Legislative Activity

The Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act reauthorizes the SBIR and STTR programs through 2031 while strengthening national security through enhanced due diligence and foreign risk screening for award applicants. The bill also introduces a "strategic breakthrough" funding mechanism to accelerate the development of critical technologies and streamlines administrative processes to improve commercialization and program efficiency.

This bill establishes an annual **National STEM Week** to highlight the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. It directs a committee to designate this week and report on nationwide participation and its impact on closing educational gaps. The goal is to encourage family engagement, showcase STEM careers, and foster partnerships between schools and industry leaders.

The "No Lifeline for Dead People Act" mandates that telecommunications companies use the federal National Verifier system to confirm consumer eligibility before providing discounted services under the Lifeline program. This legislation aims to prevent fraud and ensure that federal benefits are only distributed to qualified individuals.

The RECEIPTS Act aims to enforce financial accountability within the Department of Defense (DoD) by mandating that the agency achieve a clean, unqualified audit opinion by 2028. The bill provides incentives for achieving this goal, such as enhanced budget flexibility, while imposing strict leadership qualifications and operational changes if the deadline is missed. Additionally, it authorizes funding for artificial intelligence to automate financial processes and establishes an independent Audit Committee to oversee the Department's financial reporting.

This Act officially designates two Department of Veterans Affairs clinics in Iowa to honor fallen Iowa National Guard heroes. Specifically, it names the Des Moines VA clinic after Staff Sergeant Edgar Torres-Tovar and the Marshalltown VA clinic after Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard. This legislation ensures these service members are permanently recognized at these facilities.

The Prospectus Modernization Act of 2026 temporarily raises the dollar thresholds requiring the General Services Administration (GSA) to submit a prospectus to Congress for certain real estate projects through fiscal year 2028. Specifically, the threshold for construction or purchase projects increases to $10 million, and the threshold for leasing space increases to $5 million. This legislation also suspends the standard annual inflation adjustment for these new thresholds during the specified period.

The "Putting an N to Learing about Fraud Act" aims to combat fraud across federal programs by strengthening oversight and recovery mechanisms. It mandates attendance-based billing for child care services and establishes new federal audit requirements for providers. Furthermore, the bill requires prompt notification and auditing of significant payment spikes in Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and ACA exchange plans. Finally, it directs federal agencies to improve guidance and reporting on the recovery of all improper payments.

This resolution honors the service and sacrifice of United States Army Sergeants William Nathaniel Howard and Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, who were killed in action in Syria on December 13, 2025. It recognizes their dedication and commitment while serving with the Iowa Army National Guard. The resolution extends profound gratitude to the soldiers and condemns the terrorist assault that claimed their lives.

The "Wheres the Workforce At Listed by Duties and Office Act" (Wheres WALDO Act) mandates the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to create a public website detailing every civil service employee's job title, duties, location, and pay. Additionally, the OPM must annually report on the total number and cost of federal contract employees, broken down by agency. This aims to increase transparency regarding the federal workforce.

The Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act of 2025 mandates that federal agencies report annually on major projects significantly delayed or over budget. This information will be compiled by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) into a public report submitted to Congress each year. The goal is to increase transparency regarding costly and protracted government endeavors.

The FAIR Leave Act amends the Family and Medical Leave Act to remove restrictions on leave for married couples employed by the same company. This legislation repeals the existing limitation that capped the combined leave spouses could take. The goal is to ensure fair and equal access to leave benefits for married employees.

This act, the "Ending Subsidies for Political Junk Mail Act," eliminates the special, reduced postage rate currently available to qualified political committees. By repealing this discounted mailing rate, the bill aims to stop taxpayer subsidies for political mailings.

The McSCUSE ME Act of 2025 amends the SNAP Restaurant Meals Program to restrict participation to retail food stores that are not primarily fast-food establishments and offer specific healthy meal components. This legislation limits eligible purchases to prepared meals containing at least one fruit or vegetable and a protein, intended for immediate consumption. Furthermore, the bill excludes the spouses of eligible SNAP recipients from participating in this specific program.

The RECAPTURE Act amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to change how unspent federal broadband (BEAD) grant funds are handled when states or entities miss deadlines. Under this bill, any unallocated remaining grant funds that were not designated for a specific purpose will be deposited into the U.S. Treasury for deficit reduction. The remaining funds designated for specific purposes may still be made available to the eligible entity.

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.

The Returning Unspent COVID Funds Act rescinds unobligated balances from several previous COVID-19 relief laws upon enactment. These returned funds are directed to the Treasury's general fund exclusively for reducing the national deficit. The President retains the authority to waive this rescission for specific accounts with prior notification to Congress.

The Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a comprehensive study on essential products for the nation's critical infrastructure that are currently imported due to domestic supply constraints. This study must analyze the costs, benefits, and feasibility of manufacturing these identified products within the United States. The Secretary will then submit a report to Congress with findings and recommendations for boosting domestic production.

This resolution officially designates the week of November 3 through November 7, 2025, as National Veterans Small Business Week. It recognizes the significant contributions of the over 1.65 million veteran-owned small businesses to the U.S. economy. The bill supports creating a business-friendly environment and expresses appreciation for veterans' continued service through entrepreneurship.

The DISPOSAL Act mandates the General Services Administration (GSA) to sell or ground lease six specific, underutilized Federal buildings in Washington, D.C., with proceeds primarily going to deficit reduction after covering relocation costs. This process is streamlined, exempting disposals from several standard environmental and procedural reviews, while strictly prohibiting sales or leases to foreign entities. The GSA Administrator has sole authority over agency relocations, and this authority to dispose of properties terminates at the end of 2028.

The Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act mandates that federal agencies must report detailed data regarding staffing levels and salary expenditures before and during any lapse in appropriations, or government shutdown. These individual agency reports must be submitted to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and relevant congressional committees within 30 days of the shutdown's end. Furthermore, congressional committees are required to publicly post these reports online, and OPM must issue a consolidated report summarizing the impact across all affected agencies.