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Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

United States · Official source

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  • D · D · present

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Bill· SS. 51 (119th)referred

Washington, D.C. Admission Act

United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2025

Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for the establishment of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, and its admission into the United States. The state is composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia (DC), excluding a specified area that encompasses the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court building, federal monuments, and federal office buildings adjacent to the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol. The excluded territory shall be known as the Capital and serve as the seat of the government of the United States, as provided for in Article I of the Constitution. The state may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits. The bill provides for the DC Mayor to issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the state. The bill eliminates the office of Delegate to the House of Representatives. The bill applies current DC laws to the state. DC judicial proceedings and contractual obligations shall continue under the state’s authority. The bill also provides for specified federal obligations to transfer to the state upon its certification that it has funds and laws in place to assume the obligations. These include maintaining a retirement fund for judges and operating public defender services.  The bill establishes a commission that is generally comprised of members who are appointed by DC and federal government officials to advise on an orderly transition to statehood.

Bill· SS. 40 (119th)referred

Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act

United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2025

Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act This bill establishes the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. The commission must (1) compile documentary evidence of slavery in the United States; (2) study the role of the federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery; (3) analyze discriminatory laws and policies against formerly enslaved Africans and their descendants; and (4) recommend ways the United States may recognize and remedy the effects of slavery and discrimination on African Americans, including through a formal apology and compensation (i.e., reparations). The commission consists of individuals from civil society and reparations organizations and individuals appointed by the President and congressional leadership. The commission may hold hearings, subpoena witnesses and records, and contract with other entities to conduct its work. The commission must submit its final report within one year of its first meeting.

Bill· SS. 46 (119th)referred

Health Care Affordability Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2025

Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 This bill makes permanent temporary changes enacted by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) that generally expand eligibility for and increase the amount of the premium tax credit. Currently, eligible taxpayers may be able to claim the premium tax credit, which applies toward the cost of obtaining health insurance through health insurance exchanges. To be eligible for the premium tax credit, a taxpayer’s household income must meet or exceed 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and, after 2025, may not exceed 400% of the FPL (maximum income limit). For 2021-2025, the ARPA and IRA eliminated the maximum income limit, which generally expands eligibility for the premium tax credit. Further, under current law, the amount of the premium tax credit is (1) generally the plan premium (conditions apply), minus (2) the taxpayer’s household income multiplied by the applicable percentage. The applicable percentage is a specific percentage that varies depending on which of six income ranges (adjusted for inflation after 2025) the taxpayer’s household income falls within. For 2021-2025, the ARPA and IRA lowered the applicable percentages and eliminated the adjustment of the applicable percentages for inflation, which generally increases the amount of the premium tax credit. The bill makes permanent the elimination of the 400% maximum income limit, the lower applicable percentages, and the elimination of the inflation adjustment for the applicable percentages.

Bill· SS. 94 (119th)referred

Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act

United States · United States Congress · 15 January 2025

Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team in recognition of the team's achievement at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

Bill· SS. 106 (119th)referred

Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025

Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2025 This bill expands Medicare coverage of chiropractic services to include all services provided by chiropractors, rather than only subluxation corrections through manual manipulation of the spine.

Law· SS. 146 (119th)enacted

TAKE IT DOWN Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025

Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act or the TAKE IT DOWN Act This bill generally prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of intimate visual depictions of individuals, both authentic and computer-generated, and requires certain online platforms to promptly remove such depictions upon receiving notice of their existence.  Specifically, the bill prohibits the online publication of intimate visual depictions of an adult subject where publication is intended to cause or does cause harm to the subject, and where the depiction was published without the subject’s consent or, in the case of an authentic depiction, was created or obtained under circumstances where the adult had a reasonable expectation of privacy; or a minor subject where publication is intended to abuse or harass the minor or to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.  Violators are subject to mandatory restitution and criminal penalties, including prison, a fine, or both. Threats to publish intimate visual depictions of a subject are similarly prohibited under the bill and subject to criminal penalties.   Separately, covered platforms must establish a process through which subjects of intimate visual depictions may notify the platform of the existence of, and request removal of, an intimate visual depiction including the subject that was published without the subject’s consent. Covered platforms must remove such depictions within 48 hours of notification. Under the bill,  covered platforms are defined as public websites, online services, or applications that primarily provide a forum for user-generated content.

