Nydia Velázquez

This concurrent resolution expresses support for recognizing September 26, 2026, as "World Contraception Day" and calls for expanded access to contraception both domestically and globally. The resolution outlines the House's sense that Congress and the Trump administration should take steps to ensure universal access to free or affordable contraception, improve insurance coverage without cost-sharing, train more healthcare providers in contraceptive services, and expand access to over-the-counter birth control. The resolution also emphasizes the need to address disparities in reproductive health access among communities of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other underserved populations, and calls for expanded comprehensive sex education and support for domestic programs like Title X family planning services and international assistance for contraception access. As a concurrent resolution, this legislation expresses the sense of Congress rather than creating binding law or requiring specific funding allocations.

The CLAIM Act creates legal protections for insurance companies that want to do business with cannabis-related operations in states where cannabis is legal. The bill prevents federal agencies from punishing, discouraging, or limiting insurance policies for companies that insure cannabis manufacturers, producers, dispensaries, and other marijuana-related businesses that operate lawfully under state law. It also protects insurance company officers, directors, and employees from federal liability for engaging in this business. The legislation does not require insurers to provide cannabis-related insurance, and it preserves state insurance regulators' authority under existing federal law. Additionally, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study barriers that minority-owned and women-owned cannabis businesses face when accessing financial services and licensing, and to recommend solutions for expanding their access.

This bill updates the Small Business Administration's 504 loan program, which helps small businesses finance major fixed assets like real estate and equipment through certified development companies. It adds new policy goals for the program, including incentives for businesses that provide workforce training and support for expanding very small businesses with 10 or fewer employees or recovering from recent disasters. The bill also streamlines loan closing procedures by letting accredited lenders make minor corrections and adjustments without extra bureaucratic delay, shifts some oversight duties to the SBA's Office of Credit Risk Management, and requires the SBA to launch a marketing and outreach plan within one year to raise awareness of these loans. It updates leasing rules for properties financed through the program, giving small manufacturers more flexibility to lease out portions of new facilities while still requiring significant owner-occupancy, and exempts certain SBA loans, including those to certified development companies, from the standard "credit elsewhere" requirement that normally limits aid to businesses unable to get financing elsewhere. Overall, the legislation aims to modernize the 504 loan program, reduce red tape, and make it easier for small manufacturers and very small businesses to access affordable capital.

This joint resolution disapproves two Small Business Administration rules issued in February 2026 that revised citizenship and residency requirements for applicants seeking 7(a) and 504 loans, which are common federal small business loan programs. If passed, the resolution would nullify these rules, meaning they would have no legal force or effect and the previous requirements would remain in place. The resolution uses the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to overturn federal agency rules within a specific timeframe by passing a joint resolution. The measure affects small business owners and loan applicants seeking federal financing, as well as the SBA's administration of these lending programs. No specific funding or implementation timeline is specified in the resolution, as its sole purpose is to reject the citizenship and residency rule changes.

This bill requires the Small Business Administration to create and distribute educational materials to help small business owners and employees understand their legal rights and responsibilities during immigration enforcement actions. The resources will include online modules, wallet-sized cards, and compliance guides that explain constitutional protections like the right to remain silent, refuse searches without a judicial warrant, and consult with an attorney. The materials will also cover employers' responsibilities to verify work authorization and comply with immigration regulations, along with best practices for responding to I-9 audits and enforcement inspections. The SBA must make these materials available in multiple formats and languages through its offices and websites within 180 days of the bill's enactment, while coordinating with civil rights experts, immigration law specialists, and federal agencies to ensure accuracy. The bill prohibits the materials from blaming business owners for compliance errors or discouraging anyone from using SBA services based on immigration status.

