Legislative Activity

The Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act mandates updated threat analyses of the northern border every two years, with the first due by September 2, 2026. Following each analysis, the Department of Homeland Security must update its border strategy or formally explain why an update is unnecessary. The bill also requires classified briefings for Congress and the development of performance measures for Air and Marine Operations along the northern border.

The Critical Mineral Dominance Act aims to establish the United States as the leading global producer of hardrock minerals to strengthen supply chains and national security. The bill mandates immediate analysis of economic reliance on mineral imports and prioritizes the expedited approval of mining projects on Federal lands. Furthermore, it requires a comprehensive review and streamlining of regulations that burden domestic mineral development while accelerating geologic mapping efforts.

The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act amends existing law to establish new rules for locating and using hardrock mining mill sites on public land, limiting each site to five acres and prohibiting patenting. It also creates the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund, which will receive claim maintenance fees collected specifically from these newly authorized mill sites. These funds are designated solely for use in carrying out specific provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act related to mine cleanup. The Act also makes technical corrections to existing fee statutes.

The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 mandates that the Secretary of Transportation establish a rule requiring AM broadcast radio receivers to be installed as standard equipment in new passenger motor vehicles. This requirement aims to ensure public access to AM radio signals, which are often used for emergency alerts. The bill also directs a GAO study on the effectiveness of AM radio within the national emergency alert system compared to other technologies. Finally, the Act preempts state and local laws on this matter and includes a sunset provision eight years after enactment.

This bill aims to reauthorize the Young Fishermen's Development Act by extending the authorization of appropriations for the program. Specifically, it pushes the current expiration date for funding from 2026 to 2031. This action ensures continued support for the development of young fishermen.

The Pay Our Troops Act of 2026 ensures that active duty military personnel and essential civilian support staff continue to receive their pay if Congress has not yet passed the full budget for fiscal year 2026. This act provides automatic continuing appropriations from the Treasury to prevent a lapse in military salaries due to budget delays. The funding automatically terminates once a new budget or continuing resolution is passed, or on January 1, 2027, whichever comes first.

The Saving the American Dream Act mandates that key federal housing agencies collaborate to share research and data through a formal agreement. This legislation requires these agencies to jointly submit a comprehensive report to Congress outlining policy solutions for improving housing finance coordination, reducing mortgage costs, and addressing barriers to new home construction. The goal is to ensure federal housing policy is based on coordinated, evidence-based analysis.

This resolution formally condemns the horrific political assassination of conservative spokesman Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. It expresses deep condolences to his family and recognizes the bravery of the first responders at the scene. Ultimately, the measure reaffirms the fundamental American right to peaceful assembly and stands firmly against political violence.

The RTCP Revitalization Act aims to significantly increase and guarantee funding for geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers through the Commodity Credit Corporation. This legislation removes previous administrative hurdles and eliminates annual payment caps for individual producers when program demand is high. The bill establishes mandatory, increasing funding levels for this support program through fiscal year 2031 and beyond.

The Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025 directs the FAA to update regulations to encourage aviation workers to seek mental health support without fear of stigma. The bill mandates annual reviews of the medical clearance process and allocates funding to hire more Aviation Medical Examiners. Furthermore, it requires the FAA to implement recommendations from a recent mental health task force and launch a public awareness campaign to reduce stigma.

The Veterans ACCESS Act of 2025 seeks to improve veterans' healthcare by revising the Veterans Community Care Program, enhancing mental health treatment programs, and implementing other healthcare improvements. Title I revises eligibility standards for community care, ensures veterans are informed about their options, and addresses care preferences and telehealth options. Title II standardizes eligibility for mental health programs, improves care quality, and ensures timely access to treatment. Title III focuses on improving healthcare services through online tools, modifying innovation programs, and increasing reporting on healthcare processes.

This bill reauthorizes the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 through fiscal year 2030, authorizing $56 million annually for FY 2026-2030. It makes administrative updates by replacing "Council" with "Committee" throughout the Act and clarifies the system's scope to include operational oceanography measurements. Furthermore, it mandates that federal agencies develop rules to ensure data sharing between regional offices and federally funded projects with local coastal observing systems.

The Modern Firearm Safety Act preempts state and local governments from imposing handgun design or feature requirements beyond existing federal law. This bill prevents jurisdictions from mandating specific features, such as loaded chamber indicators or magazine insertion sensors, on handguns sold or shipped across state lines. The goal is to standardize federal requirements and limit local restrictions on firearm manufacturing and commerce.

The No DOT Funds for Sanctuary Cities Act prohibits the Secretary of Transportation from awarding federal transportation funds to any city designated as a "sanctuary city." This designation applies to localities with policies that restrict sharing immigration status information or complying with certain federal immigration detainers. Waivers for funding may only be granted if the Secretary certifies the activity is in the national interest and notifies relevant Congressional committees.

The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act strictly prohibits the Federal Reserve from directly or indirectly issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) to individuals. This legislation prevents the Fed from developing, testing, or implementing any digital currency that functions as a direct liability of the Federal Reserve. Furthermore, Congress asserts that any authority to create such a digital asset must explicitly come from Congress itself.

The **Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act** is a comprehensive bill designed to establish clear regulatory frameworks for digital assets under the SEC and CFTC while strictly prohibiting the Federal Reserve from issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). It creates specific rules for the offering, trading, and custody of digital commodities, aiming to foster innovation through regulatory clarity. Ultimately, the legislation seeks to protect individual self-custody rights and prevent the creation of a government-controlled digital currency that could enable mass surveillance.

The Make American Guns Again (MAGA) Act of 2025 requires the Secretary of Defense to study the prevalence of foreign-made or foreign-owned small arms and light weapons used by the U.S. military. Within 180 days, the Secretary must report these findings to Congress and the President. This report must also include recommendations for increasing the procurement of domestically manufactured and owned small arms.

The Contact Lens Prescription Verification Modernization Act updates existing law to ensure consumers can easily obtain and use their contact lens prescriptions. This bill specifically requires online sellers to provide a HIPAA-compliant method for electronically receiving prescriptions and mandates encryption for any protected health information sent via email. Additionally, it updates seller record-keeping requirements to include customer email addresses.

The Ensuring Outpatient Quality for Rural States Act allows for cost-of-living adjustments to payments for hospital outpatient services provided in Alaska and Hawaii, starting in 2026. This change specifically targets the non-labor related portion of service costs, recognizing the higher operating expenses in these states. Crucially, these adjustments do not need to be budget neutral.

The Essential Air Service Reliability Act of 2025 updates the Essential Air Service (EAS) program by requiring airlines seeking federal subsidies to submit contingency plans for non-weather-related service disruptions. This legislation also shifts the selection criteria for subsidy recipients to prioritize the proposed rate of compensation. These changes aim to ensure more reliable air service to smaller communities by mandating operational backups.