Explore

Rapid ReadRapid Read
Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to End Taxpayer-Funded Dog and Cat Lab Experiments and Ban Breeding for Research

Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to End Taxpayer-Funded Dog and Cat Lab Experiments and Ban Breeding for Research

U.S. Representatives Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) have introduced the Companion Animal Protection Against Cruel Testing (COMPACT) Act, H.R. 10522. This bill aims to prohibit the use of Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) research funds for experiments on live dogs and cats, enhance oversight of animal testing, and facilitate the rehoming of animals currently in laboratories. Concurrently, Representative Nancy Mace has introduced the Prohibiting Unethical Procedures on Pets in Science (PUPPS) Act, which seeks to make it a federal offense to breed, sell, transfer, or knowingly acquire dogs specifically for research purposes. The PUPPS Act also mandates that dogs already designated for research be offered for adoption rather than euthanized. These legislative efforts align with a broader push by HHS to reduce the reliance on animals in biomedical evaluations. The introduction of the COMPACT Act was accompanied by rescued beagles from Ridglan Farms, a facility previously involved ...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Reps. Westerman and Gluesenkamp Perez Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand VA Home Loans for Rural Veterans

Reps. Westerman and Gluesenkamp Perez Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand VA Home Loans for Rural Veterans

Reps. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) have introduced the Veterans Owner-Builders’ Rights Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at expanding VA home loan access for rural veterans. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a five-year pilot program under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that would provide direct housing loans to veterans in rural areas for the construction of new homes. This initiative is designed to allow veterans with relevant skills to utilize their VA home loan benefits to build their own residences, addressing a current limitation where only about 30% of veterans use these loans. The bill also includes provisions for providing blueprints with American wood sourcing requirements, streamlining the permitting process by requiring permits within 45 days and covering associated fees, and offering technical assistance for construction and permit applications. Additionally, it includes a safeguard against home-flipping by requiring veterans to reside in the home for...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Reps. Carter, Ezell, and Thompson Introduce FEMA Workforce Planning Act to Enhance Disaster Response Capacity

Reps. Carter, Ezell, and Thompson Introduce FEMA Workforce Planning Act to Enhance Disaster Response Capacity

Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (D-LA), alongside Representatives Mike Ezell (R-MS) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS), introduced the Federal Emergency Mobilization Accountability (FEMA) Workforce Planning Act. This bipartisan legislation mandates that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) develop and submit comprehensive workforce plans to Congress every three years. The act aims to ensure FEMA possesses the necessary capacity to effectively respond to natural disasters and other emergencies. Key provisions include improving employee recruitment and retention, developing strategies for efficient workforce training and deployment, and utilizing data to address and rectify staffing deficiencies within the agency. The bill emphasizes the growing intensity and duration of storms, highlighting the need for enhanced preparedness.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Representatives Mike Levin and Ryan Mackenzie Introduce Federal Bill to Expand Free School Meal Access for Military Families

Representatives Mike Levin and Ryan Mackenzie Introduce Federal Bill to Expand Free School Meal Access for Military Families

Representatives Mike Levin and Ryan Mackenzie have introduced a federal bill in the House of Representatives aimed at expanding free school meal access for children of military families. This legislative effort mirrors a similar bill introduced in the Senate by Senators Kim and Heinrich. The proposed legislation, known as the Military Dependents School Meal Eligibility Act, seeks to remove the basic allowance for housing (BAH) from income calculations when determining a family's eligibility for free and reduced-price school meals. Additionally, the bill mandates that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Defense submit a report to Congress. This report would outline the feasibility and cost associated with establishing a program to directly certify military children for free and reduced-price school meal programs, streamlining the process for eligible families.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Congressmen Langworthy and Pocan Introduce COMPACT Act to End Federal Funding for Dog and Cat Research

Congressmen Langworthy and Pocan Introduce COMPACT Act to End Federal Funding for Dog and Cat Research

Congressmen Nick Langworthy (R-NY) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) have introduced the Companion Animal Protection Against Cruel Testing (COMPACT) Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to end all federal funding for research involving live dogs and cats in the United States. The bill is described as the most comprehensive legislation in history to modernize federally funded biomedical research and eliminate inhumane testing practices on these animals. The introduction of the COMPACT Act follows recent events, including the release of over 2,000 beagles from Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin and ongoing protests against animal research facilities like Marshall BioResources in New York.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
U.S. Representatives Lead Bipartisan Letter Opposing ACHP's Section 106 Proposal to Revise Historic Preservation Regulations

U.S. Representatives Lead Bipartisan Letter Opposing ACHP's Section 106 Proposal to Revise Historic Preservation Regulations

