Rep. Derrick Van Orden

Maddy summaryThe Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act authorizes the creation of a new Smithsonian museum dedicated to women’s history, to be located within the National Mall Reserve in Washington, D.C. If the site is managed by another federal agency, the bill requires that agency to transfer the land after notifying Congress and relevant committees. The museum must ensure exhibits and programs accurately represent diverse women’s experiences by consulting a broad range of experts and community voices. The Smithsonian will submit biennial reports to Congress detailing how the museum meets these representation standards.

Hemp Planting Predictability Act This bill extends by two years the implementation of changes to the regulation of hemp products, which reimpose certain federal controls over some hemp products. Specifically, Congress enacted the FY2026 agriculture appropriations act (P.L. 119-37) on November 12, 2025. Effective November 12, 2026, the act modifies the statutory definition of hemp products that are considered to be lawful. This bill extends the effective date to November 12, 2028. As background, the 2018 farm bill excluded hemp from the Controlled Substances Act definition of marijuana and defined hemp . As a result, hemp and hemp-derived products at or below the 0.3% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana) concentration threshold were no longer regulated as Schedule I controlled substances and registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration was no longer required to cultivate or handle hemp and hemp-derived products. However, hemp remained subject to Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration regulation. The 2025 changes to the definition of hemp, include changing the limit to a total THC concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis rather than only delta-9 THC, explicitly including industrial hemp, excluding seeds from a cannabis plant that exceed a certain THC concentration, and excluding various types of hemp-derived cannabinoid products. Cannabinoids refer to unique chemical compounds that are found in hemp and marijuana (e.g., THC) and are known to exhibit a range of psychological and physiological effects.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program, which provides job training and education benefits to eligible veterans. It allows the VA to bar certain benefits for veterans convicted of assaulting VA employees and extends VR&E eligibility for some veterans who haven't found employment after training. The bill also sets a $250,000 cap on federal funds for a rehabilitation program, with future adjustments, and requires VA Secretary approval for equipment purchases exceeding $5,000. Additionally, it prevents veterans from concurrently receiving disability compensation based on individual unemployability while participating in a VR&E program and allows subsistence allowances to be based on a veteran's residence in certain cases.

Maddy summaryHR 6802, the CLEAR Act of 2025, blocks the Forest Service from enforcing a specific rule (89 Fed. Reg. 92808, November 25, 2024) related to law enforcement and criminal prohibitions. The bill directly prevents the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service from implementing or administering this regulation. It does not create new policy but halts enforcement of an existing rule, affecting how the Forest Service operates under that specific provision. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on stopping the rule’s application without altering broader law enforcement authority.

Maddy summaryThe Veterans’ Transition to Trucking Act of 2025 amends the GI Bill to allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to approve multi-state trucking apprenticeship programs for veterans using their educational benefits. This directly affects veterans seeking to transition into trucking careers and apprenticeship programs operating across multiple states. The key mechanism changes the law so the Secretary can act as a "State approving agency" for these programs, eliminating the need for separate state approvals. This streamlines access to trucking training without requiring veterans to navigate individual state requirements.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally recognizes the critical role of the United States Special Operations Forces community in national defense and expresses support for the designation of SOF Week. The bill highlights the specialized training, dangerous missions, and unique contributions of these military units and their families to the nation's security. By passing this measure, the House of Representatives aims to honor the bravery and dedication of SOF personnel while acknowledging the importance of their annual conference.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to partner with private sector stakeholders to identify high-growth emerging tech industries (like AI and semiconductors) and relevant training programs for veterans. It mandates the VA to prominently include these opportunities in veterans' transition programs and on its website, and to create a 90-day expedited process for approving qualifying education courses. The bill also updates existing VA programs by replacing "high technology" with "high technology or emerging technology" in key sections, ensuring emerging tech fields are explicitly included. The provisions expire on September 30, 2027.

Maddy summaryThe BEACON Act of 2026 establishes two grant programs to improve treatment for veterans with chronic mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). It authorizes $30 million over three years for grants to nonprofits, academic institutions, and health providers to develop and test non-drug neurorehabilitation approaches, focusing on mental health outcomes, suicide risk reduction, and long-term recovery. The bill requires grantees to prioritize patient-centered care, conduct clinical studies, and partner with VA facilities, with each grant capped at $5 million annually. A separate $10 million annual program funds independent research on TBI treatments, requiring third-party analysis and annual reports to Congress. The pilot programs expire after three years, with evaluations to determine future expansion.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HR 5999) requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide opioid antagonists (like naloxone) to enrolled veterans without needing a prescription or charging a copayment. It directly affects veterans receiving VA healthcare who may need emergency reversal of opioid overdoses. The key provisions mandate the VA to furnish these life-saving medications directly and eliminate both the prescription requirement and cost barrier. This policy change aims to improve immediate access to overdose reversal for veterans without requiring additional medical steps or financial burden.

Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to address the limitations on Reid Vapor Pressure (a measure of gasoline's volatility) that are placed on gasoline during the summer ozone season. Specifically, the bill applies the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements that is applicable to gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10) to gasoline blended with up to 15% ethanol (E15). This change allows gasoline that is blended with 10% to 15% ethanol to be sold year-round. Currently, states may be excluded from the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements by submitting documentation supporting that the waiver would increase air pollution. The bill nullifies existing state exclusions, but states may submit documentation after enactment of the bill to be excluded going forward. The bill also modifies the Renewable Fuel Standard Program, which requires transportation fuel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States to contain minimum volumes of renewable fuel. Under the existing program, obligated parties, such as small refineries, must satisfy the volume obligations by either blending renewable fuels into their gasoline or diesel fuel products or by acquiring credits that represent the required renewable fuel volume. The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to return compliance credits to small refineries under certain circumstances.