Legislation

This resolution officially recognizes the Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Flag as a symbol of the nation's commitment to ending military and veteran suicide. It also designates September 22nd as National Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day to raise awareness and combat the stigma surrounding mental health for service members. The bill ensures the SAR Flag will be displayed daily above all Federal buildings to honor those lost and support those still serving.

This resolution formally acknowledges the hate and discrimination faced by communities following the September 11th attacks, including government actions that unfairly targeted them. It calls for an independent commission to review past policies and suggest remedies for ongoing profiling. Furthermore, the bill supports funding for community-led victim services and mandates a study on the long-term health impacts of this targeting.

This resolution officially recognizes the 250th birthday of the United States Navy, celebrating its long history since the Continental Navy was established in 1775. Congress expresses deep gratitude for the bravery and dedication of all past and present Sailors who have defended the nation. The bill reaffirms the Navy's vital role in global security, humanitarian efforts, and maintaining American strength worldwide.

The Homes for Heroes Act aims to enhance housing benefits for eligible veterans. This bill increases the maximum loan amount the VA will guarantee for certain veterans' home loans. Additionally, it updates the fee structure for veterans refinancing existing VA-guaranteed loans, often resulting in lower or unchanged fees for disabled veterans.

The Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act of 2025 imposes a federal income tax penalty on corporations whose CEO-to-worker pay ratio exceeds 50-to-1, calculated using a five-year average. If the ratio is too high, the standard 21% corporate tax rate will increase according to a specified penalty table. This measure applies to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, with exceptions for smaller companies below a $100 million revenue threshold.

The DFC Modernization Act of 2025 updates the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation's framework by restricting aid to high-income nations and flagging specific countries of concern. It streamlines agency management by reducing the Board size and centralizing staffing authority under the CEO. Furthermore, the bill increases the DFC's equity investment capacity and significantly raises the federal government's maximum contingent liability for development obligations. Finally, it tightens rules for projects involving state-owned enterprises and repeals the European Energy Security and Diversification Act of 2019.

The Building US Infrastructure by Leveraging Demands for Skills (BUILDS) Act authorizes competitive grants to industry partnerships focused on key infrastructure sectors like energy, construction, and technology. These grants fund collaborations to develop training programs, align education with industry needs, and support worker recruitment and retention. The overall goal is to strengthen these critical industries by ensuring a skilled and competitive workforce through strategic planning and investment in work-based learning.

The REAL Health Providers Act mandates that Medicare Advantage plans maintain accurate and up-to-date public directories of their network providers starting in 2028. This legislation requires regular verification of provider information and establishes cost-sharing protections for patients who see listed providers who are ultimately out-of-network. Furthermore, plans must annually report their directory accuracy scores to the Secretary, which will eventually be made public.

The U.S.-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act mandates a comprehensive review of the current relationship between the two nations based on concerns over South Africa's foreign policy alignment with Russia, China, and Hamas. Following this review, the President must report to Congress and certify whether South Africa's actions harm U.S. national security interests. If such harm is certified, the bill requires the President to identify sanctionable officials and immediately terminate South Africa's eligibility for key trade preference programs.

The STUDENT Act mandates that student loan lenders must now clearly disclose the total amount of interest a borrower will pay over the life of the loan. This calculation must be based on the standard repayment plan for the borrower's total outstanding principal balance. The goal is to provide borrowers with greater transparency regarding the full cost of their student loans.

This resolution expresses Congressional support for designating September as "Dystonia Awareness Month" to promote public understanding of this painful neurological movement disorder. The measure aims to increase awareness about dystonia, which affects hundreds of thousands of Americans, leading to involuntary muscle contractions and significant disability. By supporting this designation, Congress encourages greater public education, supports ongoing research efforts, and commends healthcare professionals working to improve the lives of those affected.

The Royalty Transparency Act expands financial disclosure requirements for certain federal advisory board members and mandates that executive branch employees and covered advisors report the source and value of royalties received, including those from government-developed inventions. The bill also updates federal acquisition rules to prevent organizational conflicts of interest by requiring agencies to review contractor royalty payments during conflict checks. Finally, it establishes new procedures for public access to these financial reports and mandates annual reporting on royalty-related conflicts to Congress.

The District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025 eliminates the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission entirely. This change grants the President the authority to directly nominate and appoint the Chief Judge and all other D.C. judges without receiving a list of candidates from the former commission. The bill makes corresponding technical updates to the D.C. Home Rule Act and related statutes.

The Cable Transparency Act modernizes how cable franchise agreements are managed by streamlining the process for operators to modify existing rules based on good cause, such as new technology or legal compliance. It establishes clear, time-bound procedures for local authorities to approve or deny these requests, often resulting in automatic approval if deadlines are missed. Furthermore, the Act restricts the ability of both operators and franchising authorities to unilaterally terminate existing agreements, setting high standards for revocation.

The Risky Research Review Act establishes the Life Sciences Research Security Board, an independent body tasked with reviewing and issuing binding decisions on federal funding for proposed high-risk life sciences research. This research includes Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) involving high-consequence pathogens or any gain-of-function research. Agencies are prohibited from funding such research without the Board's explicit approval, which is granted only after weighing public safety risks against potential benefits. The Board is composed of non-partisan scientific and security experts appointed by the President.

The Freight RAILCAR Act of 2025 establishes a new 10% tax credit for businesses that modernize or replace aging freight railcars, encouraging investment in updated equipment. This credit is capped annually and requires the scrapping of older railcars to qualify for new replacements. The Treasury Department is mandated to report on the utilization and impact of this three-year incentive program.

The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act aims to address healthcare staffing shortages by recapturing unused employment-based immigrant visas from previous years. These recaptured visas are specifically reserved for professional nurses (25,000) and physicians (15,000) to expedite their entry into the U.S. The bill also mandates premium processing for these petitions without imposing extra fees and includes worker protection attestations to prevent displacement of U.S. workers.

The District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025 revises the standards for when Metropolitan Police Department officers can engage in vehicular pursuits, generally broadening the circumstances under which chases may be initiated. The bill removes several previous limitations on when officers can start or continue a chase, provided certain safety considerations are met. Additionally, it mandates a Department of Justice review of the feasibility and cost of implementing public warning technology, like PursuitAlert, during police chases.

The Affordable Inhalers and Nebulizers Act of 2025 aims to significantly lower out-of-pocket costs for essential breathing medications like asthma and COPD inhalers. This bill caps patient cost-sharing for these products at a maximum of \$15 per 30-day supply across private insurance, Medicare Part D, and a new program for the uninsured. Furthermore, it eliminates deductibles for inhalers under most private and Medicare plans starting in 2026.

The Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025 temporarily expands the VA's authority to furnish headstones or burial markers for certain veterans who died after December 7, 1941, provided a marker has not already been placed. Additionally, this Act extends the expiration date for specific limitations on veteran pension payments by three months, from November 2031 to February 2032. The VA must also update its website to reflect these changes in eligibility.