Legislative Activity

This resolution formally honors the deep and enduring friendship between the United States and the Kingdom of Denmark, particularly in recognition of Danish Constitution Day. It highlights Denmark's role as a vital military ally, a strong NATO partner, and a significant economic investor in the U.S. The Senate expresses gratitude for past cooperation and looks forward to continuing this strong relationship for decades to come.

The CANADA Act, or Creating Access to Necessary American-Canadian Duty Adjustments Act, provides relief to small businesses by exempting them from specific import duties imposed due to the national emergency declared on February 1, 2025. This exemption applies to goods imported directly by or for the use of a qualifying small business concern.

The 340B PATIENTS Act of 2025 clarifies that drug manufacturers must provide 340B discounts to covered entities regardless of how or where the drugs are dispensed, including through contract pharmacies. This legislation confirms the right of covered entities to use outside pharmacies to dispense discounted drugs without facing manufacturer restrictions. Furthermore, the Act establishes significant civil monetary penalties for manufacturers who violate these rules by imposing limiting conditions on the provision of 340B pricing.

The Health Records Enhancement Act allows designated individuals or immediate family members to supplement the health records of deceased veterans with observed health information after their passing. This process ensures that important post-mortem details can be added to the existing records maintained by the DoD and VA. Any added information will serve only as a supplement and will not alter the original medical documentation.

The Waste and Illegal Property Eradication (WIPE) Act authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD) to use portable, specialized solid waste disposal systems for the on-site destruction of seized contraband, counterfeit goods, and unauthorized materials. This legislation explicitly prohibits the use of open-air burn pits for disposing of illicit or classified items. The Act provides $8.95 million in funding for fiscal year 2026, offsetting this cost by reducing funds previously allocated for open-air burn pit operations.

The Rural Recovery Act of 2025 establishes a new program within the Department of Agriculture to provide essential technical assistance for disaster recovery in eligible rural communities. This assistance will help affected areas navigate federal and state aid applications, appeal denials, and manage recovery funds for critical infrastructure. The program is authorized to spend up to $50 million annually and offers support to communities for up to three years following a Presidential disaster declaration.

The Eliminating Thickets to Increase Competition Act (ETHIC Act) aims to curb anticompetitive practices in the pharmaceutical industry by limiting the number of patent lawsuits brand-name drug companies can file against generic or biosimilar challengers. Specifically, it restricts litigants to asserting only one patent per defined "Patent Group" in a single lawsuit against a specific challenger. This measure is designed to prevent the strategic filing of numerous, overlapping patent suits intended to delay market entry for competing drugs.

The Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act aims to significantly streamline and strengthen federal disaster preparedness and recovery efforts. It focuses on establishing dedicated, protected funding for state and tribal hazard mitigation offices while accelerating access to initial grant money for preventative projects. Furthermore, the bill updates public assistance rules to increase administrative overhead flexibility and speed up the flow of recovery funds through advance payments and simplified procedures for smaller projects. Overall, the legislation seeks to reduce bureaucratic hurdles, ensure dedicated funds are used as intended, and improve administrative efficiency for local governments recovering from disasters.

The Expanded Coverage for Former Foster Youth Act aims to ensure continuous Medicaid coverage for young adults who aged out of state foster care until they reach age 26. This legislation amends eligibility rules to secure medical assistance for these former foster youth, provided they meet specific criteria regarding their time in state care. Furthermore, the bill mandates that states establish proactive outreach and enrollment programs, coordinated with child welfare agencies, to help eligible individuals sign up for these benefits starting in 2026.

The Bicycle Commuter Act of 2025 reinstates and expands tax-free fringe benefits for employers who support employees using bicycles or scooters for commuting. This legislation broadens the definition of qualified commuting property to include e-bikes and scooters, allowing for employer reimbursements or direct provision of these benefits. However, the monthly exclusion amount for these bicycle benefits is capped at 30 percent of the standard transit benefit limit.

This resolution calls for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to address the severe crisis facing civilians in Gaza, highlighting widespread hunger and the collapse of essential services due to blocked aid. It urges the Administration to immediately use all diplomatic tools to secure the release of hostages, lift the blockade on aid, and work toward a lasting end to the fighting.

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.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to study approximately 22 miles of the Nulhegan River and 18 miles of Paul Stream in Vermont for potential inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The study must be completed within three years of funding being made available. Upon completion, a report detailing the findings must be submitted to Congress.

The Advancing GETs Act of 2025 aims to modernize the electric grid by incentivizing the adoption of Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) through a shared savings program managed by FERC. The bill also mandates comprehensive annual reporting on transmission congestion costs to improve transparency and decision-making. Furthermore, it directs the Department of Energy to create a public guide and technical assistance hub to support the deployment of these new technologies.

The LOCAL Foods Act of 2025 expands exemptions under the Federal Meat Inspection Act for small-scale, personal meat processing. This allows individuals who partially own livestock to process the resulting meat for their household, guests, or employees without federal inspection. The bill requires owners to maintain strict control and identification of the meat, even when using agents for slaughtering or transport, to prevent it from entering commercial channels.

The SHARE Act of 2025 establishes new rules for how states can share and use criminal history records when processing professional licenses across state lines through interstate compacts. It mandates that the FBI must provide relevant criminal history information to state licensing authorities for these multi-state checks. Crucially, the receiving state authority is strictly limited to using this data solely for the licensing decision and cannot share the detailed records with any other entity, though they may confirm the check's completion.

The Deliver for Democracy Act ties the Postal Service's ability to raise periodical rates to meeting specific on-time delivery performance targets for magazines and newspapers. It mandates annual public reporting by the Postmaster General on newspaper delivery performance, requiring input from relevant industry groups. Finally, the bill directs the GAO to study and report on alternative pricing strategies for periodicals that currently cost the USPS more to handle than they generate in postage.

The Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act aims to ensure pharmacies receive accurate payments under Medicaid by requiring government surveys to establish transparent national drug acquisition cost benchmarks. It also prohibits abusive "spread pricing" by requiring Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to pass through ingredient costs plus dispensing fees directly to pharmacies. This legislation mandates greater transparency in PBM contracts and establishes penalties for non-compliant pharmacies refusing to participate in cost surveys.

The Farm Ownership Improvement Act establishes a temporary, five-year pilot program for direct farm ownership loans to help farmers and ranchers secure financing. This program allows the Secretary of Agriculture to use flexible financial assessment methods when evaluating a borrower's ability to repay. The Secretary must track the program's success and report annually to Congress with a recommendation on making the program permanent.

This Act aims to immediately restore U.S. funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support refugees across the region. It repeals previous legislative bans on UNRWA funding and directs the Secretary of State to resume payments promptly. The bill mandates regular reporting to Congress detailing UNRWA's progress in implementing accountability reforms recommended by the Independent Review Group.