Raphael Warnock

This resolution recognizes the significance of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month as an important time to celebrate the significant contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to the history of the United States.

This resolution honors and commends the Blinded Veterans Association for its 80 years of dedicated service, advocacy, and support for blind and low-vision veterans. The resolution also urges the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to (1) guarantee safe access for guide dogs and guide dog users at VA facilities, and (2) ensure that each VA medical center has a trained and capable Service Dog Champion (i.e., a designated staff member who addresses service animal access and issues) on site. Further, the resolution reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to supporting and improving services and opportunities available to all veterans.

Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2025 or the SECURE Notarization Act of 2025

This bill allows a notary public commissioned under state law to remotely notarize electronic records and perform notarizations for remotely located individuals. The bill provides technical requirements for the notarizations, including the creation and retention of video and audio recordings and the use of communication technologies (i.e., video chat).

Additionally, the bill requires U.S. courts and states to recognize notarizations—including remote notarizations of electronic records and notarizations of remotely-located individuals—that occur in or affect interstate commerce and are performed by a notary public commissioned under the laws of other states.

The bill also allows a notary public to remotely notarize electronic records involving an individual located outside of the United States, subject to certain requirements.

Precision Agriculture Loan Act of 2025

This bill incorporates support for precision agriculture practices and technologies into the Conservation Loan Program and reauthorizes the program through FY2029.

Under current law, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) may make or guarantee qualified conservation loans to farmers and ranchers for the implementation of conservation practices approved by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Currently, the program guarantees conservation loans from approved FSA lenders.

Specifically, the bill adds the adoption of precision agriculture practices and technologies to the program’s priority list and the list of conservation activities that may be addressed with loan funds. This allows the Conservation Loan Program to make or guarantee qualified conservation loans to farmers and ranchers for the adoption of these practices and technologies.

Further, the FSA must improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the program’s administrative procedures related to the adoption of these practices and the acquisition of these technologies. This includes streamlining any necessary approvals with the NRCS.

Precision agriculture is a general term describing various crop and livestock management tools and practices that leverage technology (e.g., GPS) to optimize production and sustainability. Precision agriculture technology includes any technology and equipment that directly contributes to a reduction in, or improved efficiency of, inputs used in crop or livestock production (e.g., seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, and water).

This resolution honors the contributions of small businesses in the United States and supports the designation of National Small Business Week.

Air Traffic Control Workforce Development Act of 2025

This bill expands and modifies Air Traffic Control (ATC) workforce training and programs.

The bill provides statutory authority for the Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program. As background, standard AT-CTI institutions of higher education offer nonengineering aviation degrees that teach basic courses in ATC and aviation administration, and graduates complete training at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Academy. Students at Enhanced AT-CTI schools are provided with equivalent FAA Academy ATC training and may be placed directly into an ATC facility.

The bill establishes a grant program for schools participating in the Enhanced AT-CTI program and provides for a faculty annuity supplement for ATC instructors at participating institution of higher education.

The FAA must convene an aviation rulemaking committee to review and provide recommendations on the (1) curricula of the FAA Academy, AT-CTI program, and Enhanced AT-CTI program; and (2) Air Traffic Skills Assessment exam. Based on the committee's recommendations, the FAA must initiate a rulemaking or make policy and guidance updates, with an exception.

The bill authorizes funding through FY2031 for the procurement and placement at ATC facilities of Tower Simulator Systems, which are used to train air traffic controllers on airport tower operations.

The bill also requires

• DOT to establish ATC recruitment and retention incentive programs,

• the FAA to support the development of mental health services training related to conditions for ATCs, and

• the FAA to submit a report to Congress on the status of the Airspace Non-cooperative Surveillance Radar program.

Living Donor Protection Act of 2025

This bill prohibits life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term insurance carriers from denying or otherwise restricting coverage for living organ donors.

Specifically, carriers may not deny, cancel, vary premiums, or otherwise impose conditions on policies based on an individual's status as a living organ donor.

The bill also expressly specifies that recovery from organ-donation surgery constitutes a serious health condition that entitles eligible employees to job-protected medical leave.