U.S. Representatives Sharice Davids (D-KS), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), Mike Turner (R-OH), Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Jared Huffman (D-CA) are leading a bipartisan letter in the House of Representatives. This letter, along with a similar one circulated by Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) in the Senate, expresses strong opposition to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's (ACHP) proposed rewrite of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act's implementing regulations. The proposed rulemaking by the ACHP is criticized for potentially dismantling the framework that has protected historic places for six decades. Concerns include shifting authority from collaborative consultation to unilateral agency control, making public comment optional, limiting consideration of adverse effects, and redefining what constitutes a historic property. The letter also questions the rushed and non-transparent process behind the proposal.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Representative Bob Latta Emphasizes Existing Law in DOE Nuclear Waste Consolidation Plan Discussions

Representative Bob Latta Emphasizes Existing Law in DOE Nuclear Waste Consolidation Plan Discussions

The Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking new legal authority from Congress to manage spent nuclear fuel and establish Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses (NLICs). These campuses would consolidate interim dry storage, spent fuel reprocessing, fuel fabrication, and permanent disposal in states that volunteer to host them. Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Energy Ted Garrish presented this request at recent House and Senate hearings. Energy Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH) stressed that any new campus policy must complement existing law and the designated federal deposit site at Yucca Mountain, rather than replace it. Twenty-six states have expressed interest, with six signing non-binding memorandums of understanding to explore hosting a campus. Garrish also requested that Congress end Yucca Mountain's legal monopoly on disposal, authorize interim storage at campus sites, and make reprocessing an official policy where technically and economically feasible. The DOE aims for formalized host agreem...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Congressional Stock Trading Legal Under STOCK Act, Despite Conflict of Interest Concerns

Congressional Stock Trading Legal Under STOCK Act, Despite Conflict of Interest Concerns

Members of the U.S. Congress, along with their spouses and dependent children, are legally permitted to buy and sell individual stocks. This practice is governed by the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012. The law explicitly states that members and congressional staff are not exempt from insider trading prohibitions, meaning they cannot trade on material nonpublic information obtained through their official positions. However, the act does not require members to divest their holdings or use blind trusts. Instead, it mandates public disclosure of trades exceeding $1,000 within 30 days of notification, and no later than 45 days after the transaction. While trading a defense stock while serving on the Armed Services Committee is considered a conflict of interest, it is legal; trading based on nonpublic contract decisions from a closed briefing is illegal insider trading. Data from Kapitol.ai for 2026 shows that 86% of transactions were filed within the 45-day limit, though 1,427 transa...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
FEMA Workforce Planning Act Introduced to Enhance Disaster Response Capacity

FEMA Workforce Planning Act Introduced to Enhance Disaster Response Capacity

Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (D-LA), alongside Representatives Mike Ezell (R-MS) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS), has introduced the Federal Emergency Mobilization Accountability (FEMA) Workforce Planning Act. This bipartisan legislation mandates that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) develop and submit comprehensive workforce plans to Congress every three years. The primary goal is to ensure FEMA possesses the necessary capacity to effectively respond to natural disasters and other emergencies. The act requires FEMA to improve its recruitment and retention efforts, develop strategies for efficient workforce training and deployment, and utilize data to identify and address staffing gaps. The plans must adhere to best practices outlined by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Comptroller General of the United States. Key components of these plans include performance measures for human capital goals, details on employee types, cost analysis for implementation, strategies...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Representative Walberg Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Bolster Great Lakes Conservation Efforts

Representative Walberg Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Bolster Great Lakes Conservation Efforts

On September 28, 2026, Representatives Tim Walberg (R-MI), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), David Joyce (R-OH), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Tom Barrett (R-MI), and Hillary Scholten (D-MI) introduced the Regional Great Lakes Partnership Act. This bipartisan and bicameral bill aims to enhance federal support for Great Lakes research and conservation. The legislation proposes designating the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) as the official Regional Great Lakes Partnership within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Regional Ocean Partnerships Program. This designation is intended to ensure the Great Lakes region receives a fair share of program funding, thereby providing federal resources to support the GLC's ongoing work in coordinating Great Lakes research and conservation efforts. Companion legislation has also been advanced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Bernie Moreno (R-OH).
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Congressman Langworthy Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to End Animal Testing in Federally Funded Research

Congressman Langworthy Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to End Animal Testing in Federally Funded Research

Congressman Nick Langworthy, representing New York's 23rd District, along with Congressman Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, has introduced the Companion Animal Protection Against Cruel Testing (COMPACT) Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to modernize federally funded biomedical research by ending testing practices on dogs and cats. The announcement was made in Washington, D.C., and was accompanied by rescued beagles from Ridglan Farms, a facility that was previously shut down due to animal cruelty violations. The introduction of the COMPACT Act coincides with a broader movement to reduce animal testing, including recent updates from the FDA to the Modernization 2.0 Act, which emphasizes non-animal testing methods, and efforts by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to transition towards human-focused research.
TrendlineTrendline
Bipartisan Congressional Group Introduces Federal Tax Credit for Film and TV Productions

Bipartisan Congressional Group Introduces Federal Tax Credit for Film and TV Productions

Bipartisan Congressional Group Introduces Federal Tax Credit for Film and TV Productions