Legislative Activity

The Emergency Mountain Pine Beetle Response Act establishes a competitive grant program to fund emergency projects on National Forest System lands affected by beetle outbreaks. Administered by the Forest Service, the program supports state, local, and tribal partners in efforts to restore forest health, reduce wildfire risks, and protect critical infrastructure and water supplies.

The Mountain Pine Beetle Coordination Act authorizes the U.S. Forest Service to enter into cooperative agreements with state, local, and tribal governments to combat pine beetle infestations. This legislation facilitates coordinated monitoring, treatment, and mitigation efforts to reduce wildfire risks and manage the impact of beetle-killed timber. Additionally, it provides for technical assistance from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to support these collaborative management strategies.

The Get Foreign Money Out of United States Elections Act strengthens existing laws to prevent foreign influence in American elections. It expands the ban on foreign contributions to include domestic companies with significant foreign ownership or control and mandates strict certification requirements for corporate political action committees. These measures ensure that foreign entities cannot influence federal, state, or local elections through direct spending, ballot initiatives, or Super PACs.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act authorizes $6 million in annual federal grants over seven years to support the National Law Enforcement Museum. This funding will enhance public education, community outreach, and critical officer safety and wellness programs. By fostering greater understanding between law enforcement and the public, the bill aims to support the profession and improve safety for officers nationwide.

This resolution honors the lives and ultimate sacrifice of wildland firefighters Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson, Sydney Watson, and Nicholas Dale, who lost their lives in the line of duty during the 2026 wildfire season. It expresses deep gratitude to all wildland firefighters, aviation crews, and support personnel for their courage and continued commitment to protecting American communities. Furthermore, it recognizes the ongoing need to support these frontline responders and invites the nation to honor their service and sacrifice.

Tyler's Law mandates a comprehensive study by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the frequency, cost, and impact of fentanyl testing in hospital emergency departments during overdose cases. Following the study, the Secretary must issue guidance on whether routine fentanyl testing should become standard practice for overdose patients. This guidance will also address staff training regarding existing drug test panels and the long-term health implications of such testing.

This resolution recognizes July 21, 2026, as Black Women’s Equal Pay Day to highlight the persistent and significant wage gap between Black women and white, non-Hispanic men. It calls attention to the systemic racial and gender-based barriers contributing to this disparity and reaffirms a commitment to achieving true pay equity.

The DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act of 2025 establishes a federally coordinated research program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) dedicated to advancing the understanding and treatment of Down syndrome. The initiative focuses on long-term health studies, expanding clinical trial access, and investigating co-occurring conditions to improve the quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome. By fostering collaboration across NIH institutes and consulting with patient advocates, the program aims to accelerate medical breakthroughs and provide biennial progress reports to Congress.

The AADAPT Act expands access to specialized dementia care by authorizing grants for public and nonprofit health centers to integrate these services into their programs. Additionally, the bill extends federal funding authorization through 2031 to ensure the continued growth and sustainability of these critical health outcomes.

The FDA Modernization Act 3.0 directs the FDA to update federal regulations by replacing references to "animal testing" with the broader term "nonclinical tests." This update ensures regulatory consistency with modern testing standards and includes a technical correction to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

The Stop CHEATERS Act provides significant multi-year funding to the IRS to modernize its technology, improve taxpayer services, and strengthen tax enforcement. The bill specifically mandates that the agency prioritize auditing high-income individuals and large corporations to close the tax gap. Additionally, it requires regular reporting to Congress to ensure accountability and progress in these enforcement efforts.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to streamline and modernize the prior authorization process within Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and significantly increases transparency regarding approval rates and decision times starting in 2027. Furthermore, it establishes new enrollee protections and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timeframes for medical services.

The High Court Gift Ban Act establishes strict limits on gifts accepted by federal judicial officers, prohibiting any gift valued over $50 or exceeding $100 in total annual value from a single source. The bill includes specific exemptions for personal hospitality, professional events, and family gifts, while mandating enforcement through the Judicial Conference and potential civil or criminal penalties for violations.

The GRACE for Military Survivors Act extends the window for military survivors to contribute death benefits to a Roth IRA or Coverdell education savings account from one year to three years. This change applies to benefits received on or after the date of enactment, and retroactively covers benefits received since October 7, 2001. This provides survivors with more time to utilize these tax-advantaged savings options.

The SHARE Act of 2025 establishes new federal requirements for the FBI to share criminal history record information with states participating in professional licensing interstate compacts. This information sharing is strictly for the purpose of conducting background checks on applicants seeking to practice a profession in another compact state. States receiving this data are severely restricted on how they can use or further disseminate the detailed criminal history, generally only being permitted to report a binary "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory" determination back to the compact's Commission.

The Health Care for Energy Workers Act of 2025 expands medical benefit authorization under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. This legislation grants Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants the authority to prescribe and order necessary care, equipment, and supplies for eligible employees. This new authority is contingent upon compliance with state practice laws.

This bill, the Great American Outdoors Act 250, significantly reforms and renames the existing public lands restoration fund to the America’s Legacy Restoration Fund. It secures dedicated funding streams, primarily from energy revenues and new fees on foreign visitors, to address critical deferred maintenance across the National Park Service, Forest Service, and other public land agencies. The legislation establishes strict spending priorities for infrastructure repair while also creating pilot programs for enhancing outdoor recreation and sportsmen's access. Finally, it mandates increased transparency and accountability through standardized metrics and public reporting on all funded projects.

The Support our Firefighters Act establishes paid rest and recuperation leave for federal wildland firefighters within the Forest Service and Department of the Interior. It also permanently waives overtime pay caps for these federal employees. Furthermore, the bill authorizes a limited transfer of funds between agency accounts to ensure continuity of base salary increases and associated premium pay for wildland firefighters.

The Right to Vote Act establishes the fundamental right of every citizen to vote in federal elections and prohibits governments from imposing undue burdens on this right. It sets strict standards for when a government action that diminishes or substantially impairs voting can be upheld, requiring it to be the least restrictive means of furthering an important governmental interest. The Act also authorizes private citizens to bring civil actions in federal court to challenge violations, with expedited proceedings and provisions for awarding attorney's fees.

The Oversight of Temporary ICE Holding Cells Act establishes a strict limit on how long individuals can be held in temporary ICE holding rooms. This legislation prohibits detaining anyone in these secure areas for more than 12 hours. The goal is to ensure timely processing, transfer, or release from these initial confinement spaces.