Raphael Warnock

Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes through FY2030, modifies, and establishes programs under the Older Americans Act, which supports social services and activities for individuals aged 60 years or older.

Reauthorized programs and activities include

• the national eldercare locator service;

• regional aging and disability resource centers;

• grants to support counseling and assistance on pensions and other retirement benefits;

• grants to support home-delivered nutrition services (sometimes referred to as meals on wheels programs);

• programs to facilitate the delivery of supportive services to tribal organizations; and

• programs to prevent elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

The bill also modifies existing programs for older individuals, including by explicitly permitting states to use certain grant funds to make carryout meals available at congregate meal sites or community locations. (Some providers began offering carryout meals to seniors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Further, the bill permits the Administration on Aging to establish and operate, through grants to or contracts with eligible entities, a national resource center to support growth of the direct care workforce. The center’s activities may include the provision of training and technical assistance and the promotion of strategies to recruit and retain direct care workers.

Finally, the bill establishes or reconvenes certain advisory groups, including (1) an advisory committee to provide guidance regarding the needs of older Native Americans and the implementation of related programs, and (2) a White House Conference on Aging to recommend improvements to federal programs that serve older individuals.

Due Process Continuity of Care Act

This bill allows an otherwise eligible individual who is in custody pending disposition of charges (i.e., pretrial detainees) to receive Medicaid benefits at the option of the state. The bill also provides for state planning grants to support the provision of such benefits.

Farmers’ Market Expansion Act of 2025

This bill includes tree nuts (including shelled tree nuts) as one of the eligible foods under the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP).

The Department of Agriculture's SFMNP provides grants to participating states to provide low-income seniors with coupons/vouchers that may be used at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and community supported agriculture programs to purchase eligible foods (i.e., fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally-grown fruits, vegetables, honey, and herbs).

Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025

This act requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to vet the qualifications of applicants for certain funding programs that support affordable broadband deployment in high-cost areas (e.g., rural communities).

Specifically, the FCC must develop a vetting process for applicants seeking funding under high-cost universal service programs for the deployment of a broadband-capable network and the provision of supported services over the network. The FCC must require applicants to submit a proposal that contains sufficient detail and documentation for the FCC to ascertain that the applicant possesses the technical, financial, and operational capabilities related to the proposed deployment and has a reasonable business plan. The FCC must evaluate applications against reasonable and well-established standards and must consider each applicant’s history of compliance with the requirements of other government broadband funding programs.

The FCC must establish this vetting process through a rulemaking proceeding. After the rule is finalized, funds may only be awarded to applicants that satisfy the standards established therein.

Finally, the FCC must set financial penalties for applicants that default in some manner during the evaluation process before they are authorized to begin receiving support.

Credit Union Board Modernization Act

This bill revises the required frequency of meetings held by a credit union's board of directors. Specifically, new credit unions and credit unions with a low soundness rating must meet monthly. All other credit unions must hold at least six meetings annually, with at least one meeting held during each fiscal quarter. Currently, all credit union boards must meet at least once a month.

Fortifying Refrigeration Infrastructure and Developing Global Exports Act of 2025 or the FRIDGE Act of 2025

This bill expands the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program to include funding for technical assistance for infrastructure-related projects to ensure U.S. agricultural commodities are not damaged or lost due to infrastructure deficiencies in new and developing markets. This Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) program funds projects that address long-term opportunities to reduce foreign import constraints or expand export growth opportunities.

Specifically, the bill directs FAS to enter into contracts or other agreements with trade organizations to enhance the infrastructure capabilities (including cold chain capacity and port improvements) in new and developing foreign markets through needs assessments, training, and other technical assistance.

HUD Transparency Act of 2025

This bill requires the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to annually testify before Congress.

Specifically, the office must testify regarding

• efforts to detect and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse;

• ability to conduct and supervise audits, investigations, and reviews;

• actions to identify opportunities for HUD programs to progress and succeed;

• recommendations to improve overall efficiency and public accountability of HUD;

• the extent to which HUD has resources sufficient to carry out its statutory mission; and

• ongoing activities regarding any such additional work.

Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act

This bill expands the Department of Transportation (DOT) Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking.

Specifically, the bill expands the membership for the committee to not more than 16 external stakeholder members (from 15) and requires the committee to include a representative from state departments of transportation. Current membership on the committee must include representatives from trafficking advocacy organizations; law enforcement; and trucking, bus, rail, aviation, maritime, and port sectors.

National Plan for Epilepsy Act

This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a national plan, form an advisory council, and take other actions to address epilepsy. The requirements sunset on December 31, 2035.

Specifically, the bill requires HHS to carry out a National Plan for Epilepsy to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure epilepsy. In carrying out the plan, HHS must implement activities such as coordinating research and services across all federal agencies and soliciting public comments.

Also, HHS must establish an Advisory Council on Epilepsy Research, Care, and Services. The advisory council must report to HHS and Congress every two years with an evaluation of federally funded efforts.

Additionally, HHS must annually report to Congress with recommended actions based on its assessments of the nation’s progress on epilepsy.

Stopping the Abuse, Victimization, and Exploitation of Girls Act or the SAVE Girls Act

This bill authorizes the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants to certain governmental and nongovernmental organizations to combat the smuggling and trafficking of children and young women.

The focus of this grant program is (1) preventing the smuggling of children and women between the ages of 12 and 24 across the U.S. border; and (2) providing support to such individuals if they have already been smuggled into the United States or if they have been or are at risk of becoming victims of a severe form of trafficking in persons, including child sex trafficking.

Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception Act or the GUARD Act

This bill allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and grantees that receive funds from certain law enforcement grant programs to use the funds to investigate general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, and pig butchering. Pig butchering refers to a confidence and investment fraud in which a victim is gradually lured into transferring increasing amounts of money, generally in the form of cryptocurrency, into a fake virtual investment.

The bill allows federal law enforcement agencies to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and fusion centers in the use of tracing tools for blockchain and related technology tools.

Finally, the bill requires the Department of the Treasury and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to report on efforts and recommendations related to general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and scams. The bill also requires Treasury and FinCEN to report on the state of scams in the United States, including information about crimes committed, federal civil and criminal enforcement actions, and federal efforts to address the crimes.

Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act

This bill allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for coverage, under Medicare, of special shoes for diabetic individuals. Under current law, such requirements may be satisfied only by a physician.

This resolution condemns Iran's state-sponsored persecution of the Baha'i religious minority and Iran's continued violation of international human rights treaties. The resolution calls on Iran to (1) immediately release Baha'is and others imprisoned or detained solely on account of religion, (2) end its state-sponsored campaign of hate propaganda against the Baha'is, and (3) reverse certain policies that discriminate against Baha'is and other religious minorities. The resolution also urges the President and the Department of State to impose sanctions on Iranian officials and others who are responsible for serious human rights abuses, including abuses against Iran's Baha'i community.

Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025

This act permanently extends and expands judicial authority under the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016. The law allows and establishes procedures for civil claims and causes of action to recover artwork and other property lost between 1933 and 1945 because of Nazi persecution.

Among the changes, the act removes the deadline for filing civil claims or causes of action. Currently, the filing deadline is December 31, 2026. (Claims must still be filed within six years of the claimant's discovery of the property in question.)

The act permits courts to exercise jurisdiction over civil claims or causes of action against a foreign state without regard to the nationality or citizenship of the alleged victim. The art or property at issue must still have a connection to the foreign state's commercial activities in the United States.

Additionally, the act authorizes nationwide service of process, which allows courts to exercise personal jurisdiction over defendants in any judicial district where they may be found, reside, have an agent, or transact business.

Finally, the act limits the defenses that may be asserted against civil claims or causes of action, including by prohibiting

• defenses based on the passage of time, including equitable defenses such as laches (i.e., unreasonable delays); and

• discretionary bases for dismissal that are unrelated to the merits of the claim, including international comity (i.e., deference to the laws of other countries).

These changes apply to pending and future civil claims or causes of action.