Legislative Activity

The Higher Education Accreditation Accountability Act strengthens federal oversight of the college accreditation process. It establishes stricter criteria for the recognition of accrediting agencies and implements a rigorous approval process for institutions seeking to change their primary accreditor. These measures are designed to ensure institutional quality and protect students by preventing colleges from switching accreditors to avoid oversight or disciplinary action.

The Health DATA Act of 2026 enhances transparency and accountability in group health plans by ensuring plan sponsors have full access to their own claims and pricing data. The bill establishes fiduciary responsibilities for those managing plan data and prohibits discrimination against participants based on that information. Additionally, it strengthens enforcement by imposing civil penalties on service providers who attempt to restrict data access through "gag clauses."

The VA Health Care Capacity Assessment Act mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct and report on comprehensive staffing assessments at all VA medical facilities every two years. This report must evaluate whether current staffing, space, and clinical panel sizes meet goals for timely veteran access to care. It also requires the VA to detail identified problems, present plans to fix them, and analyze current wait times and succession planning for key provider roles.

The Promoting Authenticity with Influencer Disclaimers Act mandates that political committees clearly disclose when they have paid an individual to post content online. This ensures that consumers can easily identify paid political messaging across digital platforms. The law sets standards for conspicuous disclaimers and establishes an effective date of January 1, 2027.

The Restoring Overtime Pay Act of 2026 significantly updates overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. It establishes a phased-in, rising minimum salary threshold for executive, administrative, and professional employees to qualify for overtime exemption, eventually tying it to national earnings data. Additionally, the bill tightens the "duties test," reducing the amount of non-exempt work an employee can perform while remaining exempt from overtime pay. These changes aim to restore overtime eligibility to more salaried workers.

The Fraud Reduction And Uncovering Deception (FRAUD) in VA Disability Exams Act requires the VA to establish systems to identify and report fraudulent activity on Disability Benefit Questionnaire (DBQ) forms. This legislation enhances the investigative authority of the VA's Inspector General to address suspected fraud. While generally preventing reopening of past benefit decisions based on these investigations, the VA may reopen a decision if a court convicts someone of fraud related to the claim evidence. The VA must also report annually to Congress on these anti-fraud efforts.

This bill streamlines the process for the House to consider legislation allowing certain combat-disabled retirees to receive both disability compensation and retired pay concurrently. It also establishes the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2024, which increases disability benefits for veterans starting December 1, 2024, based on the Social Security COLA.

This resolution supports the goals and ideals of Glisten’s 2026 Day of Silence, which seeks to highlight and combat the bullying, harassment, and discrimination faced by LGBTQI+ students in K-12 schools. It calls on communities and policymakers nationwide to demand equal educational opportunities and the implementation of inclusive policies that ensure all students can learn in a safe, affirming environment.

The PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026 mandates comprehensive, cost-free insurance coverage for HIV prevention services (PrEP and PEP) across private health plans, Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and veteran health programs. The bill prohibits insurers from denying coverage or increasing premiums based on the use of HIV prevention medication and establishes robust patient confidentiality protections. Additionally, it authorizes national public health education campaigns and provides grant funding to expand access to prevention services for uninsured and underinsured populations.

This bill establishes the Commission on Equity and Reconciliation in the Uniformed Services to investigate and document the history of racial, ethnic, and LGBTQ+ discrimination within the U.S. military since 1775. The Commission is tasked with holding hearings, gathering testimony, and developing recommendations for remedies, including apologies, compensation, and policy changes. It must submit a final report to Congress and the President detailing its findings and proposed actions within 18 months of its first meeting.

The Unsubscribe Act of 2025 establishes strict federal rules to protect consumers from deceptive "negative option" marketing, where silence is treated as consent to be charged. This law mandates clear disclosure, requires express informed consent for initial charges and automatic renewals, and demands easy, accessible cancellation methods for all contracts. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is empowered to enforce these new standards against merchants nationwide.

This bill, the White House NOT FOR SALE Act, prohibits placing any individual's or organization's name on permanent or semi-permanent displays within the White House or its grounds without express approval from both the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House. This approval process requires consultation with the White House Curator and the Committee for the Preservation of the White House. However, displays that qualify as "commemorative works" are governed by existing federal law instead.

The BALL Act, or White House Building Activities Locked-out in Lapse Act, prohibits the use of federal funds for any construction or renovation projects at the White House or its grounds during a government shutdown caused by a lapse in appropriations. This spending ban remains in effect until new funding is enacted. The only exception allows for work deemed immediately necessary for health or safety reasons.

The Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2025 aims to improve immigration pathways and protections for noncitizen service members and veterans. The bill mandates studies on previously removed noncitizen veterans, establishes a system within DHS to track noncitizen veterans facing removal, and creates an advisory committee to review deportation cases. Furthermore, it streamlines the path to citizenship for active duty service members and allows certain removed noncitizen veterans to adjust their status to lawful permanent resident.

The Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition (EVEST) Act mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to automatically enroll eligible veterans into its patient enrollment system upon receiving their separation information from the Department of Defense. The VA must notify these veterans of their enrollment and provide clear instructions on how to opt out or enroll later. Furthermore, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is required to study and recommend the most effective methods for notifying veterans about this automatic enrollment.

The Prohibition on Funding to CECOT Act permanently bans all U.S. federal funding for the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT) maximum security prison in El Salvador due to serious human rights concerns. This prohibition covers construction, operation, and any related training or services for the facility. Furthermore, the bill requires the Secretary of State to report to Congress within 90 days detailing all past and present financial commitments related to the prison.

The VA Employee Fairness Act of 2025 modifies the collective bargaining rules for employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) by streamlining existing statutes. This act removes outdated subsections related to bargaining and renumbers the remaining relevant section. Importantly, these changes do not affect the Secretary of Veterans Affairs' existing authority regarding incentive pay or expedited hiring processes.

The Equality Act comprehensively expands federal civil rights protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity across key areas of American life. It amends existing laws to prohibit discrimination in public accommodations, housing, credit, employment, and federal funding. The purpose of the bill is to provide consistent, explicit, and comprehensive remedies for individuals facing bias in these essential sectors.

The FAIR Veterans Act of 2025 directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prioritize keeping veterans in their homes by making foreclosure the last resort for VA-guaranteed home loans. This bill clarifies and strengthens the VA's authority under the Servicing Purchasing (VASP) program. It mandates that the VA must be able to purchase the full remaining loan balance from the loan holder to take over the mortgage and secure the property, removing prior procedural hurdles.

The **Preventing Risky Operations from Threatening the Education and Career Trajectories of Students Act of 2025** aims to strengthen federal oversight and accountability for institutions receiving federal student aid. It establishes new financial performance standards, expands student protections against deceptive practices and school closures, and mandates greater transparency regarding institutional spending and student outcomes. Ultimately, the bill seeks to ensure that federal aid supports quality education that leads to financial success for students while penalizing low-performing or fraudulent institutions.