Legislative Activity

This joint resolution nullifies the Federal Communications Commission's rule addressing the homework gap through the E-Rate Program. By disapproving the rule, the resolution prevents the FCC from implementing measures intended to bridge the digital divide for students' home internet access.

This resolution supports National Nurses Week, observed from May 6-12, 2025, and recognizes the vital contributions of nurses to healthcare in various roles, including patient care, advocacy, and research. It emphasizes the need for strengthening nursing workforce development and encourages public recognition of nurses' importance to patients' lives.

This resolution supports the designation of May 4-10, 2025, as "National Small Business Week". It recognizes the significant role of over 34.5 million small businesses in the U.S. that contribute to the economy and provide over 59 million jobs. The resolution celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit, achievements, and resilience of small business owners and their employees.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the railroad track maintenance credit from $3,500 to $6,100, with inflation adjustments starting after 2025. It also extends qualified railroad track maintenance expenditures to January 1, 2024. These changes are effective for expenditures in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests (FISH) Act of 2025 aims to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and forced labor in the seafood industry by establishing a blacklist of offending vessels, imposing sanctions on individuals involved, enhancing enforcement measures, and promoting international cooperation. The Act also directs the creation of strategies to improve data collection and prevent illegally harvested seafood from entering the U.S. market, while encouraging investment in sustainable fisheries management and technical assistance to combat IUU fishing and forced labor globally. Finally, the Act requires studies and reports on the impact of technology, collaboration between fishing industries, and the overall effectiveness of strategies to counter IUU fishing.

**Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 Summary:** This bill aims to expand and improve the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program by updating state allocation formulas, reforming tenant eligibility requirements, and modifying credit eligibility rules. It also focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for Native Americans and in rural areas. Additionally, the bill updates terminology in the Internal Revenue Code to replace "low-income" with "affordable" when referring to housing tax credits, and promotes data sharing and discourages discriminatory land use policies to enhance transparency and effectiveness.

The TAKE IT DOWN Act aims to combat the nonconsensual sharing of intimate visual depictions, including deepfakes, by establishing criminal penalties for those who knowingly publish such content and requiring online platforms to create a process for individuals to request the removal of these depictions. Platforms must remove the content within 48 hours of a valid request and make reasonable efforts to remove any known identical copies. Failure to comply with these takedown obligations will be treated as a violation under the Federal Trade Commission Act. The Act also defines key terms related to consent, digital forgeries, and covered platforms.

The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2025 makes the adoption tax credit refundable, allowing more families to benefit from it regardless of their tax liability. It also streamlines the process for verifying legal adoptions through standardized affidavits. These changes apply to taxable years after December 31, 2024, with provisions to carry forward any excess credit from the previous year.

This resolution designates the week of April 19 through April 27, 2025, as "National Park Week" to recognize the importance of national parks for recreation, education, and economic contributions. It encourages people to visit and support these parks while acknowledging the role of the National Park Service in protecting these resources for future generations.

This resolution recognizes the 200th anniversary of Vicksburg, Mississippi, and its historical importance. It acknowledges Vicksburg's origins, its role in the Civil War, its contributions to commerce and culture, and its ongoing impact. The resolution designates 2025 as the Vicksburg Bicentennial and encourages acknowledgment of the year-long celebration.

The POWER Act of 2025 amends the Stafford Act to allow electric utilities to use disaster relief funds for cost-effective hazard mitigation activities alongside power restoration. Receiving power restoration assistance will not disqualify utilities from receiving hazard mitigation assistance, as long as they meet the requirements. This change applies to funds allocated after the Act's enactment.

The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to limit consumer reporting agencies from providing consumer reports to other entities for credit transactions involving residential mortgage loans. Exceptions are made for firm offers of credit or insurance, authorized access, or if the entity currently originates or services the consumer's mortgage, or is an insured depository institution or credit union holding a current account for the consumer. The act will take effect 180 days after enactment.

The FORECAST Act of 2025 aims to enhance weather research and forecasting capabilities by improving seasonal predictability, utilizing advanced technologies like AI, and supporting the development of a skilled workforce in weather and Earth system modeling. It directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA to conduct research, collect observational data, and advance forecast systems. The act also establishes the "Weather and Earth System Modeling and Data Assimilation Workforce Innovation Program" to support education, recruitment, and address workforce needs through scholarships, research funding, and strategic human capital planning. Finally, it authorizes specific appropriations for these activities in fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

This joint resolution nullifies the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule regarding overdraft lending practices specifically for very large financial institutions. By disapproving the rule, the resolution prevents the rule from taking effect.

The Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act of 2025 aims to foster sustainable growth in the "Blue Economy" by designating and supporting Ocean Innovation Clusters. These clusters, composed of diverse stakeholders, will promote collaboration, innovation, and economic development related to oceans and Great Lakes resources. The Act directs federal agencies to support these clusters through partnership managers, technical knowledge exchange, and measurement of their economic impact. Additionally, it establishes a grant program to fund the operation and administration of Ocean Innovation Clusters, with the goal of creating self-sustaining entities that drive regional economic benefits.

The SPARC Act aims to improve access to specialized medical care in rural areas by establishing a loan repayment program for specialty physicians and certain non-physician healthcare providers who commit to working in underserved rural communities. This program repays a portion of the individual's educational loans for each year of service, up to a maximum amount of $250,000, and requires reports to Congress on the program's impact. The goal is to incentivize healthcare professionals to practice in rural areas with shortages of specialized medical expertise.

The PRO Veterans Act of 2025 seeks to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operations through increased oversight and accountability. It mandates quarterly budget briefings to Congress, limits critical skill incentives for VA Senior Executive Service employees, and establishes a Veterans Experience Office to enhance customer service and gather data on veteran satisfaction. The act also requires annual reports and congressional reviews to ensure effective implementation and improvement of veteran services.

This resolution honors the life and distinguished career of former Louisiana Senator John Bennett Johnston, Jr., recognizing his contributions to energy policy, natural resource conservation, and Louisiana's cultural heritage. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to notify the House of Representatives and send a copy of the resolution to Senator Johnston's family. Upon adoption, the Senate will adjourn in his honor.

This resolution disapproves and nullifies the EPA's rule that allowed California to set its own vehicle and engine pollution control standards. The rule in question is the "Advanced Clean Cars II" and "Waiver of Preemption." By disapproving this rule, the resolution seeks to prevent California from implementing stricter emission standards than the federal government.

The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 expands access to telehealth services under Medicare by removing geographic restrictions, expanding eligible practitioners and originating sites, and making waivers for Federally Qualified Health Centers and Native American health facilities permanent. It also enhances program integrity by clarifying fraud and abuse laws, authorizing additional funding for oversight, and addressing unusual billing patterns. Additionally, the act supports beneficiaries and providers by requiring the development of resources and training, reviewing quality measures, and mandating the publication of data on telehealth services. These changes aim to make telehealth a more accessible, high-quality, and permanent option for patients, particularly those in underserved areas.