health risks associated with ozone pollution, including lung disease and cardiovascular problems. It expresses the Senate's support for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2024 methane pollution standards. Furthermore, the resolution urges the EPA to continue taking action to reduce smog pollution.

This resolution formally recognizes that climate change is significantly increasing the frequency, intensity, and destructiveness of wildfires across the nation. It highlights the documented evidence linking rising global temperatures and drought to longer, more severe fire seasons. The resolution further acknowledges the immense economic costs and human toll of these events, such as the 2025 Los Angeles fires. Ultimately, it calls for fully funding and staffing federal efforts to prevent and respond to this growing wildfire risk.

This resolution recognizes the severe health risks associated with mercury pollution, such as permanent brain damage and birth defects, primarily stemming from burning fossil fuels. It highlights that power plants are the largest source of these emissions, leading to widespread contamination through the food chain. The Senate formally asserts that existing pollution controls on power plants should not be weakened.

This resolution formally recognizes that unaddressed climate change poses a severe threat to national and global financial stability through increased extreme weather events and resulting insurance market collapse. It acknowledges expert warnings that these impacts could lead to massive economic losses and systemic financial risk. The Senate declares that an early, orderly transition to a low-carbon economy is necessary to avoid catastrophic financial shocks.

This resolution formally recognizes that human-caused climate change is rapidly warming the world's oceans. It details the severe economic, ecological, and public health risks associated with this warming, including harm to marine life, increased storm intensity, and the spread of harmful bacteria. The Senate acknowledges the significant damage ocean warming is causing to global marine ecosystems and coastal communities.

This resolution formally recognizes the direct link between climate change and the dramatic, ongoing increase in U.S. property insurance premiums. It highlights that soaring annual insured losses from natural disasters are driving up costs for homeowners nationwide. The resolution asserts that failing to address climate change will further exacerbate housing affordability issues.

This resolution formally acknowledges the accelerated rise in sea levels driven by human-caused climate change. It further declares that the United States must achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest.

The Student Loan Tax Elimination Act aims to reduce the cost of federal student loans by eliminating origination fees. This change will apply to new Federal Direct Loans and Direct Consolidation Loans disbursed or applied for after July 1 following the enactment of the law.

This resolution formally recognizes that exposure to particulate matter pollution is a significant public health threat, causing serious conditions like heart attacks, asthma, and strokes. The bill highlights that fossil fuel combustion is a major source of this pollution, disproportionately affecting millions, including many children. Ultimately, the Senate affirms the need for the EPA to maintain and enforce strong national standards to protect public health from these airborne particles.

The Schedules That Work Act aims to provide employees, particularly those in retail, food service, and warehouse sectors, with greater stability and predictability in their work hours. It grants employees the right to request schedule changes for caregiving, education, or other needs, and requires employers to discuss these requests in good faith. Furthermore, the Act mandates advance notice of schedules, predictability pay for last-minute changes, and a minimum rest period between shifts.

This Act, titled the "States' Right to Regulate AI Act," prohibits the use of federal funds to implement or enforce a specific Executive Order concerning a national policy framework for Artificial Intelligence. Essentially, it prevents the federal government from using its money to enforce that particular AI regulation order.

This resolution recognizes that renewable energy facilities are the cheapest to operate, while reliance on fossil fuel plants drives up wholesale electricity prices. It formally acknowledges that using the lowest-cost power sources first is standard practice in electricity markets. The bill highlights that increasing demand met by higher-cost fossil fuels directly leads to higher consumer prices.

This resolution affirms that the Federal Government should actively support school districts in investing in clean school buses. It highlights the significant health risks posed by diesel exhaust to children and the positive impact clean alternatives, like electric buses, would have on air quality and educational outcomes. The bill encourages continued federal support for this transition, building on past bipartisan efforts.

The Clean Competition Act establishes a "carbon intensity charge" on high-emission industrial goods, both domestically produced and imported, starting in 2026. This legislation aims to level the playing field by incentivizing decarbonization through calculated charges, offering rebates for U.S. exports, and authorizing international "carbon club" agreements. Revenue generated will fund significant domestic industrial competitiveness grants and international climate assistance programs.

This resolution formally recognizes that climate change is a reality supported by sound science, not a hoax. It details the historical scientific understanding and current overwhelming consensus that human activity, primarily burning fossil fuels, is causing global warming. The bill further finds that climate change is already causing severe impacts and calls for Congress to protect legally mandated climate research programs.