Legislative Activity

The VA Extenders Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill focused on extending numerous existing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs and authorities for one additional year, primarily through September 30, 2026. These extensions cover critical areas including healthcare services, mental health support, educational benefits protections, and housing assistance for homeless and disabled veterans. Additionally, the bill modifies the VA's Partial Claim Program to increase borrower accountability while mandating greater transparency through required GAO reporting.

This resolution officially designates September 9, 2025, as "National World War II Italian Campaign Remembrance Day." It serves to honor the immense sacrifices made by American and Allied soldiers who fought to liberate Italy from German occupation. The day encourages national commemoration and educational efforts to preserve the memory of this long and costly campaign.

This resolution formally honors the life and service of Kansas City, Kansas Police Officer Hunter Simoncic, who tragically died in the line of duty. It recognizes his dedication to his community, including his volunteer work, and details the circumstances of his sacrifice. The Senate extends condolences to his family and calls for support for the families of officers who die serving their communities.

This bill permanently codifies the existing pilot program allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use contract physicians for disability examinations. It allows the VA to hire non-federal doctors to conduct these crucial medical exams for benefit applicants. The legislation also establishes requirements for these contract doctors and mandates a report to Congress on the program's impact on exam speed and cost.

The HOPE for Heroes Act of 2025 modifies and reauthorizes the VA's suicide prevention grant program, increasing maximum funding amounts and setting stricter spending limits for grantees. It enhances coordination requirements between grant recipients and local VA facilities, mandates specific training on suicide risk assessment tools, and ensures veterans receive emergent care if the VA delays services past 72 hours. The program is officially extended through September 30, 2030.

The "Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2025" amends the Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative to include research on brain and mental health conditions, such as those caused by repetitive low-level blast exposure and dementia. It mandates data sharing between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, directs specific research activities, and requires reports to Congress on the initiative's progress and recommendations. The act authorizes $5 million annually from 2025 to 2034 to fund these efforts.

This bill establishes a new External Provider Scheduling Program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to streamline appointment booking for veterans utilizing the Veterans Community Care Program. The program will allow VA schedulers to directly view and book appointments in real-time with participating community health care providers. Its primary goals are to reduce the time it takes to schedule community care appointments and improve overall efficiency for VA staff.

The "Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Act" establishes a three-year pilot program to improve healthcare coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Medicare for veterans enrolled in both systems. The program assigns case managers to participating veterans to create care coordination plans, aiming to improve healthcare access, outcomes, and quality while reducing costs and eliminating service duplication. The VA Secretary will oversee the program in selected Veterans Integrated Service Networks, tracking key metrics and reporting to Congress on its progress and potential for continuation.

The Veteran Caregiver Reeducation, Reemployment, and Retirement Act aims to support designated primary caregivers for veterans by extending their medical coverage for 180 days after leaving their role. The bill mandates the VA to provide job assistance, including funding for certifications and transition support, for 180 days post-caregiving. Furthermore, it requires studies on establishing "returnship" programs and exploring the feasibility of creating a dedicated retirement savings plan for these essential caregivers.

This bill aims to improve veterans' healthcare by updating community care program eligibility and notification processes, enhancing mental health treatment program standards and access, and modernizing the VA's healthcare system through online tools and streamlined processes. It focuses on ensuring timely access to care, accommodating veterans' preferences, and improving the overall quality and efficiency of VA services. The bill also mandates increased transparency and accountability through regular reports to Congress.

The Streamlining Rural Housing Act of 2025 directs the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Agriculture (USDA) to create a joint agreement to coordinate environmental reviews for housing projects they jointly fund. This aims to eliminate redundant processes by establishing a lead agency and allowing for the mutual acceptance of environmental documentation. The bill also mandates the creation of an advisory group composed of various housing stakeholders to ensure efficient implementation without compromising resident safety or environmental standards.

The SAFEGUARDS Act of 2025 mandates that airline passenger security fees be exclusively used to enhance aviation safety and security, ending any diversion of these funds by 2027. The bill increases dedicated funding for the Aviation Security Capital Fund, ensuring a minimum of \$500 million annually starting in Fiscal Year 2026. Additionally, it establishes the new Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund to finance the purchase and maintenance of advanced screening equipment at airports. This legislation aims to guarantee consistent and robust financial support for critical TSA security operations and technology upgrades.

This bill, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026, provides comprehensive funding for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, along with key science agencies like NASA and the NSF, for Fiscal Year 2026. It allocates billions for law enforcement, trade enforcement, scientific research, and infrastructure while imposing strict rules on fund transfers and administrative flexibility across these agencies. The legislation also includes specific provisions governing agency operations, oversight, and limitations on certain activities, such as foreign collaboration and the use of funds for specific types of inmate recreation.

The Expanding Defense Community Partnerships Act enhances the Department of Defense's ability to collaborate with state, local, and tribal governments through Intergovernmental Support Agreements (IGSAs). This legislation allows the DOD to involve other federal agencies in these partnerships and expands the funding sources available for support services. Furthermore, it extends the authorization for these agreements and establishes a pilot program allowing for longer-term, 20-year partnerships with the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act restructures Haskell Indian Nations University into a federally chartered corporation, granting it independence from the Bureau of Indian Education. This change establishes an independent Board of Trustees to govern the university, which will continue to provide tuition-free higher education to Native American students. The Act also creates an endowment program, sets specific hiring preferences for Tribal members, and outlines new reporting and facility planning requirements.

This resolution formally recognizes the 250th birthday of the United States Army, celebrating its long history of defending the nation since 1775. It honors the valor, dedication, and core values of the soldiers who have served across two and a half centuries. The Senate encourages all Americans to observe this significant anniversary with appropriate ceremonies and programs.

The FORECAST Act ensures that essential positions within the National Weather Service (NWS), critical for public safety and weather warnings, are exempt from federal hiring freezes. This law mandates the Secretary of Commerce to protect these key roles, including meteorologists and hydrologists, from being affected by such freezes. Furthermore, it voids any cancellations of job offers for these essential positions made since early 2025.

This resolution supports designating May 2, 2025, as "National Space Day" to recognize the significant positive impact of the U.S. aerospace community. It highlights past and current achievements in space exploration and the resulting technological benefits for the nation. The resolution also emphasizes the importance of inspiring the next generation in STEM fields.

The Criminal History Access Act of 2025 amends federal law to explicitly grant access to criminal history records for state Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Agencies. This ensures that agencies responsible for certifying and training law enforcement officers have the necessary information. The Attorney General is required to update federal regulations within 180 days to reflect these changes.

This bill mandates that all aircraft operating within the nation's Class B airspace must be equipped with and actively use both ADS-B In and ADS-B Out tracking technology. It explicitly prohibits the FAA and the Secretary of Transportation from granting any exemptions to this requirement for any aircraft, including military planes. Furthermore, this legislation repeals a previous defense authorization that allowed certain Department of Defense aircraft to bypass ADS-B installation.