SRES 563 is a non-binding Senate resolution affirming that the federal government should support school districts in replacing diesel school buses with cleaner alternatives like electric models. It highlights that diesel exhaust - harmful pollutants linked to asthma, missed school days, and long-term health risks for children - directly affects over 30% of U.S. students who ride school buses. The resolution cites bipartisan past efforts, including funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to support this transition but does not create new funding or mandates. It serves as a statement of policy preference, not a legislative action.
This Senate resolution (SRES 558) recognizes the growing link between climate change and increasingly severe weather events while highlighting reduced staffing and funding for weather monitoring. It cites scientific consensus that climate change intensifies hurricanes, flooding, and heavy rainfall, and notes the National Weather Service has lost over 550 employees since 2025 with proposed $2.2 billion NOAA budget cuts. The resolution formally acknowledges climate-driven weather risks, mourns lives lost to such events, and calls for maintaining adequate funding and staffing for weather monitoring systems. As a non-binding resolution, it expresses the Senate's position but does not create new policy or funding.
SRES 553 is a non-binding Senate resolution introduced on December 17, 2025, by Senators Whitehouse, Merkley, Schatz, Markey, Van Hollen, Duckworth, Padilla, Welch, and Blunt Rochester. It formally recognizes that climate change is real, citing decades of scientific evidence linking it to fossil fuel emissions. The resolution does not create new laws, impose requirements, or directly affect any specific groups - it serves solely as a declarative statement of scientific consensus. This is a procedural resolution with no legislative or policy impact.
HRES 956 is a symbolic resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives condemning an antisemitic attack that occurred during a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, on December 14, 2025. It expresses strong condemnation of the shooting (which caused deaths and injuries), extends condolences to victims and the Australian Jewish community, and affirms the right to worship freely. The resolution also reaffirms the U.S. commitment to combating antisemitism and terrorism and urges the Australian government to address rising antisemitism and protect religious communities. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals or groups.
This bill repeals Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, which currently shields online platforms from most liability for user-generated content. It would remove this legal protection, potentially making platforms more liable for content posted by users. The bill also updates references to Section 230 in other federal laws (like the Trademark Act and criminal codes) to instead reference Section 223 of the Communications Act. The changes would take effect two years after the bill is enacted.
The Clean Competition Act imposes a carbon intensity charge on covered primary goods produced domestically or imported into the U.S., calculated based on how much a facility's carbon intensity exceeds industry benchmarks. The charge starts at $60 per metric ton of CO2-e in 2026 and increases annually, determined by (excess carbon intensity) x (quantity of goods) x (cost of pollution). The bill includes provisions for rebates on exports, reductions for emissions captured directly from the air, and mechanisms to support decarbonization through investments in clean technology. It also establishes "carbon clubs" for international cooperation on climate policies, affecting manufacturers in specific energy-intensive industries and importers of covered goods.
The Shadow Docket Sunlight Act of 2025 would require the U.S. Supreme Court to publish written explanations and disclose each justice's vote when issuing emergency orders about temporary court orders that block government actions (preliminary injunctions) or stays of such orders. The written explanation must address specific factors, such as whether the applicant is likely to succeed on the merits and whether the order serves the public interest. This rule does not apply to routine administrative decisions or requests to hear full cases. The bill also mandates biennial reports to Congress on how well the Court follows these transparency requirements.
The Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act would expand benefits for part-time workers by reducing the eligibility requirement for family and medical leave from 12 months of employment to just 90 days. It prohibits discrimination against part-time employees based on their work hours and requires employers to offer preferred work schedules to existing part-time employees before hiring new staff or using contractors. The bill mandates that employers compensate part-time workers for hours they could not schedule due to new hires, and establishes enforcement mechanisms through the Department of Labor. This legislation directly affects part-time workers and employers with more than 15 employees across various sectors, including government agencies.
The Schedules That Work Act would require employers in retail, food service, cleaning, hospitality, and warehouse sectors to provide workers with at least 14 days' advance notice of their schedules and pay predictability pay for last-minute changes. It gives employees the right to request schedule changes for reasons including health conditions, caregiving responsibilities, or enrollment in career training programs. Employers must engage in a good-faith process to address these requests unless they have a legitimate business reason to deny them. The bill aims to address widespread problems with unpredictable schedules that make it difficult for low-wage workers to manage family responsibilities, access healthcare, and secure stable housing and child care.
FDA Modernization Act 3.0 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to publish an interim final rule implementing a provision of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 that authorized the use of certain alternatives to animal testing to support investigational use of a new drug. The rule must replace references to animal tests, data, studies, models, and research with references to nonclinical tests, data, studies, models, and research throughout the FDA’s regulations governing investigational new drug applications, and may make other changes to the regulations as appropriate. The rule must be published within one year of the bill’s enactment, and must take immediate effect as an interim final rule.
HR 6818, the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act, would expand rights for part-time workers by reducing eligibility requirements for family and medical leave from 12 months to 90 days of employment under the FMLA. The bill prohibits employers from discriminating against part-time workers based on hours worked, requiring equal treatment for benefits, promotions, and scheduling. It mandates that employers obtain written statements from employees about their desired work hours and prioritize offering available work hours to existing employees before hiring new external workers. The bill establishes enforcement mechanisms including civil penalties for violations and allows employees to file private lawsuits for damages, with the Secretary of Labor having investigative authority to ensure compliance. This legislation directly affects part-time workers and employers with more than 15 employees across both private and public sectors.
The Schedules That Work Act would require employers in retail, food service, hospitality, cleaning, and warehouse sectors to provide workers with 14 days' advance notice of their schedules and pay predictability wages for last-minute changes. It allows employees to request schedule changes related to caregiving responsibilities, health conditions, education, or other jobs, with employers required to engage in good-faith discussions about such requests. The bill prohibits retaliation against employees who request schedule changes and mandates written notice of schedule changes and predictability pay. It applies to employers with 15 or more employees in covered sectors, aiming to address widespread issues with unpredictable schedules that negatively impact workers' ability to care for family members, maintain housing stability, and access health care.
