Legislative Activity

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.

This Act, the Enhancing COPS Hiring Program Grants for Local Law Enforcement Act, updates federal grant guidelines to allow local law enforcement agencies to use public safety funds for hiring and retention bonuses. These bonuses are specifically permitted when departments face significant recruitment challenges or high attrition rates. The bill also clarifies the definition of a "law enforcement officer" for grant eligibility purposes.

The Food Farmacy Act of 2025 establishes a federal grant program to fund the creation and operation of "healthy food pharmacies." These pharmacies will provide free, nutritious food and professional nutritional counseling, primarily targeting low-income and food-insecure communities. The goal is to improve public health outcomes by integrating access to healthy food with medical care. The program authorizes $10 million annually from 2026 through 2030 to support these efforts.

The Faster Labor Contracts Act aims to expedite the negotiation of first-time union contracts, which often face lengthy delays after workers vote for representation. This bill establishes mandatory timelines, requiring parties to begin bargaining quickly and escalating disputes to mandatory mediation and binding arbitration if an agreement isn't reached within 90 days. Additionally, the law mandates a GAO study to track the average time it takes for newly certified unions to secure their initial collective bargaining agreement.

This act establishes the Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Program to correct historical errors where Jewish service members killed in WWI and WWII were mistakenly buried under non-Jewish grave markers overseas. The American Battle Monuments Commission will contract with a nonprofit organization to identify these "covered members" and contact their survivors over a five-year period. The legislation also extends a deadline related to certain pension payments.

This resolution officially recognizes the vital contributions of medical research to public health and economic growth across the nation. It specifically designates September 15 through September 19, 2025, as "Medical Research Week." The bill emphasizes the critical role of sustained federal funding, particularly for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in driving life-saving discoveries and ensuring national health security. It encourages public appreciation for the scientists and institutions conducting this essential work.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating a specific week as "National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week." The bill highlights the critical need to address low literacy rates among millions of adults, which impacts the economy, workforce readiness, and family success. It encourages communities nationwide to recognize and support local programs that provide essential education, job skills, and family literacy services.

The PARTNERS Act aims to boost registered apprenticeships and on-the-job training programs, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses in high-demand industries. It achieves this by establishing and funding regional partnerships that develop and support work-based learning opportunities. States will receive federal funds to issue grants to these eligible partnerships, which must then focus on curriculum development, business engagement, and providing essential support services to participants. The Act also establishes specific performance reporting requirements for accountability.

The Unclaimed Retirement Rescue Plan establishes a process for pension plan administrators to transfer forgotten retirement funds to state unclaimed property programs via a national clearinghouse. Before transferring distributions of $50 or more, plans must attempt to locate the owner using databases and send a warning notice if new contact information is found. This act protects plan fiduciaries from liability for following these new transfer rules and mandates confidential reporting of all transfers to the Department of Labor.

This bill, the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025, posthumously awards the Congressional Gold Medal to the pioneering civil rights attorney and federal judge, Constance Baker Motley. The legislation recognizes her historic achievements, including her role in *Brown v. Board of Education* and her service as the first African-American woman appointed as a federal judge. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to strike the medal, and provisions are made for selling bronze duplicates to cover production costs.

The SEED Act of 2025 expands the existing educator expense tax deduction to include early childhood educators. This legislation amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow those working in early childhood education to deduct unreimbursed work expenses "above the line." This change applies to expenses paid for in tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025 establishes a system of advance appropriations for key Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and Indian Health Service (IHS) programs starting in fiscal year 2026. This legislation mandates that budget requests must include forward-looking funding estimates for the subsequent fiscal year to improve agency planning and transparency. Furthermore, the bill requires annual reporting to Congress on resource adequacy for these critical services after consultation with Tribal nations.

The Semiconductor Sovereignty Act mandates a comprehensive report from the Secretary of Commerce detailing the current state and historical trends of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and research. This report must identify critical supply chain vulnerabilities, assess national security risks from offshoring, and project future trends. Based on these findings, the Act requires the Secretary to recommend concrete strategies to boost domestic production, discourage overseas manufacturing, and maintain U.S. technological competitiveness. Annual updates are required to ensure these strategies remain relevant.

The Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act prohibits the knowing distribution of materially deceptive, AI-generated audio or visual media of federal candidates close to an election with the intent to influence the outcome. This ban includes exceptions for legitimate news reporting, satire, and parody, provided proper disclosures are made. Candidates whose likeness is used deceptively can sue for immediate removal of the content and damages.

The REAL Health Providers Act mandates that Medicare Advantage plans maintain accurate and up-to-date public directories of their network providers starting in 2028. This legislation requires regular verification of provider information and establishes cost-sharing protections for patients who see listed providers who are ultimately out-of-network. Furthermore, plans must annually report their directory accuracy scores to the Secretary, which will eventually be made public.

The Reauthorizing Support and Treatment for Officers in Crisis Act of 2025 extends crucial federal funding for programs supporting law enforcement officers in crisis. This bill specifically reauthorizes existing support and treatment initiatives for an additional five years, running from 2025 through 2029. It ensures continued resources are available for officers needing mental health and wellness assistance.

The Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act aims to strengthen democracy, promote economic growth, and enhance security across the seven nations of the Western Balkans. The bill codifies existing sanctions, establishes initiatives for anti-corruption and regional trade, and supports cultural and educational exchanges. It also mandates reports on Russian and Chinese malign influence and prioritizes support for the region's integration with European and Euro-Atlantic institutions.

The Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services Act of 2025 (RESULTS Act) aims to improve Medicare payment rates for clinical lab tests by mandating the collection of more accurate, real-world payment data directly from large, independent private insurance claims databases. This legislation updates definitions, collection timelines, and calculation methods to ensure Medicare payments for widely available tests reflect current market rates. It also establishes default payment rules if sufficient private payor data cannot be secured.

The AI Sovereignty Act mandates the Secretary of Commerce to report on the extent of critical artificial intelligence development and research being moved overseas. This report must identify offshoring locations, foreign partnerships, and the acquisition of U.S. AI assets by foreign entities. Based on these findings, the Act requires the Secretary to recommend strategies to strengthen domestic AI capabilities and discourage further offshoring.

The Pakistan Freedom and Accountability Act expresses strong U.S. support for democracy and human rights in Pakistan, citing concerns over military influence and recent election interference. This legislation directs the President to identify and impose sanctions on Pakistani officials responsible for undermining democratic processes or committing serious human rights abuses. The Act emphasizes the need for civilian control over the military and sets an expiration date for its provisions in September 2030.