In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must update educational materials on living organ donation to include information about the benefits and risks of living organ donation and the impact of donation on insurance access, particularly with respect to the bill's changes.

This resolution designates April 2025 as Financial Literacy Month.

Assault Weapons Ban of 2025

This bill makes it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD).

The prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is (1) manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action, except for certain shotguns; (2) permanently inoperable; (3) an antique; (4) only capable of firing rimfire ammunition; or (5) a rifle or shotgun specifically identified by make and model.

The bill also exempts from the prohibition the following, with respect to a SAW or LCAFD:

• importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments;

• importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and

• possession by a retired law enforcement officer.

The bill permits continued possession, sale, or transfer of a grandfathered SAW, which must be securely stored. A licensed gun dealer must conduct a background check prior to the sale or transfer of a grandfathered SAW between private parties.

The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD.

Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification. Newly manufactured SAWs and LCAFDs must display the date of manufacture.

The bill also allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender a SAW or LCAFD under a buy-back program.

This resolution designates April 29, 2025, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day to bring attention to the impact of fake or counterfeit fentanyl pills.

Equality Act

This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity with respect to businesses, employment, housing, federally funded programs, and other settings.

Specifically, the bill expands Title II and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit public accommodations and federally funded programs, respectively, from discriminating based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It also includes stores, transit services, recreational facilities, and establishments that provide health care, accounting, or legal services as public accommodations under Title II.

The bill also expands Title IV (desegregation of public schools) and Title VII (employment discrimination) to specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity. (The Supreme Court held in Bostock v. Clayton County that Title VII's prohibition of employment discrimination based on sex also prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.)

The bill similarly expands the Fair Housing Act (discrimination in public and private housing) to include sexual orientation and gender identity. It also prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by creditors and with respect to jury selection.

The bill defines sex for purposes of the aforementioned provisions to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.

Monetary Enhancement for Distinguished Active Legends Act of 2025 or the MEDAL Act of 2025

This bill increases the monthly special pension for living Medal of Honor recipients from $1,406.73 to $8,333.33 and establishes a rate of $1,406.73 for the monthly special pension for surviving spouses of Medal of Honor recipients. Both amounts must be adjusted annually for inflation.

Whole-Home Repairs Act of 2025

This bill establishes a pilot program through which the Department of Housing and Urban Development provides grants to state and local governments to support the ability of certain landlords and low- to moderate-income homeowners to make necessary modifications, repairs, or updates to their properties.

State and local governments must use the funds they receive under the program to award grants to homeowners and loans to landlords to make changes that address issues such as accessibility, habitability, and energy efficiency.

A homeowner is eligible for a grant if the homeowner's household income (1) does not exceed 80% of the area median income, (2) does not exceed 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or (3) meets the income eligibility criteria of another federal program that serves families of limited means. A landlord is eligible for a loan (which may be forgivable) if the landlord owns fewer than 10 rental properties that have a total of up to 50 units and that mostly consist of units that are affordable (i.e., affordable to a tenant with an income that does not exceed 80% of the area median income).

The program terminates on October 1, 2030.

Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025

This bill imposes penalties on certain persons (individuals and entities) if the President determines that the Russian government or a person acting at Russia's direction is involved with (1) refusing to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine; (2) violating a negotiated peace agreement; (3) initiating another invasion of Ukraine; or (4) overthrowing, dismantling, or seeking to subvert the Ukrainian government.

If the President makes such a determination, the bill requires certain actions including

• the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on specified persons such as the Russian president, certain Russian military commanders, and any foreign person that knowingly provides defense items to the Russian armed forces;

• the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported from Russia into the United States to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services;

• the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported into the United States from countries that knowingly engage in the exchange of Russian-origin uranium and petroleum products to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services;

• the Department of the Treasury must impose property-blocking sanctions on any financial institution organized under Russian law and owned wholly or partly by Russia, and any financial institution that engages in transactions with those entities; and

• the Department of Commerce must prohibit the export, reexport, or in-country transfer to or in Russia of any U.S.-produced energy or energy product.

Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025

This bill requires the Forest Service to study the feasibility of designating the Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail. The trail traverses approximately 287 miles in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.