Legislative Activity

The Streamline Emergency Care Act establishes a new federal grant program to help nonprofit hospitals improve the efficiency and operations of their emergency departments. These grants, capped at $500,000 per award, can be used for staffing, facility upgrades, and staff training. The goal is to modernize emergency care delivery and enhance patient throughput.

The FIGHT Act of 2025 significantly strengthens federal prohibitions against animal fighting ventures, specifically targeting the sponsorship, exhibition, and gambling associated with these events. This legislation clarifies the definition of a rooster for legal purposes and bans the interstate transport of roosters for fighting. Furthermore, it empowers private citizens to file lawsuits against violators, allowing for civil penalties and the potential seizure of property used to facilitate illegal animal fighting.

The Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act of 2025 reauthorizes and significantly increases mandatory funding levels for critical animal disease prevention and management programs through 2031. This legislation ensures sustained financial support for national animal health laboratories, surveillance efforts, and preparedness initiatives. The bill updates funding allocations to enhance the nation's ability to rapidly respond to potential foreign animal disease outbreaks.

The Community TEAMS Act of 2025 establishes new federal grants to fund partnerships between medical schools and local health facilities in rural and medically underserved communities. These grants aim to expand clinical training opportunities for medical students in high-need areas. The ultimate goal is to encourage these students to establish long-term medical practices within those communities after graduation.

This resolution formally recognizes and honors the 250th birthday of the United States Army, celebrating its 250 years of service, valor, and dedication to defending American freedom. Congress expresses deep appreciation for the Army's history, its commitment to core values, and its current readiness to meet any future global challenge. The resolution encourages the American public to observe this significant anniversary with appropriate ceremonies.

This bill, the American Patriots of WWII through Service with the Canadian and British Armed Forces Gold Medal Act of 2025, authorizes the creation of a Congressional Gold Medal. This medal will honor U.S. citizens who voluntarily served in the Canadian or British Armed Forces and associated groups before the United States officially entered World War II. The medal will be presented on behalf of Congress and ultimately housed at the Smithsonian Institution.

The EMS Counts Act addresses the critical undercounting of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This bill mandates that the Secretary of Labor update occupational classifications to explicitly recognize dual-role firefighter-EMTs and firefighter-paramedics. By accurately counting all EMS practitioners, this legislation aims to improve federal planning for emergency response and disaster preparedness.

The Border Operations Service Medal Act establishes a new military decoration, the Border Operations Service Medal, to recognize service members and federal employees involved in designated national security operations along the U.S.-Mexico border starting January 2025. This medal will be awarded to active-duty, National Guard, and Reserve members who participated in these specific border security efforts. The Secretary of Defense is tasked with designing and implementing the medal within 60 days of the Act's enactment.

The Plant Biostimulant Act of 2025 establishes clear federal definitions for "plant biostimulant" and "nutritional chemical," explicitly carving them out from existing regulations for "plant regulators." This legislation also mandates the EPA to update relevant regulations to reflect these new definitions within 120 days of enactment. Furthermore, the bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a comprehensive study on how biostimulants and farming practices impact soil health, carbon sequestration, and nutrient efficiency.

The Defense Shipyard Workforce Housing Act of 2025 mandates a Department of Defense study to assess the feasibility, costs, and benefits of providing housing for civilian workers at four key naval shipyards. This comprehensive review will examine options for building or leasing housing and its potential impact on recruitment and retention. The findings, including recommendations, must be reported to Congress within 18 months of enactment.

The AADAPT Act reauthorizes the Project ECHO Grant Program and establishes new, dedicated grants to support technology-enabled collaborative training for healthcare professionals in underserved areas. These new grants specifically focus on improving the early diagnosis and quality of care for patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The bill outlines funding levels and reporting requirements to track the impact of these specialized training models on provider retention and patient outcomes.

The Supporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act mandates that essential health benefits under the ACA must comprehensively cover prenatal, childbirth, neonatal, perinatal, and postpartum care for one full year. This legislation explicitly bans all cost-sharing, including copays and deductibles, for these essential maternity and newborn health services. The bill ensures robust coverage, including specific requirements like mandatory ultrasounds and mental health services for new parents.

The Leveraging Educational Opportunity Networks Act establishes a new federal grant program managed by the Secretary of Labor to fund high-quality, cohort-based career training partnerships. These grants prioritize developing programs that offer living wages during training and comprehensive supportive services for participants from underserved populations. The goal is to rapidly equip low-wage and low-literacy workers with industry-recognized credentials needed to fill critical labor shortages in high-demand sectors. The Act authorizes up to $30 million annually for these initiatives through fiscal year 2029.

The VA Loan Informed Disclosure Act of 2025 (VALID Act) aims to increase awareness of VA loan options among homebuyers. It requires lenders to include comparative information about potential VA loan terms on standard FHA disclosure forms. Furthermore, the Act mandates that the Uniform Residential Loan Application include a prominent question regarding the applicant's military service.

This resolution officially designates the Friday before Memorial Day as **National Poppy Day** to honor U.S. veterans. It recognizes the poppy as a long-standing symbol of remembrance for those who died in service, inspired by World War I. The bill encourages all citizens to wear a red poppy on this day to show appreciation for our fallen service members.

The Justice for America’s Veterans and Survivors Act of 2025 mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) submit an annual report detailing the causes of death among veterans. This report must specifically identify veterans with totally disabling service-connected disabilities and note any deaths by suicide linked to those conditions. The goal is to provide Congress with comprehensive data on veteran mortality trends.

The Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act mandates that colleges and universities must prominently display essential mental health and suicide prevention contact information on student ID cards or official websites. This includes the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and the campus mental health center. These requirements take effect one year after the Act is signed into law.

The End Banking for Human Traffickers Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the financial industry's role in combating human trafficking. It mandates a review and enhancement of anti-money laundering procedures used by banks to better detect trafficking-related transactions. Furthermore, the bill requires an interagency task force to report specific legislative and administrative recommendations for improving detection and information sharing. Finally, it adds a requirement that the U.S. evaluate foreign countries' systems for stopping financial transactions linked to human trafficking.

The Stratton Ridge Air Force Memorial Act authorizes the relocation of a memorial honoring nine Air Force crew members lost in a 1982 training crash. The Secretary of Agriculture can permit the move to the Stratton Ridge rest area, provided private landowner consent and approval from the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration are secured. Crucially, this act mandates that all costs associated with the relocation, installation, and maintenance must be covered entirely by non-federal funds.

The Deescalation Drone Pilot Program Act of 2025 establishes a pilot program managed by the FAA for law enforcement to test drones equipped only with non-lethal tools during active shooter events. This initiative aims to assess the safety, training, and effectiveness of using these specialized drones to keep officers at a safer distance. Following the testing phase, the FAA must create a formal rulemaking process to allow agencies nationwide to seek approval for using these domestically manufactured, non-lethal drones.