Legislative Activity

The AADAPT Act reauthorizes the Project ECHO Grant Program and establishes new, dedicated grants to support technology-enabled collaborative training for healthcare professionals in underserved areas. These new grants specifically focus on improving the early diagnosis and quality of care for patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The bill outlines funding levels and reporting requirements to track the impact of these specialized training models on provider retention and patient outcomes.

The FBI Animal Cruelty Taskforce Act of 2025 establishes a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes Taskforce within the FBI to investigate and enforce federal laws against severe animal cruelty, such as dogfighting and crush videos. This Taskforce is also responsible for developing training materials for local law enforcement. Furthermore, it must coordinate with other federal agencies and submit annual reports to Congress detailing enforcement statistics, including charges filed and convictions secured.

The TREAT Youth Act, or Treatment, Recovery, Education, Awareness, and Training for Youth Act, aims to bolster resources dedicated to youth prevention and recovery efforts. This legislation specifically updates and increases the authorized funding levels for these programs through fiscal year 2030.

The Patriots Over Politics Act creates a special, limited window for certain service members separated for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine between August 2021 and January 2023 to transfer their unused VA education benefits to an eligible dependent. This transfer option is available for 90 days following the bill's enactment. If transferred to a child, the benefit use is contingent upon the service member having completed at least six years of service.

The Medicare Economic Security Solutions Act aims to reform the Medicare Part B late enrollment penalty structure. This bill lowers the penalty rate, changes how long the penalty lasts, and excludes periods of coverage under COBRA, retiree plans, or VA health care from penalty calculations. Additionally, it removes employment status restrictions for qualifying for a special enrollment period when COBRA or retiree coverage ends.

The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the nursing workforce by expanding federal grant support for advanced nursing education programs, including nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives. The bill updates funding rules to cover more training costs and allows nursing schools to invest in modern educational tools like simulation and telehealth technology. Furthermore, it authorizes increased appropriations through fiscal year 2030 to support these critical educational and practice expansion efforts.

The ANCHOR for Military Families Act aims to significantly improve how the military informs service members and their families about available relocation assistance programs before a Permanent Change of Station (PCS). This bill mandates the delivery of comprehensive, accessible information packets covering housing, education (including school enrollment rules), and mental health support at least 45 days prior to a move. Furthermore, it requires the Department of Defense to report annually to Congress on the implementation and effectiveness of these new information delivery standards.

The Flight Education Access Act increases federal student loan limits specifically for students enrolled in eligible undergraduate flight training programs that meet FAA Part 141 requirements. This legislation also mandates new disclosure requirements for schools regarding loan terms and establishes performance tracking for these programs. Finally, the Act directs the GAO to report on the implementation and impact of these changes within two years.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to streamline and modernize the prior authorization process within Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and significantly increases transparency regarding approval rates and decision times starting in 2027. Furthermore, it establishes new enrollee protections and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timeframes for medical services.

This bill mandates comprehensive federal reporting to better understand and address violence, aggression, and wellness challenges facing law enforcement officers. It requires the Attorney General to produce detailed reports analyzing attacks on officers, potential new data collection methods for non-criminal aggressive incidents, and the state of officer mental health resources. The goal is to use this improved data to recommend better federal, state, and local responses and support systems for officers.

The Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act extends the life of the Historic Preservation Fund through the year 2035. This legislation also increases the maximum annual funding available for the program from \$150 million to \$250 million. Essentially, this bill ensures continued and increased financial support for preserving historic sites across the nation.

This resolution formally congratulates His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his historic election as the 267th pontiff of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. It celebrates the significance of him being the first American-born Pope in the Church's history. The measure also commends his lifelong service, missionary spirit, and dedication to truth and mercy. Finally, it offers prayers for his leadership as he begins his papacy.

This Concurrent Resolution formally expresses the appreciation of Congress for the dedication and service of local law enforcement officers across the nation. It recognizes the sacrifices made by officers and their families in keeping communities safe. The resolution also encourages strong partnerships between police departments and the communities they serve.

The BELO'S Act, or Benefits that Endure for Lifetimes Of Service Act, expands eligibility for free lifetime passes to federal recreation lands. This change grants passes to qualifying survivors who receive specific federal death benefits related to military service members who have died. The bill amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to include these eligible survivors.

The Veterans’ Security and Pay Transparency Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary submit an annual, detailed report on the compensation of its police officers. This report must break down salaries, availability pay, and bonuses by specific VA facility and job role. The goal is to increase transparency regarding how VA law enforcement and security staff are paid.

The MORE Nurses Act mandates a comprehensive, one-year study by the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice to investigate the growing national nursing shortage. This investigation will analyze current workforce capacity, training limitations, and the impact of existing federal policies. The Council is required to deliver a final report to Congress and the President detailing its findings and offering specific legislative recommendations to strengthen nursing education and the workforce.

The Federal Animal Research Accountability Act of 2025 mandates that entities using animals in NIH-funded research must annually report detailed data on animal use, broken down by the level of pain or distress experienced. This comprehensive information, including the number of animals bred or housed but not yet used, will be made publicly available in a searchable database by the NIH. These new transparency requirements are set to begin two years after the bill's enactment.

The Air Traffic Control Workforce Development Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the air traffic control pipeline by improving the Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) program and establishing new grants for participating colleges. The bill also funds new training equipment and creates financial incentives to both encourage trainees to complete their certification and retain experienced controllers. Finally, it mandates improvements to mental health support for controllers and requires a report on the future of airport radar safety systems.

The Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act expands the definition of "law enforcement officer" for federal retirement purposes under both the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). This change adds specific IRS, Postal Inspection Service, and VA police roles to those eligible for enhanced retirement benefits. The bill also establishes procedures for current officers to elect to have their prior service counted under these new definitions, which may require a payment from the employee and their employing agency.

The Nurses for Under-Resourced Schools Everywhere (NURSE) Act establishes a federal grant program to help eligible local educational agencies hire more full-time registered nurses in public schools. These competitive demonstration grants prioritize high-need districts that currently lack adequate nursing staff. The goal is to address significant student health needs, including chronic conditions and mental health support, by increasing on-site nursing presence. Recipients must show a plan for long-term funding, as the federal share of costs decreases over the grant period.