United States · United States Congress · 3 December 2025
This resolution withholds compensation from Senators during any federal government shutdown (i.e., lapse in appropriations for one or more federal agencies or departments). Senators are to be paid as soon as practicable after the date on which the government shutdown ends. The restriction applies beginning on the day after the regularly scheduled general election for federal office held in November 2026. (As background, the U.S. Constitution provides that legislation varying the level of compensation paid to members of Congress may not take effect until an intervening election has occurred.)
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2025
Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026 This bill expands federal requirements and resources for preventing and responding to cybersecurity incidents in the health care and public health sectors. The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to require private health care-related entities to adopt minimum cybersecurity practices (e.g., multifactor authentication), more specifically identify the standards for mitigating penalties relating to violations of health information privacy and security, expand and update biennially a specified plan that details cybersecurity protocols for HHS personnel, provide training and best practices to support the expansion of the workforce for health care cybersecurity, provide guidance on cybersecurity readiness to rural entities, and designate one representative to lead oversight and coordination of cybersecurity activities within HHS. Also, HHS and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) must coordinate to improve health care cybersecurity, including by (1) providing resources for entities receiving information from HHS or CISA programs, and (2) establishing a joint cybersecurity capability plan to coordinate responses to significant incidents. Additionally, the bill requires health care providers and plans to include the number of individuals affected when notifying individuals of unauthorized access to health information (i.e., a breach).
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 2025
Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act of 2025 This bill requires various federal agencies to continue certain operations, functions, and services related to firearms during a government shutdown. The bill applies to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Instant Criminal Background Check System, including the processing of background checks in support of the operations of the Directorate of Enforcement Programs and Services of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the ATF's Directorate of Enforcement Programs and Services; the activities of the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security relating to firearms and firearm-related products, including activities related to processing of applications for export licenses; and the activities of the Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls relating to firearms and firearm-related products, including activities related to processing of applications for export licenses. Under the bill, (1) these operations, functions, and services are deemed to relate to an emergency involving the safety of human life or the protection of property; and (2) employees carrying out the operations, functions, and services are deemed to be excepted employees. (Under an exception in the Antideficiency Act, an employee whose duties involve the safety of human life or the protection of property may be required to work during a government shutdown. Employees who are required to work during a government shutdown because they fall under this or other exceptions are known as excepted employees.)
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2025
HUD Transparency Act of 2025 This bill requires the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to annually testify before Congress. Specifically, the office must testify regarding efforts to detect and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse; ability to conduct and supervise audits, investigations, and reviews; actions to identify opportunities for HUD programs to progress and succeed; recommendations to improve overall efficiency and public accountability of HUD; the extent to which HUD has resources sufficient to carry out its statutory mission; and ongoing activities regarding any such additional work.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2025
Enhancing Necessary Federal Offenses Regarding Child Exploitation Act or the ENFORCE Act This bill broadens the scope of prohibited conduct and increases criminal penalties for child pornography offenses involving the production or distribution of an adapted or modified depiction of an identifiable minor. The bill also expands federal enforcement of criminal offenses involving the possession, receipt, distribution, or production of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2025
Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025 This bill provides appropriations for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide uninterrupted benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during any period in which legislation has not been enacted to provide continuing or full-year FY2026 appropriations to USDA. The bill also provides appropriations for retroactive payments for SNAP benefits that were missed on or after September 30, 2025, and before this bill is enacted. The appropriations provided by this bill are available until legislation is enacted to provide FY2026 appropriations for USDA (including continuing appropriations).
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2025
Equal Campus Access Act of 2025 This bill prohibits funding made available under the Higher Education Act of 1965 from being provided to any public institution of higher education (IHE) that denies certain campus rights to religious student organizations. Specifically, the bill prohibits a public IHE from receiving these funds if it denies a religious student organization any right, benefit, or privilege that is otherwise afforded to other student organizations at the IHE because of the religious student organization's beliefs, practices, speech, leadership standards, or standards of conduct.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2025
Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act This bill broadens the scope of pill machines that are subject to regulation under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The bill also requires regulated machines to have serial numbers and imposes criminal penalties for conduct involving the removal of serial numbers or the transportation of regulated machines knowing the serial numbers have been removed. Currently, the CSA requires persons who manufacture, distribute, import, export, or purchase certain regulated machines to keep records of and report on transactions involving the machines. Currently, the term regulated machines includes tableting machines and encapsulating machines. This bill requires persons who sell or deliver regulated machines to comply with the CSA's recordkeeping and reporting requirements, in addition to persons who manufacture, distribute, import, export, or purchase them. The bill also expands regulated machines , for which transactions must be recorded and reported, to include critical parts of tableting and encapsulating machines such as dies used to mold pills and punches used to imprint markings and logos onto pills. The bill requires serial numbers to be permanently affixed to encapsulating machines, tableting machines, and critical parts of tableting and encapsulating machines. Finally, the bill prohibits, subject to criminal penalties, the (1) removal, alteration, or obliteration of any serial number affixed to a tableting machine, encapsulating machine, or a critical part; or (2) transportation, shipment, receipt, possession, distribution, delivery, sale, import, or export of any tableting machine, encapsulating machine, or critical part knowing the serial number has been removed, altered, or obliterated.
![Official portrait of Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c001056_200.jpg)