Proposed legislation related to separation of powers: July 17, 2025 – August 1, 2025

S.2385 – Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History Act. To codify Executive Order 14253 relating to restoring truth and sanity to American history.
Introduced July 22, 2025 by Jim Banks (R-IN). Cosponsored by Joni Ernst (R-IA). Referred to Energy and Natural Resources the same day. Still in committee.
Comment and ALERT: Not truth-truth. MAGA truth. In EO 14253, Trump gave the directive “to remove improper ideology” from museums, national parks, zoos, and so on.
This bill seeks to codify that EO. I hate the bill, but appreciate the fact that even diehard MAGA Republicans recognize that Trump’s EOs are toothless.

S.J.Res.63 – A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to “Central Yukon Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan.”
Introduced July 22, 2025 by Dan Sullivan (R-AK). Cosponsored by Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Referred to Energy and Natural Resources the same day.
Comment: This would reverse a Biden-era rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management and supported by a Trump-era (June 2025) GAO report regarding the Central Yukon.

H.R.4590 - To codify Executive Order 14305 (relating to restoring American airspace sovereignty).
Introduced July 22, 2025 by Brad Finstad (R-MN). No cosponsors. Referred to Energy and Commerce and Transportation and Infrastructure and Judiciary and Homeland Security the same day. No movement.
Comment: EO 14305 has little to do with airspace “sovereignty” – it sets forth regulations for use of drones of any sort in American airspace.
Indeed, the bill’s sole goal is stated as, “Executive Order 14305 (90 Fed. Reg. 24719; relating to restoring American airspace sovereignty) shall have the force and effect of law.” Rep. Finstad did not even bother linking to “90 Fed. Reg. 24719,” as is customary.
At least Finstad recognizes that an executive order is not law!

S.2419 - Business of Insurance Regulatory Reform Act of 2025. To amend the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to clarify the authority of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection with respect to persons regulated by a State insurance regulator.
Introduced July 23, 2025 by Tim Scott (R-SC). Cosponsored by five Republicans and no Democrats. Referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs the same day.
Snarky comment: Well, Tim Scott did not ram this one through committee!
Serious comment: This is “states rights” legislation removing insurance regulation from federal jurisdiction and making it state-only. I feel for people who live along the Gulf of Mexico if this passes! I don’t see it as a good exercise of separation of powers.

S.J.Res.68 - A joint resolution disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025.
Introduced July 23, 2025 by Mike Lee (R-UT). No cosponsors. Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs the same day. Still in committee.
Comment: Trump Republicans in the House and Senate quashing the Open Meetings Act sits wrong.

July 24, 2025 alert: July 30, 2025 meeting. 10:00AM(EDT), 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. Business meeting to consider: … S.855, to require executive branch employees to report certain royalties, S.269, to improve coordination between Federal and State agencies and the Do Not Pay working system, S.81, to require a guidance clarity statement on certain agency guidance, … S.766, to require an annual report of taxpayer-funded projects that are over budget and behind schedule, S.872, to amend the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 to ensure that other transaction agreements are reported to USAspending.gov, … S.874, to ensure that whistleblowers, including contractors, are protected from retaliation when a Federal employee orders a reprisal, … S.865, to amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require certain disclosures by registrants regarding exemptions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended, S.856, to amend the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to clarify a provision relating to certain contents of registrations under that Act, … S.848, to provide for joint reports by relevant Federal agencies to Congress regarding incidents of terrorism… To be immediately followed by a business meeting to consider S.1498, to amend chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code, to prohibit transactions involving certain financial instruments by Members of Congress, … Meeting details include video of meeting and supporting documents, but no transcript.

S.2492 - Fiscal Contingency Preparedness Act. To require the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to examine the ability of the Federal Government to respond to potential fiscal shocks.
Introduced July 29, 2025 by Mark Warner (D-VA). Cosponsored by Todd Young (R-IN). Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs the same day.
Comment: Can we please get this done in some positive form or fashion? S.2492 requires the Secretary of the Treasury to do his or her job and carry out an annual economic risk assessment for the United States. Risks to be evaluated would include: Possibility of economic recession or depression; domestic energy crisis; catastrophic natural disaster; health crisis or global pandemic; significant armed conflict; significant cyberattack; or, a financial crisis.
Presidents Biden and Obama required this of their Treasury secretaries. Here is link to the 2024 risk assessment. This should be a no-brainer. If there are still adults in the room at Treasury, that is.

July 29, 2025 alert: Transcript of January 16, 2025 meeting. Remain in Mexico. Rand Paul introduced the session by stating that they were discussing giving President Trump “broad powers to suspend or restrict entry for any group deemed detrimental to our national interest,” breaking down the separation of powers even further.
If you want to know how we got in this mess, thank Rand Paul! And read this transcript.
Credit to Gary Peters, Elissa Slotkin, Margaret Hassan, Richard Blumenthal, Andy Kim, and Ruben Gallego for standing up for Congress’s responsibility and right to manage immigration reform, not the President. (John Fetterman was absent.)
And for reminding the Republicans on the committee about the bipartisan immigration bill that Trump quashed.

S.J.Res.71 - A joint resolution terminating the national emergency declared with respect to energy.
Introduced July 31, 2025 by Tim Kaine (D-VA). Cosponsored by seven Democrats and one Independent (Bernie Sanders). Referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources the same day.
Energy and Resources sent this resolution to the full Senate for a vote on October 8, 2025. Vote failed, 47 Yea to 51 Nay. If you want to see how your senator voted, here’s the roll call vote. For the record, JOHN FETTERMAN supported this resolution and DAVE McCORMICK opposed it.
Although you really don’t have to look at the roll call vote. Every single Democrat and both Independents supported the resolution. All 51 “Nays” were Republicans. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) did not vote.
Comment: Despite losing the vote, please Democrats, more like this! You are putting them on record.

H.R.4859 - DEAL Act of 2025 (Disclosure of Engagements with Attorney Law Firms Act of 2025). To direct the Comptroller General to report on settlements with covered law firms.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by Dave Min (D-CA). Cosponsored by April McClain Delaney (D-MN), Henry Johnson (D-GA), and Shri Thanedar (D-MI) and no Republicans. Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means the same day. Still in committee.
Comment: This bill does not stand a snowball’s chance in Texas of even making it out of committee. It would require a report as follows:
“Settlement made with a covered law firm” means any written or oral agreement, arrangement, memorandum of understanding, or other commitment between any law firm and any officer, employee, or agent of the Executive Branch, including the President, that—
(1) provides the delivery of legal services, including pro bono representation, by the law firm or its agents;
(2) implies that legal services provided by the law firm are directed toward causes, initiatives, or beneficiaries identified, approved, or jointly selected by the Executive Branch;
(3) was entered into in connection with, or contemporaneously with, the withdrawal, rescission, or non-enforcement of any executive order, administration action, or regulatory threat directed at the law firm;
(4) has an estimated value of legal services exceeding $1,000,000 over the term of the agreement; and
(5) was entered into between the date of February 1, 2025, and April 30, 2025.
Comment: In a normal world, this would be a no-brainer. And the report would find nothing. But we no longer live in a normal world.
I hope we can pass this bill and audit Trump’s legal fees once this regime is gone.

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