Legislative Activity

The Measuring Availability of Providers (MAP) for Veterans Act mandates a feasibility study on building new, full-service VA hospitals in Alaska, Hawaii, and New Hampshire. It also requires the public release of these study results within one year. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that a veteran's eligibility for the Veterans Community Care Program, based on their state lacking a full-service VA facility, is locked to the date this Act is enacted.

This bill reauthorizes and extends key Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs established under the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act to combat marine plastic pollution. Specifically, it extends the authorization for these critical infrastructure programs through the year 2030.

The VISIT USA Act transfers \$160 million from the Travel Promotion Fund to Brand USA to support international tourism promotion. This funding is specifically allocated from existing unobligated balances collected through certain travel-related fees. The transfer is made within 30 days of the law's enactment.

The Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act of 2025 addresses operational failures of diesel vehicles in extreme cold. It directs the EPA to revise regulations allowing manufacturers to temporarily suspend engine derate or shutdown functions triggered by emissions control faults when temperatures are below freezing. Additionally, the bill provides a year-round exemption from Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system requirements for vehicles primarily operated in far northern latitudes or areas with persistently freezing conditions. This measure aims to ensure essential transportation and safety in cold weather regions without waiving overall emissions compliance.

The DOE and NASA Interagency Research Coordination Act directs the Department of Energy and NASA to formally collaborate on research and development projects that benefit both agencies. This collaboration focuses on key areas such as advanced propulsion, quantum information sciences, and Arctic resilience. The bill also establishes new mechanisms for transferring research funds between federal agencies to support NASA's science and engineering missions.

The Pay Our Military Act of 2025 ensures that active duty and reserve military personnel continue to receive pay and essential allowances if Congress has not passed the full budget for fiscal year 2026 by the start of that year. This legislation provides automatic continuing appropriations to cover military salaries, support staff, and necessary contractor payments during any funding lapse. The authority granted by this Act is set to terminate on September 30, 2026, or sooner if a comprehensive budget is enacted. Furthermore, the provisions of this Act are made retroactively effective as of September 30, 2025.

The Judicial Efficiency Improvement Act restructures the federal appellate system by splitting the Ninth Circuit into a new Ninth Circuit and a new Twelfth Circuit. This legislation adjusts the total number of judicial circuits to fourteen and establishes new judgeships across various federal courts. The Act also sets forth a transition plan for handling existing cases and outlines a staggered schedule for adding new district court judgeships through 2035.

The Young Fishermen’s Development Extension Act reauthorizes the Young Fishermen’s Development Program through fiscal year 2031. This extension ensures continued federal support and resources for training and mentorship initiatives designed to help the next generation of commercial fishermen succeed in the industry.

The Pay Our Military Act of 2025 ensures that members of the Armed Forces, along with essential Department of Defense civilian personnel and contractors, continue to receive pay and allowances in fiscal year 2026 if regular appropriations are not enacted. This measure provides temporary, continuing funding to support active service members. This authority automatically terminates upon the enactment of a new appropriations law or by January 1, 2027.

This resolution officially supports the goals and objectives of "Choose Respect Day" to raise awareness about the serious issue of domestic violence in the United States. It encourages all levels of government, organizations, and citizens to recognize this day through educational activities and proclamations. Ultimately, the measure aims to reinforce efforts to end intimate partner violence and promote respect in all relationships.

The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2025 significantly updates federal efforts to combat harmful algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia across all U.S. waters, including freshwater systems. The bill expands the scope of the interagency Task Force, mandates the creation of a five-year national Action Strategy for HABs, and enhances monitoring and forecasting capabilities. It also clarifies agency roles, assigning EPA new duties for freshwater blooms while tasking NOAA with marine and Great Lakes response, and establishes a new incubator program for control technologies.

The Protecting Regular Order for Veterans Act of 2025 mandates quarterly budget briefings for Congress by the VA Secretary and places new restrictions on critical skills bonuses for senior executives. Additionally, the bill establishes a new Veterans Experience Office, reporting directly to the Secretary, tasked with improving beneficiary satisfaction and reporting on customer feedback data to Congress. This new office will sunset on September 30, 2028, following a review by the Comptroller General.

The Representing VA with Accuracy Act (REP VA Act) mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) standardize all outgoing calls to veterans using a single, recognizable phone number by January 1, 2026. This legislation also requires the VA to establish dedicated health care call centers across all major U.S. time zones to improve appointment scheduling and access for veterans. The goal is to increase transparency in VA communications and ensure veterans can easily reach necessary services.

The Uyghur Genocide Accountability and Sanctions Act of 2025 significantly expands sanctions against individuals and entities involved in human rights abuses in China, including forced sterilization and organ trafficking. This legislation mandates increased reporting, prohibits U.S. government contracts with complicit companies, and establishes support for oppressed ethnic groups. Furthermore, the bill directs strategies to counter PRC propaganda and imposes strict prohibitions on the Department of Defense's procurement and sale of seafood originating or processed in China.

The Primacy Certainty Act of 2025 aims to streamline and accelerate the process for states to gain primary enforcement responsibility for regulating Class VI carbon sequestration wells under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The bill imposes strict, short deadlines on the EPA for reviewing state applications, including an automatic approval provision if the agency fails to act within 210 days under certain conditions. It also mandates EPA support for states preparing their applications and requires the agency to report on the resources needed to implement these changes.

The American Grown Act mandates that certain federal agencies, including the Executive Office of the President, Department of Defense, and Department of State, must procure decorative cut flowers and greens only from U.S. domestic sources. This restriction applies to purchases made one year after the Act's enactment. Furthermore, if these agencies accept such items as gifts from foreign entities, they must clearly label the origin and display a domestically grown replacement alongside the gift.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of a specific rule issued by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) concerning the Central Yukon Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this action nullifies the BLM's rule, rendering it without legal effect.

This resolution expresses support for designating June 2025 as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month" and June 27, 2025, as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day." The goal is to raise public awareness, combat the stigma surrounding Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), and encourage timely treatment for service members and veterans. It recognizes the significant impact of combat stress and supports ongoing efforts by the DoD and VA to educate the public and improve care.

This Act authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue a limited series of commemorative gold, silver, and clad coins to honor the history and service of the United States Foreign Service. The coins must be issued in 2029, with designs approved after consultation with the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. All surcharges collected from the sale of these coins will be directed to that Association to support its mission of preserving diplomatic history. The Treasury must fully recover all production and issuance costs before any surcharge funds are distributed.

The Nikolas Hughey SAFE Homes for Kids Act aims to better support military families navigating the foster care system. It mandates specialized training for military counselors to become "foster care liaisons" knowledgeable about local foster care rules. Additionally, the bill requires Military OneSource to provide easily accessible, state-specific foster care information for service members.