Legislative Activity

The Headstones for Honor Act expands VA eligibility for official headstones, markers, or medallions to include graves of certain enslaved individuals who accompanied service members and those who performed military functions despite being legally barred from service due to discrimination. This legislation ensures recognition for these historically overlooked contributors to military efforts. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to establish regulations for implementation within one year of enactment.

This bill requires the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Education to submit a joint report to Congress concerning childcare for veteran families. The report must assess the current availability, accessibility, and affordability of childcare options. It will also identify existing gaps and evaluate barriers, such as cost and distance, preventing veteran families from accessing necessary care.

The Defense Biotechnology Strategy Act mandates that the Secretary of Defense submit a comprehensive strategy to Congress within one year. This strategy must outline the Department of Defense's approach to leveraging emerging biotechnologies for national security. It requires detailed plans for integrating biotechnology into defense manufacturing, procurement, and international partnerships, particularly with NATO allies.

The Veterans with ALS Reporting Act requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a comprehensive report to Congress on the prevalence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) among veterans. This report must detail current support resources, identify gaps, and propose plans for reducing ALS incidence and improving clinical trial access for affected veterans. The VA will also be required to continuously track ALS rates using the CDC's existing registry.

The VA Work-Study Improvement Act expands approved work-study locations to include state/local government agencies and nonprofits that benefit veterans. It establishes a clear standard for the minimum hourly wage paid to participants and mandates the use of electronic timesheets. Furthermore, the bill requires the VA to annually publish detailed data regarding the work-study program's activities and participants.

This bill authorizes the presentation of a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor the Medevac Marines and Navy Corpsmen who served in helicopter support roles during the Vietnam War. The legislation recognizes their heroic service, which included critical troop transport, supply delivery, and life-saving medical evacuations under dangerous conditions. The gold medal will be struck by the Secretary of the Treasury and ultimately displayed at the National Museum of the United States Navy. The Secretary is also authorized to sell bronze duplicates of the medal to the public.

The North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2025 seeks to continue and strengthen U.S. efforts to promote human rights and democracy in North Korea. The bill reauthorizes key programs and emphasizes the need to increase the flow of outside information into the isolated nation. It also urges China to cease forcibly repatriating North Korean refugees and calls for prioritizing family reunions for divided Korean Americans. Finally, the Act establishes new reporting requirements concerning U.S. human rights activities related to North Korea.

The Total Force Family Education Act expands eligibility for Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools to dependents of certain reserve component members. This provision applies when the service member is on active duty orders for an accompanied permanent change of station. Eligible dependents will be automatically enrolled if space is available at the school located at the member's permanent installation.

The Veterans Transition Support Act of 2025 expands the existing Solid Start program to enhance outreach to specific separating service members. This legislation mandates proactive contact between 210 and 120 days before separation to inform members about transitional health care and provide disability claim assistance resources. The program must also incorporate suicide prevention resources into its outreach efforts for these veterans.

This Act establishes the **Strategic Task Force on Scam Prevention**, an interagency group led by the FTC and DOJ, to combat fraud. The task force is charged with developing and implementing a national strategy that includes public education, industry coordination, and enhanced enforcement actions. It will also coordinate with international partners and report annually on its efforts to reduce financial losses from scams.

The Home for the Brave Act of 2025 ensures that veterans' disability compensation and dependency/indemnity compensation are not counted as household income by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This change will positively affect eligibility and the calculation of housing assistance benefits for veterans and their families.

This bill, the Abducted Ukrainian Children Recovery and Accountability Act, authorizes the Departments of Justice and State to provide technical assistance and training to Ukraine. This support aims to help Ukraine secure the exchange of prisoners of war, release civilian detainees, and facilitate the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. The legislation also mandates support for the rehabilitation of returned children and the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the abductions.

The Save Our Ships Act establishes the Historic Naval Ship Preservation Grant Program within the Department of the Interior. This program will provide competitive grants to support the physical preservation of historic military vessels for public education. The grants can also fund workforce development programs related to maritime careers. The legislation authorizes $5 million annually for the program starting in fiscal year 2026.

This resolution honors the service and sacrifice of America's veterans on Veterans Day, 2025, recognizing the history of the observance from Armistice Day. It affirms the nation's deep commitment to supporting the over 15 million veterans and their families. The resolution calls upon the public to observe Veterans Day and ensure veterans continue to receive the services they deserve.

This resolution expresses support for National Adoption Day and Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children awaiting permanent families. It highlights the significant number of children in foster care waiting for adoption and encourages all Americans to consider providing a safe, permanent, and well-being-focused home for these children. The resolution supports various avenues for achieving permanency, including reunification, kinship care, and adoption.

This bill, the Accelerating Home Building Act, authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to award grants to local entities. These grants will help eligible entities select pre-reviewed construction designs for use in building mixed-income, low-rise or mid-rise housing structures. The goal is to speed up housing approvals by utilizing designs already vetted for local building codes, though the funds cannot be used for actual construction.

This resolution expresses strong support for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, recognizing its critical role in saving children's lives through global immunization efforts in low-income countries. It highlights Gavi's proven success in delivering vaccines, strengthening health systems, and providing a significant return on investment. The bill encourages the U.S. to maintain and increase its financial commitment to Gavi to ensure global health security and future vaccine access.

This resolution expresses support for designating the week of November 2 through November 8, 2025, as "Drowsy Driving Prevention Week." The goal is to raise national awareness about the serious dangers of driving while fatigued. It encourages the President to issue a proclamation to promote education on preventative measures against drowsy driving incidents.

This resolution designates October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month to highlight the widespread and devastating impact of intimate partner violence across all demographics. It recognizes the urgent need to eliminate domestic violence and supports increased funding for intervention and prevention programs. The resolution underscores the severe physical, emotional, and economic toll this abuse takes on individuals, families, and communities.

The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act automatically appropriates funding for federal programs at the rate of the preceding funding law for 14-day periods whenever a lapse in appropriations occurs. This automatic funding continues until a new appropriation Act is enacted or the automatic authority expires. Furthermore, the bill imposes strict limitations on official travel for covered Members of Congress and their staff, and restricts legislative business during these automatic funding periods. These budgetary effects are to be treated as discretionary, part-year appropriations for enforcement purposes.