Legislative Activity

This bill authorizes states to collect specific boating-related fees, such as those for search and rescue or invasive species control, when issuing vessel numbers. These collected funds must be dedicated solely to improving recreational boating, safety, access, and waterway management. The legislation allows states to bundle these new fees with existing vessel numbering fees for streamlined collection.

The American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026 reauthorizes and enhances key grant programs dedicated to preserving America's historic battlefields through 2036. The bill increases federal cost-sharing for interpretation and restoration grants to 75%. Additionally, it mandates the Secretary of the Interior to conduct comprehensive studies on nationally significant sites related to the French and Indian War and the Mexican-American War.

This bill aims to improve child care reliability for military families by expanding the pool of eligible providers and streamlining hiring processes. It establishes a preclearance system for background checks and authorizes job-sharing arrangements to increase staffing flexibility. Furthermore, the legislation mandates the creation of a comprehensive data system to monitor child care capacity, workforce readiness, and waitlists across the Department of Defense.

The Veteran Infection Prevention Act mandates that all sterile processing technicians within the Veterans Health Administration obtain professional certification from an accredited institution. New hires must achieve certification within two years of their appointment, while current uncertified employees are granted a two-year window to comply. To support this transition, the Department of Veterans Affairs will provide scholarships to current staff, contingent upon a two-year service commitment.

The SECURE Health Act aims to strengthen the global health workforce by establishing a comprehensive strategy to train, support, and protect frontline health workers worldwide. The bill creates a new Global Health Workforce Coordinator and an interagency task force to oversee federal investments and ensure sustainable, integrated funding for global health initiatives. By addressing critical staffing shortages, this legislation seeks to improve international health outcomes, enhance global security, and bolster the stability of the U.S. healthcare system.

The 20-Year Promise Act expands educational benefits for veterans who have served 20 or more years in the Armed Forces. It increases their total entitlement to 72 months of GI Bill assistance and allows them to transfer these additional months to their dependents. This legislation removes existing aggregate benefit caps for these long-serving veterans to ensure they and their families receive full support for their education.

The Representing our Seniors at VA Act of 2026 updates the membership requirements for the Department of Veterans Affairs Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee. This legislation ensures the committee includes diverse representation from veterans service organizations, State homes, and licensed nursing home administrators to better support aging veterans.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 1225 Kempsville Road in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The facility will now be known as the "Colonel Edward Shames Post Office Building." This designation will be used in all future federal references to the building.

This bill officially elects Representative Van Epps to serve on two key House committees: the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. This action formalizes his assignments to these important bodies within the House of Representatives.

The FAIR Vets Act modernizes federal contracting by significantly increasing the dollar thresholds for sole-source contracts awarded to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. This change raises the maximum contract value for both manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors. The goal is to improve access to federal contracts for these veteran-owned businesses.

The Veterans Career Connection Act establishes the Veterans Transition Talent Hub within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This program aims to directly connect employers with veterans and separating service members by creating a searchable database of their skills and employment preferences. The goal is to streamline the transition from military service to civilian employment.

The Fit Vets Act establishes a three-year pilot program to provide eligible veterans enrolled in VA health care access to the SilverSneakers fitness program or a similar senior exercise program. The Department of Veterans Affairs will evaluate the program's participation, costs, and impact on veteran health outcomes. Following the pilot's conclusion, the Secretary must report findings and recommendations to Congress regarding making the program permanent.

The CommonGround for Affordable Health Care Act extends enhanced premium tax credits for Marketplace health insurance through 2026, while also establishing strict new penalties and verification processes to combat fraud by agents and brokers in health insurance exchanges. Furthermore, the bill imposes significant new transparency and accountability requirements on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) contracting with Medicare Part D plans. Finally, it extends the 2026 open enrollment period and creates a fast-track legislative process for future premium tax credit reform bills.

The Clarity on Care Options Act mandates the creation of a public, easily accessible directory listing healthcare providers who accept CHAMPVA assignments as full payment. This is achieved by requiring annual surveys of providers within VA health care networks to determine their acceptance status. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must publish the initial directory within 180 days of enactment and report annually to Congress on provider acceptance rates and service gaps.

The Rx ACCESS Act aims to improve prescription access, fairness, and transparency within the TRICARE pharmacy benefits program. It extends beneficiary choice for receiving non-generic maintenance medications and establishes minimum reimbursement standards for TRICARE retail pharmacies. Furthermore, the bill mandates annual independent audits by the Comptroller General to review reimbursement rates and network adequacy.

The Increasing Medication Access for Seniors Act of 2025 establishes new reporting requirements for the Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding the Medicare Part D monthly capped cost-sharing option. These regular reports must detail enrollment numbers, potential beneficiaries, and implementation efforts for point-of-sale elections. The goal is to track and improve access to predictable prescription drug cost management for seniors on Medicare Part D.

The AI for America Act mandates that federal agencies develop a comprehensive action plan for advancing artificial intelligence leadership, workforce development, and infrastructure by 2027. It also requires agencies to identify regulatory barriers hindering AI adoption in key sectors like healthcare and transportation. Furthermore, the bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to report on measures for detecting and preventing security risks and ideological bias in AI systems.

This bill, the Supporting Tours Across Years (STAY) Act, requires the Department of Defense to submit a report analyzing options for reducing the frequency of permanent military moves (PCS) and sea-shore rotations. The report must assess the costs, potential savings, and impacts on military families, while identifying opportunities for longer, more stable assignments. Ultimately, it seeks recommendations for policy changes to implement reduced rotation schedules without harming mission readiness.

The TRICARE Transition Transparency Act of 2025 mandates that the Secretary of Defense provide TRICARE beneficiaries with proactive, multi-stage electronic notifications before coverage transition requirements take effect. This ensures beneficiaries are clearly informed about necessary actions, such as re-enrollment due to age limits. The Act also requires a public awareness campaign and annual reporting to Congress on the effectiveness of these notification efforts.

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.