Ted Cruz

In the nature of a substitute.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to create regional management frameworks for controlling double-crested cormorants within one year of enactment. The frameworks would establish rules for when, where, and how cormorants can be killed or removed, based on scientific data about population levels and regional impacts on fisheries, water quality, endangered species, and other concerns. The bill authorizes states, tribes, lake managers, pond managers, and other approved entities to conduct cormorant removal activities within guidelines designed to prevent harm to non-target birds and species. The Secretary must conduct population surveys every five years and update the management frameworks accordingly, with the entire program set to expire on January 1, 2034. The bill also requires a feasibility report within 90 days on whether hunting licenses for cormorants could be issued.

This bill would remove the lifetime cap on how much money can be rolled over from a 529 college savings plan into a Roth IRA retirement account. Currently, federal law limits the total amount that can be transferred from a 529 plan to a Roth IRA, but this legislation would eliminate that aggregate limit while keeping an annual contribution cap in place. The change would primarily benefit families who have accumulated substantial savings in 529 plans, particularly if a beneficiary does not use all the funds for education expenses. The bill would take effect for distributions made after it becomes law and requires no specific funding. This measure aims to give account holders greater flexibility in using educational savings for retirement purposes if college funds are no longer needed.

In the nature of a substitute.

This bill expands and renews economic sanctions against Nicaragua's government under existing sanctions laws, extending them through December 31, 2035, unless the country meets democratic reform conditions earlier. The sanctions target individuals and entities involved in corruption, human rights abuses, and suppression of religious freedom and opposition groups, and now include the gold sector of Nicaragua's economy and anyone providing goods or services to support Russia or Iran. The bill responds to concerns about Nicaragua's 2021 disputed election, crackdowns on civil society and religious organizations, and the government's July 2026 announcement that it would no longer hold competitive elections. The State Department must report within 90 days and annually for three years on how sanctions are being implemented, and must also assess what conditions would be necessary for eventual democratic transition in Nicaragua, including judicial reform, fair elections administration, and police reform. The sanctions can be lifted early if the Nicaraguan government commits to holding competitive, internationally-observed elections, stops violence against civilians, and allows independent investigations into protest killings.

The Right to Worship Act makes it federal crime to disrupt religious services or prevent people from entering houses of worship. The law prohibits anyone from knowingly disrupting a scheduled religious service or intimidating worshippers within 100 feet of any entrance during the hour before or after services. The legislation applies only to conduct that substantially affects interstate commerce and includes civil penalties ranging from $2,500 for a first offense to $10,000 for each subsequent offense, along with potential damages and attorney's fees. Both the U.S. Attorney General and state attorneys general can sue violators, and private citizens harmed by violations can also bring civil lawsuits seeking damages. The law is designed to protect religious freedom while explicitly preserving the right to free speech through time, place, and manner restrictions, and it does not require houses of worship to publicly post their service schedules.

This Senate resolution reaffirms U.S. support for a peaceful, democratic transition in Venezuela through free and fair elections. The resolution comes after Nicolás Maduro's disputed 2024 election victory, his capture in January 2026, and the subsequent assumption of interim power by Delcy Rodríguez. The resolution urges Venezuela's interim authorities to immediately hold transparent presidential elections, release all political prisoners detained since the 2024 election, and restore democratic governance. It also warns that any harassment, detention, or harm to political candidates—particularly opposition leader María Corina Machado—would undermine electoral credibility and could trigger U.S. accountability measures against Venezuelan officials responsible. As a resolution rather than legislation, this statement of policy expresses Senate sentiment on Venezuela without creating new funding or legal requirements.

This bill amends federal boxing safety laws to create a new category of "unified boxing organizations" that can operate under alternative compliance requirements while maintaining enhanced protections for boxers. Unified boxing organizations—private associations or leagues that organize matches under unified rules—must meet strict safety standards including additional medical examinations for older and knockout-affected boxers, extra ambulances and ringside physicians at events, and comprehensive anti-doping programs with random testing. The legislation establishes minimum boxer compensation of $200 per round, limits initial promotional contracts to three years and subsequent ones to six years, requires organizations to provide training facilities and injury insurance, and mandates transparency through federal filings about ratings systems and organization operations. The bill also strengthens protections for all boxers by requiring certified ringside physicians, standardized drug testing protocols, and prohibits conflicts of interest between unified boxing organizations and boxer managers. The law takes effect 180 days after enactment.

This bill would eliminate the Federal Insurance Office, a bureau within the Treasury Department that currently monitors the insurance industry and represents the United States in international insurance matters. The legislation removes all references to the office from federal law and transfers any remaining insurance-related responsibilities to the Treasury Secretary and Federal Reserve. The bill does not provide any funding or implementation timeline since it simply abolishes an existing agency. The measure would affect insurance industry oversight and the government's participation in global insurance policy discussions, though the Treasury Department would retain authority over insurance matters. The bill was introduced by Republican senators and referred to the Senate Banking Committee for consideration.

The Improving America's Literacy Act modifies federal literacy education programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to require schools and states receiving federal grants to use evidence-based reading instruction methods that focus on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The bill specifically prohibits the use of the "three-cueing model," an instructional approach that emphasizes context and picture clues for word recognition. The legislation affects states, school districts, and schools that receive federal literacy grants, requiring them to implement specific reading strategies and submit to annual reviews measuring student literacy outcomes. The bill directs the Institute of Education Sciences to conduct a five-year study evaluating successful literacy strategies used by states and districts and report findings to Congress and the public. The legislation maintains protections for students with disabilities under existing federal law and clarifies that it does not give the federal government authority to mandate specific curriculum or academic standards.

This bill establishes the United States Commission on Human Dignity, an independent advisory body within Congress designed to provide ethical guidance on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and neurotechnology. The 17-member Commission, appointed by the President, Senate, House, and relevant congressional committees, will be composed of experts in philosophy, ethics, civil rights, science, medicine, and law who will examine how federal science and technology policies affect human dignity and monitor for potential threats posed by both domestic development and foreign actors. The Commission will hold public hearings, issue annual reports with recommendations to Congress and the President, and respond to requests for evaluation of specific federal programs, though it will have no regulatory or enforcement authority. The legislation authorizes $2 million annually for the Commission from fiscal years 2027 through 2031, with the Commission scheduled to terminate on October 1, 2032. Members will serve five-year terms and can only be removed for cause, providing stability for the advisory body as it develops principles and guidance for aligning federal technology policy with human dignity concerns.