BILLS BEING CONSIDERED IN CONGRESS TO BE AWARE OF
- LeRoy Cossette
- Jul 29
- 9 min read
In today's fast-paced political landscape, staying informed about congressional actions is essential. With thousands of legislative bills currently under consideration in Congress, the effects on our daily lives are significant. As citizens, being engaged and aware is our responsibility. This information aims to empower you as "The Informed Citizen" so you can navigate the complexities of legislative processes and understand how these bills may affect you. Below are listed those bills deemed to have the most significant impact on your rights and your life.
Each proposed bill comes with a unique identifier (i.e. US HConRes 45) to help you track its progress, read its full text, and grasp its provisions. Familiarizing yourself with these identifiers allows you to access detailed information about the bills that concern you. Just click on the identifier, and you will be directed to the complete information regarding that bill.
The Importance of Engagement
Being an informed citizen goes beyond just following the news; it involves actively participating in the legislative process. Engagement can take various forms:
Attending town hall meetings: These are opportunities to hear directly from your elected representatives and ask questions about issues that matter to you.
Contacting your representatives: Sending emails or making phone calls to express your opinions can have a direct impact on how lawmakers perceive public sentiment.
Furthermore, understanding the legislative process helps you hold representatives accountable. By staying informed about bills in Congress, you can communicate your views more effectively and encourage lawmakers to act in the best interest of the public.
Key Legislative Areas to Watch
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Veterans ACCESS Act of 2025 To improve the provision of care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025 to reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, House: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
World War II Women's Memorial Location Act To provide that the memorial to commemorate the sacrifice and service of the women who worked on the home front to support the efforts of the United States military during World War II may be located on the National Mall.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
To amend the Service Members' Civil Relief Act to preempt any squatter's rights established by State law regarding real property owned by a member of the uniformed services.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Financial Technology Protection Act of 2025 To establish an Independent Financial Technology Working Group to Combat Terrorism and Illicit Financing.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, Senate: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Common Cents Act to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to stop minting the penny, to require cash transactions to be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 35 - 13.
Fisher House Availability Act of 2025 To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make temporary lodging facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs available for certain TRICARE beneficiaries on a space-available basis.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
VA Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish annual mental health consultations to certain veterans.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026 Making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, Senate: Received in the Senate.
Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 to authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard, to establish the Secretary of the Coast Guard.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, Senate: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Abraham Accords Defense Against Terror Act to provide authority to enhance security assistance with countries that are engaged in regional security cooperation efforts in the Middle East and North Africa.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, House: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 31 - 19.
PEACE Act of 2025 To secure a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict by requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to prohibit, or impose strict conditions on, the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by certain foreign financial institutions.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, House: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 53 - 1.
Syria Sanctions Accountability Act of 2025 to review banking restrictions, strengthen anti-money laundering capacity, and update sanctions with respect to the Government of Syria.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, House: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 31 - 23.
To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study of the effectiveness of the Federal Government in carrying out its responsibilities under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to promote access to voting for absent uniformed services voters and an analysis of means for improving access to voter registration information and assistance for members of the Armed Forces and their family members.
Last action: Jul 21, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
To authorize funding to expand and support enrollment at institutions of higher education that sponsor construction and manufacturing-oriented registered apprenticeship programs.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
To authorize the use of veterans' educational assistance for examinations and assessments to receive credit toward degrees awarded by institutions of higher learning.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
To ban drug manufacturers from using direct-to-consumer advertising, including social media, to promote their products.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce
To protect individuals who seek medical assistance when witnessing or experiencing an overdose from prosecution for drug possession.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, House: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
To provide for eligibility for veterans of Operation End Sweep for the Vietnam Service Medal.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
To require direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products to include truthful and not misleading pricing information.
Last action: Jul 22, 2025, House: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for certain benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for veterans rated totally disabled at death to certain surviving spouses.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien who has been convicted of harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
To enhance penalties for the unauthorized use and sale of Immigration and Customs Enforcement apparel and insignia.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a refundable tax credit for first-time parents.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to ensure the timely completion of all removal proceedings.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
To amend section 301 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify those classes of individuals born in the United States who are not nationals or citizens of the United States at birth.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
To provide eligibility for certain aliens performing agricultural labor or services to apply for agricultural worker nonimmigrant status.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Reaffirming the principles of the United States Constitution, including separation of powers and the rule of law, and condemning efforts to undermine the same.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
A resolution unequivocally condemning nationwide violent attacks on Federal agents enforcing America's immigration laws.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Establishing the Select Subcommittee to Investigate the Remaining Questions Surrounding January 6, 2021.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
Expressing support for the designation of August 2026 as Veterans Appreciation Month.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, House: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
CCP IP Act To impose sanctions with respect to persons that operate in a sector of the economy of the People’s Republic of China in which the person has engaged in a pattern of significant theft of the intellectual property of a United States person, and for other purposes.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, Senate: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the credit for small employer pension plan startup costs and the retirement auto-enrollment credit available to tax-exempt eligible small employers.
Last action: Jul 21, 2025, Senate: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
A bill to increase, effective as of December 1, 2025, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, Senate: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
A bill to require implementation by the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain recommendations relating to the provision of health care through community care providers, and for other purposes.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, Senate: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to assert jurisdiction over murders committed by certain inadmissible or deportable aliens.
Last action: Jul 23, 2025, Senate: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
A bill to amend chapter 1511 of title 36, United States Code, to impose certain requirements on the National Education Association, and for other purposes.
Last action: Jul 24, 2025, Senate: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a small business start-up tax credit for veterans creating businesses in underserved communities.
Last action: Jul 24, 2025, Senate: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
A resolution designating June 12, 2025, as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day".
Last action: Jul 21, 2025, Senate: Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4511: 4; text: 6/12/2025 CR S3393)
Staying Informed for a Better Future
As Congress considers multiple legislative bills that could impact everyday life, the responsibility to stay informed falls on each citizen. By understanding the nuances of these measures and engaging in the legislative process, you can contribute to creating a more responsive government.
Taking the initiative to educate yourself using the resources provided empowers both you and your community. Remember, being "The Informed Citizen" is not just about awareness; it's about taking action to influence the future of our society. We can remain engaged, informed, and proactive participants in our republic.
Comments