Legislative Activity

This resolution condemns the acceptance of substantial gifts, such as presidential aircraft, from foreign governments, citing serious national security and foreign influence concerns. It asserts that accepting such gifts violates the Constitution's Emoluments Clause and undermines public trust. The measure demands that the President must receive explicit Congressional approval before accepting any significant foreign gift.

The Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2025 significantly increases federal funding allocations for clean water, drinking water, and rural water infrastructure programs. It mandates comprehensive reporting on water affordability and discrimination issues while allowing states greater flexibility in using revolving funds, including purchasing private water systems. The Act also establishes new grant opportunities for lead line replacement and PFAS contamination cleanup, and institutes requirements for Project Labor Agreements on funded construction projects. Finally, it updates definitions to expand drinking water assistance eligibility for underserved border communities known as colonias.

This Senate resolution expresses a profound lack of confidence in Secretary Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. It details numerous accusations of unlawful actions, including massive staff firings, defunding critical public health programs, and undermining established vaccine and health research. Ultimately, the resolution asserts that the Secretary has lost the trust of the Senate and the American people due to his conduct in office.

The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act establishes a new federal tax credit designed to close the financing gap for building and rehabilitating homes in distressed, low-income communities. This credit incentivizes developers to construct or substantially rehabilitate qualified residences in "qualified census tracts" and sell them affordably to low-to-moderate-income homeowners. State agencies will oversee allocations, ensure affordability standards are met, and enforce repayment rules if the home is sold too quickly.

The Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act mandates that health plans cover medically necessary diagnosis and treatment for congenital anomalies or birth defects affecting the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth, or jaw. This coverage must apply to outpatient and inpatient care, including necessary dental and orthodontic support, unless the procedure is purely cosmetic. These new requirements take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends the successful restoration program through 2034 and significantly expands its scope and capacity. This bill increases the number of projects funded annually, allows projects to address forest pathogens, and encourages innovative funding and implementation methods. Furthermore, it strengthens support for local collaboratives and prioritizes projects focused on wildfire risk reduction and watershed health across all land types.

The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2025 bans the practice of paid conversion therapy aimed at changing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, deeming it ineffective and harmful. This Act treats the provision or advertisement of such therapy as an unfair or deceptive business practice under the FTC Act. Enforcement authority is granted to the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Attorney General, and State Attorneys General. The law includes a severability clause ensuring that the invalidation of one provision does not void the entire Act.

The End Crypto Corruption Act of 2025 prohibits high-ranking government officials and their immediate families from issuing, sponsoring, or endorsing specific digital assets while in office and for one year after leaving. This legislation establishes both civil penalties, including fines based on financial gain, and criminal penalties, including imprisonment, for knowing violations involving digital assets like cryptocurrencies and NFTs. The Act specifically targets conflicts of interest by treating these prohibited financial transactions as unofficial acts, removing official immunity protections.

This Act establishes a "single point of contact" within the Social Security Administration (SSA) to assist victims of Social Security number misuse or lost cards. This dedicated contact will manage the entire resolution process, ensuring continuity and coordination across SSA departments. The goal is to streamline service and reduce the burden on individuals affected by identity theft involving their SSN.

This resolution strongly condemns recent actions by President Donald J. Trump that targeted and undermined the freedom of the press. It reaffirms the United States' foundational commitment to a free and independent media as essential for a functioning democracy. Furthermore, the resolution calls for the executive branch to respect journalistic rights and urges continued efforts to secure the release of imprisoned U.S. Agency for Global Media journalists abroad.

The Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2025 aims to combat rising food insecurity by eliminating the work requirement for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This legislation recognizes the critical role SNAP plays in supporting vulnerable populations, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities. By removing bureaucratic barriers, the Act intends to ensure consistent access to vital food assistance. All provisions of the Act will take effect 180 days after becoming law.

The Tax-Free Pell Grant Act ensures that all Federal Pell Grants are completely excluded from a recipient's gross income for tax purposes, regardless of how the funds are used. This legislation updates the Internal Revenue Code to simplify tax reporting for Pell Grant recipients. Furthermore, it protects eligibility for other education tax credits like the American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning Credits. These changes will take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Tax Relief for New Businesses Act simplifies tax treatment for new businesses by combining start-up and organizational expenditures under a single set of rules. This legislation significantly increases the immediate deduction limit for these initial costs from $\$5,000$ to $\$50,000$, with the phase-out threshold raised to $\$150,000$. It also introduces special rules for how these new deductions affect Net Operating Loss (NOL) calculations for partnerships and S corporations. These changes are effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

This resolution recognizes the escalating global threats against journalists and reaffirms the vital role of a free and independent press in upholding democracy and informing the public. It highlights the dangers faced by reporters in conflict zones and under repressive regimes, emphasizing that press freedom is a priority for U.S. foreign policy. The measure calls for the U.S. government to continue championing journalist safety and accountability for those who attack the press worldwide.

The Small Business Liberation Act exempts qualifying small business concerns from certain import duties or requirements imposed by the President under a national emergency declaration. This provision ensures that small businesses are shielded from specific trade restrictions enacted during national emergencies.

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.

This resolution officially designates April 2025 as Community College Month to celebrate the vital role of over 1,000 community colleges nationwide. These institutions are recognized for providing accessible, affordable higher education and essential workforce training. The bill emphasizes their significant contribution to advancing local economies and overall U.S. prosperity.

The Reduction in Force Review Act enhances congressional oversight of federal agency workforce reductions. It mandates that agencies provide detailed justifications, including alternatives considered and impact assessments, when announcing a planned reduction in force (RIF). This ensures that significant workforce restructuring actions receive thorough review by Congress.

The America the Beautiful Act reauthorizes and modifies the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through fiscal year 2033, increasing its authorized funding to \$2.0 billion. This legislation broadens eligible lands for maintenance projects and prioritizes those receiving significant private donations. It also enhances transparency by requiring multi-year project lists and actively encouraging public contributions to address deferred maintenance across federal lands.

This resolution officially designates April 2025 as "Financial Literacy Month" to raise national awareness about the critical need for personal finance education. It highlights current financial struggles, such as high household debt and lack of banking access, while emphasizing that financial education leads to better economic outcomes. The resolution encourages federal, state, and local entities to observe the month with programs promoting essential skills like budgeting, saving, and debt management.