Legislative Activity

The Epstein Files Transparency Act mandates the Attorney General to release all unclassified Department of Justice records related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of enactment. This sweeping requirement covers investigations, travel logs, and communications, with limited exceptions primarily focused on protecting victim privacy and active cases. Any redactions must be publicly justified, and the Attorney General must report the details of the release and any withheld information to Congress.

The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act primarily repeals previous health subtitle changes and permanently extends enhanced premium tax credits for marketplace health insurance. This extension removes the income cap for receiving enhanced credits and updates the calculation method for determining an individual's required premium contribution. The bill aims to simplify the tax code related to health insurance affordability.

The Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2025 authorizes $50 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to be appropriated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This funding is specifically designated for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention. This appropriation is in addition to any existing funds allocated for this purpose.

The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the Voting Rights Act by establishing new standards to challenge discriminatory voting practices and updating federal oversight criteria for states. It mandates greater transparency for all changes to voting rules and implements "practice-based preclearance" for certain jurisdictions. Additionally, the bill creates new federal criminal penalties for using force or threats to intimidate voters or election workers.

The Unleashing AI Innovation in Financial Services Act establishes a framework for financial entities to test new Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects under regulatory supervision. This allows firms to apply for temporary waivers from specific rules by proposing an alternative compliance strategy that demonstrates public benefit and manages risk. Regulatory agencies must create "AI Innovation Labs" to review these applications, generally requiring approval within 120 days unless an immediate threat is identified. The goal is to foster responsible innovation in financial services while maintaining systemic stability and consumer protection.

The Protecting Air Ambulance Services for Americans Act of 2025 aims to reform how Medicare pays for emergency air ambulance services. It requires the Secretary of HHS to update the payment system using newly collected cost and usage data from providers. Furthermore, the bill mandates the timely finalization of data collection rules and directs the GAO to study the true costs of these essential emergency transports.

The Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting in 2026. This legislation covers pharmacist services that align with state law and are provided in collaboration with a physician or approved practitioner. The bill specifies payment rates for these covered services, particularly enhancing reimbursement for services related to public health emergencies like COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Furthermore, it prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

The Stop the Scammers Act establishes a new whistleblower incentive and protection program within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), allowing individuals to receive awards of 10% to 30% of collected penalties for providing original information leading to successful enforcement actions. Furthermore, the Act invalidates predispute arbitration agreements that attempt to waive these new whistleblower rights. Finally, this bill increases the annual funding cap for the CFPB, allowing it to receive up to 12 percent of the Federal Reserve's prior year earnings.

The Recovery of Stolen Checks Act allows taxpayers whose original IRS refund check was lost or stolen to elect to receive their replacement refund via direct deposit. This change provides an alternative to receiving a second paper check for the lost funds. The Treasury Department must establish the necessary procedures for this election.

The RESIDE Act establishes the Blighted Building to Housing Conversion Program, administered by HUD, to turn vacant commercial structures into attainable housing. This pilot program awards competitive grants, funded by excess HOME Program money, to local entities for the acquisition, renovation, and conversion of these properties. Priority is given to projects in economically distressed areas or those that streamline local conversion regulations. The program will run from fiscal years 2027 through 2031, followed by a final report to Congress.

The Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025 updates federal law by removing the requirement that manufactured homes must sit on a permanent chassis to qualify under federal safety standards. This Act mandates that all states must certify to HUD within one year that they treat these homes equally across financing, taxation, and sales regulations. States failing to certify risk having the sale of non-chassis manufactured homes prohibited within their borders. The law also requires annual compliance updates and federal coordination to ensure consistent treatment of these housing types.

The Streamlining Rural Housing Act of 2025 directs the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Agriculture (USDA) to create a joint agreement to coordinate environmental reviews for housing projects they jointly fund. This aims to eliminate redundant processes by establishing a lead agency and allowing for the mutual acceptance of environmental documentation. The bill also mandates the creation of an advisory group composed of various housing stakeholders to ensure efficient implementation without compromising resident safety or environmental standards.

The Appraisal Modernization Act establishes a public database containing detailed historical and ongoing real estate appraisal data from federal mortgage entities to promote transparency and combat bias. It also grants consumers the right to request a reconsideration of value or a second appraisal if they believe their home's valuation was unsupported, flawed, or discriminatory. Lenders must follow specific procedures for handling these consumer challenges and ordering new appraisals when necessary.

The Access to Birth Control Act aims to ensure that individuals can easily obtain FDA-approved contraception and related medications without systemic barriers. This legislation mandates that pharmacies must promptly dispense birth control or immediately facilitate a transfer or order if the item is out of stock. Furthermore, the bill prohibits intimidation, interference, or misleading information when customers seek these essential healthcare services.

This Act authorizes the creation and sale of commemorative coins to celebrate the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City. The Secretary of the Treasury is empowered to mint various denominations of gold, silver, and clad coins for each event, with designs reflecting American participation. A mandatory surcharge on each coin sold will directly fund the respective organizing committees for the Games and their legacy programs, provided the government recovers all minting costs first.

The Special Diabetes Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends critical funding for both Type 1 Diabetes research programs and diabetes programs serving Native Americans. This legislation secures specific annual appropriations of \$160 million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, along with a transition allocation in late 2027. The bill ensures continued financial support for these vital public health initiatives through the end of 2027.

This resolution officially recognizes June 2025 as LGBTQ Pride Month to honor the history, struggles, and significant contributions of the LGBTQ community in the United States. It acknowledges past and ongoing discrimination while celebrating key legal milestones toward equality. The Senate encourages the nation to use this month to learn about inequality and celebrate the community's achievements both domestically and globally.

The Refund Equality Act of 2025 extends the deadline for certain legally married couples to amend past tax returns filed separately before September 16, 2013, based on Revenue Ruling 2013-17. This allows these couples to now file jointly for those years, extending the statute of limitations for filing the joint return and claiming related refunds or credits. These extensions are strictly limited to changes resulting from recognizing their marital status for federal tax purposes.

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 Intelligence Community Technology Bridge Act of 2025 establishes a dedicated fund to accelerate the transition of promising technologies from research into operational use within the Intelligence Community (IC). This fund allows the IC to provide financial assistance, including grants or equity investments, to businesses and nonprofits developing mission-critical solutions. Priority for this funding will be given to small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors to broaden the supplier base.