Legislative Activity

The Military CARE Act establishes a digital system for military beneficiaries to easily file and track complaints regarding access to care at military medical facilities. It mandates the creation of an annual report analyzing these complaints to identify trends and inform improvements. This aims to enhance transparency and accountability in military healthcare access.

The Healthcare Equality and Rights for Our Heroes Act (HERO Act) establishes a new legal process allowing members of the uniformed services to sue the United States for damages resulting from medical malpractice at military treatment facilities. This act repeals existing law and creates a new exclusive remedy against the U.S. government for injuries or death caused by negligence in military healthcare. Lawsuits must be filed within 10 years of discovering the injury, and damage awards cannot be reduced by any VA benefits received.

This bill, the FEMA Administrative Reform Act, streamlines disaster response by removing the requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to personally approve FEMA expenditures over $100,000 related to disaster costs. It aims to expedite the allocation of necessary funds during emergencies.

The Essential Caregivers Act of 2025 protects the rights of residents in long-term care facilities to designate an essential caregiver who can provide support and companionship. This legislation ensures that these caregivers maintain in-person access to residents even during public health emergencies when general visitation is restricted. By establishing clear protocols and an appeals process, the bill aims to prevent the harmful effects of isolation and ensure residents continue to receive vital care and advocacy.

The Professional Student Degree Act seeks to amend the Higher Education Act by formally defining what constitutes a "professional degree" for student loan purposes. This definition specifies degrees that prepare students to immediately begin practicing in a profession and require a skill level beyond a standard bachelor's degree. The bill explicitly lists numerous professional degrees, such as Law, Medicine, and specialized health fields, under this new classification.

The Protect America's Workforce Act nullifies a specific Executive Order issued in March 2025 concerning exclusions from federal labor-management relations programs. This legislation ensures that any existing collective bargaining agreements between federal agencies and employee unions remain fully in effect until their stated expiration dates. The Act also prohibits the use of federal funds to implement the overturned Executive Order.

This bill, the Improving the Federal Response to Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025, mandates that key federal agencies develop a joint strategy to enhance coordination in investigating organized retail crime networks. The strategy must focus on improving information sharing between agencies and increasing cooperation with state, local, and private sector partners. The legislation also requires joint agency and Comptroller General reports on these coordination efforts.

The Safer Schools Act of 2025 establishes a five-year pilot program managed by the Attorney General to award grants to public schools for security enhancements. These grants fund independent facility security risk assessments and "hard security improvements," such as physical infrastructure upgrades. Priority is given to schools that have experienced past incidents of deadly harm, and recipients must report on the effectiveness of the improvements.

The Veterans Career Connection Act establishes the Veterans Transition Talent Hub within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This program aims to directly connect employers with veterans and separating service members by creating a searchable database of their skills and employment preferences. The goal is to streamline the transition from military service to civilian employment.

The Bus Operator Safety and Security Act mandates that new fixed-route buses purchased with federal funds, meeting specific size and lifespan criteria, must be equipped with a protective barrier around the operator's workstation. This barrier must fully enclose the area without obstructing the driver's line of sight. This requirement can be waived if the relevant labor union agrees to the waiver for the specific bus purchase.

This bill mandates the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to create a single, uniform system for credentialing and privileging medical providers. The departments must first report on their existing systems and then jointly select one system to be implemented by January 1, 2028. This integration aims to streamline the process for medical providers serving both agencies.

This bill temporarily extends the deadline for certain individuals to file medical care claims under the VA's CHAMPVA program. Specifically, it allows those eligible for both CHAMPVA and Medicare Part A an extended period of at least 365 days to file claims after receiving retroactive CHAMPVA approval. This extension is in effect until September 30, 2027.

The CommonGround for Affordable Health Care Act extends enhanced premium tax credits for Marketplace health insurance through 2026, while also establishing strict new penalties and verification processes to combat fraud by agents and brokers in health insurance exchanges. Furthermore, the bill imposes significant new transparency and accountability requirements on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) contracting with Medicare Part D plans. Finally, it extends the 2026 open enrollment period and creates a fast-track legislative process for future premium tax credit reform bills.

This bill exempts specific, carefully defined less-than-lethal projectile devices and their ammunition from the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition. It also removes these qualifying devices from regulation under the National Firearms Act. The legislation establishes clear criteria, including velocity limits and design restrictions, to ensure the exemption applies only to tools intended for de-escalation rather than lethal force. Manufacturers can request official classification for their products to confirm eligibility for these tax and regulatory benefits.

This Act officially names the memorial at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery as the "World War II Women's Memorial." It also designates this memorial as a "commemorative work" under existing federal law. Furthermore, the bill allows a specific World War II home front women's commemorative work to be placed in designated areas within Washington, D.C., overriding standard location restrictions.

The Bipartisan Health Insurance Affordability Act aims to lower healthcare costs by extending and enhancing premium tax credits for Marketplace insurance through 2027. It also institutes strict new anti-fraud measures and verification processes for agents and brokers enrolling consumers in Exchange plans. Furthermore, the bill imposes significant transparency and accountability requirements on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) in Medicare Part D and mandates a full pass-through of rebates in certain private health plans. Finally, it expands access to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for certain Exchange enrollees.

This bill directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program to deliver timely and relevant information via text message to service members and their adult dependents stationed at Marine Corps bases in Okinawa, Japan. The program will automatically enroll recipients, who will receive updates on employment, childcare, TRICARE benefits, and policy changes. The Secretary must report on the program's implementation, usage, and recommendations for potential expansion by October 2027.

This act establishes the VA Zero Suicide Demonstration Project, a five-year pilot program to reduce veteran suicide rates. The initiative will implement the Zero Suicide Institute's curriculum across five selected VA medical centers, including one serving rural veterans. The program focuses on intensive staff training, policy development, and rigorous data collection to evaluate effectiveness. Annual reports will track progress and compare outcomes against other VA facilities.

The Rx ACCESS Act aims to improve prescription access, fairness, and transparency within the TRICARE pharmacy benefits program. It extends beneficiary choice for receiving non-generic maintenance medications and establishes minimum reimbursement standards for TRICARE retail pharmacies. Furthermore, the bill mandates annual independent audits by the Comptroller General to review reimbursement rates and network adequacy.

The Independence Investment Fund Act establishes a $\$5$ billion Treasury-managed fund to make equity and debt investments in U.S. companies developing critical and emerging technologies. This initiative aims to strengthen national security by countering adversarial foreign investments, particularly in sectors like biotechnology. The Fund will operate for 10 years under the oversight of an independent managing entity and requires regular reporting to Congress on its performance and objectives.