This resolution recognizes July 28, 2026, as World Hepatitis Day in the United States. The measure highlights the significant global and domestic burden of hepatitis B and C, noting that an estimated 5.9 million Americans live with chronic infections from these viruses, while millions more worldwide die annually from hepatitis-related liver disease. The resolution calls on Congress to support broad access to hepatitis vaccines and treatments, increase public awareness about the risks of undiagnosed hepatitis, and urge the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to work with state and local health departments to boost vaccination and treatment rates among adults. The measure acknowledges that certain populations, including people who inject drugs, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders, bear disproportionately higher rates of infection. This is a symbolic resolution with no new funding or binding requirements, intended to raise awareness about hepatitis prevention and treatment as public health priorities.

This bill clarifies that the Small Business Administration (SBA) must follow standard rulemaking procedures under the Administrative Procedure Act when it creates rules affecting public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts. Currently, certain SBA actions are exempt from these procedural requirements, which means the agency can implement rules without the typical notice-and-comment period that allows the public to provide input. The legislation would require the SBA to follow these standard procedures for rules related to small business loans, grants, benefits, and contracts, ensuring greater transparency and public engagement in the agency's decision-making process. The bill affects small business owners and the general public who may be impacted by SBA policies. The legislation does not specify new funding or implementation timelines beyond requiring procedural compliance going forward.

The 7(a) Program Risk Oversight Act modifies reporting requirements for the Small Business Administration's Office of Credit Risk Management regarding the agency's 7(a) loan guarantee program, which provides federal backing for loans made by banks and lenders to small businesses. The bill requires the annual report to include much more detailed breakdowns of program risk by loan size, borrower age, lender type, and loan origination date, and adds new reporting on defaulted loans, fraud cases, and loans in early delinquency. The legislation also mandates that the SBA make these detailed reports publicly available on its website within seven days of submitting them to Congress, increasing transparency about the performance and risks of the 7(a) program. The changes affect small business lenders, the SBA, and anyone interested in monitoring how federal loan guarantee programs are performing, but impose no new funding requirements.

The Prison to Proprietorship Act amends the Small Business Act to establish entrepreneurship counseling and training programs for incarcerated individuals in federal prisons. The bill requires the Small Business Administration to coordinate with the Bureau of Prisons to match women's business centers and small business development centers with eligible prisoners in minimum, low, and medium security facilities. These centers would provide services including business plan development, financial literacy training, five two-day classroom sessions on entrepreneurship fundamentals, and one-on-one mentoring, with participants receiving a certificate upon completion. The program prioritizes serving individuals scheduled for release within 18 months and allows continued support after release. The bill authorizes grant funding for associations to coordinate curriculum development, train instructors, and help participants access capital, with the SBA required to submit annual reports to Congress detailing the number of participants served, hours of counseling provided, participant demographics, and program effectiveness.

This resolution formally recognizes Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) as a serious eating and feeding disorder and calls for increased national attention to the condition. ARFID is a clinically diagnosed disorder characterized by persistent inability to meet nutritional needs due to sensory sensitivities, lack of interest in eating, or fear of negative consequences like choking or allergic reactions, rather than body image concerns. The disorder affects children and adults across all demographic groups and is strongly linked to genetics and neurodevelopmental conditions like autism spectrum disorder, with research showing children with autism are 14 times more likely to have ARFID. The resolution does not provide direct funding but urges federal agencies, states, and local governments to improve early screening and diagnosis in pediatric care, support research into the disorder's biological and genetic causes, ensure schools provide appropriate accommodations for affected students, and expand access to multidisciplinary treatment services including feeding therapy, nutrition counseling, and behavioral health care. This is a symbolic congressional statement designed to raise awareness and encourage coordinated action across healthcare, education, and research sectors to address gaps in ARFID diagnosis and treatment.

This concurrent resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Cuba unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force for such purpose has been enacted.

This concurrent resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran or any part of its government or military unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force for such purpose has been enacted.The resolution specifies that it shall not be construed to prevent the United States from defending itself, its Armed Forces, its diplomatic facilities, or allied states from imminent attack.

