Legislative Activity

This joint resolution terminates the national emergency declared by the President on April 2, 2025, which was used to impose global tariffs. The termination of this emergency will take effect immediately upon the resolution becoming law.

The Protecting Free Vaccines Act of 2025 mandates that certain vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) must be covered by private health plans, Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and CHIP without cost-sharing. This requirement is generally based on ACIP recommendations in effect as of October 25, 2024, and is set to expire at the end of 2029 or 2030, depending on the program. The bill also includes specific provisions to ensure continuity of coverage for individuals already following a recommended vaccine schedule.

The Wildfire Smoke Relief Act establishes a new FEMA program to provide assistance during severe wildfire smoke events. This program targets at-risk individuals, including low-income residents, children, pregnant individuals, seniors, and those with chronic illnesses, when air quality is unhealthy for three consecutive days. Assistance includes distributing essential smoke protection gear like air filters and respirators, or providing transitional shelter if the protective equipment is insufficient to mitigate health risks.

The Billionaires Income Tax Act fundamentally changes how the wealthiest Americans are taxed by requiring them to pay taxes annually on the unrealized gains of their investment assets, eliminating indefinite tax deferral. It also removes several existing tax deferral mechanisms and imposes stricter tax consequences on these "applicable taxpayers" regarding investment income, expatriation, and deferred compensation. In essence, the bill aims to ensure that the ultra-wealthy pay taxes yearly on their growing wealth rather than waiting until assets are sold.

The Protecting Americans from Doxing and Political Violence Act establishes new privacy protections for Members of Congress, former Members, and their families by restricting the public disclosure of sensitive personal information by government agencies and data brokers. The bill mandates the removal of "covered information," such as home addresses and personal phone numbers, from public records within 72 hours upon request. It also makes it illegal for data brokers to sell this protected information and requires other online entities to cease posting it after receiving notice.

This Act shields sensitive personal information, such as home addresses and phone numbers, of Members of Congress, their families, and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence from public disclosure. It mandates that government agencies and data brokers remove this "covered information" from public records and online platforms within 72 hours of a request. The law aims to prevent doxing and protect these individuals from potential political violence.

This resolution officially designates September 2025 as National Voting Rights Month to highlight ongoing threats to ballot access and encourage civic engagement. It urges Congress to pass legislation strengthening voting protections, like the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Furthermore, the resolution encourages educational outreach to inform citizens about registration and the history of voting rights in America.

The Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2025 transforms the existing pilot project into a permanent federal program for procuring domestically grown, unprocessed fruits and vegetables for schools. This expansion increases the number of participating states and mandates that applicants prioritize supporting small, local, and socially disadvantaged farmers. The Act appropriates $25 million annually through 2030 to fund the program, administrative support, and technical assistance to boost participation among diverse producers.

The Permanent OPTN Fee Authority Act updates the operational rules for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), including modernizing service requirements and mandating a new public data dashboard. Crucially, this bill authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to charge registration fees to OPTN members for patients added to the transplant waiting list. These collected fees must support OPTN operations, and the law requires quarterly transparency regarding fee collection and expenditures. Finally, the GAO must review the implementation and use of these new fees within two years.

The Produce Epstein Treasury Records Act mandates the Secretary of the Treasury to swiftly produce specific financial records related to Jeffrey Epstein and his associates to key Senate committees. This includes handing over all Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) mentioning Epstein, his partners, or related entities within 30 days of enactment. Furthermore, the Treasury must report on the financial institutions involved and any related investigations into potential violations by those institutions within 60 days.

The Cell-Site Simulator Warrant Act of 2025 generally prohibits law enforcement and intelligence agencies from using cell-site simulators ("Stingrays") domestically without a warrant that proves necessity and limits scope. Evidence obtained illegally is inadmissible in court, and agencies must disclose potential service disruptions when seeking authorization. The Act establishes strict oversight, including required annual reporting to Congress on the use of these surveillance tools.

The Telecom Cybersecurity Transparency Act mandates the public release of the unclassified "US Telecommunications Insecurity 2022" report. This action requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to make the full report available within 30 days of the Act's enactment. The goal is to increase transparency regarding telecommunications security risks.

This resolution supports the designation of the third annual "National Community Health Worker Awareness Week" to recognize the vital role of Community Health Workers (CHWs). It highlights how CHWs serve as trusted cultural bridges, connecting diverse communities to essential health and social services. The bill encourages federal, state, and local efforts to raise awareness and ensure sustainable support for this crucial public health workforce.

The Unemployment Insurance Modernization and Recession Readiness Act comprehensively overhauls the nation's unemployment system by strengthening federal support during downturns, establishing robust national minimum standards for regular benefits, and creating a new federal Jobseeker Allowance program. Title I modernizes extended benefits by shifting costs to the federal government and updating activation triggers, while Title II mandates a 26-week minimum duration and eliminates the waiting week for regular state benefits. Finally, Title III establishes a new, federally funded Jobseeker Allowance starting in 2027 to provide ongoing support to those actively seeking work.

The Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act of 2025 is a legislative update designed to modernize the Internal Revenue Code by ensuring gender-neutral language is used when referencing married taxpayers and their spouses. This bill systematically replaces outdated gendered terms like "husband and wife" or "his" with inclusive terms such as "married couple" and "spouse." The changes are purely linguistic, ensuring consistency across tax rules without altering any existing tax liabilities or deductions.

The Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2025 requires large entities using Automated Decision Systems (ADS) for "critical decisions"—like those affecting employment, housing, or finance—to conduct rigorous impact assessments. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with creating detailed regulations and establishing a public repository for summary reports on these systems. This legislation aims to ensure transparency, test for bias, and mandate remediation for significant negative impacts caused by automated decision-making processes.

The Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Act addresses the growing problem of technological abuse against survivors. This bill establishes a pilot program to fund consortia that combat tech abuse, including providing devices and services to victims. Additionally, it creates a separate grant program to fund education and training materials for organizations assisting survivors of technological abuse. The legislation aims to enhance support networks and develop best practices for addressing technology-facilitated violence.

The Basis Shifting is a Rip-off Act tightens tax rules concerning property distributions and transfers within partnerships involving related parties. It forces immediate gain recognition on certain distributions that would otherwise allow partners to shift tax basis to avoid current taxation. These new rules apply to "applicable partnerships" and include increased penalties for non-compliance.

The PARTNERSHIPS Act significantly overhauls partnership taxation by mandating specific allocation methods for certain complex ownership structures and requiring the use of the remedial method for built-in gains on contributed property. It also eliminates time limits on recognizing precontribution gains and repeals rules governing liquidating distributions to retiring partners. Furthermore, the bill tightens rules around property revaluations, basis adjustments, and clarifies the application of the Net Investment Income Tax to high-income individuals' business earnings.

The Keeping Obstetrics Local Act is a comprehensive bill designed to stabilize rural and safety-net hospitals providing maternity care through enhanced financial support, including minimum Medicaid payment rates and anchor payments. It also expands continuous Medicaid and CHIP coverage for new mothers for a full year postpartum and invests in the maternal health workforce by supporting emergency staffing and simplifying cross-state provider enrollment. Finally, the act mandates greater transparency by requiring hospitals to give advance public notice of obstetric unit closures and report more detailed operational data to Medicare.