HR 224, the Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act, modifies how income is calculated for housing assistance programs by requiring that veterans' service-connected disability compensation (from the VA) be excluded when determining eligibility for low/moderate income housing. This directly affects disabled veterans who receive VA disability payments, ensuring these funds do not count against them for housing assistance under HUD programs. The bill amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to mandate this exclusion in income calculations. Additionally, it requires a report within one year examining how disability compensation is treated across HUD programs and recommending improvements to better serve veterans.
This bill amends the National School Lunch Program to allow schools participating in the program to serve whole milk as an option to students, in addition to reduced-fat and fat-free milk. It permits schools to offer whole milk (organic or non-organic), reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free milk, as well as lactose-free milk and nutritionally equivalent nondairy beverages that meet specific nutritional standards. The bill clarifies that milk fat in whole milk should not be counted as saturated fat for compliance with meal nutrition standards. Additionally, it requires schools to include food allergy information in training for food service personnel. These changes directly affect schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and the students who eat school meals.
Great Lakes Fishery Research Reauthorization Act This act reauthorizes through FY2030 research and monitoring conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in support of binational fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin. This research is completed through the Great Lakes Science Center and may involve invasive species science, studies on fishery resources, and the use of biological assessment tools and other capabilities to support fishery management decisions.
Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act This act reauthorizes through FY2028 the Congressional Award Board, the board that administers the Congressional Award Program, and modifies program medals. (The program, established by law in 1979, awards medals to youth ages 14 to 23 who satisfy standards of achievement set by the board. The program aims to promote initiative, achievement, and excellence among youth in the areas of public service, personal development, and physical fitness.) The act removes a requirement for program medals to consist of gold-plate over bronze, rhodium over bronze, or bronze. The reauthorization is effective as if enacted on October 1, 2023 (the date on which a prior reauthorization expired).
Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act This bill reauthorizes and modifies administration of Marine Debris Program (MDP) activities and the Marine Debris Foundation. (The program and the foundation support efforts to assess, prevent, and otherwise address marine debris and its adverse impacts on the U.S. economy, the marine environment, and navigation safety.) First, the bill reauthorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Marine Debris Program through FY2029. The bill authorizes NOAA to provide contributions for MDP project costs on an in-kind basis in an amount that NOAA determines represents the value it derives from the project. The bill also authorizes NOAA to enter into agreements other than cooperative agreements, contracts, and grant agreements for projects. Next, the bill modifies requirements for the Marine Debris Foundation and reauthorizes it for FY2025. Among other changes, the bill designates the current Chief Operating Officer (i.e., the first officer or employee appointed by the board) as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and specifies that the board has the authority to appoint, review the performance of, and remove the CEO. The bill authorizes the CEO to appoint, supervise, and remove foundation employees and officers. Further, the bill directs the foundation to develop and implement best practices for conducting outreach to Indian tribes and tribal governments. The foundation must locate its principal office in the National Capital Region or a coastal shoreline community. Finally, the bill authorizes the foundation to match contributions from regional organizations, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and foreign governments.
Disaster Related Extension of Deadlines Act This act requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to treat the postponement of the federal tax return deadline due to a federally declared disaster or certain other events as an extension of such deadline for purposes of calculating the limit on a tax refund. The act also provides that the IRS’s deadline for sending certain notices includes such postponement. Under current law, a tax refund claim must be filed within three years of the date that the federal tax return is filed. (Some exceptions apply.) The tax refund amount generally is limited to federal taxes paid within the three years preceding the tax refund claim plus any extension of the federal tax return deadline (known as the lookback period). Under the law in effect prior to this act, the postponement of the federal tax return deadline is not an extension for purposes of the lookback period. Thus, under prior law, certain tax payments (e.g., amounts withheld from a paycheck for federal taxes) made before the federal tax return is filed may be outside the lookback period and non-refundable. Under the act, a federal tax return deadline postponed due to a federally declared disaster or certain other events must be treated as an extension of such deadline for purposes of the lookback period. Further, under current law, the IRS is required to mail a notice and demand for tax payment within 60 days of an assessment but not before the tax payment due date. The act provides that the tax payment due date includes the postponement of the tax payment deadline due to a federally declared disaster or certain other events.
The Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025 extends the duration of the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Program from a five-year period to a ten-year period. This program provides land allotments to eligible Alaska Native veterans who served during the Vietnam era. The bill amends Section 1119(b)(3)(B) of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to adjust the program's timeframe. The extension ensures the program remains active for an additional five years without requiring new congressional authorization.
Modernizing Access to our Public Waters Act or the MAPWaters Act of 2025 or the MAPWaters Act of 2025 This act directs the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to standardize and publish data relating to the public's access to federal waterways for recreational use. (Sec. 3) The Forest Service and Interior must jointly develop and adopt interagency standards for data collection and dissemination of geospatial data relating to public outdoor recreational access of federal waterways and federal fishing restrictions. The standards must ensure compatibility and interoperability among applicable federal databases with respect to collection and dissemination of such data. (Sec. 4) Within five years, the Forest Service and Interior must also digitize and make publicly available online certain geographic information system data about (1) federal waterway restrictions, (2) federal waterway access and navigation information, and (3) federal fishing restrictions. They must also update the data about waterway restrictions, waterway access, and navigation information at least twice per year. Data about fishing restrictions must be updated in real time as changes go into effect. The Forest Service and Interior must also develop a process to allow members of the public to submit questions or comments regarding the data regarding waterway restrictions, waterway access, and navigation information. The requirements under this section do not apply to irrigation canals and flowage easements. (Sec. 5) To carry out the act, the Forest Service and Interior may (1) coordinate and partner with nonfederal agencies, private entities, and nonprofit partners; and (2) enter into agreements with third parties. The Forest Service and Interior may work with the U.S. Geological Survey to collect, aggregate, digitize, standardize, and publish data on their behalf. (Sec. 6) The Forest Service and Interior must annually report to specified congressional committees on their progress in meeting the requirements of this act.
This bill transfers approximately 40 acres of land at the Wounded Knee Massacre site (December 29, 1890) to the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in "restricted fee status." The Secretary of the Interior must complete all legal actions within 365 days to hold this land under tribal ownership, with protections against sale, state taxation, or loss of tribal jurisdiction. The land must be used solely for memorial/sacred purposes as outlined in a 2022 tribal covenant, prohibiting gaming activities. It directly affects these tribes and preserves a historically significant site tied to the 1890 massacre.
This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 West Oklahoma Avenue in Guthrie, Oklahoma, as the "Oscar J. Upham Post Office".
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 This bill sets forth policies and authorities for FY2026 for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, military construction, and the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE). The bill also sets forth policies and authorities for the Department of State, the Coast Guard, and the Intelligence Community (IC). Among other elements, the bill authorizes the procurement of various items, including aircraft, ships, and missiles; sets active duty and reserve component personnel strength levels; sets policy regarding various aspects of military health care and military compensation; sets policy regarding DOD acquisitions and acquisition management, including contracting authorities and domestic sourcing; sets policy for various matters related to DOD interactions with foreign nations, including matters concerning Israel, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific; sets policy for various matters related to DOD cyber operations, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence; authorizes specified military construction projects and extends the authorization of certain projects from previous fiscal years; authorizes the National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Naval Petroleum Reserves, and Maritime Administration; sets policy regarding the organization and workforce of the State Department; sets acquisition and personnel policy for the Coast Guard; sets policy for merchant mariner credentials, vessel safety, and oil pollution response; and sets policy for the IC regarding artificial intelligence and biotechnology. For additional information on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) see In Focus IF10516, Defense Primer: Navigating the NDAA , and In Focus IF10515, Defense Primer: The NDAA Process .
Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 This act extends and modifies the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, under which states and counties containing certain federal land may receive payments from the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for schools, roads, and certain other municipal services. The act modifies the SRS program, including by extending payments made to states and counties containing federal land through FY2026, providing lapsed payments for FY2024 and FY2025, extending the authority of counties to initiate projects using such funds through FY2028, and extending the authority to initiate projects proposed by resource advisory committees through FY2028.
