Don Bacon

This resolution expresses congressional support for designating October 15, 2026, as "Liver Cancer Awareness Day." The measure recognizes that liver cancer is a growing public health threat in the United States with particularly severe impacts on men and certain racial and ethnic communities, including Hispanic and American Indian populations. According to the resolution, liver cancer has high mortality rates, but survival rates improve significantly when the disease is detected early, making awareness and screening critically important. The resolution encourages patients, families, advocates, researchers, healthcare providers, and the public to observe the designated day through programs and activities focused on liver cancer prevention, education about risk factors, and the importance of early detection. No funding is allocated, as this is a symbolic resolution expressing support for a national observance rather than authorizing any government programs or expenditures.

This bill directs the Defense Department's Assistant Secretary for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense to commission an independent scientific study on whether partial body radiation shielding that protects bone marrow can improve human survival rates after exposure to gamma radiation from nuclear events. The study, to be conducted by a university research center affiliated with U.S. Strategic Command, will review existing peer-reviewed scientific literature, lab studies, and experimental data to evaluate how bone marrow shielding affects the likelihood and severity of acute radiation syndrome and overall mortality rates. The Assistant Secretary must enter into an agreement with the research center within 30 days of the bill's enactment and must submit a report with the study's findings to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees within 150 days. The bill does not specify any funding amount, though it establishes a relatively tight timeline for completing this research assessment. This legislation primarily affects military and defense policy officials responsible for nuclear survivability planning and preparedness.

The Quantum Benchmark Act directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a comprehensive policy within 180 days to guide how the Department of Defense develops and acquires quantum computing systems. The policy must define what constitutes a quantum computing system, create a process for validating and verifying these systems before they are developed or purchased, and align with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative. Once the policy is issued, the Department cannot develop or acquire quantum computing systems unless they have been validated and verified under this new framework, though the Secretary of Defense can grant case-by-case waivers for specific systems. Any waiver granted must be reported to congressional defense committees within 15 days along with written justification. This legislation affects the Department of Defense and its various military and civilian elements that work with quantum computing technology, though no specific funding amount is mentioned in the bill.

The Medal of Honor Access and Liaison Act would grant Medal of Honor recipients special identification cards that allow them unaccompanied access to any military installation and the Pentagon. The bill would also establish a new Department of Defense Medal of Honor Liaison position, appointed by the Secretary of Defense, to serve as a central point of contact for Medal of Honor recipients and their families. The liaison would coordinate benefits and services across the military branches and with the Veterans Affairs Department, handle replacement of military decorations, standardize protocols for Medal of Honor recipients, conduct public outreach, and advise the Secretary of Defense on service opportunities for these recipients. The bill does not specify funding amounts or timelines for implementation. This legislation primarily affects the approximately 70 living Medal of Honor recipients and the Department of Defense operations.

This bill designates the National Guard Relief Foundation as an official military welfare society under federal law, granting it specific statutory recognition and certain privileges. The designation allows the foundation to receive space and services from military facilities and enables it to participate in programs that benefit armed forces members, similar to other established military welfare organizations. The bill amends two sections of federal law governing military welfare societies to include the National Guard Relief Foundation by name. No new funding is appropriated in the legislation, and no specific timeline is established for implementation. The changes would primarily affect National Guard members and their families by facilitating the foundation's ability to provide support services and assistance programs.

This bill requires the Defense Department's Under Secretary for Research and Engineering to create a centralized online dashboard to track military construction projects for research and testing facilities across all military branches. The dashboard must be completed within one year and will monitor key information about these facilities, including their location, condition, age, funding status, and planned construction projects. The system will use existing Defense Department financial tools and display trends over time to give Congress and Pentagon leadership better visibility into the status and needs of military research infrastructure. The Under Secretary must notify Congress within 30 days of launching the dashboard and provide a recommendation after three years on whether to continue operating it. The authority to maintain this dashboard expires on December 30, 2030.

