Legislative Activity

The Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026 extends vital funding for ALS research and clinical trial programs through 2031. This legislation strengthens oversight by enhancing grant review processes, improving safety reporting requirements, and mandating a comprehensive five-year FDA action plan to accelerate the development of treatments for rare neurodegenerative diseases.

The American Franchise Act aims to protect the traditional franchise business model by clarifying the definition of a "joint employer." This legislation establishes that a franchisor is only considered a joint employer if it exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over the essential terms of employment for a franchisee's workers. This change specifically targets liability risks associated with maintaining brand standards, ensuring franchisors are not automatically held responsible for local labor practices. The new standard applies prospectively to future legal proceedings.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to streamline and modernize the prior authorization process within Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and significantly increases transparency regarding approval rates and decision times starting in 2027. Furthermore, it establishes new enrollee protections and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timeframes for medical services.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and processors from assigning specific merchant category codes to firearms retailers. This legislation aims to protect consumer privacy by preventing the tracking of firearm and ammunition purchases through specialized financial classification. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcing these provisions and reporting annually on compliance.

The Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting January 1, 2026. This coverage is specifically for testing or treatment related to COVID-19, the flu, RSV, strep throat, or during a declared public health emergency. The bill outlines payment structures, generally covering 80% of the cost, and prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative gold and silver coins marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The coins will honor the victims, first responders, and survivors, with designs selected in consultation with the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. All surcharges from the sale of these coins will be paid directly to the Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 aims to combat sophisticated, cross-jurisdictional organized retail and supply chain theft. It achieves this by strengthening federal laws regarding money laundering and stolen property offenses, including lowering monetary thresholds for prosecution. Furthermore, the bill establishes a dedicated Center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal, state, and local enforcement efforts against these criminal organizations.

This bill seeks to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to update the definition of eligible food items for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Specifically, it would explicitly add hot rotisserie chicken to the list of items that can be purchased with SNAP benefits. The legislation also includes minor technical formatting updates to the existing law.

The Small LENDER Act modifies how financial institutions collect and report demographic data from small business loan applicants under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. It mandates written notice to applicants, limits data gathering to self-reporting, and delays enforcement until at least June 1, 2033. The bill also introduces exemptions for smaller financial institutions and narrows the definition of a "small business."

The Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act prevents federal agencies from banning the use of lead ammunition and tackle on federal lands and waters open to hunting and fishing. Exceptions to this rule are only permitted if specific, site-based field data proves lead is causing a wildlife population decline and the action is approved by or consistent with state wildlife policies.

The Fiscal Contingency Preparedness Act mandates that the Treasury Department, in coordination with the OMB, include a new analysis of potential financial risks from major "fiscal shocks" in its annual report. This analysis must assess the short-term and long-term financial impacts of events like recessions, natural disasters, or cyber attacks on the federal government. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will subsequently review the methodology and findings of this new fiscal assessment.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 strengthens U.S. policy by imposing mandatory sanctions on foreign persons and financial institutions that support Iran’s nuclear, ballistic missile, drone, and terrorist activities. The bill specifically targets Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sectors to cut off funding for these malign programs. Additionally, it expands the State Department’s "Rewards for Justice" program to incentivize the reporting of individuals who evade these sanctions.

The Debt-to-GDP Transparency and Stabilization Act mandates that both the President’s annual budget submission and the Congressional budget resolution include clear data on public debt and deficit ratios relative to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This legislation aims to increase fiscal transparency by ensuring these key economic indicators are consistently reported in federal budget documents.

This act establishes the "$2.50 for America's 250th Act" to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It authorizes the Treasury to mint and issue special commemorative gold, silver, and clad $2.50 coins featuring designs from the 1926 Sesquicentennial coin. Additionally, the bill mandates a study on the feasibility of minting and issuing a $2.50 coin for wide circulation.

This bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to temporarily exclude certain False Claims Act recoveries from being deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. It also mandates a comprehensive audit by the Department of Justice Inspector General on the Fund's sustainability and the impact of recent legislative changes. The resulting report will provide recommendations for improving the Fund's effectiveness and oversight.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House that the United States should commit to reducing the annual federal budget deficit to 3% of GDP or less. It calls for Congress and the President to adopt fiscal policies aimed at achieving this bipartisan target by the end of fiscal year 2030. The bill also mandates recommendations for enforcement mechanisms and requires budget analyses to show how legislation impacts progress toward this goal.

The Roadway Safety Modernization Act of 2025 aims to significantly enhance road safety by integrating modern data technologies into federal highway and freight safety programs. This legislation encourages states to adopt predictive analytics and telematics for risk modeling and proactive safety planning. Furthermore, it directs the Department of Transportation to establish guidance on data security and the responsible use of these advanced safety tools.

The Respect State Housing Laws Act aims to clarify federal housing regulations by amending the CARES Act. Specifically, this legislation removes Section 4024(c) from the CARES Act.

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 Energy Choice Act places federal restrictions on state and local governments, preventing them from enacting regulations that prohibit or limit energy service based on its type or source. This means local governments cannot ban or restrict access to energy services sold in interstate commerce. The legislation aims to ensure consistent access to various energy sources across jurisdictions.