Legislative Activity

The Medal of Sacrifice Act establishes a new Presidential award, the Medal of Sacrifice, to honor law enforcement officers and first responders killed in the line of duty. The bill mandates the creation of a Commission to advise on the medal's design, presentation, and eligibility criteria. This Commission will also make final determinations regarding eligibility in cases involving alleged wrongdoing by the fallen officer or responder.

The Make Elections Great Again Act establishes new federal standards for voter identification, citizenship verification for registration, and statewide voter list maintenance for federal elections. It also standardizes election administration by mandating paper ballots, banning ranked-choice voting, and implementing strict new rules for requesting and returning mail-in ballots. The bill aims to increase election integrity through enhanced documentation and procedural uniformity across states.

This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to study the feasibility of automatically certifying children in military families for free or reduced-price school meals. The study must propose a system that uses existing military data to streamline eligibility for these essential nutrition programs. Additionally, the Act modifies existing law regarding how housing allowances are treated in income calculations for school meal eligibility.

The Make American Housing Affordable (MAHA) Act of 2026 introduces a new, partially refundable $5,000 Housing Affordability Tax Credit for eligible first-time homebuyers. This credit is designed to assist individuals purchasing a principal residence. The benefit is subject to an income-based phaseout, fully disappearing for individuals with a modified adjusted gross income of $300,000 or more.

The Veterans Scam And Fraud Evasion Act of 2025, or VSAFE Act, establishes a dedicated Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This officer will centralize the VA's efforts to prevent, report, and respond to fraud and scams targeting veterans. The role includes developing guidance, promoting reporting resources, and coordinating with other federal agencies to better protect veterans and their families.

The PORCUPINE Act amends the Arms Export Control Act to formally include Taiwan in existing certification and reporting requirements. It also mandates a feasibility study for expediting the licensing process for allied nations transferring U.S.-origin military equipment to Taiwan. The legislation is intended to enhance security cooperation while affirming that it does not alter existing U.S. policy as defined by the Taiwan Relations Act.

The Shutdown Fairness Act automatically appropriates necessary funds to ensure federal employees and essential contractors receive their regular pay during a government shutdown. This legislation mandates timely payment for covered personnel, regardless of whether they were deemed "excepted" or furloughed. The funds are charged against the agency's subsequent regular appropriations once they are enacted.

The Afterschool ACCESS Act creates a new federal tax deduction for property owners who donate the free use of their property or vehicles to qualified community learning centers. This deduction specifically covers the use of real property for educational purposes or vehicles used for student transportation. The goal is to encourage support for afterschool programs by providing a financial incentive for property donations.

The Raising Awareness for Youth Suicide Prevention Act (RAYS Act) mandates that local school districts provide critical mental health and suicide prevention contact information on secondary student identification cards. This includes the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and the Crisis Text Line. For districts not issuing physical IDs, this information must be prominently displayed on their websites and regularly used digital platforms.

The American Dream Act establishes a temporary federal income tax exclusion for capital gains realized by individuals aged 65 or older when they sell their real property to a first-time homebuyer. This incentive is designed to encourage seniors to sell their homes to new buyers, provided the sale price does not exceed $500,000 and certain residency requirements are met. This exclusion is effective for sales occurring between 2027 and 2031.

The Stop Insider Trading Act restricts Members of Congress and their immediate families from purchasing new securities issued by publicly traded companies. It requires advance public disclosure for any sale of existing covered investments, with a mandatory 7-to-14-day notice period before the transaction. Violations result in significant financial penalties, including disgorgement of any net gains, payable by the Member personally.

The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026 establishes a special pay system to increase the base pay for Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officers by 35 percent. This legislation also provides a similar 35 percent wage increase for certain hourly BOP employees involved in inmate custody. The new pay authority is set to expire after five years, unless the Department of Justice Inspector General reports measurable progress in reducing the use of non-custodial staff for officer duties and excessive overtime.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 targets the increasing threat posed by organized theft groups impacting retail and the national supply chain. This bill strengthens federal law by expanding money laundering statutes and lowering thresholds for property crimes related to theft. Crucially, it establishes a new federal coordination center within Homeland Security Investigations to align efforts across all levels of law enforcement and the private sector to combat these cross-jurisdictional crimes.

This bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to temporarily exclude certain False Claims Act recoveries from being deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. It also mandates a comprehensive audit by the Department of Justice Inspector General on the Fund's sustainability and the impact of recent legislative changes. The resulting report will provide recommendations for improving the Fund's effectiveness and oversight.

This bill officially designates January 9, 2026, as "National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day" to honor the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers nationwide. It also establishes National Police Week and National Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15th) to commemorate officers who have died in the line of duty. The legislation encourages the President to issue annual proclamations recognizing these days and calls for flags to be flown at half-staff on Memorial Day.

The Justice for Exploited Children Act significantly strengthens penalties for child labor violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. This legislation introduces harsher criminal penalties, including substantial fines and imprisonment, for willful or repeated offenses. It also dramatically increases the civil monetary penalties for all child labor violations, especially those resulting in serious injury or death to a minor employee.

This bill, the Bipartisan IVF for Military Families Act, mandates that TRICARE provide coverage for fertility treatments, including IVF, for active duty service members and their dependents starting in late 2027. The legislation outlines specific coverage limits for egg retrievals and embryo transfers while prohibiting the use of DoD funds for certain procedures like preimplantation genetic screening. It also requires the establishment of a program to coordinate this specialized fertility care for military families.

The Professional Student Degree Act seeks to amend the Higher Education Act by formally defining what constitutes a "professional degree" for student loan purposes. This definition specifies degrees that prepare students to immediately begin practicing in a profession and require a skill level beyond a standard bachelor's degree. The bill explicitly lists numerous professional degrees, such as Law, Medicine, and specialized health fields, under this new classification.

The ADAS Functionality and Integrity Act mandates that vehicle manufacturers provide owners and independent repair shops with necessary tools, documentation, and software to service advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). It directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish standardized testing protocols to validate ADAS performance after any repair or modification. Furthermore, the bill requires the development of guidelines to ensure ADAS functionality is maintained following vehicle customizations, such as changes to ride height or tires.

The Protect America's Workforce Act nullifies a specific Executive Order issued in March 2025 concerning exclusions from federal labor-management relations programs. This legislation ensures that any existing collective bargaining agreements between federal agencies and employee unions remain fully in effect until their stated expiration dates. The Act also prohibits the use of federal funds to implement the overturned Executive Order.