Legislative Activity

The RELIEVE Act expands reimbursement eligibility for veterans who receive emergency care at non-VA facilities. It removes the requirement that a veteran must have recently received VA care to qualify for coverage, provided the emergency treatment occurs within 60 days of their initial VA enrollment.

This bill recognizes the cultural and historical significance of Lunar New Year. It acknowledges the importance of Lunar New Year for Asian Americans and others in the U.S., and expresses respect for those who celebrate it worldwide. The bill wishes all celebrants a happy and prosperous new year.

This bill recognizes the global importance of Hinduism and the positive impact of Hindu Americans on the United States. It acknowledges the rise in discrimination and hate crimes against Hindu Americans and their places of worship. The bill celebrates Hindu contributions to American society, welcomes the diversity brought by Hindu Americans, and condemns Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry.

The "Fix Our Forests Act" aims to improve forest management and wildfire resilience through landscape-scale restoration, community protection in wildland-urban interfaces, and enhanced transparency and technology. It establishes programs for wildfire risk reduction, reforestation, and biochar development, while also focusing on restoring white oak populations and supporting the families of firefighters. The act streamlines project approvals, encourages collaboration, and implements litigation reforms to expedite forest management activities. Additionally, it creates a casualty assistance program for firefighters and support personnel who are seriously injured, become ill, or die while on duty.

The Ensuring Veterans’ Final Resting Place Act of 2025 expands eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) headstones and markers by removing a key date restriction for certain individuals. It also updates benefits for families choosing an urn or plaque instead of a traditional marker, effective for veterans who died on or after January 5, 2021. Finally, the bill extends the expiration date for certain existing limits on VA pension payments.

The BNA Fairness Act ensures that the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) provided to eligible active-duty service members is exempt from federal income tax. By classifying this support as a qualified military benefit, the bill prevents these essential payments from being reduced by tax obligations.

The Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act of 2025 establishes a pilot program allowing eligible active-duty service members to pre-enroll in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patient system before separating from the military. This initiative aims to streamline the transition to VA healthcare by ensuring seamless coverage for veterans immediately upon their departure from service.

The SANE Act of 2025 mandates that all Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and urgent care facilities provide access to qualified sexual assault forensic examiners. The bill also ensures that survivors receive immediate referrals for mental health services, utilizing community providers if VA care is not available within 30 days. These requirements are designed to improve support for veterans without compromising existing patient care responsibilities.

The "Supporting Veteran Families in Need Act" permanently authorizes financial assistance for supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing. By establishing ongoing annual funding, this legislation eliminates the need for future reauthorizations, ensuring consistent support for vulnerable veterans and their families.

The Increased TSP Access Act of 2025 aims to expand and accelerate the delivery of conservation technical assistance to farmers and ranchers by diversifying the certification process for third-party providers. The bill authorizes non-federal entities and state agencies to certify providers, streamlines credentialing for qualified professionals, and mandates fair payment rates. These reforms are designed to increase capacity, improve transparency, and ensure more efficient implementation of conservation practices nationwide.

The BRAVE Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs establish a specialized mental health outreach system for veterans who have experienced traumatic or highly stressful events. By allowing veterans to opt in for targeted resources, the program aims to improve access to mental health care in coordination with Department of Defense transition services. The VA is required to implement this system within two years of the bill's enactment.

The Nuclear Waste Informed Consent Act prohibits the Department of Energy from spending Nuclear Waste Fund money on repository activities without first securing formal, written consent from all impacted state, local, and tribal governments. This legislation ensures that no nuclear waste facility can proceed without a binding agreement from the communities and jurisdictions directly affected by the site or the transportation of waste.

The Veterans Foreign Medical Coverage Equality and Modernization Act of 2025 mandates that the VA provide hospital care and medical services to veterans with permanent and total service-connected disabilities residing outside the United States. The bill also modernizes the reimbursement process by requiring direct deposit options and new mobile application features for document tracking and submission. Additionally, it requires the VA to report to Congress on the implementation and effectiveness of these expanded services.

The PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act establishes a $25 million grant program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to fund peer-to-peer mental health support for veterans. This initiative provides grants to eligible organizations to hire veteran peer specialists, offer 24/7 nonclinical support, and ensure veteran privacy by prohibiting the collection of personally identifying information.

The PRECEPT Nurses Act establishes a $2,000 annual tax credit for eligible healthcare professionals who provide at least 200 hours of clinical supervision to nursing students or newly hired nurses in designated health professional shortage areas. This initiative, effective from 2026 through 2032, aims to address nursing shortages by incentivizing hands-on training and mentorship. The bill also mandates periodic reporting to Congress to evaluate the program's effectiveness in expanding the nursing workforce.

This bill designates January 13th of each year as Korean American Day. It recognizes the important influence, contributions, and sacrifices of Korean Americans in the United States, and celebrates the 122nd anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the U.S. The bill encourages all Americans to acknowledge and celebrate the integral role of Korean Americans in strengthening the ties between the United States and the Republic of Korea.

Goldie’s Act strengthens the Animal Welfare Act by mandating more rigorous USDA inspections and requiring the prompt confiscation of animals suffering from neglect. The bill increases financial penalties for violators, ensures the immediate sharing of violation records with local law enforcement, and establishes stricter oversight to prevent future animal abuse.

The **Low Income Housing for Defense Communities Act** aims to increase affordable housing options for military families by excluding basic housing allowances from income eligibility calculations for federal tax credit programs. Additionally, the bill incentivizes the construction of new rental units near major military installations by granting these projects enhanced low-income housing tax credits.

The Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 expands access to health insurance by removing the 400% federal poverty level income cap for premium tax credits. It also introduces a new sliding-scale contribution formula to ensure that insurance costs remain affordable for households across all income levels. These changes are set to take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Advanced Border Coordination Act of 2025 mandates the creation of Joint Operations Centers along the southern border to unify federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement efforts. These hubs will centralize communication, coordinate multi-agency field operations, and improve information sharing to better combat human trafficking, drug smuggling, and other criminal activities. The bill also requires the Department of Homeland Security to provide annual reports to Congress to ensure ongoing operational effectiveness and interagency cooperation.