Legislative Activity

The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 establishes a structured process for distributing up to 2,000 additional, federally funded residency positions annually between fiscal years 2026 and 2032. This distribution prioritizes hospitals serving in underserved areas, those already training above their limit, and those committed to primary care and general surgery training. The bill also mandates a study and report by the Comptroller General on effective strategies to increase diversity within the health professional workforce.

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 No Surprises Act Enforcement Act significantly increases financial penalties for group health plans and insurance issuers that violate balance billing protections. It establishes steep fines, including up to $\$10,000$ per affected individual for serious non-compliance. Furthermore, the bill imposes severe penalties, including triple the disputed amount plus interest, for failing to make required payments promptly after an Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) determination. Finally, it mandates more frequent and detailed transparency reporting on enforcement actions and violations.

The Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 prohibits life, disability, and long-term care insurance companies from denying coverage or increasing premiums solely because an individual is a living organ donor. This legislation ensures that living donors are not financially penalized for their altruistic act. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of HHS to update educational materials to accurately reflect the insurance protections afforded to living donors.

This bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to explicitly clarify that time taken off for an employee's own organ donation surgery qualifies as a serious health condition. This ensures both private and federal sector workers receive FMLA protection for recovery from organ donation. The legislation also specifies how federal employees must substitute existing paid leave when taking FMLA time for this purpose.

The Port Crane Tax Credit Act of 2025 establishes new federal tax incentives to bolster the domestic manufacturing of port cranes. It introduces a 25% investment tax credit for building or equipping U.S. facilities dedicated to crane production. Additionally, the bill creates a production credit for manufacturers selling qualifying U.S.-made port cranes, with higher rates for those using significant domestic components. Both credits offer flexible options for businesses, including transferability and elective payment.

This bill officially designates a specific section of 16th Street Northwest in Washington, D.C., as "Oswaldo Payá Way." This action honors the late Cuban dissident Oswaldo Payá Sardinas for his lifelong, nonviolent advocacy for democracy and human rights in Cuba. The legislation also changes the official street address for one property on that block to reflect the new designation.

The Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act addresses significant delays in obtaining death certificates for veterans who die from natural causes, often due to VA medical staff delays. This bill mandates that VA medical providers must certify a veteran's death within 48 hours or allow the local medical examiner to step in. Furthermore, the VA must annually report on its compliance with this new timely certification requirement.

The End the Cyprus Embargo Act lifts the existing policy that automatically denies requests to export U.S. defense articles and services to the Republic of Cyprus. Congress finds that allowing these defense sales strengthens U.S. security interests in Europe by reducing Cyprus's reliance on other nations for military equipment. This change is contingent on Cyprus meeting certain requirements and allows the President to reinstate the denial policy temporarily for national security reasons.

The Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act of 2025 aims to increase transparency and accountability across the prescription drug supply chain. It mandates fairer pharmacy network access for Medicare beneficiaries and imposes strict new financial reporting and service fee requirements on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) working with Medicare and private health plans. Furthermore, the bill establishes new federal mechanisms to accurately track drug acquisition costs in Medicaid and explicitly bans the practice of "spread pricing" in state Medicaid contracts.

This resolution expresses support for designating July 10th as Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. It honors the essential and dangerous work performed by these skilled professionals, especially their heroic efforts in restoring power after major disasters. The day serves to recognize their service and remember those who have lost their lives performing this vital work.

The CBP SPACE Act grants U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the authority to adjust merchandise processing fees to fund capital costs for seaport infrastructure and equipment. It also prohibits CBP from requiring seaports to provide or maintain administrative or recreational facilities for its staff. Finally, the bill mandates that CBP submit an annual report detailing the collection and use of these fees for seaport improvements.

This bill mandates a comprehensive report from the Secretary of Defense detailing the current state and future potential of the U.S.-Greece security relationship. The report must specifically address basing rights, investments made under the 2021 Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, and analyze options for expanding U.S. military presence in Greece. This oversight ensures Congress is fully informed about strategic cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

This resolution expresses the sense of Congress regarding the unsolved, execution-style murders of U.S. citizens Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi in Serbia in 1999. Congress demands that the Serbian government prioritize investigating and prosecuting all individuals responsible for the brothers' deaths. Furthermore, the resolution states that Serbia's progress in achieving justice for the Bytyqi brothers will significantly impact the future U.S.-Serbia relationship.

The Housing for US Act establishes a revolving loan fund, administered by HUD, to provide capitalization loans to states for creating local funds dedicated to increasing middle-class housing supply through construction and rehabilitation. Funds generated from the release of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac obligations will initially seed this program before being redirected to deficit reduction after ten years. States receiving federal loans must contribute matching funds and adhere to strict affordability, labor, and prevailing wage requirements for all assisted housing projects.

The Safeguarding Americans From Extremist Risk (SAFER) at the Border Act aims to enhance national security by establishing clear definitions for "known terrorist," "special interest alien," and "suspected terrorist." This legislation significantly restricts the Secretary of Homeland Security's authority to use parole for individuals arriving at the border. Specifically, it prohibits parole for anyone identified as a terrorist, a national security risk, or inadmissible due to terrorism-related activities.

This Act amends the Federal Employees Compensation Act to expand the list of authorized healthcare providers for federal employees' work-related injury claims. Specifically, it includes physician assistants and nurse practitioners as eligible providers under the law. This change aims to improve access to care for injured federal workers by broadening their choice of medical professionals.

This bill establishes a pilot program for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to test whether allowing canine handlers to keep their working dogs at home is effective compared to traditional central kenneling. The program must run for at least two years across various ports of entry, with handler participation being voluntary. Upon completion, CBP must report findings to Congress comparing the two methods regarding cost, performance, and animal/handler well-being, along with recommendations for future policy.

The Apples to Apples Comparison Act of 2025 mandates greater public transparency regarding Medicare spending by requiring the Secretary of HHS to publish detailed, machine-readable expenditure data broken down by county and beneficiary type. Furthermore, the bill requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to annually compare the average cost of Medicare Advantage enrollees versus traditional Medicare beneficiaries, accounting for plan differences and risk factors. Finally, the Medicare Trustees must also report detailed expenditure information categorized by specific beneficiary enrollment statuses.

The Autism Family Caregivers Act of 2025 establishes a new pilot program to award grants for evidence-based skills training to family caregivers of children with autism or developmental disabilities. This training aims to improve child well-being and community engagement by focusing on communication, daily living skills, and caregiver self-care. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will oversee the program, which requires grantees to establish diverse advisory committees and report annually on program effectiveness. Funding is authorized through fiscal year 2030 to support at least 25 entities across multiple states.