Legislative Activity

The "FAIR Act of 2025" aims to reform civil asset forfeiture laws by increasing protections for property owners, requiring the government to meet a higher burden of proof, and ensuring that forfeited assets are deposited into the Treasury's General Fund instead of being retained by law enforcement agencies. The bill also addresses structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements, adding stipulations to what constitutes a violation and requiring probable cause hearings for seized property. These changes apply retroactively to ongoing and future civil forfeiture cases.

This resolution expresses the Senate's view that the U.S. should remain committed to the Paris Agreement, support policies at all levels of government to reduce global warming pollution, and encourage actions by businesses, investors, and individuals to combat climate change. It recognizes the economic benefits of clean energy investments and the need for collective efforts to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The "Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act of 2025" aims to prevent anti-competitive practices and promote transparency in pricing by regulating the use of pricing algorithms. It requires companies to report details about their pricing algorithms, prohibits algorithms from using nonpublic competitor data, and establishes legal assumptions for algorithmic price fixing. The Act also mandates disclosure of algorithm use to customers and employees and directs the FTC to study the impact of pricing algorithms on competition and consumers.

This resolution designates January 23, 2025, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" to raise awareness about maternal mortality, illness, and disparities in the United States. It supports initiatives to eliminate disparities in maternal health and ensure equitable maternity care for all women. The resolution also honors those who have died from pregnancy-related causes and promotes investments in improving maternal health outcomes.

The "Codifying Useful Regulatory Definitions Act" (CURD Act) defines "natural cheese" to differentiate it from processed cheese, setting specific criteria for its production and composition. It restricts the use of "natural cheese" on labels to products meeting these standards, while allowing "natural" or "all-natural" claims as per existing regulations. The Act amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to include this new definition in labeling regulations.

The "Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025" aims to establish that a first-use nuclear strike by the U.S. is a major act of war that requires a declaration of war by Congress. It prohibits the use of federal funds for any first-use nuclear strike unless explicitly authorized by a congressional declaration of war. A "first-use nuclear strike" is defined as a nuclear attack initiated without confirmation of a prior nuclear strike against the U.S., its territories, or its allies. This bill seeks to reinforce Congress's constitutional authority to declare war and provide checks and balances on the President's power to authorize nuclear weapon use.

The Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2025 authorizes the EPA to provide grants, up to $3,000,000 each, to air pollution control agencies for establishing cleaner air space programs in wildfire smoke-prone areas. These programs must partner with community organizations to establish clean air centers, distribute air filtration units to low-income households, and provide educational resources. The EPA will report to Congress on program implementation and effectiveness and authorizes $30,000,000 to be appropriated to carry out this section for fiscal years 2026 through 2028.

The "Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act of 2025" limits the President's power under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. It prevents the President from using this Act to impose or raise tariffs or tariff-rate quotas on imported goods. The President retains the authority to block specific goods or all goods from a particular country.

The "Wildland Firefighters Congressional Gold Medal Act" authorizes the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to present a Congressional Gold Medal to wildland firefighters collectively, recognizing their service, sacrifice, and bravery. The Secretary of the Treasury will produce the medal, consulting with the National Interagency Fire Center on the design, and bronze duplicates will be made available for sale to the public. After the presentation, the medal will be given to the National Interagency Fire Center for display and research.

The FAIR Act mandates a 3.3% increase in basic pay rates for federal employees under statutory pay systems and prevailing rate employees in 2026. Additionally, it increases locality pay adjustments for federal employees by 1% in 2026.

The Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act of 2025 aims to strengthen antitrust enforcement by updating the Clayton Act to address harmful mergers and exclusionary conduct, enabling civil monetary penalties for Sherman Act violations, and increasing resources for antitrust enforcement agencies. The bill seeks to promote competition by revising standards for unlawful acquisitions, protecting whistleblowers who report anti-competitive behavior, and ensuring fair compensation for those harmed by antitrust violations. It also establishes new offices within the Federal Trade Commission to enhance market analysis and advocate for competition. Finally, the act increases funding for antitrust enforcement and ensures that collected fees are used to further these efforts.

The "Saving the Civil Service Act" limits the ability of federal agencies to move positions out of the competitive service, ensuring that civil service positions are filled based on merit and qualifications. It restricts the transfer of positions between different types of service, requires employee consent for certain transfers, and mandates reporting to Congress on any changes made. The goal is to prevent political influence over career civil servants and maintain a nonpartisan, professional civil service.

The "Extend the TikTok Deadline Act" extends the deadline for the President to take action regarding TikTok from 270 days to 540 days, as initially set by the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. This extension allows more time for potential negotiations, investigations, or other actions related to the app's ownership and data security concerns.

The "Washington, D.C. Admission Act" outlines the process for admitting Washington, D.C., into the Union as the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, while establishing a Capital to serve as the seat of the U.S. Government. It addresses the transition of laws, governance, and federal responsibilities, ensuring continuity of services and representation for the residents of the new state. The Act also defines the boundaries of the new State and the Capital, and includes provisions for elections, federal property, and the establishment of a Statehood Transition Commission.

The Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 expands eligibility for health insurance tax credits by removing the income cap, allowing more individuals to qualify for financial assistance. It also adjusts the premium tax credit calculation to provide more support based on income level. These changes aim to make health coverage more affordable for a broader range of Americans, starting in 2026.

The Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 would make daylight saving time permanent across the United States, effectively eliminating the need to change clocks twice a year. It repeals the section of the Uniform Time Act that allows for standard time and adjusts time zone offsets from Greenwich Mean Time. States that previously opted out of daylight saving time would have the option to choose between the new, permanent daylight saving time or the previous standard time.