Legislative Activity

This bill, the "Child Care Modernization Act of 2026," reauthorizes and significantly updates the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. It aims to increase child care quality and access by updating eligibility definitions, strengthening state planning requirements, and establishing new grant programs for supply expansion and facility improvements. Key changes include mandating that payment rates cover the full cost of care and enhancing support for the child care workforce.

The Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026 significantly enhances benefits for veterans and service members. It increases disability compensation with a new monthly allowance for certain veterans and ties future Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) adjustments to Social Security cost-of-living increases plus an extra percentage. The bill also expands VA home loan eligibility to include National Guard and Reserve members with at least 14 days of qualifying service, though these borrowers will pay a higher loan fee. Finally, it extends the current VA home loan fee structure and modifies definitions of active duty for Guard and Reserve components.

The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act prohibits the VA from reporting veterans to the NICS background check system solely because a fiduciary was appointed to manage their benefits. This legislation ensures that a VA finding of mental incompetence or the appointment of a fiduciary alone is not used to treat a veteran as a "mental defective" for gun control purposes. Furthermore, the VA must notify the Attorney General about past transmissions of this information that lacked a proper legal basis.

This act officially establishes the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and designates its location on the National Mall, requiring the transfer of land jurisdiction to the Smithsonian Institution. The museum is mandated to preserve and present the history and achievements of biological women in the United States. Furthermore, the legislation requires that exhibits and programs reflect diverse political viewpoints and authentic experiences of women, as guided by a broad array of knowledgeable sources.

This bill, the "Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization," extends the existing rural community hospital demonstration program for an additional five years, making it a 20-year program. It also updates the criteria for an additional extension period to cover certain hospitals that join the program between late 2024 and early 2027.

The Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting January 1, 2026. This coverage is specifically for testing or treatment related to COVID-19, the flu, RSV, strep throat, or during a declared public health emergency. The bill outlines payment structures, generally covering 80% of the cost, and prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

This bill establishes a three-year pilot program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide financial assistance for medically necessary infant formula or donor milk. The program targets eligible individuals who are not covered by WIC but have specific medical or situational needs preventing them from breastfeeding. The Secretary must implement the program within one year of enactment and submit annual reports to Congress on its operation.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative gold and silver coins marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The coins will honor the victims, first responders, and survivors, with designs selected in consultation with the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. All surcharges from the sale of these coins will be paid directly to the Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance.

This resolution expresses strong support for law enforcement officers, recognizing their vital role in protecting communities and upholding the rule of law. It acknowledges the daily sacrifices officers make and affirms their essential contributions to public safety. The resolution also opposes policies that undermine law enforcement, such as defunding efforts and sanctuary policies.

This bill, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025, makes two major changes: it allows for the year-round sale of E15 gasoline and reforms the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for small refineries. The RFS reform phases out existing small refinery exemptions starting in 2028, replacing them with a 75% compliance obligation reduction. The Act also directs the EPA to update fuel infrastructure rules for E15 distribution.

This resolution officially designates May 15, 2026, as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week of May 10-16, 2026, as National Police Week. It honors the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, specifically recognizing 363 officers lost in 2025. The bill expresses unwavering support for law enforcement and acknowledges the need for proper resources to ensure officer safety.

The GUARD Act expands the use of federal grant funds to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement investigate elder financial fraud, "pig butchering" scams, and general financial fraud. This legislation allows agencies to hire specialized staff, receive advanced training on emerging technologies, and acquire necessary investigative tools. Furthermore, the Act mandates comprehensive federal reports to Congress detailing the scope of these scams and the effectiveness of current enforcement efforts.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 aims to combat sophisticated, cross-jurisdictional organized retail and supply chain theft. It achieves this by strengthening federal laws regarding money laundering and stolen property offenses, including lowering monetary thresholds for prosecution. Furthermore, the bill establishes a dedicated Center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal, state, and local enforcement efforts against these criminal organizations.

This resolution reaffirms the foundational U.S. commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and longstanding bipartisan policy toward Taiwan. It underscores that peace and stability in the region are vital to U.S. interests and opposes any non-peaceful efforts to determine Taiwan's future. The bill affirms the U.S. commitment to providing Taiwan with defensive arms and maintaining the capacity to resist coercion.

This Act strengthens national security by expanding the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review of real estate transactions involving foreign adversaries. It specifically targets purchases of farmland and property near sensitive national security sites. The legislation introduces a presumption that such "elevated risk" transactions pose unresolvable risks, placing a high burden on CFIUS to prove otherwise. Furthermore, it mandates consideration of U.S. food security during transaction reviews and ensures state laws restricting foreign adversary land ownership remain in effect.

This act aims to lower expenses for American farmers by immediately eliminating tariffs on phosphate imports from Morocco. It also revokes existing countervailing duty orders on phosphate fertilizers originating from Morocco. The legislation mandates the refunding of previously collected duties to importers.

The Supporting Energy and Economic Development (SEED) Act primarily extends key tax incentives for biodiesel and renewable diesel through 2029. It also introduces new provisions to prevent taxpayers from claiming multiple overlapping benefits for the same fuel, ensuring credits are not double-counted.

The Homegrown Fertilizer Act establishes a program within the USDA to provide grants and loans to eligible entities for expanding domestic fertilizer and nutrient alternative manufacturing, processing, and storage. Priority is given to projects that improve production methods, increase capacity for U.S. agriculture, and enhance market competition. Recipients must comply with regulations and repay funds if the facility is sold to a major market share holder within ten years of completion.

The Small LENDER Act amends the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to ease the burden of new small business lending data collection rules. It provides financial institutions with a three-year compliance period, followed by a two-year safe harbor from penalties. The act defines "financial institution" as one originating at least 500 small business credit transactions in each of the previous two years, and "small business" as one with $1,000,000 or less in gross annual revenue.

The "Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act" repeals the Corporate Transparency Act, eliminating the requirement for companies to report beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). It also makes necessary technical adjustments to Title 31 of the United States Code, specifically sections related to financial recordkeeping and reporting of currency and foreign transactions, to reflect the repeal.