Legislative Activity

This Act, the Enhancing COPS Hiring Program Grants for Local Law Enforcement Act, updates federal grant guidelines to allow local law enforcement agencies to use public safety funds for hiring and retention bonuses. These bonuses are specifically permitted when departments face significant recruitment challenges or high attrition rates. The bill also clarifies the definition of a "law enforcement officer" for grant eligibility purposes.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must immediately halt its pilot program utilizing artificial intelligence to determine Medicare coverage. Congress is urging CMS to stop using AI in coverage decisions to ensure seniors' access to critical healthcare is not jeopardized. Furthermore, the resolution requires CMS to review any coverage decisions made under the suspended pilot program.

The Protect Our Hospitals Act aims to restore previous regulations concerning Medicaid provider taxes by repealing a specific section of Public Law 11921. This action effectively nullifies recent changes, returning the rules governing how states tax Medicaid providers to their original status.

The NOPAIN for Veterans Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must promptly add specific, FDA-approved non-opioid pain medications to its National Formulary. This ensures veterans have access to alternative pain management options that do not rely on opioids. The VA is required to implement these changes within 90 days of the Act becoming law.

The Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act requires a comprehensive report on the security of current mobile service networks against cyberattacks and foreign surveillance. This report must analyze existing vulnerabilities, the adoption of strong encryption, and customer awareness of security risks. The goal is to provide Congress with an unclassified assessment of the security landscape, excluding 5G protocols.

The Campus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Act removes a long-standing federal prohibition that prevented students from receiving certain housing assistance. This legislation allows the Secretary to waive specific requirements for Section 8 housing assistance for college students who live in campus housing and have a history in foster care or are emancipated minors. Crucially, any assistance received through this waiver will not negatively impact a student's eligibility for federal financial aid or other support programs.

The Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act of 2025 directs the Commerce Department's SelectUSA program to focus on attracting foreign direct investment into domestic semiconductor manufacturing. This involves coordinating with state-level economic development groups to identify barriers and opportunities for boosting investment in the critical chip supply chain. The Act mandates a report detailing current and future strategies to secure this supply chain without authorizing new funds.

The What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish standard operating procedures for all mental health and suicide prevention grant or pilot programs administered by the Veterans Health Administration. These procedures mandate clear, measurable goals and detailed evaluation plans for every program. The goal is to ensure all initiatives are rigorously assessed so that successful strategies can be identified and scaled up to better prevent veteran suicide.

The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act of 2025 increases federal support for child care nutrition programs. This bill mandates an additional 10 cents in reimbursement for every meal or snack served through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It also streamlines the calculation methods for payments made to family and group day care homes participating in the program.

The Making Insulin Affordable for All Children Act caps the out-of-pocket cost for selected insulin products for individuals aged 26 and under with private health insurance. For these younger individuals, cost-sharing for covered insulin will be limited to the lesser of \$35 or 25% of the negotiated price per 30-day supply, and no deductible may be applied to these specific drugs. These new protections apply to group and individual health plans starting in plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The "Saving Seniors Money on Prescriptions Act" aims to increase transparency and accountability in prescription drug pricing within Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans. Starting in 2028, it mandates Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to report detailed information on drug pricing, rebates, and other financial arrangements to plan sponsors and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The bill also grants Medicare Part D plan sponsors audit rights to ensure PBM compliance and directs a GAO study on existing drug cost transparency reporting requirements. Ultimately, this act seeks to provide better insights into how PBMs manage drug costs and ensure fair pricing for seniors.