Legislation

The Helping Homeless Veterans Act of 2025 aims to restructure existing programs supporting homeless and special needs veterans. The bill modifies several sections related to treatment, housing assistance, and supportive services for veterans. Notably, it establishes a dedicated funding level of $\$420,000,000$ annually for financial assistance programs for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing starting in fiscal year 2027.

The Every Veteran Counts Act of 2025 mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a comprehensive, publicly accessible database of anonymized veteran demographic data, including sensitive categories like sexual orientation and gender identity. This legislation requires the VA to continuously collect, maintain, and annually update this machine-readable data to better inform policy and outreach. Furthermore, the Secretary must report to Congress within one year on the progress and challenges of implementing a modernized VA data strategy.

This resolution expresses support for designating a week in November 2025 as "National Caregiving Youth Week" to recognize children under 18 who care for family members. It highlights the significant challenges these youth face balancing caregiving with their own well-being and education. The bill also calls for urgent national research to better understand and support this underserved population.

The UNLOCK Housing Act aims to increase the supply of affordable housing by allowing local governments and tribes to use federal funds for the direct construction of new residential housing for low- and moderate-income persons. This amendment to the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 expands the eligible uses of these funds. The legislation permits this construction activity with or without the involvement of nonprofit organizations.

The Veterans’ Sentinel Act mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to annually evaluate statistical trends of veteran suicides and attempted suicides occurring on VA property and develop prevention recommendations. It establishes a working group to collect and analyze comprehensive data on these incidents, including root cause analysis and behavioral health autopsy information. This group will also work to unify and improve the VA's data collection processes for on-campus veteran suicides. The Secretary must report on the working group's progress and findings to Congress annually.

The Veterans Earned Education Act expands the eligibility for service members to transfer Post-9/11 educational assistance benefits to their dependents. This change modifies existing service requirements, specifically adding pathways for individuals who have completed at least 17 years of service or who are retired under specific Armed Forces chapters to transfer these educational benefits. The legislation broadens the scope of who can transfer these earned benefits to family members.

This bill temporarily extends and modifies the enhanced premium tax credit for health insurance through 2027. It also introduces significant changes to Medicare Advantage risk adjustment by requiring the use of two years of diagnostic data starting in 2026. Finally, the legislation aims to reduce fraudulent enrollment in health plans by increasing civil and criminal penalties for agents and brokers and establishing new consumer protection and oversight processes.

This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide opioid antagonists to veterans without requiring a prescription. Furthermore, it eliminates any associated copayment for receiving these life-saving medications. The goal is to ensure veterans have immediate access to overdose reversal medication.

The Veterans with ALS Reporting Act requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a comprehensive report to Congress on the prevalence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) among veterans. This report must detail current support resources, identify gaps, and propose plans for reducing ALS incidence and improving clinical trial access for affected veterans. The VA will also be required to continuously track ALS rates using the CDC's existing registry.

The Veteran Entrepreneurship Empowerment Act aims to support veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs by addressing capital access barriers. This legislation waives specific guarantee and upfront fees for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans up to $1,000,000 made to veteran-owned small businesses. Additionally, the Act reduces the minimum required equity injection percentage for these qualifying loans. The SBA is also mandated to collect and publish data on veteran participation in key lending programs.

The THRIVE Act of 2025 mandates the establishment of an Interagency Task Force on Complementary and Integrative Health within the VA. This task force will assess and develop a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of various integrative therapies, such as acupuncture, yoga, and peer-led programs, for treating conditions like PTSD and depression. Its goal is to determine how the VA can best expand access to these proven complementary approaches to improve veteran mental health and well-being.

The Justice Involved Veterans Support Act aims to better identify and support veterans within the criminal justice system. It establishes a pilot program managed by the Attorney General and the VA to provide grants to state prisons and local jails for improving veteran documentation. This effort is intended to connect incarcerated veterans with necessary benefits and increase referrals to veterans treatment courts.

The Stuck On Hold Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implement an automated system on all covered customer service lines to inform callers of their expected wait time. If the wait exceeds 10 minutes, the system must offer an automatic callback option. Furthermore, the VA is required to issue guidance aimed at reducing average wait times to 10 minutes or less.

The VA Work-Study Improvement Act expands approved work-study locations to include state/local government agencies and nonprofits that benefit veterans. It establishes a clear standard for the minimum hourly wage paid to participants and mandates the use of electronic timesheets. Furthermore, the bill requires the VA to annually publish detailed data regarding the work-study program's activities and participants.

The Bring Down Housing Costs Act establishes a Task Force on Bringing Down Housing Costs, overseen by the Secretary of HUD. This Task Force is charged with identifying states with rising median home prices and developing best practices to address these increases. The group will report annually on its findings and recommendations to various federal and state officials before terminating after five years.

The Stop 8(a) Contracting Fraud Act places a temporary moratorium on the Small Business Administration's ability to award sole source contracts under the 8(a) program. This pause will last until the SBA completes its mandated audit of the business development program and reports the findings to Congress. Waivers to this moratorium can only be granted in writing for critical national security interests, requiring high-level agency and SBA approval.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility at 401 North Elm Street in Tuskegee, Alabama. The facility will now be known as the "Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Post Office." This designation requires all official documents to use the new name for the location.

This resolution officially honors and remembers the victims of the American Airlines Flight 587 crash that occurred in Rockaway Queens, New York, on November 12, 2001. It extends the sincere condolences of the United States to the families and friends of the 265 individuals lost in the tragedy. The resolution also solemnly marks the upcoming twenty-fourth anniversary of the event.

This bill ensures the continued operation of the Hatch Act Unit within the Office of Special Counsel during a lapse in appropriations. It designates the unit's investigative work on Hatch Act violations as essential services related to the safety of human life or property protection. This allows the unit to continue functioning even without active funding.

This bill provides the necessary appropriations for the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies for Fiscal Year 2026. It funds ongoing government operations while also including numerous extensions for expiring programs across health, Medicare, and veterans' affairs sectors. Additionally, the legislation contains several specific policy directives, including restrictions on federal workforce reductions and provisions related to agricultural trade and FDA user fees.