Legislative Activity

The BEACON Act of 2026 establishes two new Department of Veterans Affairs grant programs to significantly advance the treatment of veterans suffering from chronic mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). These programs will fund research, clinical trials, and the testing of new, non-drug neurorehabilitation approaches focused on improving mental health outcomes. The legislation aims to foster partnerships and independent third-party studies to identify and implement best practices for mTBI care outside of traditional VA pathways.

This resolution commemorates the 15th anniversary of the tragic January 8, 2011, Tucson shooting, honoring the six lives lost and the thirteen injured. It specifically commends the courage and ongoing advocacy of gun violence survivor and former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. The resolution also recognizes the resilience of the community and reaffirms a commitment to ending political violence.

The American Affordability Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill designed to lower costs across five key areas: housing, energy, family care, education, and healthcare. It achieves this by expanding tax credits for housing construction and homebuyers, extending incentives for clean energy manufacturing and consumer adoption, replacing the Child Tax Credit with larger monthly payments, making higher education expenses more affordable, and permanently expanding subsidies to lower health insurance premiums for millions. Overall, the legislation aims to provide direct financial relief and increase access to essential services for American families and workers.

This resolution reaffirms the United States' commitment to ending pediatric HIV/AIDS globally by supporting critical prevention and treatment efforts. It emphasizes the need to close gaps in care, particularly for women and children in high-burden areas, and supports expanding access to testing, antiretroviral therapy, and new prevention methods. The bill specifically encourages continued U.S. leadership through initiatives like PEPFAR to achieve the goal of eliminating new pediatric HIV infections by 2030.

The Rural Hospital Flexibility Act of 2025 expands federal support for rural healthcare providers through the Medicare rural hospital flexibility program. This bill authorizes new grants to support quality improvement, behavioral health integration, and transformation to new care models like rural emergency hospitals. It also revises existing grant structures to better assist small rural hospitals through State Offices of Rural Health. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance the sustainability and service delivery capabilities of critical access hospitals and other rural health entities.

The Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2025 strengthens survivor benefits for miners who died from black lung disease by creating stronger legal presumptions and restoring older disability definitions. The bill also establishes a new program to cover certain attorney fees and medical costs for protracted claims, paid initially by the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. Finally, it mandates a Government Accountability Office review of interim benefit recoupment, payment sufficiency, and survivor claim regulations.

The Essential Caregivers Act of 2025 protects the rights of residents in long-term care facilities to designate an essential caregiver who can provide support and companionship. This legislation ensures that these caregivers maintain in-person access to residents even during public health emergencies when general visitation is restricted. By establishing clear protocols and an appeals process, the bill aims to prevent the harmful effects of isolation and ensure residents continue to receive vital care and advocacy.

The Restore Trust in Government Act establishes strict new federal restrictions on senior government officials and their immediate families regarding the ownership and trading of specific financial investments. Covered individuals must divest existing investments that fall under the law's definition within a set timeframe, with limited exceptions. Violators face significant financial penalties, including a 10% fee on the investment value and disgorgement of any profits earned from prohibited transactions.

This bill, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, officially authorizes Congress to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. The medals will be struck by the Treasury and permanently displayed at specific national sports museums. The Act also permits the sale of duplicate bronze medals to cover production costs.

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.

The Taxpayer Due Process Enhancement Act aims to strengthen taxpayer rights during IRS collection disputes. It suspends the deadline for filing tax refund claims while a collection action is being disputed and prohibits the IRS from automatically using overpayments to offset that disputed liability. Furthermore, the bill expands the jurisdiction of the Tax Court to review underlying tax liabilities during collection due process appeals.

The Our Parks Act aims to increase public access to federal lands by eliminating entrance fees at National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges on all Federal holidays. This legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to waive any normally charged admission fees on these designated days.

The Loan Equity for Advanced Professionals Act raises the federal student loan limits for graduate and professional students. Effective July 1, 2026, the annual borrowing limit for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans will increase to \$50,000, and the aggregate limit will rise to \$200,000. This aims to provide greater financial support for advanced degree candidates.

This concurrent resolution commends state and local governments for championing reproductive rights as human rights following the overturning of *Roe v. Wade*. It declares that denying abortion care leads to severe health risks and highlights the criminalization of pregnancy outcomes across the U.S. The resolution urges states to repeal abortion restrictions and affirm that reproductive rights are fundamental human rights.

This bill modifies the procedures for investigating claims that antidumping and countervailing duty orders are being evaded. It grants the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection the authority to self-initiate evasion investigations based on reasonable suspicion. Furthermore, it requires parties found to have evaded duties to pay all associated duties before seeking judicial review of that determination.

This resolution designates December 8, 2025, as "Jimmy Lai Day" to honor his advocacy for press freedom, religious freedom, and democracy in Hong Kong. It condemns the actions of the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong authorities for suppressing fundamental freedoms and calls for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai and all unjustly imprisoned pro-democracy advocates.

The RCORP Authorization Act establishes the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program within HRSA to combat substance use disorders in rural areas. This program authorizes grants to eligible entities for expanding prevention, treatment, and recovery services. The legislation allocates $165 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to support these critical community efforts.

This resolution commemorates World AIDS Day and recognizes significant progress made in combating HIV/AIDS globally and domestically through programs like PEPFAR and the Ryan White Act. It highlights ongoing challenges, particularly disparities in impact, while encouraging continued robust funding for research, prevention, and treatment efforts worldwide. The resolution supports the goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030 through zero new transmissions and zero discrimination.

The Veteran Education Empowerment Act establishes a grant program to help colleges and universities create and operate dedicated Student Veteran Centers. These centers will serve as centralized hubs to coordinate academic support, transition services, and community building for student veterans. The bill authorizes funding for these grants, which can be used for establishing and operating the centers, with specific reporting requirements to track effectiveness.

The Tax Court Improvement Act modernizes the U.S. Tax Court by expanding the authority of special trial judges and clarifying the court's power to issue subpoenas for pre-trial discovery. This legislation also explicitly grants the Tax Court jurisdiction to apply equitable tolling to filing deadlines in deficiency cases when fairness demands it. Furthermore, it applies standard federal rules regarding judicial disqualification to Tax Court judges and special trial judges.