North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to recognize the individuals and communities that provided financial and other support for the North Platte Canteen in North Platte, Nebraska, during World War II.
The DOMINANCE Act aims to reduce U.S. reliance on strategic competitors like China for critical minerals by building international partnerships to secure diversified supply chains. It establishes a Minerals Security Partnership to coordinate diplomatic, development, and financial support for critical mineral projects with allies, creates a new Office of Energy Security Compacts to develop multi-year agreements with partner countries, and sets up a new Assistant Secretary position for Energy Security at the State Department. The bill also includes education programs like the Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program to build U.S. workforce capacity in mining. These measures are designed to enhance U.S. national security and economic competitiveness by ensuring reliable access to critical minerals needed for defense, technology, and energy systems.
HR 5929 designates Defense Department projects under Presidential Determination 2022-11 as "covered projects" for streamlined federal permitting. These projects focus on developing domestic sources of critical minerals through feasibility studies, modernizing processing facilities, and recovering by-products from existing operations. The bill automatically exempts these projects from standard permitting requirements and includes them in the federal Permitting Dashboard. It directly affects Defense Department initiatives aimed at strengthening U.S. supply chains for minerals essential to defense and clean energy technologies.
HR 3490, the Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act of 2025, requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study federal health benefits coverage for esophageal cancer. Specifically, the GAO must report on healthcare spending for federal employees and retirees diagnosed with esophageal cancer and how often high-risk individuals under this program undergo recommended screenings. The bill targets federal employees and retirees covered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program who meet specific risk factors (such as age 50+, smoking history, or GERD). It does not create new programs but mandates a study to assess current screening practices and costs. The goal is to inform future policy based on data about screening adherence and healthcare impacts.
The Helen Keller Education Act aims to improve educational outcomes for children with deafblindness by requiring states to identify and serve these students regardless of how they are currently classified. The bill mandates that schools evaluate deafblind children using qualified professionals who understand their unique communication needs, including tactile sign language and other non-symbolic methods. It also establishes new requirements for state plans to ensure sufficient availability of specialized teachers and interveners, while providing technical assistance and updated policy guidance to parents and educators. Additionally, the legislation strengthens early intervention services for infants and toddlers with deafblindness by including specific language and communication goals in their individualized plans.
This bill, known as the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act, amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to improve special education services for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind. It requires states to identify these students regardless of how they are currently classified, ensuring they receive specialized instruction in their primary language and access to qualified professionals. Key provisions mandate that state plans include specific strategies for language development, Braille instruction, and the use of assistive technologies, while also establishing a new national center to support research and training for educators of students with visual disabilities. Additionally, the legislation clarifies definitions for deafblindness and interveners, updates data reporting requirements to track these populations more accurately, and ensures early intervention services are delivered in natural environments to support language and communication milestones.
This concurrent resolution directs the President to withdraw all United States Armed Forces from Lebanon within seven days of the bill's adoption. It operates under section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, which allows Congress to mandate the removal of troops from foreign locations. The measure directly affects the executive branch by requiring immediate compliance with the specified timeline for troop withdrawal.
HR 1041, the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act, prevents the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from automatically sending veterans' personal information to the national background check system (NICS) solely because a court has appointed a fiduciary (like a guardian) to manage their benefits. This directly affects veterans who have a fiduciary appointed due to mental health or cognitive challenges but are not deemed a danger to themselves or others. The bill requires a court order finding the veteran poses a danger before any such information can be shared with the NICS. It changes VA procedures to block unnecessary barriers to firearm ownership for veterans who qualify for fiduciary support without a judicial determination of danger.
This Senate resolution honors the life and legacy of Donald W. Riegle, Jr., a former U.S. Senator from Michigan who passed away in April 2026. The bill formally acknowledges his nearly three decades of public service, including his roles as a Representative and Senator, and highlights his significant contributions to legislation on banking, housing, and veterans' health. It also expresses the Senate's condolences to his family and directs officials to share the resolution with the House of Representatives and send a copy to Riegle's family. Finally, the Senate will stand in adjournment as a mark of respect for the former senator when the session concludes.
This bill, known as the Arlington National Cemetery Viewshed Protection Act, restricts the construction of large triumphal arches in the Washington, D.C. area to preserve visual sightlines. It specifically bans the building of any such arches within Lady Bird Johnson Park and prohibits the use of federal funds for these structures there. Additionally, the law prevents the erection of triumphal arches taller than 50 feet on any land managed by the National Park Service unless Congress explicitly approves them. These measures aim to limit new monumental structures that could obstruct views of the Arlington National Cemetery from the capital region.
This act authorizes the Capitol Police Board to increase the mandatory retirement age for a member of the Capitol Police to up to age 62 when the board determines such waiver is in the public interest. Under current law, members of the Capitol Police are generally subject to mandatory retirement at (1) age 57; or (2) upon completing 20 years of service if the member is older than 57. Previously, a waiver from the board would authorize a member to continue working until age 60. The act authorizes the board to issue a waiver specifying a retirement age between 57 and 62.
Medal of Sacrifice Act of 2025 This act directs the President to issue a medal of sacrifice for eligible law enforcement officers and first responders who are killed in the line of duty. The act also directs the President to establish a commission on the medal of sacrifice and appoint its members. The act sets forth responsibilities of the commission, including to advise on the design of the medal and determine how the medal will be presented. Under the act, eligible law enforcement officers and first responders include federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial law enforcement officers or first responders who are not subject to an official act of wrongdoing (e.g., a determination that the officer or first responder acted outside the scope of their duties or in a manner that was not in accordance with official policies or procedures). A law enforcement officer or first responder who is subject to an official act of wrongdoing is generally not eligible for the medal of sacrifice. However, in the case of such an officer or first responder, the act requires the commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the officer or first responder's cause of death and issue a final determination on their eligibility.
