The BADGES for Native Communities Act aims to improve safety and response systems for Native American communities by addressing gaps in data collection and law enforcement coordination. It establishes Tribal facilitators to coordinate reporting of missing persons, unclaimed remains, and death investigations involving Native people to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. The bill creates a grant program to support state and tribal coordination on missing persons cases, a demonstration program for background checks of Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers, and requires studies on evidence handling and mental health resources for law enforcement officers. These provisions directly affect Native American tribes, Tribal organizations, and federal agencies like the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of Justice. The bill includes reporting requirements to Congress to track implementation and outcomes of these programs.
This bill directs the Architect of the Capitol to create a time capsule for the U.S. Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary of independence). Congressional leadership will determine its contents, including representative materials about the Semiquincentennial, copies of key legislative milestones, and a message to future Congress. The capsule will be sealed on the Capitol's West Lawn by July 4, 2026, and remain unopened until July 4, 2276, when it will be presented to the 244th Congress for their consideration. The bill is procedural and does not affect citizens or change existing laws.
HR 3033, the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act of 2023, repeals the expiration date (sunset) from the 1996 Iran Sanctions Act. This permanently maintains existing U.S. sanctions targeting Iran's weapons programs, ballistic missile development, and support for terrorism. The bill directly affects Iran's government and entities involved in these activities by ensuring sanctions remain in effect without needing periodic renewal. It does not impose new sanctions but preserves current policy by removing the automatic expiration provision.
HR 589, the MAHSA Act, imposes U.S. sanctions on Iran's Supreme Leader, President, and affiliated entities responsible for human rights abuses and terrorism. It targets the Supreme Leader's Office, the President's cabinet, security forces involved in the crackdown following Mahsa Amini's death, and entities financing abuses. The bill requires the President to annually determine and apply existing sanctions - like property blocking and visa bans - against these individuals and entities. This directly affects Iran's top leadership and security apparatus, aiming to hold them accountable for abuses including the Morality Police's role in Amini's detention and the subsequent violent suppression of protests.
This bill reauthorizes the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, extending and updating federal efforts to combat online child exploitation. It requires the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention to be updated every four years (instead of every two) and mandates detailed analyses of trends, resource needs, and ICAC task force performance - including arrests, prosecutions, and victim identification. The bill increases annual funding for these programs from $70 million (2025) to $90 million (2027) and adds limited liability protections for specialized law enforcement teams investigating online child exploitation. These provisions directly affect federal, state, local, tribal, and military law enforcement agencies operating ICAC task forces and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
SRES 74 is a Senate resolution condemning Iran's state-sponsored persecution of the Baha'i minority, which directly affects Baha'is in Iran facing systemic discrimination. The resolution calls on Iran to immediately release imprisoned Baha'is, end hate propaganda against them, and reverse policies denying equal access to education, jobs, and religious practice. It also urges the U.S. President and Secretary of State to demand Iran's compliance with international human rights treaties and use existing sanctions authority against Iranian officials responsible for abuses. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws but formally expresses congressional condemnation of Iran's violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
HR 6229, the DHS Special Events Program and Support Act, creates a new program within the Department of Homeland Security to assess security threats at pre-planned special events not already designated as National Special Security Events. It allows state, local, tribal, and territorial officials to voluntarily request a security rating for events, which could lead to DHS providing direct security and situational awareness support. The program uses a risk-based approach considering factors like event size, attendance of officials, venue, and credible threats, with expedited reassessment options. DHS must report annually on the program’s usage and support provided, and conduct research on technologies for mass gathering security. This directly affects event organizers seeking federal security assistance for non-NSS events.
SRES 925 is a Senate resolution honoring the late Senator Fred R. Harris of Oklahoma, who died on November 23, 2024, at age 94. The resolution expresses the Senate’s sorrow at his passing, requests that his family be notified, and directs the Senate to adjourn in his memory. It does not create new laws or affect any policies - it is a formal expression of respect for a former senator’s legacy.
HR 7671, the Disaster Management Costs Modernization Act, allows local governments and organizations receiving federal disaster funds to redirect unused management costs toward disaster preparedness and mitigation. It defines "excess funds" as the difference between authorized management costs and actual spending, making these funds available for activities like building disaster recovery capacity or managing ongoing disaster operations. These redirected funds must be used within five years of availability and cannot create new spending, as the bill specifies "no additional funds" are authorized. The act also requires a GAO study to assess historical management costs for future funding decisions.
The Connected MOM Act (S 712) requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress within 18 months on Medicaid coverage barriers for remote health monitoring devices - such as blood pressure cuffs and pulse oximeters - used by pregnant and postpartum women. This report will identify limitations in coverage and their impact on maternal and child health outcomes under State Medicaid programs. Six months after the report, the Secretary must update State Medicaid resources (like telehealth toolkits) to align with the report’s recommendations. The bill directly affects pregnant and postpartum women enrolled in Medicaid and State Medicaid programs by addressing coverage gaps for these devices.
HR 6751 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Roberto Clemente, a Hall of Fame baseball player and humanitarian, including 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins. The coins must feature Clemente's image and inscriptions like "Roberto Clemente" and "2027," with all sales including a surcharge ($5-$35 per coin) paid to the Roberto Clemente Foundation. The foundation, which supports youth sports, education, and disaster relief programs, will use these funds for its mission, while the U.S. Treasury must recover all production costs. The coins will be sold exclusively in 2027, with no net cost to the government.
HR 1695, the *Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act*, requires all federal agencies to conduct a comprehensive assessment of their software licenses, contracts, and usage within one year of enactment. This assessment must detail current software inventories, costs (including hidden fees), interoperability, and license restrictions, and be submitted to agency leadership, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and Congress. Agencies must then develop a 120-day plan to consolidate software licenses, prioritize enterprise agreements, reduce costs, and improve software management - ensuring purchases avoid vendor favoritism and support interoperability. The OMB will create a government-wide strategy within two years to standardize these efforts, with annual budget reports tracking agency progress on software cost and management metrics.
