Senate passes bipartisan housing bill; China security, Social Security dominate day

The Senate passed the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Tuesday with what multiple senators described as overwhelming support, sending the measure to the House. The bill targets institutional investors, regulatory burden, and housing supply.

Sen. Schiff called it a bill that would "help boost the housing supply across the nation and crack down on private equity firms buying up single-family homes, so that we can begin to bring down housing costs for families."

Sen. Ossoff highlighted the investor-restriction provision directly: "It's very difficult for Georgia families trying to purchase their first home to compete with huge out-of-state companies who have massive resources and are buying up tens of thousands of single-family homes across metro Atlanta and across the State of Georgia."

Sen. Marshall, R-Kan., who has championed the bill, said the measure "takes a different approach by cutting unnecessary regulations, supporting community banks, limiting large Wall Street investors in the housing market, and helping restore the American Dream of homeownership for the next generation of families." Majority Leader Thune added that Trump Accounts established under last year's Working Families Tax Cuts legislation go live July 4, tying the housing bill to a broader Republican economic message ahead of the America 250 celebrations.

In an op-ed published Tuesday in the New York Times, Sen. Warren and Sen. Moreno announced they are drafting legislation to remove the cap on Social Security payroll taxes — a rare cross-party pairing on an issue that has long divided the two parties.

"One of us is a Republican from Ohio who built a business that generated hundreds of jobs. The other is a Democrat from Massachusetts who built a career protecting consumers from financial tricks and traps," the senators wrote. "We don't agree on everything, but here's one thing we do agree on: Congress must act now to save Social Security for generations of Americans to come."

The op-ed framed the current cap as structurally inequitable: "Why should a middle-class nurse pay a larger share of her paycheck — than a wealthy corporate lawyer? This is doubly unfair in an economy in which top earner's wages, over time, have pulled far ahead of those of the average worker."

The senators announced they are "working together on legislation to remove the cap on Social Security taxes and extend the solvency of our retirement system." Both senators issued separate releases — Warren through her office and Moreno through his — amplifying the op-ed simultaneously, a coordinated rollout.

Three Republican senators released separate measures Tuesday aimed at limiting Chinese access to American technology — a rare same-day convergence across laboratories, export lists, and legislative vehicles.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., sent a letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright flagging that, according to DOE's own data, Chinese nationals conducted more than 5,000 on-site and remote accesses to National Lab user facilities in FY 2025, held approximately 2,100 formal employment positions, and filled roughly 1,300 long-term research slots. "These numbers are not small, nor are they incidental. They represent a systemic exposure of our National Labs, including the American scientists who work there and topics they are working on, to an adversary determined to defeat the United States," the senators wrote. The letter notes their GATE Act — introduced in March 2025 — "is currently being blocked by Democrats on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee."

Separately, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., introduced the Export Control Enforcement and Enhancement Act, which would require the End-User Review Committee to vote on proposed Entity List additions within 30 days. "American technologies must be protected from those who threaten our interests," Blackburn said. "The Export Control Enforcement and Enhancement Act would ensure the Entity List is a fast, decisive, and enforceable tool for denying U.S. adversaries access to our technology."

Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., meanwhile applauded a White House executive order on quantum technology, noting his National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act — introduced with Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. — passed the Commerce Committee unanimously in April and awaits a full Senate vote. "We need to ensure the United States has the talent and research capabilities required to lead the global tech competition and outcompete China," Young said.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., wrote to the Government Accountability Office on Tuesday asking it to open an investigation into the Trump administration's decision to redirect up to $397 million in Secret Service funding toward construction of a White House ballroom.

"After President Trump repeatedly promised that 'there's not one dime of government money going into the ballroom' and 'we're putting up our own money,' earlier this month the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) set aside $351.6 million in taxpayer dollars for 'White House Security Measures' through an apportionment. OMB then set aside another $45 million late last week in an updated apportionment — for a total of up to $396.6 million set aside for the project," the senators wrote.

Murray and Murphy argue the funding violates appropriations law: "Republicans' 'Big Beautiful Bill' provided Secret Service with $1.17 billion, which 'may only be used for' a set of prescribed purposes. Using this funding to finance President Trump's White House ballroom likely constitutes a violation of the law." The letter asks GAO to issue a legal decision on the use of the funds.

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, introduced the Safeguarding AI Features to Ensure Kids' Informed Digital Safety (SAFE KIDS) Act Tuesday, establishing a federal framework governing AI chatbots that interact with children.

The bill would require age-estimation technology, ban advertising to child users and the sale of children's data without parental consent, prohibit AI chatbots from fostering "unhealthy emotional dependence," and mandate parental notification when a minor shows signs of imminent self-harm. Annual independent safety audits would be required.

"AI chatbots that promote companionship pose significant risks to young and developing minds. Already we have heard tragic stories of kids who have been influenced by the powerful, and still sometimes unpredictable, outputs of an AI chatbot," Schiff said. Curtis framed the bill around parental confidence: "Parents deserve confidence that AI tools are not exposing their children to harmful content, fostering unhealthy emotional dependence, or exploiting their personal information. The SAFE KIDS Act puts commonsense guardrails in place to protect children online while preserving American leadership in innovation."

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, jointly called Tuesday for the Senate to confirm Darrell Owens as U.S. Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe before the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly convenes in The Hague on July 4.

"Vladimir Putin's brutal war against Ukraine has violated every one of those commitments, from Russia's illegal attempts to annex Ukrainian territory to its attacks on civilians, abduction of Ukrainian children, and campaign of disinformation aimed at weakening democratic institutions across the region," the senators wrote. "At a moment when authoritarian powers are testing transatlantic resolve, the United States must have a strong and principled voice in one of the few forums dedicated to defending these commitments and holding governments accountable when they violate them. We urge our colleagues to support Mr. Owens' nomination and confirm him without delay."

Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced the Do Not Interfere in our Intelligence Act of 2026 Tuesday, which would require that the Director of National Intelligence succession line run through Senate-confirmed officials only.

Warner tied the bill directly to the appointment of Bill Pulte — who currently serves as Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency — as Acting DNI. "Bill Pulte may be exactly who President Trump wants running the intelligence community, but that does not make him qualified for the job. After pulling his own selected nominee from the confirmation process, the president chose to install a political ally with no intelligence background, no national security credentials, and a record of using government power to pursue political grievances as the country's Director of National Intelligence," Warner said.

Under the bill, if the DNI position is vacant, the Principal Deputy DNI would serve as acting director. If both positions are vacant, the president could choose only from among a defined list of Senate-confirmed officials within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence or the broader intelligence community.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and others, introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution Tuesday to repeal a Trump administration rule altering the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

The rule promotes catastrophic health plans, loosens physician network requirements, and permits insurers to offer non-network plans. CMS estimates it would reduce ACA enrollment by up to 2 million people. "Trump's latest attack on affordable health care includes sleazy schemes to let insurance companies sell you plans with skyhigh deductibles then turn around and offer you a loan to pay for the care you can't afford," Wyden said. Because the resolution was filed under the CRA, the Senate is required to hold a vote on it — setting up a direct floor confrontation on ACA marketplace rules.

"Health care is a human right, not a luxury for the rich," Merkley said. "Trump's proposed rule would significantly raise health care costs, kick families off their coverage, and line insurance companies' pockets with Americans' hard-earned dollars."

Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released a statement Tuesday highlighting that ICE and CBP are sitting on $95 billion in unobligated funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act even as a new Republican funding measure provided the agencies an additional $70 billion.

OMB data, calculated by Budget Committee staff using SF-133 reports, shows that as of the end of May, $62 billion of the $75 billion provided to ICE in OBBBA remains unspent, and $33 billion of the $65 billion provided to CBP remains unobligated. "While high prices squeeze New Mexican families, my Republican colleagues prioritized handing an extra $70 billion to ICE and CBP with zero reforms, accountability, or oversight. Yet these agencies are already sitting on $95 billion in unspent funds," Luján said.

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., introduced the Wildland Firefighter Hazard Pay Correction Act Tuesday, extending hazard pay to cover prescribed burns and smokejumper training jumps — categories currently excluded despite posing comparable risks to active wildfire response.

"Wildland firefighters put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe," Padilla said. "As wildfires become more intense and frequent, we need to recruit and retain more firefighters to maintain strong crews on the frontlines. Our bill will ensure that our brave wildland firefighters receive hazard pay for a broader range of high-risk work — delivering a long-overdue raise."

Sheehy noted the timing: "With the bulk of fire season on its way, this bipartisan bill ensures we pay these heroes what they deserve as they continue their dangerous work to protect families, communities, and property from the threat of catastrophic wildfire." Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., and John Curtis, R-Utah, joined as co-introducers. The Office of Personnel Management issued a proposed rule in April moving in the same direction.

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., introduced the Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance Act Tuesday, a bill that would permanently bar U.S. foreign assistance from funding abortion, DEI programming, and gender ideology abroad — codifying existing Trump administration executive policy.

"American taxpayers should never be forced to fund abortions or radical gender ideology, whether in the United States or abroad," Lankford said. "This bill codifies the Trump administration's Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance policy, so these protections endure beyond any single administration."

The bill expands the scope of the Mexico City Policy to cover U.S. NGOs, international organizations, and foreign governments — not just foreign NGOs — and extends covered activities to include DEI and gender ideology promotion. Seven Republican senators co-sponsored the legislation, including Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Senate Majority Leader Thune and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., both delivered floor remarks Tuesday touting the one-year record of the Working Families Tax Cuts law, with a formal Senate anniversary celebration planned for July 1.

In a floor statement, Barrasso focused on energy: "This new law marks a dramatic shift in America's energy policy. America has now stopped apologizing for producing the energy our nation needs. Energy is called the master resource, and we are unleashing it again."

Thune's floor remarks emphasized national security and border investments embedded in the law, arguing that apprehensions at the southern border are "more than 90 percent lower than they were under the Biden administration." The coordinated dual-floor messaging — Thune also spoke at a leadership press conference — signals a sustained Republican push to define the bill's legacy ahead of the July 4 holiday and the America 250 celebrations.

Signals

• volumeTuesday's 32 releases ran 63 percent below the Tuesday daily average of 86.5 — the sharpest single-day volume drop in the current tracking window, with the Independence Day state work period six days out.
• coordinatedWarren and Moreno each issued separate releases amplifying their joint New York Times op-ed within 14 minutes of each other (14:00 and 14:13 ET), a textbook coordinated rollout for a bipartisan legislative announcement.
• coordinatedFive senators from both parties — Schiff, Ossoff, Slotkin, Marshall, and Thune — released statements on the ROAD to Housing Act passage within a roughly three-hour window, the day's largest single-bill release cluster.
• coordinatedSchiff issued three separate releases Tuesday — the SAFE KIDS Act, Holocaust rescuers Gold Medal legislation, and a ROAD to Housing Act passage statement — the highest single-senator output of the day.
• recessThe Senate is six days from the Independence Day state work period, which may be contributing to the significantly below-average release volume.

Quiet desks

Senators with no release in two weeks or more.

• Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC50d
• Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY20d