This bill requires the Secretary of Defense to create department-wide guidelines for identifying and removing artificial intelligence products from covered companies out of all Defense Department systems and devices. The Secretary must issue this guidance within 30 days after the bill becomes law, establishing clear procedures for both identifying which AI companies are "covered" under the policy and for excluding or removing their AI products from military equipment and software. The bill amends existing defense authorization law and includes a 90-day implementation timeline for the exclusion requirements to take effect. The legislation directly affects the Department of Defense and its use of AI technology, though the specific definition of which companies are "covered" would be determined by the Secretary through the guidance process. No specific funding amount is mentioned in the bill text, as the costs would fall within existing Defense Department budgets.

This bill directs the Department of Defense to hire the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct an independent review of occupational health and safety conditions at facilities used for the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile system. The review will examine potential health hazards faced by military personnel who work in these facilities, including exposure to asbestos, radiation, volatile chemicals, and other toxic substances, and will compare cancer rates among Minuteman III operators to other Air Force personnel. The National Academy must complete its review and submit a report to Congress within 18 months, including recommendations for improving workplace safety at current Minuteman III facilities and applying lessons learned to the newer Sentinel missile system. The bill does not specify funding amounts but requires the Defense Department to provide necessary security clearances and information access to facilitate the independent review. This legislation affects current and former Air Force personnel who have worked with the Minuteman III system as well as future operations of its replacement system.

This bill directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a recommendation to the President and Senate by December 31, 2026, regarding restoring the retired rank of General John D. Lavelle. The recommendation must be based on recently declassified records and the most recent recommendation from the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records. The bill affects General Lavelle's military record and rank status. No specific funding is authorized in the legislation, as it simply requires the Defense Department to issue a recommendation rather than implement changes directly. The bill's primary action must be completed by the end of 2026.

This bill authorizes Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to each of the four crew members of the Artemis II mission in recognition of their achievements in human space exploration. The Artemis II mission made history as the first crewed lunar mission in 53 years, traveling 252,756 miles from Earth and returning the first high-definition lunar imagery captured by humans in over five decades. The crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, with the bill also recognizing other notable contributors including Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the first female launch director for a crewed deep-space mission. The legislation directs the Secretary of the Treasury to design and strike the gold medals, with authority to produce bronze duplicate medals for sale, with any sales revenue deposited back into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund to cover costs.

This bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to strengthen oversight of foreign investment in U.S. agricultural land. Within one year of enactment, the Agriculture Secretary must establish an agreement with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to share all information from reports about foreign ownership of American farmland, including details about who the foreign investors are and when they submitted their reports. The bill also directs the Agriculture Secretary to update the Farm Service Agency's handbook on foreign investment disclosures within two years, incorporating recommendations from a 2024 Government Accountability Office report about improving how the government tracks and shares information on foreign agricultural investments. After the initial update, the handbook must be revised every ten years to stay current. The legislation affects the Agriculture Department and foreign investors seeking to purchase U.S. agricultural property, with the goal of better identifying potential national security risks related to foreign control of American farmland.

The FIGHT Act of 2026 amends the Animal Welfare Act to expand federal prohibitions on animal fighting by making it illegal to gamble on animal fighting events, whether in person or broadcast. The bill maintains existing bans on sponsoring, exhibiting, or attending animal fights, and also prohibits causing anyone under age 16 to attend such events. This legislation affects anyone involved in animal fighting ventures, including spectators who place bets, as well as online and broadcast betting platforms. The bill does not specify new funding allocations or implementation timelines. By closing the gambling loophole, the law aims to eliminate a financial incentive for operating illegal animal fighting operations.

This bill establishes a competitive grant program to help keep siblings together in foster care by funding specialized placement programs. The Department of Health and Human Services will award up to five grants over five years to eligible organizations, including state child welfare agencies and nonprofit groups, that develop foster care programs specifically designed for large sibling groups, siblings with significant age differences, and siblings with complex emotional, behavioral, or health needs. Grant recipients must use the funds to create evidence-based programs that identify available placements and successfully place siblings together, and they must report on their results including the number of children served and placement outcomes. The bill authorizes up to $10 million in funding over the five-year grant period to support this pilot initiative, which aims to address the challenge of keeping sibling groups from being separated when entering the foster care system.

