Legislative Activity

This resolution designates July 2026 as "Plastic Pollution Action Month" to raise awareness about the urgent environmental and human health risks posed by plastic waste. It highlights the critical need to address rising production levels and low recycling rates while encouraging citizens to adopt sustainable practices. Ultimately, the bill promotes year-round action to reduce plastic consumption and protect our ecosystems.

The Vaccine Injury Compensation Modernization Act of 2026 updates the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program by increasing compensation awards, extending the statute of limitations for filing claims, and streamlining administrative processes. The bill also mandates the inclusion of COVID-19 vaccines in the program, expands the list of taxable vaccines, and increases the vaccine excise tax to support program operations. Additionally, it requires the government to develop comprehensive budget plans to address claim backlogs and improve processing efficiency.

The Save MEDICARE Act of 2026 aims to increase transparency and accountability within the Medicare Advantage program by reforming payment methodologies, tightening oversight of diagnosis coding, and accelerating audit processes. The bill also enhances the Department of Veterans Affairs' ability to recover healthcare costs from private insurers and empowers states to enforce federal requirements for Medicare Advantage plans. These measures are designed to ensure more accurate payments, reduce deceptive practices, and protect resources for all Medicare enrollees.

The Trade Responsibly for Environmental Emissions (TREE) Act prohibits the import and sale of "deforestation goods"—commodities linked to deforestation or forest degradation after December 31, 2020—starting in 2029. Importers must submit detailed due diligence statements to Customs and Border Protection, with violations resulting in significant civil penalties, including fines up to 4% of U.S. revenue and potential import bans. The bill also mandates a risk-based country categorization system to guide increased border inspections.

The Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act establishes federal minimum staffing requirements for Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing facilities, mandating at least 4.1 hours of nursing care per resident per day by 2029. The bill includes strict enforcement mechanisms, such as payment denials and increased inspections, for facilities that fail to meet these standards. Additionally, it mandates public disclosure of staffing compliance and requires periodic reporting to ensure these measures improve resident safety and quality of care.

The Stop Corporate Inversions Act of 2026 amends tax law to treat certain foreign corporations as domestic entities if they result from corporate inversions completed after May 8, 2014. This targets companies where former U.S. shareholders retain significant ownership or where management and control remain primarily domestic despite the foreign incorporation. The bill establishes specific tests related to management location and domestic business activity thresholds to determine if a corporation is subject to these revised tax rules.

The No Aid for Russian Energy Act prohibits U.S. persons and entities from exporting petroleum-related equipment, technology, and services to the Russian Federation. It further mandates strict sanctions, including asset blocking and visa restrictions, against any foreign persons or companies that facilitate such trade with Russia. The bill provides limited exceptions for humanitarian aid and medical supplies while granting the President authority to issue temporary national security waivers.

The Ending Importation of Laundered Russian Oil Act closes a loophole in existing sanctions by banning the import of petroleum products refined outside of Russia if they were produced using Russian crude oil. This legislation ensures that energy products derived from Russian sources cannot enter the U.S. market, subjecting violators to the same penalties as those who import Russian oil directly.

This bill proposes several significant reforms to the rules governing Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), primarily affecting contributions, distributions, and administrative requirements. Key changes include imposing an income limitation on deductible HSA contributions starting in 2026 and tightening rules around substantiating medical expense reimbursements. The legislation also introduces an excise tax on HSA trustees for charging excessive fees and requires new reporting on account earnings.

The Promoting Health Careers in Community and Technical Colleges Act ensures that recipients of Health Professions Opportunity Demonstration Project grants must train participants to earn recognized postsecondary credentials. This legislation also explicitly makes community colleges eligible to apply for these federal demonstration grants. These changes will take effect starting October 1, 2025.

The Prompt and Fair Pay Act establishes new rules for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to ensure providers receive fair compensation and timely payments. Starting in 2027, MA plans must pay doctors and suppliers at least as much as Original Medicare for the same services. Additionally, the Act mandates enforceable deadlines for MA plans to pay clean claims—within 14 days for electronic submissions and 30 days for others—and requires detailed notification for any claim that is not considered "clean."

The Guarantee Utilization of All Reimbursements for Delivery of Veterans’ Health Care Act (GUARD Veterans Health Care Act) mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must seek reimbursement from Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans for healthcare services provided to eligible veterans. Additionally, the bill strengthens the government's authority to recover costs for non-service-connected disability care from responsible third parties. It establishes strict timelines and penalties for third parties who fail to promptly process and pay these recovery claims to the VA.

This resolution formally requests the President and key Cabinet Secretaries to provide the House of Representatives with all documents related to the development of a centralized federal database compiled by the government and Palantir Technologies Inc. The inquiry specifically seeks records concerning the consolidation of sensitive personal data—including tax, health, and financial information—across multiple federal agencies. Congress is demanding transparency regarding the scope, purpose, and contractual basis for this data aggregation effort.

The Stop Subsidizing Multimillion Dollar Corporate Bonuses Act expands the tax code rules that limit corporate deductions for excessive executive compensation. This bill broadens the definition of "covered individuals" whose high pay is subject to these limits, including certain past top executives. The changes aim to prevent companies from deducting multi-million dollar bonuses for highly compensated employees and grant the IRS authority to issue clarifying regulations.

The Tax-Free Pell Grant Act makes Federal Pell Grants entirely tax-free, regardless of how the funds are used. Additionally, the bill expands what expenses qualify for the American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning Tax Credits, allowing students to include costs like child care and computer equipment. These changes are set to take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

This resolution requests the President and Secretary of the Treasury to submit documents to the House of Representatives regarding the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) access to Treasury payment systems and taxpayer information. The request includes communications and documents related to DOGE, Elon Musk, or his team's access to these systems, as well as any screenshots of Treasury payment systems data. The information must be provided within 14 days of the resolution's adoption.

The Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2025 significantly expands Medicare coverage to include comprehensive dental, vision, and hearing services starting in 2026. This legislation outlines specific payment schedules, frequency limits, and coverage percentages for routine exams, procedures, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and hearing aids. Furthermore, the bill mandates the inclusion of an oral health professional on the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

The Farewell to Foam Act of 2025 bans the sale and distribution of expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) food service ware, loose fill packaging, and coolers starting January 1, 2028. The bill clearly defines these targeted foam products and the roles of manufacturers, distributors, and retailers involved in their supply chain. Enforcement begins with a written warning for first-time violations, followed by escalating fines for repeat offenses. The Administrator of the EPA is granted the authority to issue necessary regulations to implement the Act.

The Medicare Fraud Detection and Deterrence Act of 2025 aims to reduce healthcare fraud by deactivating provider identifiers for excluded entities, requiring Medicare Advantage plans to include standard unique health identifiers in encounter data, and mandating claims modifiers for telehealth services provided by physicians or practitioners with ties to telehealth companies. This bill ensures that only valid providers are billing Medicare and increases transparency in telehealth services.

The "Preventing Medicare Telefraud Act" aims to reduce fraud in Medicare by requiring prior in-person visits before telehealth orders of high-cost durable medical equipment and lab tests are covered. It mandates audits for providers with high telehealth ordering volumes and requires providers to include their NPI number on claims for telehealth services.