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The Senate overwhelmingly passed a pair of bills to expand online privacy and safety protections for children on Tuesday, delivering a major win for parent and youth activists who have clamored for action against tech companies they say are endangering the well-being of kids. The legislation, approved 91-3, would force digital platforms to take “reasonable” steps to prevent harms to children such as bullying, drug addiction and sexual exploitation, and it would broaden existing federal privacy protections to include kids and teens 16 years old and younger. (Lima-Strong, 7/30)

A Democrat and Republican senator duo are looking to take on higher rates of mental health issues among first responders with new legislation. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., partnered to introduce the First Responders Wellness Act on Wednesday, which would create a grant program that would help provide mental health resources and services to law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel and public safety telecommunicators. It would also establish a mental health hotline devoted to assisting first responders.  (Johnson, 7/31)

Lawmakers in Congress haven’t left themselves much choice if they want to fund the government and prevent a government shutdown in a few months: They’ll need to kick the can down the road. The House left Washington last week, and the Senate will soon follow, with scant progress made toward passing the 12 annual spending bills, or appropriations, that keep vital agencies and government programs running. Current federal financing expires Sept. 30, the end of the 2024 fiscal year. (Bogage, 7/30)