This joint resolution uses the congressional disapproval process to block a rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that would withdraw protections against improper overdraft opt-in practices. The CFPB rule being challenged was designed to protect bank customers from being pressured into overdraft services they did not clearly consent to. If passed, this resolution would prevent the CFPB's withdrawal of those protections from taking effect, meaning the consumer safeguards would remain in place. The resolution affects millions of bank customers who use checking accounts and could face overdraft fees. No specific funding or implementation timeline is mentioned in the legislation, as this is a procedural measure to reverse an agency action rather than a spending bill.

The Investing in the American Dream Act clarifies and expands eligibility rules for federal small business loans administered by the Small Business Administration. Under current law, small business loans are generally limited to businesses owned by U.S. citizens or nationals, but this bill adds a new category of "eligible individuals" who can own these businesses, including refugees, asylees, lawful permanent residents, certain nonimmigrants with valid status, and individuals granted deferred action under the 2012 DACA program. The bill requires that small businesses receiving covered loans be located in the United States and be at least 51 percent owned and controlled by either U.S. citizens or these eligible individuals, provided the eligible individuals are lawfully present and authorized to work in the country. The bill also explicitly prohibits the Small Business Administration from denying loans based solely on eligible individual ownership and prevents the agency from increasing the ownership threshold requirement beyond 51 percent. This legislation affects small business entrepreneurs from immigrant backgrounds who want to access federal lending programs and microloan assistance.

This bill establishes a new Office of Territorial Affairs within the Small Business Administration to better serve small business owners in U.S. territories, specifically Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The office will be headed by an Assistant Administrator who will work to tailor SBA programs including entrepreneurial development, disaster assistance, capital access, and federal contracting opportunities to meet the unique needs of territorial businesses. The Assistant Administrator will also act as a liaison between territorial businesses and federal agencies, review the adequacy of SBA services in the territories, and host webinars and outreach events. The bill requires the Assistant Administrator to submit detailed annual reports to Congress beginning within 180 days of enactment, documenting the number of businesses assisted, types of assistance provided, and recommendations for improving support to territorial small businesses. The legislation does not specify separate new funding but directs existing SBA resources and programs to be better coordinated and promoted for use by territorial entrepreneurs.

This bill authorizes Congress to posthumously award a gold medal to Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl in recognition of his heroic actions during World War II. Rabbi Weissmandl, a Hungarian-born Jewish leader who lived in Slovakia, established an underground "Working Group" that raised funds to negotiate with Nazi officials to delay deportations, helped obtain visas to protect Jews, and was instrumental in documenting Nazi atrocities including the Auschwitz Protocols and organizing rescue efforts like the Kindertransport. After the war, he immigrated to America and founded the Yeshiva of Nitra in New York, which became the first major yeshiva campus in the United States and influenced the development of Jewish educational institutions across the country. The bill directs the Speaker of the House and President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the medal's presentation, with the Treasury Secretary responsible for designing and striking the medal. The bill also allows the Treasury Secretary to produce and sell duplicate bronze medals at cost, with any recipient to be designated by his family committee.

This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Cuba unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force for such purpose has been enacted.The resolution specifies that it shall not be construed to prevent the United States from defending itself from an armed attack, the threat of an imminent armed attack, or the lawful execution of counternarcotics operations.

H.Res. 1108 is a symbolic resolution expressing Congressional support for designating March 2026 as Music in Our Schools Month. The resolution does not create new programs or allocate funding, but rather recognizes the cultural and educational importance of music and calls attention to inequities in music education access. It highlights research showing that school music programs improve student academic performance, social development, and workforce skills, while acknowledging that students in low-income communities and schools serving predominantly minority populations have less access to quality music education. The resolution was introduced by Representative Velázquez and seven other lawmakers and referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. This type of resolution is largely symbolic and aims to raise awareness about the value of music education in American schools.