Support for Ownership and Investment in Land Act of 2026This bill establishes a pilot program for an expedited qualification and approval process for eligible Department of Agriculture (USDA) farm ownership loans.Under a new pilot program, USDA must streamline the application review process for borrowers seeking (1) direct farm ownership loans, or (2) USDA guaranteed farm ownership loans that are serviced by a Preferred Certified Lender. Specifically, USDA must consider streamlining the process for (1) certifying eligibility and reviewing financial information, and (2) making determinations regarding the farming plan and financial situation of an applicant.The pilot program expires on September 30, 2031.

The Foster Care Stabilization Act of 2026 creates three federal demonstration grants of up to $1 million each to help organizations provide emergency assistance and support services to foster youth. These grants will fund activities such as hiring staff, providing clothing and necessities (up to $250 per youth annually), purchasing food and cooking equipment, and offering abuse prevention services to vulnerable foster children waiting for or currently in placement. The legislation applies to local public and private nonprofit organizations, including community and faith-based groups, that work directly with foster youth up to age 26. Grant recipients will have three years to spend the funds, and the bill requires the federal government to report back to Congress on how the money was used, what outcomes were achieved, and how many times funded youth changed placements. The grants will be funded through increased appropriations to foster care programs, with $45,000 reserved annually for federal administration and oversight.

H.Con.Res. 71 is a congressional resolution expressing strong support for the United States-Japan alliance in response to Chinese government actions against Japan. The resolution does not authorize spending or create binding law—instead, it serves as a statement of Congress's position condemning China's economic, military, and diplomatic pressure on Japan, including trade restrictions on seafood and beef, military exercises near Japanese territory, and attacks on Japanese political leadership. The resolution specifically references recent escalations triggered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's November 2025 comments about how a Chinese blockade of Taiwan could threaten Japan's security, which prompted China to suspend cultural imports, issue travel warnings, and conduct military operations near the Senkaku Islands. Congress affirms its unwavering commitment to defend Japan under the 1951 U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, including protection of the Senkaku Islands, and commends Japan's measured response to Chinese provocations while increasing its own defense spending.

This bill designates a portion of Interstate Route 680 in Omaha, Nebraska, as the Hal Daub Freeway.Harold John Daub Jr. served in the House of Representatives from 1981-1989 and as the mayor of Omaha, Nebraska, from 1995-2001.

H.R. 6611, the F-47 Program Total Force Act of 2025, requires the Secretary of the Air Force to deliver a detailed report to Congress by March 1, 2027, on the F-47 advanced fighter aircraft program. The report must cover the aircraft's system requirements, employment concepts, projected costs and timeline through fiscal years 2028-2034, and the Air Force's acquisition strategy for developing and deploying the aircraft. It also must include a fielding strategy addressing force structure needs, where the planes will be based, military construction requirements, personnel training needs, and how Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units will be integrated into F-47 operations. The report will be submitted in unclassified form but may include classified information in a separate annex. This bill affects the Air Force and defense planning but does not appropriate any new funding—it simply directs the Air Force to study and report on the program's scope and implementation plans.

H.R. 6612, the Defense Civilian Faculty Copyright Act of 2025, amends federal copyright law to allow the U.S. government to use literary works created by civilian faculty members at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences without paying royalties. The bill affects faculty at this military medical university who produce educational or professional materials as part of their employment duties. This change aligns the university's civilian faculty with existing rules that already apply to other federal government employees, whose work products are considered public domain. The legislation makes technical amendments to Title 17 of the U.S. Code to add the university to a list of federal entities whose employees' works the government can freely use. No new funding is required, and the bill contains no specific timeline beyond its introduction in December 2025.

