Legislative Activity

The Create Accountable Respectful Environments (CARE) for Children Act officially recognizes and integrates "cottage family homes" into federal foster care regulations. This allows these specialized homes to receive federal maintenance payments if they meet strict standards focused on family connection, trauma-informed care, and prohibiting harmful restraints. The bill ensures states maintain flexibility in utilizing these placements while upholding high standards for child well-being.

The Ensuring Coast Guard Readiness Act amends existing law to allow the President to authorize the construction of certain Coast Guard vessels in foreign shipyards under specific national security circumstances. This exception requires the foreign shipyard to be located in a NATO or mutual defense treaty country and mandates that the foreign construction cost be lower than domestic costs. Furthermore, the President must certify to Congress that the shipyard is not controlled by entities based in the People's Republic of China.

The Cutting LNG Bunkering Red Tape Act clarifies that transferring Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to a ship for marine fuel is generally not considered an "export" under the Natural Gas Act. This exemption applies regardless of the vessel's flag, provided the refueling occurs within U.S. waters. The bill aims to streamline the process for using LNG as ship fuel within the United States.

The Veterans ACCESS Act of 2025 seeks to improve veterans' healthcare by revising the Veterans Community Care Program, enhancing mental health treatment programs, and implementing other healthcare improvements. Title I revises eligibility standards for community care, ensures veterans are informed about their options, and addresses care preferences and telehealth options. Title II standardizes eligibility for mental health programs, improves care quality, and ensures timely access to treatment. Title III focuses on improving healthcare services through online tools, modifying innovation programs, and increasing reporting on healthcare processes.

The Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act establishes federal standards for student-athlete Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, allowing athletes to profit from endorsements while setting specific rules for agents and institutional compensation. The bill mandates enhanced support services, medical guarantees, and scholarship protections for athletes at high-revenue institutions. Furthermore, it grants states enforcement power over NIL violations and shields compliance actions from antitrust liability, while clarifying that student-athletes are not automatically considered employees.

This bill reauthorizes the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 through fiscal year 2030, authorizing $56 million annually for FY 2026-2030. It makes administrative updates by replacing "Council" with "Committee" throughout the Act and clarifies the system's scope to include operational oceanography measurements. Furthermore, it mandates that federal agencies develop rules to ensure data sharing between regional offices and federally funded projects with local coastal observing systems.

The Forcing Real Accountability for Unlawful Distributions Act of 2025 (FRAUD Act of 2025) mandates the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implement advanced technology to proactively detect and analyze fraud, waste, and abuse in veteran healthcare claims, both before and after payment. This new system must use machine learning to improve accuracy and must be fully operational within one year of enactment. Additionally, the bill extends the expiration date for certain existing limits on veteran pension payments until January 30, 2034.

The SAVES Act establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide service dogs to eligible veterans. These grants, up to $\$2,000,000$ each, will fund the training and provision of service dogs for veterans with qualifying conditions like PTSD or TBI. The bill also extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments until February 2033.

The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act strictly prohibits the Federal Reserve from directly or indirectly issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) to individuals. This legislation prevents the Fed from developing, testing, or implementing any digital currency that functions as a direct liability of the Federal Reserve. Furthermore, Congress asserts that any authority to create such a digital asset must explicitly come from Congress itself.

The Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2025 extends the timeline for current Sport Fish Restoration funding allocation rules until 2031 and removes the spending cap for Interstate Fisheries Commission activities. The bill also updates boating infrastructure priorities to specifically include funding for alternative marine fuel facilities for larger vessels. Finally, it significantly reduces the federal excise tax rate on portable, electronically-aerated bait containers from 10 percent to 3 percent.

The Make State Wildlife Action Plans Efficient Act of 2025 aims to streamline the federal approval process for state wildlife conservation plans. This bill mandates that the Secretary of the Interior must conditionally approve state plans immediately upon submission and finalize approval within 180 days. If the deadline is missed, the Secretary must report the delay and status to relevant Congressional committees.

The Defend Girls Athletics Act mandates that elementary, secondary, and higher education institutions must certify compliance with Executive Order 14201 regarding biological fairness in women's sports to receive federal funding. This certification must be renewed annually for K-12 districts and by July 1st for colleges and universities. Failure to comply or report results in the immediate requirement to return unobligated federal funds and ineligibility for future federal financial assistance until compliance is restored.

This bill establishes a five-year pilot program allowing individuals to treat pregnancy as a qualifying event for enrolling in TRICARE Select outside of standard enrollment periods. The Secretary of Defense must implement this program within 180 days and provide annual reports to Congress detailing enrollment changes made under this new provision. This aims to offer greater flexibility in healthcare plan selection during pregnancy for eligible beneficiaries.

The SAMS Act of 2025 codifies several previous Executive Orders into permanent law, specifically focusing on policies related to critical minerals. This action elevates existing presidential directives concerning these vital resources to the full force and effect of statutory law. The bill ensures the long-term legal standing of established critical mineral supply chain strategies.

The Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act of 2025 makes technical corrections to the 2022 Camp Lejeune Justice Act to clarify standards for proving harm and venue for trials. This legislation sets specific caps on attorney fees and retroactively applies these changes to all existing and future claims filed under the original 2022 Act. The bill ensures that existing statutes of limitations for filing claims remain unchanged.

The Revitalizing Investment, Savings, and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Act aims to encourage investment by capping the federal tax rate on a specific portion of adjusted net capital gains at 15 percent. This change modifies existing tax code provisions to provide a lower, predictable rate for certain investment profits.

The GOLDEN DOME Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive, next-generation missile defense shield to counter rapidly evolving threats from adversaries like China and Russia. It creates a powerful, direct-reporting Program Manager with broad authority to accelerate the development, acquisition, and deployment of integrated air and missile defense systems across all domains. This funding prioritizes space-based sensors, advanced interceptors, and modernized command and control capabilities to ensure the defense of U.S. citizens against all aerial and missile attacks. The Act also includes provisions to streamline procurement processes and protect the competitive space industrial base.

This resolution expresses the strong support of the U.S. Congress for Israel's recent military actions aimed at dismantling Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities. It condemns Iran's advancement toward nuclear weapons and its retaliatory attacks against Israeli civilians. Furthermore, the bill urges Iran to immediately cease all nuclear activities and reaffirms the United States' commitment to Israel's security.

The FIGHT Act of 2025 significantly strengthens federal prohibitions against animal fighting ventures, specifically targeting the sponsorship, exhibition, and gambling associated with these events. This legislation clarifies the definition of a rooster for legal purposes and bans the interstate transport of roosters for fighting. Furthermore, it empowers private citizens to file lawsuits against violators, allowing for civil penalties and the potential seizure of property used to facilitate illegal animal fighting.

The SAFE Cities Act establishes a process for the Attorney General to officially designate certain state or local governments as "anarchist jurisdictions" based on their failure to take reasonable steps to stop violence and property destruction. Once designated, these jurisdictions will face restrictions or unfavorable treatment regarding the distribution of federal grants. The criteria focus on local policies that hinder law enforcement's ability to restore order or that involve significant cuts to police funding.