Guarantee Access to Arts and Music Education Act of 2026 or the GAAME Act of 2026This bill specifies that funds that support the instructional needs of elementary and secondary students from low-income families (i.e., Title I funds) may be used for arts and music programs.First, the bill specifies that schools operating school-wide programs may include descriptions related to arts and music education in their comprehensive plans. Such a plan may include a description of (1) how sequential, standards-based arts education taught by certified educators and providers meet the challenging state academic standards, and (2) how sequential, standards-based music education taught by certified educators align with the challenging state academic standards.Second, the bill specifies that schools operating targeted assistance programs may use funds for arts and music programs that address the academic needs of students. This assistance may include providing support for certified educators, professional development, supplies, instruments, and other expenses.

This resolution expresses the sense that the Department of State should formally confirm that the Monroe Doctrine is no longer part of U.S. policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean.Specifically, the resolution calls on the United States to develop a New Good Neighbor policy to foster improved relations and deeper cooperation with all countries of the Western Hemisphere. The resolution calls for this policy to involvecreation of a new approach to promoting development based on respect for sovereign economic development plans of the region's governments;reform of the Organization of American States in coordination with Latin American and Caribbean governments to promote accountability and transparency; andtermination of all unilateral economic sanctions and robust congressional oversight over the imposition of such sanctions.

This bill requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO), headed by the Comptroller General, to investigate and report on Argentina's 2025 financial crisis. The study must examine what caused the crisis, what the U.S. government and International Monetary Fund knew about Argentina's problems beforehand, how the U.S. and international community responded to the crisis, and whether the Treasury Secretary had proper legal authority to use the Exchange Stabilization Fund to assist Argentina. The GAO must deliver its findings to Congress within 18 months and then publish the report publicly online. The legislation essentially calls for independent oversight of U.S. involvement in addressing Argentina's financial emergency, ensuring transparency about any bailout decisions and their justification.

H.R. 6825 requires federal monitors and receivers who oversee troubled public housing agencies to testify annually before Congress about their management and oversight activities. Specifically, any federal official who monitored a public housing agency during the previous year must appear before the House Committee on Financial Services and the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs by October 1st each year to report on their work. This bill affects federal monitors and receivers responsible for managing public housing agencies that are struggling or underperforming. The legislation has no specified funding requirements and establishes an annual October 1st deadline for these testimonies to occur. The bill aims to increase congressional oversight and transparency regarding how federal authorities manage troubled public housing operations.

This bill establishes two pilot grant programs to expand plant-based and alternative beverage options in school lunches. The first program provides $10 million through fiscal year 2030 to school districts serving low-income students, funding staff training, student education, and partnerships with local farmers to offer 100 percent plant-based meal options. Priority goes to districts serving high proportions of free and reduced-price lunch students and those incorporating organic produce and cultural nutrition education. The second pilot program allocates $2 million through fiscal year 2026 to help schools cover costs of providing nondairy milk substitutes for students with disabilities, lactose intolerance, or other dietary needs, with priority given to districts serving students with high rates of lactose intolerance. Both programs require participating schools to track and report annually on meals served, students reached, and fund usage, while the Department of Agriculture will provide technical assistance and submit reports to Congress on pilot outcomes.

This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that Congress and the President should examine and support ways to expand access to contraceptives.

The National Flood Insurance Program Administrative Reform Act of 2025 makes sweeping changes to improve fraud prevention, customer service, and transparency in the federal flood insurance system. The bill establishes new criminal penalties for fraudulent claims, creates a voluntary pilot program for insurers to investigate structural damage before paying claims, and strengthens policyholder protections through a formal appeals process with a 120-day decision deadline. The legislation also requires standardized disclosure sheets explaining coverage limits, prohibits hiring disbarred attorneys, mandates transparency in claims adjustments, and establishes a new advisory committee of industry experts and consumer advocates to meet at least twice yearly and recommend operational improvements. Additionally, the bill directs federal regulators to update flood insurance guidance every two years and requires the Government Accountability Office to study claims practices within 18 months. These reforms collectively aim to reduce fraud and taxpayer liability while ensuring customers understand their coverage and have meaningful recourse when claims are disputed.