Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 This bill expands a requirement for federal agencies to report expenditures on the USAspending.gov website to include other transaction agreement expenditures. (Other transaction agreements, or OTAs, are contractual instruments other than standard procurement contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements; they are exempt from many federal procurement laws and regulations). Under current law, federal agencies must report expenditures on federal awards to USAspending.gov with the term federal award defined as federal grants, loans, cooperative agreements, contracts, and certain other types of expenditures. This bill expands the definition of federal award to include expenditures under OTAs, and therefore such expenditures must be included on the USAspending.gov website. The Department of the Treasury must ensure that data relating to OTAs are automatically transmitted to the website and a centralized view of this data is available on the website. Treasury must also annually post on the USAspending.gov website a report that includes (1) the total amount of federal spending on federal awards for which data has not been posted on the website, and (2) the reason why such spending data was not posted. For 10 years after enactment, the Office of Inspector General of specified federal agencies must periodically submit to Congress and make publicly available a report assessing the agency's spending data and use of data standards.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to create a public list of healthcare providers who have completed annual, evidence-based training on preventing veteran suicide. To qualify for this preferred provider list, providers must either finish VA-sponsored training or demonstrate completion of substantially similar external training that meets military healthcare standards. The VA must review this list annually to ensure compliance and submit regular reports to Congress detailing participation numbers and the effectiveness of the program in influencing veteran care choices.
This concurrent resolution directs the President to withdraw all U.S. military forces from active hostilities with Iran. The measure requires the President to remove troops unless they are needed to defend the United States or its allies from an immediate attack, and even then, such defensive actions must follow specific reporting rules. The directive applies unless Congress has explicitly authorized the use of force against Iran through a formal declaration of war or a specific legislative act.
This bill proposes a new amendment to the U.S. Constitution to guarantee the right to vote for all citizens of legal voting age in their place of residence. It requires states to allow voters to register and cast ballots on election day and mandates that Congress set national standards for how elections are administered. The amendment permits only narrowly tailored rules to protect election integrity and gives Congress the authority to pass laws enforcing these new voting rights.
This resolution expresses support for designating July 3 through July 10, 2026, as "National Extreme Heat Awareness Week" to educate the public on the dangers of extreme heat. The bill highlights how high temperatures threaten public safety, infrastructure, and agriculture, noting that heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the United States. It encourages federal, state, and private entities to hold ceremonies and activities during this week to raise awareness about preventing heat-related illnesses and promoting community preparedness.
The PRIDE Act of 2026 expands the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion to include LGBTQI+ individuals and businesses. It amends existing financial and housing laws to require the office to consider gender identity and sexual orientation when enforcing regulations and supporting small businesses. The bill formally defines LGBTQI+ as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex and sets a standard where more than 50 percent of a business's ownership and profits must accrue to LGBTQI+ individuals to qualify as LGBTQI+-owned. This change directly affects the Department of the Treasury's oversight of financial institutions and the Small Business Administration's lending programs. By updating the legal definitions within the Dodd-Frank Act and related housing legislation, the bill ensures that federal support and compliance measures explicitly cover the LGBTQI+ community.
The Hands Off Elections Act of 2026 prohibits federal employees from participating in or directing others to participate in the administration of federal elections, unless they are already authorized by existing laws such as the Help America Vote Act. This restriction applies to all executive agencies except the United States Postal Service, but it explicitly allows federal workers to assist with cybersecurity measures to protect voting systems. If a state law enforcement officer believes a federal employee has violated these rules, they can file a lawsuit in federal court to stop the behavior. The bill aims to separate federal agency staff from election management duties while preserving their ability to safeguard election technology.
The BLANKET Act creates a new federal grant program to help states and local governments expand emergency shelter capacity during severe weather events like heat waves, cold snaps, and storms. This initiative directly affects people experiencing homelessness by providing funding for temporary warming and cooling centers, hotel vouchers, and essential supplies such as generators and medical equipment. To receive these funds, eligible entities must submit applications detailing their specific needs and plans for coordinating with local emergency services, with $750 million authorized for each fiscal year from 2027 to 2029. The legislation also requires a report to Congress five years after enactment to evaluate the program's effectiveness in reducing harm and strain on medical services.
The Postsecondary Student Success Act of 2026 creates a competitive grant program to help colleges improve graduation rates for high-need students, including those from low-income backgrounds, first-generation families, and military-connected individuals. To receive funding between 2027 and 2032, eligible institutions must submit plans detailing how they will use evidence-based strategies, such as better advising, accelerated learning options, and improved transfer pathways, to support student retention and completion. The law requires that at least 20 percent of the available funds go to projects using the most rigorously tested methods and mandates that 2 percent be reserved specifically for Tribal Colleges and Universities. Additionally, the Department of Education must evaluate the effectiveness of these programs and report the results to Congress within 18 months of the bill's enactment.
This bill establishes a grant program to help state, tribal, local, and academic organizations use environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques to improve sport fish surveys. The funding, totaling $4 million annually from 2027 to 2033, is intended to expand survey coverage to remote areas, increase the frequency of data collection, and enhance the accuracy of identifying fish species and detecting invasive or endangered populations. Priority will be given to applicants who plan to collaborate with other eligible entities, and the program requires the collection of data to measure how effectively the new methods improve fisheries management.
This bill, known as the Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act, expands legal protections for firearm manufacturers and sellers by strengthening their immunity from civil lawsuits. It requires courts to immediately dismiss any pending cases against these companies that are based on the criminal or unlawful misuse of a gun by a third party, while also clarifying that sellers are not liable for negligence in entrusting products to others. The legislation further restricts who can file such suits by prohibiting foreign governments from bringing these claims and adding a specific exception for victims under the age of 17, though it maintains immunity for cases involving design or manufacturing defects. Additionally, the bill allows companies to move these cases to federal court and grants them the right to appeal dismissal orders immediately, along with the ability to recover legal fees if they win. Finally, it preempts state and local laws that attempt to impose liability on these entities for the same types of misuse-related harms.
This bill proposes changes to the Social Security system that would affect workers, retirees, and survivors. Starting in 2028, it requires individuals to pay Social Security taxes on a decreasing percentage of their earnings above the annual cap, eventually eliminating the tax on excess income by 2032. The legislation also adjusts how benefits are calculated by increasing the portion of high earnings that count toward future payments and creating a new index to track inflation specifically for elderly consumers. Additionally, it modifies benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households and ensures that Supplemental Security Income recipients are not penalized by changes to their Social Security benefits.
