Legislation

The Headstones for Honor Act expands VA eligibility for official headstones, markers, or medallions to include graves of certain enslaved individuals who accompanied service members and those who performed military functions despite being legally barred from service due to discrimination. This legislation ensures recognition for these historically overlooked contributors to military efforts. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to establish regulations for implementation within one year of enactment.

The Protecting DOD Data Act of 2025 mandates the Department of Defense (DoD) to enhance the protection of personal data that affects the operational security of its personnel. This includes reviewing and updating guidance to ensure data handling aligns with pre-existing privacy laws and strictly limiting the storage of such sensitive data on non-DoD managed servers. The Act also establishes new requirements for Congressional notification regarding waivers, security events, and system owner training.

The Combating Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals Act of 2025 updates existing law to combat the proliferation of counterfeit and "copy-cat" drugs. It broadens the scope of sanctions and intelligence gathering beyond just fentanyl to include all illicit drugs. The Act also clarifies definitions and expands eligibility for waivers concerning access to prescription medications currently facing shortages.

The Veterans SPORT Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must now provide eligible veterans with coverage for adaptive prostheses and terminal devices specifically designed for sports and other recreational activities. This amendment expands the medical services the VA furnishes, ensuring veterans have access to necessary equipment for physical recreation.

This bill automatically extends the authorities of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until the end of the fiscal year following its scheduled termination date. This ensures the NFIP can continue to issue and renew policies, pay claims, and operate normally unless Congress passes new legislation. The extension maintains existing financial limitations and funding levels during the extended period. This provision is designed to prevent an immediate lapse of critical flood insurance coverage.

This resolution recognizes The Arc of the United States as it approaches its 75th anniversary in 2025. It honors the organization's long history of advocating for the civil and human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The bill commends The Arc for its instrumental role in passing landmark disability rights legislation and its ongoing commitment to full community inclusion.

This bill mandates the Department of Defense (DoD) to conduct interagency tabletop exercises focused on economic impacts during crises. These exercises will assess how DoD decisions affect the economy and evaluate existing government economic tools available to support military operations. The Secretary of Defense must brief Congress on these integration efforts by the end of 2025.

This Act establishes the VA Zero Suicide Demonstration Project, a pilot program within the Department of Veterans Affairs designed to significantly lower veteran suicide rates. The program will implement the Zero Suicide Institute's curriculum and training across five selected VA medical centers over five years. The VA Secretary is required to consult with various experts and submit annual progress reports comparing outcomes at pilot sites to other VA centers.

The COACH Act establishes a mandatory Child Care Resource Guide to support small businesses operating as child care providers. This guide, published by the Small Business Administration, will offer essential guidance on operations, finances, compliance, and quality. It must be updated regularly and distributed widely to ensure child care providers have access to necessary resources.

The Shutdown Fairness Act ensures that federal employees, active-duty military, and supporting contractors who worked or were employed during a lapse in appropriations receive their full compensation retroactively and going forward. It appropriates necessary funds to agencies to cover "standard employee compensation" for all "covered employees" and "covered contract employees" for the entire duration of any funding lapse. This aims to guarantee that affected personnel are paid promptly, regardless of furlough status or scheduled pay dates during the shutdown period.

The Total Force Family Education Act expands eligibility for Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools to dependents of certain reserve component members. This provision applies when the service member is on active duty orders for an accompanied permanent change of station. Eligible dependents will be automatically enrolled if space is available at the school located at the member's permanent installation.

This bill, the Service Academies District of Columbia Equality Act of 2025, significantly increases the number of residents from the District of Columbia eligible for appointment to the U.S. Military Academy, Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy. It raises the appointment limit for each service academy from five to fifteen individuals from D.C.

The National Defense Supply Chain Integrity Act of 2025 clarifies the legal status of the Secretary of Defense's decisions regarding the identification of Chinese military companies. This bill classifies these identification decisions as military or foreign affairs functions. Consequently, most provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, which govern rulemaking and judicial review, will not apply to these specific determinations.

This bill, the Medal of Honor Act, recognizes the exceptional service of Medal of Honor recipients by significantly increasing their special monthly pension. It adjusts the pension rate to align with compensation for veterans without dependents, ensuring a more fitting recognition of their gallantry. Additionally, the Act extends the date related to certain limitations on pension payments.

The Manage Your Data and Allow Only Trusted Access Act of 2025 (MY DATA Act) prohibits covered entities from stopping individuals from using their de-identified or cloaked data. This act establishes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as the enforcement body for violations, treating non-compliance as an unfair or deceptive practice. The bill defines key terms like "cloaked data" and "de-identified data" to clarify the scope of protected information usage.

The Expanding Health Care Providers for Veterans Act removes numerical limitations on nonimmigrant admissions for individuals employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs or a certified State home. This change aims to increase the healthcare workforce available to veterans. The Act also ensures that certain entry restrictions for H-1B nonimmigrants will not apply to these specific healthcare providers.

The LEAF Act of 2025 amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act to establish a contract preference for "appropriate local contractors" on federal hazardous fuel reduction projects. This preference prioritizes entities that maintain a local business presence and ensure a significant portion of their workforce resides near the project site. The Secretary of Agriculture must report annually to Congress on the implementation and economic impact of this local hiring preference.

The Healthcare Opportunities for Patriots in Exile (HOPE) Act grants the Secretary of Homeland Security the discretionary authority to parole certain veterans currently outside the U.S. into the country. This parole is specifically for the purpose of allowing them to receive necessary healthcare from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Eligibility is restricted for those inadmissible due to serious violent or national security-related criminal convictions.

The Pipeline Security Act assigns the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) responsibility for securing pipeline transportation and facilities against cybersecurity, terrorism, and other threats. This legislation mandates the TSA Administrator to develop and enforce security guidelines, directives, and regulations in consultation with CISA and industry stakeholders. The Act also requires regular oversight reporting to Congress and a review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the implementation of these new security measures.

This resolution condemns the Chinese Communist Party's severe persecution of religious minorities, including Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists. It specifically denounces the detention of Pastor "Ezra" Jin Mingri and leaders of the Zion Church. Congress reaffirms the United States' unwavering global commitment to promoting religious freedom and tolerance for all.