Legislative Activity

The American Patients First Act of 2026 establishes a standardized Medicare payment system for skin substitute products while mandating strict domestic manufacturing and sourcing requirements. The bill also introduces comprehensive program integrity measures, including prior authorization and provider certification standards, to reduce fraud and ensure the clinical necessity of wound care treatments.

This resolution commemorates the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, honoring the nearly 3,000 victims and recognizing the courage of all who responded. It expresses gratitude to first responders, service members, and the charitable organizations that continue to support survivors and victims' families. Finally, it reaffirms the nation's commitment to defending freedom and ensuring the sacrifices of that day are never forgotten.

The Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act restructures the Treasury Department to enhance fraud detection and financial integrity across federal spending. It establishes a new, independent Inspector General for Fraud, Accountability, and Recovery to oversee "covered funds" and mandates a governmentwide data analysis program within the Fiscal Service. This legislation aims to centralize data sharing and analytical capabilities to proactively prevent improper payments and combat fraud in major federal programs.

This resolution expresses support for establishing a "National Day of Honor and Respect" to be celebrated in conjunction with Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. It honors the historical role of immigration and the contributions of diverse Americans while affirming the nation's commitment to unity and its founding ideals. The bill encourages positive civic engagement and a reduction in discrimination across the country.

The China Exchange Rate Accountability Act of 2026 places conditions on U.S. support for increasing China's voting power at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It requires the Treasury Secretary to certify that China meets specific standards regarding exchange rate transparency and fair practices before the U.S. can approve any increase. If these standards are not met, the U.S. must oppose the increase unless the President issues a national interest waiver.

The Words Matter Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive update across all federal laws, replacing the outdated terms "mentally retarded" and "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" or "individuals with intellectual disabilities." This change is strictly a linguistic update intended to align federal statutes with current, respectful terminology. The Act explicitly states that this language revision does not alter eligibility for benefits, rights, or responsibilities under any existing federal program. Agencies are required to update their regulations to reflect this new terminology while maintaining a record of the previous language used.

The FAIR Act (Fast-tracking Approval for Innovative Rare disease therapies Act) aims to accelerate patient access to life-saving treatments by establishing a reciprocal approval process for drugs already authorized by trusted international regulatory agencies. By streamlining the approval of both clinical trials and marketing applications for therapies targeting life-threatening conditions, the bill seeks to reduce regulatory delays and maintain U.S. leadership in biomedical innovation.

The Stop Identity Fraud and Identity Theft Act of 2026 addresses the rising threat of identity fraud by establishing a grant program for states. This funding will help states develop secure, digital versions of identity credentials, like driver's licenses, to combat fraud and deepfake attacks. Participation in this program is entirely voluntary for states. The goal is to enhance digital identity security and reliability for trusted online transactions.

The Homeopathic Drug Product Safety, Quality, and Transparency Act establishes a distinct regulatory pathway for homeopathic drug products to ensure consumer access while setting specific safety and quality standards. This legislation defines homeopathic products, clarifies that they are exempt from premarket approval, and outlines specific manufacturing, testing, and labeling requirements based on established homeopathic standards. The Act also creates a dedicated Homeopathic Drug Product Advisory Committee to guide the Secretary of Health and Human Services on related regulations.

The Independence Investment Fund Act establishes a $\$5$ billion Treasury-managed fund to make equity and debt investments in U.S. companies developing critical and emerging technologies. This initiative aims to strengthen national security by countering adversarial foreign investments, particularly in sectors like biotechnology. The Fund will operate for 10 years under the oversight of an independent managing entity and requires regular reporting to Congress on its performance and objectives.

The District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025 eliminates the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission entirely. This change grants the President the authority to directly nominate and appoint the Chief Judge and all other D.C. judges without receiving a list of candidates from the former commission. The bill makes corresponding technical updates to the D.C. Home Rule Act and related statutes.

The Fairness for Khobar Act of 2025 ensures that certain victims of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing receive overdue lump sum payments. This legislation corrects past injustices where victims were denied payments due to relying on incorrect guidance from the Department of Justice. The Act mandates the Special Master to authorize these catch-up payments using designated reserve funds.

The Accessibility Constituent Communication Act of 2025 mandates that federal agencies providing benefit programs must ensure all public communications are available in accessible formats, such as Braille, large print, or screen-reader-compatible digital files, for constituents who are blind or visually impaired. These accessible versions must be delivered simultaneously with the standard communication via mail or secure electronic means. This ensures equitable access to vital government information for all recipients.

The Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act of 2025 clarifies that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all websites and applications used by covered entities to be accessible to people with disabilities. This legislation directs federal agencies to establish and regularly update specific digital accessibility standards for businesses, government entities, and employers. Ultimately, the Act aims to eliminate online discrimination by providing clear rules, technical assistance, and enforcement mechanisms, including the right for individuals to sue directly for non-compliance.

The Electrodiagnostic Medicine Patient Protection and Fraud Elimination Act of 2025 establishes new quality standards for Medicare reimbursement of certain diagnostic tests like nerve conduction studies and electromyography. After a three-to-four-year transition period, these services will only be covered if performed at a facility accredited by an HHS-approved organization that meets strict operational and personnel requirements. The bill also creates an advisory committee to help the Secretary of HHS develop and oversee this new accreditation and quality assurance system.

The Health Care Fairness for All Act significantly overhauls federal health law by eliminating ACA mandates and penalties while introducing new fixed tax credits for individual coverage. It restructures medical savings by phasing out traditional HSAs in favor of Roth HSAs and removes the general deduction for medical expenses. Furthermore, the bill grants states greater flexibility in regulating insurance markets and fundamentally reforms Medicaid payments through a new beneficiary-based federal funding formula. Finally, it codifies existing rules requiring hospitals to publicly disclose their standard service charges.

The "FACT Act" renames the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee to the Fraud Prevention and Accountability Committee and extends its operation until December 31, 2026, to continue overseeing federal spending and preventing fraud. The Act also updates references to reflect changes in the U.S. Code.

The Blind Americans Return to Work Act of 2025 initiates a 20-year demonstration project aimed at helping blind Americans receiving Social Security disability benefits return to work. For the first 10 years, eligibility for benefits will be determined without considering substantial gainful activity, and benefits will be reduced based on earnings above a set amount, incentivizing employment without immediate loss of support. The project waives certain benefit requirements to facilitate successful employment, with participants having the option to opt out after the initial 10-year period. This act aims to support blind individuals in their transition back to the workforce while maintaining a safety net.

The RED TAPE Act requires federal agencies to base all regulatory impact and benefit-cost analyses exclusively on monetized or quantified data. By prohibiting the use of non-quantifiable factors, the bill aims to increase transparency and ensure regulations provide clear, measurable financial benefits. Additionally, it establishes a framework for judicial review, allowing affected parties to challenge and invalidate rules that rely on non-monetized considerations.

The MANAGER Act requires federal agencies to conduct annual surveys of managers to assess their confidence in disciplinary systems, training, and workplace support. By gathering feedback on management challenges and morale, the bill aims to identify systemic barriers to effective personnel oversight. The Office of Personnel Management is tasked with implementing these survey requirements across all executive agencies.