Legislative Activity

The FLAP Reauthorization Act extends funding for the Federal Lands Access Program for five fiscal years, from 2027 through 2031. This legislation ensures continued financial support from the Highway Trust Fund to improve transportation infrastructure providing access to federal lands.

The Critical Access for Veterans Care Act expands veterans' access to care by allowing those living within 35 miles of a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) or its affiliated clinic to receive services under the Community Care Program. This new provision eliminates the requirement for pre-authorization or referrals for such care. The bill also establishes specific Medicare-based payment rates for these facilities and mandates a report to Congress on the implementation and veteran experience one year after enactment.

The Veteran Burial Timeliness and Death Certificate Accountability Act aims to eliminate delays in certifying the deaths of veterans who pass away from natural causes. This bill mandates that VA physicians or nurse practitioners must certify a veteran's death within 48 hours, or a local official can step in. The legislation also requires the VA Secretary to annually report on compliance with this new timely certification standard.

The "Love Lives On Act of 2025" modifies eligibility rules for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments for surviving spouses who remarry. It allows remarried surviving spouses to receive certain educational benefits and DIC, and it continues annuity payments to surviving spouses who remarry, particularly those whose spouses died on active duty. Additionally, the Act expands the definition of "dependent" under the TRICARE program to include remarried widows or widowers whose subsequent marriage has ended.

The Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act of 2026 expands federal conservation programs to better support wildlife migration corridors and habitat connectivity for native big game species. The bill increases financial incentives for landowners, integrates modern tools like virtual fencing into conservation standards, and prioritizes research to improve range health and habitat restoration.

The America’s Living Library Act establishes a pilot program within the Department of the Interior to collect and sequence genetic data from species across National Parks. This initiative will create a secure, public genomic database to support scientific research and conservation efforts while ensuring all samples and data remain under U.S. control. The program prioritizes ecological diversity and provides a framework for long-term biological storage and interagency collaboration.

The Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act releases three specific Wilderness Study Areas in Montana—Middle Fork Judith, Hoodoo Mountain, and Wales Creek—from further wilderness consideration. This action aligns land management with existing, recently updated resource management plans developed through collaborative processes. The bill allows for improved management of these lands, supporting sportsmen opportunities, public access, and conservation projects.

The Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026 significantly updates and extends NOAA's weather and environmental forecasting authorities through 2030. The bill prioritizes public safety by funding research to improve warnings for severe weather like tornadoes and hurricanes, while also modernizing infrastructure through AI integration and commercial data use. Furthermore, it establishes new programs to enhance forecasts for agriculture, water management, wildfires, and harmful algal blooms.

The Access to Fair Financing for Opportunity and Resilient Development Act strengthens Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) by improving the bond guarantee program and establishing new liquidity and capitalization initiatives. The bill also creates a dedicated relending program to expand homeownership opportunities within Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. Additionally, it mandates increased congressional oversight and reporting regarding the effectiveness of these federal financial programs.

This resolution expresses support for designating February 21-28, 2026, as "National FFA Week." It recognizes the National FFA Organization's role in developing future leaders. The resolution also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the chartering of the Alaska State FFA Association.

The Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against living organ donors regarding life, disability, or long-term care coverage. The bill also amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to explicitly classify organ donation surgery as a serious health condition, ensuring job-protected leave for donors. Additionally, it mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services update public educational materials to reflect these new protections and the realities of organ donation.

The Dalilah Law restricts the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and holders of specific work visas. It mandates English proficiency for all applicants and requires states to recertify current CDL holders to maintain federal transportation funding. Failure to comply with these eligibility and testing requirements will result in the withholding of federal funds for non-compliant states.

The Gun Owner Registration Information Protection Act prohibits federal agencies from providing funding or support for the creation or maintenance of state-level firearm ownership databases. This legislation ensures that federal resources cannot be used to track lawful gun owners or their property, with narrow exceptions for databases tracking lost or stolen firearms.

The ROTOR Act focuses on enhancing aviation safety and transparency, primarily by reforming exceptions that allow aircraft to disable their ADS-B Out tracking systems. It mandates that the FAA require most aircraft to install and use ADS-B In technology for improved situational awareness. Furthermore, the bill establishes new coordination offices and requires comprehensive safety reviews of airspace operations, particularly around major airports, involving both civil and military aviation.

This bill aims to modernize the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) aircraft type certification process to better support new technologies. It mandates increased transparency, establishes standard timelines for key certification steps, and updates criteria for technical issue papers. Furthermore, the legislation requires updated guidance on the FAA's delegation of certification authority to industry stakeholders.

This resolution officially designates the week beginning February 2, 2026, as "National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week." It encourages the nation to observe this week with activities that celebrate and demonstrate support for the vital contributions of Tribal Colleges and Universities.

The Western Wildfire Support Act of 2025 strengthens wildfire management by improving federal preparedness, transparency, and response coordination. The legislation enhances detection and suppression capabilities through advanced technology and expanded tribal access to firefighting resources. Additionally, it establishes dedicated programs and funding to accelerate long-term post-fire recovery and ecosystem restoration for impacted communities.

This bill establishes a two-year demonstration project for the VA to test covering FDA-cleared, over-the-counter hearing aids for eligible veterans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. The project will compare the effectiveness and fiscal impact of these devices against traditional prescription hearing aids. Additionally, the Comptroller General is required to study the broader landscape of hearing aid benefits for veterans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss and provide recommendations to Congress.

This bill, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE America Act), mandates that individuals must provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. It also establishes a federal requirement for voters to present a photo ID containing a citizenship indicator when casting a ballot in federal elections. Furthermore, the legislation requires states to implement ongoing programs to verify and remove non-citizens from voter rolls.

The Stopping Transfers of Public Funds Abroad Act prohibits individuals receiving federal public assistance from sending remittance transfers while on benefits. Applicants must sign a declaration under penalty of perjury affirming they will not send such transfers. Violators face a significant penalty of a $100,000 fine.