Bill· SS. 134 (119th)referred

Saving the Civil Service Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025

Saving the Civil Service Act This bill generally prohibits changes to the classification of positions in the competitive service and excepted service unless certain conditions are met. (Competitive service positions are subject to competitive examination while excepted service positions are appointed under one of five schedules. Competitive service positions have notice and appeal requirements for adverse actions that are not applicable to most excepted positions, including those of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character under Schedule C.) On October 21, 2020, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that placed executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new Schedule F in the excepted service. The order was subsequently revoked by President Joe Biden. The bill prohibits executive agency positions in the competitive service from being placed in the excepted service, unless such positions are placed in a schedule in the excepted service as in effect on September 30, 2020. The bill also prohibits positions in the excepted service from being placed in any schedule other than the aforementioned schedules. Additionally, agencies may not (1) transfer occupied positions from the competitive or excepted service into Schedule C without the consent of the Office of Personnel Management, or (2) transfer employees in the excepted service to another schedule or transfer employees in the competitive service to the excepted service without employee consent. 

Bill· SS. 130 (119th)referred

Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025

Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act of 2025 This bill revises antitrust laws applicable to mergers and anticompetitive conduct. Specifically, the bill applies a stricter standard for permissible mergers by prohibiting mergers that (1) create an appreciable risk of materially lessening competition, or (2) create a monopsony (i.e., where a single buyer or employer has sufficient market power to lower the price of goods or wages due to a lack of competition) Additionally, for some large mergers or mergers that concentrate markets beyond a certain threshold, the bill shifts the burden of proof to the merging parties to prove that the merger does not violate the law. The bill also prohibits exclusionary conduct that presents an appreciable risk of harming competition. No predispute arbitration agreements or predispute joint-action waivers are valid or enforceable with respect to an antitrust dispute. The bill also establishes monetary penalties for violations, requires annual reporting for certain mergers and acquisitions, establishes within the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the Office of the Competition Advocate, and sets forth whistleblower protections. The Government Accountability Office must report on (1) the success of merger remedies required by the Department of Justice or the FTC in recent consent decrees; and (2) the impact of mergers and acquisitions on wages, employment, innovation, and new business formation.

Bill· SS. 126 (119th)referred

FAIR Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025

Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act or the FAIR Act This bill modifies pay rates for federal employees in 2026. Specifically, the bill increases rates under the statutory pay systems and for prevailing rate employees by 3.3% and increases locality pay by 1%.

Bill· SS. 123 (119th)referred

Handgun Permit to Purchase Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025

Handgun Permit to Purchase Act This bill authorizes a grant program for states, local governments, and Indian tribes to implement and evaluate handgun purchaser licensing requirements.

Bill· SS. 121 (119th)referred

Recover Fraudulent COVID Funds Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025

Recover Fraudulent COVID Funds Act This bill extends the statute of limitations (i.e., time limit for bringing a legal action) to 10 years for criminal and civil violations involving specified COVID-19 pandemic relief programs, such as violations involving fraudulent activity. Under current law, the statute of limitations is generally five years for violations concerning these pandemic-era programs. The Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program currently have 10-year statutes of limitations relating to program fraud.

Bill· SS. 147 (119th)referred

Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2025

Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2025 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to provide grants to air pollution control agencies, including at least one tribal agency with jurisdiction over air quality, to implement cleaner air space programs (i.e., programs to provide clean air to the public during wildland fire smoke events). Generally, such programs must be located in areas at risk of exposure to wildland fire smoke and must help provide educational materials, clean air centers (i.e., one or more clean air rooms in a publicly accessible building), and air filtration units to certain households. Clean air rooms are rooms designed to keep levels of harmful air pollutants as low as possible during wildland fire smoke events. Under the bill, air pollution control agencies must partner with at least one community-based organization in implementing such programs.

Bill· SS. 107 (119th)open

Lumbee Fairness Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 January 2025

Lumbee Fairness Act This bill extends federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and makes its members eligible for the services and benefits provided to members of federally recognized tribes. Members of the tribe residing in Robeson, Cumberland, Hoke, and Scotland Counties in North Carolina are deemed to be within the delivery area for such services. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Health and Human Services must develop, in consultation with the tribe, a determination of needs to provide the services for which members of the tribe are eligible. Interior may take land into trust for the benefit of the tribe. Finally, North Carolina must exercise jurisdiction over all criminal offenses committed, and all civil actions that arise, on North Carolina lands owned by, or held in trust for, the Lumbee Tribe or any dependent Indian community of the tribe unless jurisdiction is transferred to the United States pursuant to an agreement between the tribe and the state.