This bill establishes a new Center for Strategic Deterrence and Weapons of Mass Destruction Studies within the National Defense University's Institute for National Strategic Studies. The center will educate military and national security leaders about strategic deterrence and weapons of mass destruction threats through research, training programs, and educational materials. The center will work with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to develop curricula for military schools and serve as the Defense Department's primary institution for studying these issues. Additionally, the center will conduct research to better understand deterrence strategies and threats posed by weapons of mass destruction, while providing expert advice to the Secretary of Defense and other federal leaders on these critical national security matters. The legislation does not specify dedicated funding or implementation timelines.

The Defense Secure Mobile Phones Act of 2025 requires the Secretary of Defense to equip senior Pentagon officials and employees performing sensitive national security functions with secure mobile phones and telecommunications services within 90 days of the bill's enactment. These devices must include enhanced cybersecurity protections such as data encryption, the ability to rotate device identifiers to prevent tracking, and continuous monitoring capabilities. The bill affects Department of Defense personnel involved in sensitive work, though the exact number of employees covered will be determined by the Secretary. Within 180 days, the Secretary must report to Congress detailing the contracts used, the criteria for identifying sensitive-function employees, the total number of affected personnel, and the overall costs of implementing this secure phone program.

The National Military Civilian Medical Surge Program Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a new program that coordinates military and civilian medical resources to rapidly respond to major emergencies, wars, and disaster situations in the United States. Working with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Defense Department must create partnerships with at least eight civilian hospitals, medical centers, and healthcare organizations across the country that serve as transportation hubs or logistics centers, ensuring they can quickly mobilize medical personnel to support military hospitals and the broader military health system. The program would activate in response to various triggers including congressional declarations of war, presidential emergency declarations, public health emergencies, and contingency operations. The Defense Department must submit annual reports to relevant congressional committees detailing the program's readiness and capabilities, while the legislation explicitly protects the Health and Human Services Secretary's authority over the civilian disaster medical system. The bill does not specify funding amounts but requires implementation within 180 days of the fiscal year 2026 defense authorization act.

H.R. 4582 clarifies that organ donation surgery and recovery qualify as a "serious health condition" under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), ensuring that employees who donate organs can take protected leave without losing their jobs. The bill applies to both private sector employees covered by the original FMLA and federal civil service employees. For federal employees specifically, the legislation allows them to use organ donor leave (established under a separate provision) to cover as much of their FMLA leave as possible when donating an organ. This change removes ambiguity about whether organ donation surgery meets the legal threshold for FMLA protection, making it easier for employees to serve as living organ donors without fear of employment consequences. The bill does not include new funding requirements, as it simply clarifies existing protections under current leave laws.

The Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 prohibits life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance companies from denying coverage, canceling policies, or charging higher premiums to people solely because they are living organ donors, unless the insurer can demonstrate actual and material health risks specific to that individual. The bill affects both organ donors and insurance companies across the United States, with enforcement handled by state insurance regulators using their existing authority. Additionally, the legislation requires the Department of Health and Human Services to review and update educational materials within six months of enactment to inform the public about the benefits and risks of organ donation and how it may impact insurance access, including updates to websites like organdonor.gov and public service announcements. This measure aims to remove insurance-related barriers that may discourage people from becoming living organ donors.

The AFIDA Improvements Act of 2025 strengthens oversight of foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land by expanding reporting requirements and enforcement mechanisms under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act. The bill requires disclosure of any foreign person holding at least 1 percent interest in agricultural land, whether directly or through multiple layers of ownership, closing potential loopholes in the current system. It directs the Department of Agriculture to validate reported data, share information with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to identify national security concerns, and update its guidance handbook within one year based on recommendations from a 2024 Government Accountability Office report. The legislation also requires the department to analyze and develop a timeline for creating an electronic system for submitting and storing these foreign investment reports. The bill affects foreign investors in U.S. agricultural land and gives federal agencies stronger tools to track and investigate foreign agricultural investments, with most implementation requirements due within one year of enactment.