This bill authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to Marine James Capers, Jr., for his acts of valor during the Vietnam War on March 31-April 3, 1967. It directly affects Capers, who previously received the Silver Star for these actions but had not been awarded the Medal of Honor due to time limitations. The bill bypasses standard time restrictions under U.S. Code that typically prevent retroactive Medal of Honor awards. This is a non-procedural policy change that formally enables the award to be granted for specific historical military service.
This bill waives a 60-day notice requirement to allow for the posthumous promotion of Captain Cody Khork of the United States Army to the rank of major. The legislation directly affects the Army's personnel procedures by removing a standard administrative delay in this specific case. It does not change broader military promotion rules but creates an exception for Captain Khork's recognition. The bill is a procedural measure that facilitates an honorary rank adjustment without altering existing laws for other service members.
This joint resolution reinstates provisions of District of Columbia (DC) tax law to conform with federal tax law. As background, DC generally automatically adopts changes to federal tax law (known as rolling conformity). Therefore, upon enactment of the 2025 reconciliation act (commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act), many of its tax provisions became DC law. DC subsequently enacted its own legislation (the DC Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025) that decoupled DC tax law from these federal provisions. This joint resolution nullifies the DC legislation, thereby generally realigning DC tax law with the tax provisions of the 2025 reconciliation act. Specifically, the joint resolution reinstates for DC provisions that • increase the higher basic standard deduction; • increase deductible charitable cash contributions (for taxpayers who take the standard deduction); • establish a $6,000 tax deduction for taxpayers 65 years and older; • allow a tax deduction of qualified tips, qualified overtime pay, and qualified car loan interest; • authorize an elective 100% depreciation allowance for nonresidential real property; and • authorize businesses to deduct 100% of research and experimental costs retroactive to tax year 2022. The DC legislation also amended several other provisions of DC tax law, including restoring the DC child tax credit. The joint resolution negates these changes.
Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act This act requires the Architect of the Capitol to create a congressional time capsule in honor of the 250 th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence to be buried in the Capitol Visitor Center on or before July 4, 2026. The time capsule shall contain a joint letter from congressional leadership (the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate) and such other contents as they shall determine. The act directs the Architect of the Capitol to also install a plaque about the time capsule, subject to the approval of the Committee on House Administration of the House and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate. The time capsule shall be sealed until July 4, 2276. On that date, the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader shall present the time capsule to the 244th Congress.
La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act This act directs the Department of the Interior, after receiving a request from La Paz County, Arizona, to convey approximately 3,400 acres of identified land managed by the Bureau of Land Management to the county for fair market value. Interior must exclude from the conveyance any federal land that contains significant cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources. As a condition of the conveyance, La Paz County and any subsequent owner must make good faith efforts to avoid disturbing tribal artifacts; minimize impacts on tribal artifacts if they are disturbed; coordinate with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Historic Preservation Office to identify artifacts of cultural and historic significance; and allow tribal representatives to rebury unearthed artifacts at, or near, where they were discovered. The federal land is withdrawn from the operation of U.S. mining and mineral leasing laws, and thus the land is not available for new mining claims, new mineral or geothermal leases, nor sales of mineral materials. The county must pay all costs related to the conveyance.
Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act This act permanently allows the Department of the Treasury to access certain death records maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help prevent and recover improper payments (e.g., payments to deceased individuals). The act also establishes evidentiary requirements the SSA must meet before identifying an individual as deceased. Current law requires the SSA to share its Death Master File with the Do Not Pay system maintained by Treasury for three years. The act makes this requirement permanent. Treasury must enter into an agreement with the SSA related to Treasury's share of the cost of state death data. The act also prohibits the SSA from recording a death in the master file unless the SSA has clear and convincing evidence that the individual should be presumed deceased. If an individual is incorrectly identified as deceased and provides the SSA with supporting documentation, the SSA may notify certain agencies that have access to the master file, including Treasury and federal or state agencies that provide or disburse federally funded benefits.
Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2025 This act makes several changes to the administration of bankruptcy cases, particularly by increasing amounts received by certain trustees, extending the sunset date of various fees, and extending the term of specified bankruptcy judgeships. (Sec. 3) The act increases the amounts paid out of fees to the trustee in Chapter 7 (liquidation) cases. (Sec. 4) The act extends for an additional five years the fees paid quarterly to the U.S. trustee in Chapter 11 (reorganization) cases. The act also increases the fee percentage for cases with large disbursements, subject to limitations. (Sec. 5) Finally, temporary bankruptcy judgeships in various districts are extended for an additional five years.
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 This bill provides appropriations to several federal departments and agencies for the remainder of FY2026 and provides continuing FY2026 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 13, 2026. It also extends various expiring programs and authorities. Specifically, the bill includes 5 of the 12 regular FY2026 appropriations bills: the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026; the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026; the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026; the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2026; and the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026. The departments, agencies, and activities funded in the bill include the Department of Defense, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, the judiciary, the District of Columbia, the Department of State and related programs, the administration and oversight of foreign assistance programs, bilateral economic assistance, international security assistance, multilateral assistance, export and investment assistance, and several related and independent agencies. In addition, the bill includes a continuing resolution (CR) that provides continuing FY2026 appropriations to DHS through the earlier of February 13, 2026, or the enactment of the DHS appropriations act. The CR funds most DHS programs and activities at the FY2025 levels. The bill also extends several expiring programs and authorities, including the U.S. Grain Standards Act; the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s whistleblower program; the National Flood Insurance Program; the Forest Service's participation in the Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services Program; the Transportation Security Administration’s Reimbursable Screening Services Program; the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee; several authorities and programs related to cybersecurity; the technology modernization fund and board; the U.S. Parole Commission; the special assessment on nonindigent persons or entities convicted of certain offenses involving sexual abuse or human trafficking; several immigration-related programs and authorities; the authority for the U.S. Sentencing Commission to promulgate certain guidelines or amendments related to the use of unmanned aircraft; certain bankruptcy fees; trade preferences for Haiti and countries in sub-Saharan Africa; the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; and several health care authorities and programs.
Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026 This bill provides FY2026 appropriations to several federal departments and agencies for activities and programs related to commerce, law enforcement, science, energy and water development, public lands, and the environment. Specifically, the bill includes 3 of the 12 regular FY2026 appropriations bills: the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026; the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026; and the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026. The departments, agencies, and activities funded in the bill include the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, the Indian Health Service, and several related and independent agencies. The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.
The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act (HR 4323) allows victims of human trafficking to petition courts to vacate convictions for non-violent federal crimes (level A offenses) or expunge arrest records if those offenses were directly related to their trafficking victimization. The bill establishes clear procedures for filing these motions, requires courts to consider testimony from anti-trafficking service providers, and ensures confidentiality for petitioners. It also adds a new "human trafficking defense" that permits defendants to claim duress due to trafficking victimization in criminal cases. The law mandates reports to Congress on implementation, including the number of petitions filed and outcomes, to assess its impact on trafficking survivors.
The FAST VETS Act (HR 4446) modifies how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) updates vocational rehabilitation plans for veterans. It requires the VA to rework a veteran’s individualized plan only if two conditions are met: (1) the veteran’s job-related challenges have changed, making the original goals unachievable, and (2) a new plan would better achieve their long-term employment goals. Veterans currently enrolled in VA vocational rehabilitation programs are directly affected, as this change limits automatic plan revisions to cases where specific, documented shifts in their circumstances occur. The law does not alter eligibility or funding but refines the process for adapting plans to evolving veteran needs.
VA Budget Shortfall Accountability Act This act requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review and report on the circumstances and causes of the shortfall in funding of the Veterans Benefits Administration for FY2024 and the expected shortfall in funding of the Veterans Health Administration in FY2025. The Department of Veterans Affairs must submit such GAO report to Congress. For each of the five fiscal years following the date of enactment of this act, GAO must conduct subsequent reviews and reports regarding the funding of the VA.