Bill· SS. 183 (119th)referred

Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act

United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2025

Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out specified major medical facility projects during FY2025. The bill also indicates the maximum amount that may be spent on each project.

Bill· SS. 229 (119th)referred

DTC Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2025

Drug-price Transparency for Consumers Act of 2025 or the DTC Act of 2025 This bill requires consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products to include certain price information if the drug or biologic is (1) covered under Medicare or Medicaid, and (2) required to include a risk summary under current law. Specifically, such advertisements must clearly and conspicuously disclose the wholesale price for a 30-day supply of the drug or biologic and may explain that a consumer may pay a different amount for the drug or biologic depending on the consumer's health insurance coverage. The requirement does not apply to advertisements for drugs or biologics with a wholesale cost of less than $35 for a one-month supply. Each violation of this requirement is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $100,000.

Bill· SS. 237 (119th)open

Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2025

Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 This bill extends death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB) to certain public safety officers who suffer from exposure-related cancer while on duty and their survivors. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers who are killed or injured in the line of duty and their survivors. The bill specifies that exposure to a carcinogen shall be presumed to constitute a personal injury in the line of duty if the exposure occurred while the officer was in the line of duty; the officer began serving as an officer not fewer than 5 years before the date of the diagnosis of an exposure-related cancer and the diagnosis occurred not more than 15 years after the last date of active service; and the exposure-related cancer directly and proximately resulted in the death or permanent and total disability of the officer. The Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance must periodically review the definition of exposure-related cance r and update the definition if appropriate based on medical evidence and in accordance with the requirements of a petition process.

Bill· SS. 233 (119th)open

Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2025

Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act of 2025 This bill requires the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to annually evaluate the governance and procedures of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Specifically, the ONDCP, in consultation with the United States Anti-Doping Agency, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the Athletes' Advisory Council (Team USA AC), must determine whether WADA has a credible and independent governance model that provides for fair representation of the United States;  fully implements or has implemented governance reforms to ensure independent governance; and has fair processes and procedures for selecting independent athletes for decision-making roles on the WADA Executive Committee, the WADA Foundation Board, and relevant expert advisory groups, standing committees, permanent special committees, and working groups of WADA. If the ONDCP determines WADA has not met these criteria, the ONDCP must use all available tools and efforts to bring WADA into compliance with them. Further, upon such a determination, the ONDCP may withhold up to the full amount of the United States' membership dues to WADA.

Bill· SS. 231 (119th)referred

WEATHER Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2025

Withstanding Extreme Agricultural Threats by Harvesting Economic Resilience Act of 2025 or the WEATHER Act of 2025 This bill requires the federal crop insurance program (FCIP) to provide for the research and development of a single index insurance policy to insure against agricultural income losses due to covered weather conditions. Specifically, the FCIP must develop a single index policy that is available in every state, each U.S. territory, and the District of Columbia to insure against agricultural income losses due to one or more covered weather conditions. Covered weather conditions are those found to be closely correlated with agricultural income losses, including high winds, excessive moisture and flooding, extreme heat, abnormal freeze conditions, wildfire, hail, drought, and any other severe weather or growing conditions applicable to small-scale farmers. Under an index policy, claim payments are generally triggered based on a predetermined index that is entirely independent of the individual farm operation (e.g., rainfall level). Under such a policy, the payments are automatically triggered when the index reaches a certain level rather than when an insured farmer files a claim.  In carrying out the research and development, the FCIP must hold stakeholder meetings to solicit producer and agent feedback. In addition, the FCIP must make publicly available a report on the results of the research and development, and any recommendations to Congress with respect to those results. 

Bill· SS. 248 (119th)referred

Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2025

Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act This bill permanently allows services relating to cardiac rehabilitation programs, intensive cardiac rehabilitation programs, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs to be furnished via telehealth at a beneficiary's home under Medicare.

Resolution· SCONRESS.Con.Res. 6 (119th)referred

A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that tax-exempt fraternal benefit societies have historically provided and continue to provide critical benefits to the people and communities of the United States.

