Legislative Activity

This bill authorizes Congress to award a single Congressional Gold Medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment collectively. This recognition honors the regiment's crucial and heroic service during the Revolutionary War, notably as one of the first integrated military units in American history. The original medal will be displayed at the Rhode Island State Library, and bronze duplicates may be sold to cover production costs.

The Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act increases the penalty for providing a phone or voice communication device to a federal inmate from one year to two years in prison. The bill also mandates that the Director of the Bureau of Prisons review and update policies related to prohibited objects within federal prisons. This legislation aims to enhance security by specifically targeting the supply of contraband communication devices.

The Fighting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act of 2025 addresses the high rates of PTSD and acute stress disorder among public safety officers and telecommunicators. This bill directs the Attorney General to study and report on options for providing state-of-the-art, confidential mental health treatment and preventative care to these essential personnel. The resulting report will outline proposed programs, necessary legislative language, and funding estimates for implementation across all levels of government.

The Carla Walker Act establishes two competitive grant programs, totaling \$10 million annually from FY 2027-2031, to improve forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) DNA analysis and database searching capabilities. These grants support accredited laboratories and law enforcement agencies in using advanced DNA sequencing for investigations and identifying human remains. The bill imposes strict operational rules, including CODIS pre-search requirements and informed consent provisions, while mandating detailed reporting on FGG usage. Finally, it requires the Department of Justice to report to Congress on FGG practices and future funding needs.

The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act aims to enhance cooperation between the U.S. Marshals Service and federally recognized Indian Tribes. This legislation explicitly broadens the Marshals Service's duties to include Tribal fugitive matters and ensures Tribes are integrated into federal threat protection coordination efforts. Ultimately, the bill recognizes and supports Tribal law enforcement within federal frameworks.

The Promoting Police Leadership Act directs the Attorney General to develop and certify standardized leadership training curricula for command-level law enforcement personnel. This training will focus on critical areas like strategic thinking, risk management, and building community trust through evidence-based methods. The bill also requires tracking trained officers and mandates reports to Congress on implementation and effectiveness, while explicitly preserving state and local authority over their own training standards.

This bill authorizes Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the volunteers and communities that supported the North Platte Canteen during World War II. The Canteen was a massive, entirely volunteer-run operation that fed approximately six million service members traveling across the country. The original gold medal will be permanently displayed at the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte, Nebraska. The bill also allows the U.S. Mint to produce and sell bronze duplicates of the medal.

This resolution expresses support for designating June 5, 2026, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and the entire month of June 2026 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month." The bill aims to raise awareness about the impact of gun violence in the United States. It encourages the public to wear orange on the designated day to honor victims and promote community safety discussions.

This resolution honors the life and extensive public service of the late Honorable Donald W. Riegle, Jr., former Senator for Michigan. It recognizes his decades in Congress, highlighting key legislative achievements such as co-sponsoring the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and leading significant banking reforms. The Senate expresses its profound sorrow and adjourns in his memory.

The SAFEGUARD Veterans Act of 2026 aims to protect veterans from fraudulent and unauthorized fee charging by reinstating strict penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for those who illegally assist with VA benefit claims. The bill mandates the VA to improve transparency by creating an online tool listing accredited representatives and enhancing public warnings about predatory practices on all claim-filing websites. Furthermore, it requires new data collection on paid assistance providers and establishes a robust, accessible accreditation system for legitimate agents and attorneys.

This bill, the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2026, amends Medicare rules to count time spent receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital toward the required 3-day inpatient hospital stay. This change allows beneficiaries to qualify sooner for Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. The provision applies to observation services furnished on or after January 1, 2026.

This bill, TREY's Law, declares that nondisclosure or confidentiality agreements are void and unenforceable if they prevent the disclosure of sexual abuse against a minor. The legislation aims to protect survivors' rights to report crimes and cooperate with authorities by overriding any state or private contract that suppresses information about child sexual abuse. This law applies retroactively to all existing and future agreements.

This bill reauthorizes and extends the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program through fiscal year 2030. The program allows eligible small, rural hospitals to receive Medicare payments based on reasonable costs for inpatient services to promote financial stability. It maintains participation limits and requires a report evaluating the program's impact on rural access to care and costs.

The Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act bans the imposition and carrying out of the death penalty for any federal crime after the date of enactment. This legislation mandates that all individuals currently under a federal death sentence must be resentenced.

This Act significantly increases the excise tax on stock buybacks for large oil and gas companies from 1% to 25%. This higher tax applies specifically to corporations meeting a $1 billion average annual gross receipts threshold and primarily engaged in the oil or gas business. The 25% rate remains in effect until the national average weekly retail price of regular gasoline drops below a specified trigger point for five consecutive weeks.

The NO FAKES Act of 2026 establishes a federal property right for individuals to control the use of their voice or visual likeness in highly realistic, computer-generated "digital replicas." This right applies to both living and deceased persons, granting control over unauthorized creation and distribution of these likenesses in commerce. The bill outlines specific licensing requirements, liability for unauthorized use, and safe harbor provisions for online services that comply with notice-and-takedown procedures.

This resolution honors the life and legacy of the late former United States Senator John Seymour of California. It recognizes his extensive public service, highlighting his career in business, local government, and his tenure in the U.S. Senate. The Senate expresses its deep sorrow and directs that official copies of this resolution be delivered to his family.

The Restoring Overtime Pay Act of 2026 significantly updates federal overtime exemptions for executive, administrative, and professional employees. It establishes a phased-in increase to the minimum salary threshold required for these "white-collar" roles to be exempt from overtime pay, eventually tying the threshold to national earnings data. Furthermore, the bill tightens the duties test by lowering the allowed percentage of time spent on non-exempt work from 40% to 20%.

This bill expands benefits and improves processes for the Public Safety Officers' Benefit Program. It establishes a new benefit for officers who suffer permanent partial disability in the line of duty and mandates stricter timelines and interim payments for delayed claims processing. Furthermore, the legislation requires increased outreach, annual audits, and expedites death benefit approval for 9/11 first responders certified by related federal funds.

This resolution officially designates the week of May 10 through May 16, 2026, as "National Police Week." It serves to recognize and honor the service, sacrifice, and valor of law enforcement officers across the United States. The measure encourages the public to observe this week by honoring law enforcement personnel and promoting awareness of their essential mission.