United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2025

This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that tax-exempt fraternal benefit societies serve as a private economic and social support system, providing benefits to their members is necessary to support the charitable and fraternal activities of the volunteer chapters, and their work should continue to be promoted.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 39 (119th)passed

A resolution supporting the observation of National Trafficking and Modern Slavery Prevention Month during the period beginning on January 1, 2025, and ending on February 1, 2025, to raise awareness of, and opposition to, human trafficking and modern slavery.

United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2025

This resolution expresses support for observing National Trafficking and Modern Slavery Prevention Month during the period of January 1-February 1, 2025.

Bill· SS. 315 (119th)open

AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2025

AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a rule requiring AM radio capabilities to be standard in all new passenger vehicles. (AM radio is often used to deliver emergency alerts and news and entertainment programming; some newer vehicles do not include AM equipment.) Specifically, this bill applies to passenger vehicles (1) manufactured in the United States for sale in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce; and (2) manufactured after the rule's effective date. The rule must require all such vehicles to have devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM stations or digital audio AM stations installed as standard equipment and made easily accessible to drivers. Prior to the rule's effective date, manufacturers that do not include devices that can access AM radio as standard equipment (1) must inform purchasers of this fact through clear and conspicuous labeling, and (2) may not charge an additional or separate fee for AM radio access. DOT may assess civil penalties for any violation of the rule. The Department of Justice may also bring a civil action to enjoin a violation. DOT’s authority to issue the rule expires 10 years after the bill’s enactment.  Further, the Government Accountability Office must study and report on the dissemination of emergency alerts to the public, including by conducting an assessment of AM broadcast stations relative to other Integrated Public Alert and Warning System communication technologies.  

Bill· SS. 343 (119th)referred

Keep Our PACT Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2025

Keep Our Promise to America's Children and Teachers Act or the Keep Our PACT Act This bill provides funding through FY2035 for grant programs operated by local educational agencies to provide supplementary educational and related services to low-achieving students and other students who attend elementary and secondary schools with relatively high concentrations of students from low-income families. Additionally, the bill permanently reauthorizes the grant program to assist states and outlying areas in providing special education and related services to children with disabilities. The amounts provided by the bill are designated as an emergency requirement for the purposes of Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) rules and other budget enforcement procedures. 

Bill· SS. 341 (119th)referred

Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2025

Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025 This bill authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make grants to air pollution control agencies to support the development and implementation of programs that support local communities in detecting, preparing for, communicating with the public about, or mitigating the environmental and public health aspects of wildfire smoke and extreme heat. The EPA must establish a formula to distribute the grants among air pollution control agencies. The bill requires the EPA to establish four Centers of Excellence for Wildfire Smoke and Extreme Heat at institutions of higher education to research (1) the effects of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat on public health, and (2) the means by which communities can better respond to impacts from such conditions. Additionally, the EPA must begin to carry out research to study the health effects of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat; develop and disseminate personal and community-based interventions to reduce exposure to, and health effects of, wildland fire smoke emissions and extreme heat; increase the quality of smoke and extreme heat monitoring and prediction tools and techniques; and develop implementation and communication strategies. The EPA must also establish a competitive grant program to assist certain entities (e.g., a state) in developing and implementing collaborative community plans for mitigating the impacts of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat.

Bill· SS. 339 (119th)referred

Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2025

Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act This bill allows, beginning in 2028, for Medicare coverage and payment for multi-cancer early detection screening tests that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that are used to screen for cancer across many cancer types, if the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services determines such coverage is appropriate. Coverage is limited to those under a certain age (age 68 in 2028, increased by one year every year thereafter) and to one test every 11 months.

Bill· SS. 338 (119th)referred

Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2025

Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2025 This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to Fred Korematsu in recognition of his contributions to civil rights, his loyalty and patriotism to the United States, and his dedication to justice and equality.

Bill· SS. 332 (119th)open

Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2025

Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons Act This bill directs the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to study and report on Holocaust education efforts in states, local educational agencies (LEAs), and public elementary and secondary schools. Among other elements, the study must (1) determine whether states and LEAs require Holocaust education as part of the curriculum taught in public elementary and secondary schools, (2) identify the standards and requirements relating to Holocaust education, and (3) identify the types of instructional material used to teach students about the Holocaust.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 51 (119th)referred

A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States Agency for International Development is essential for advancing the national security interests of the United States.

United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2025

This resolution affirms the centrality of the U.S. Agency for International Development for advancing the national security interests of the United States, including by promoting global stability and mitigating threats abroad before they reach the United States.