Shontel Brown

The VET CARE Act establishes a new federal grant program to help high schools in areas facing veterinarian shortages create or expand work-based learning programs focused on veterinary medicine. Eligible organizations such as school districts, veterinary clinics, cooperative extension programs, 4-H and FFA organizations, and colleges can apply for competitive grants to develop curriculum that exposes students to veterinary careers in diagnostics, epidemiology, food safety, and animal husbandry. The bill prioritizes programs that provide hands-on experience with livestock, equine animals, and other large animals, and that help students transition to postsecondary education and careers in large-animal and food-animal veterinary medicine. Grant recipients must annually report data on student enrollment, graduation rates, attendance, and how many students go on to pursue veterinary-related education and careers. The legislation authorizes whatever funding Congress deems necessary to operate the program but does not specify an exact dollar amount or timeline.

This bill would authorize the Department of Housing and Urban Development to offer capital assistance to owners and operators of aging affordable multifamily housing properties that are in poor physical condition or at financial risk. The program would provide low-interest loans at 1 percent, which could be partially or fully forgiven, to help fund necessary repairs and improvements to buildings with five or more units that currently receive federal housing assistance. Property owners receiving loans must contribute at least 20 percent of costs from non-federal sources and commit to keeping the housing affordable for 30 years, though the HUD Secretary can waive the matching requirement for applicants who cannot secure the funds. The bill does not specify a funding amount but authorizes Congress to appropriate whatever funds are necessary to implement the program, and the Secretary would have authority to establish requirements for how the program operates. This legislation aims to prevent the loss of affordable housing stock by making it economically viable for owners to maintain and upgrade distressed properties.

The REPLACE Act modernizes federal efforts to reduce lead hazards in homes and drinking water by amending two major laws. The bill expands the Department of Housing and Urban Development's lead-based paint hazard reduction grant program to include water-related lead hazards, workforce development, and local implementation support, while also requiring coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency. For drinking water, the legislation broadens the Environmental Protection Agency's lead service line replacement program to include galvanized pipes that were ever connected downstream of lead lines, and adds technical assistance provisions to help water systems identify and replace these pipes while coordinating with housing lead reduction efforts. The bill prioritizes funding for jurisdictions with elevated childhood lead exposure and older housing stock built before 1978. The legislation includes provisions allowing federal agencies to recapture unspent grant funds and reallocate them to other qualified entities within the same areas, while providing corrective action plans and deadline extensions for struggling grantees, and requires joint EPA and HUD guidance on best practices within one year of enactment.

The GET THE LEAD OUT Act of 2026 is a comprehensive bill addressing lead pipe hazards in housing while also making significant changes to federal tax law. On the housing side, the bill establishes a grant program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help states and local governments identify and remove lead pipes from privately owned homes, while requiring jurisdictions to assess and report lead hazards in their communities and mandating that property sellers and renters disclose lead-based pipe hazards to buyers with a 10-day inspection period and penalties up to $10,000 for violations. The bill also allows states to develop their own lead-pipe safety programs as an alternative to federal enforcement. On the tax side, the legislation makes substantial changes to how investment managers and partners in investment firms are taxed, reclassifying capital gains from investment services partnership interests as ordinary income at higher tax rates, modifying self-employment tax rules for these interests, and eliminating prior favorable tax treatment for carried interests while also reducing estate and gift tax exemptions. These provisions apply to partnership interests received after enactment and tax years ending after the bill becomes law.

The Organic Imports Verification Act of 2026 requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a system for testing imported organic animal feed shipments for pesticide and chemical residues and to submit annual reports to Congress on those testing results. The bill focuses specifically on bulk shipments of organic feedstuffs that come with national organic program import certificates, and it directs the Agriculture Department to work with Homeland Security to develop risk-based protocols each year to determine which imported feedstuffs should be tested and how. Any imported organic feedstuff found to contain prohibited substances above permitted levels must be excluded from sale as organic and cannot be labeled or marketed as organically produced. The bill requires the first report within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter, with each report detailing testing frequency, methods, results, standards used, and any corrective actions taken. This legislation affects importers and producers of organic animal feed, domestic farmers who compete with imported organic products, and consumers purchasing organic-labeled goods.

This resolution expresses the House of Representatives' support for designating June 2026 as "Black Music Month" to honor the cultural and historical contributions of Black musicians and music to American society. The resolution acknowledges that Black music, spanning genres from jazz and blues to hip-hop and rock and roll, has profoundly shaped American culture and music worldwide, while also serving as a powerful force in the civil rights movement and the broader struggle for Black freedom. The measure calls on Americans to recognize the month through various actions and programs that celebrate Black musicians' artistry, promote diversity and inclusion, and increase public awareness of Black music's lasting impact and legacy. There is no direct funding associated with this resolution, as it is a symbolic measure expressing congressional support rather than authorizing expenditures. The resolution builds on a precedent set by President Jimmy Carter, who first recognized African-American Music History Month in June 1979.

The Housing Supply Fund Act of 2026 creates a new federal grant program within the Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund to increase the supply of affordable housing across the country. Eligible recipients include certified community development financial institutions, nonprofit housing organizations, and public housing agencies, which can use grants to develop, preserve, rehabilitate, finance, or purchase affordable homes for low- and moderate-income renters and homebuyers earning up to 120 percent of area median income. The bill appropriates $500 million annually for five years, from 2026 through 2030, with grant recipients required to commit funds to use within four years or face recapture. Eligible uses include establishing loan loss reserves, creating revolving loan funds, capitalizing affordable housing funds, facilitating mortgage lending to underserved borrowers, and supporting mixed-use and transit-oriented development projects. The bill requires the Treasury Secretary to prioritize geographic diversity in funding decisions and limits administrative expenses to no more than 5 percent of total appropriations.

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 bill creates a new federal grant program to help schools support the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of teachers and school staff. The Secretary of Education would award competitive grants to state education agencies for five-year periods, which would then distribute subgrants to local school districts. Funding is authorized at unspecified levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. The grants would support wellness programs focused on stress management, workplace conditions, workload, and job satisfaction, with priority given to states experiencing teacher and administrator shortages and to districts serving high-need student populations. States and districts receiving funds must report annually on program implementation and track changes in staff retention and vacancy rates, with a final report due 180 days after the grant period ends documenting the effectiveness of the wellness initiatives and best practices for implementation.

H.Amdt.182 amendment — An amendment numbered 3 printed in Part B of House Report 119-628 to require the designation of composting as a conservation practice and activity under various conservation programs.. The text for this legislation has not yet been released. A summary will be generated when there is text available.

The Neighborhood Tree Act of 2026 establishes a federal funding program to help states, Indian tribes, and local communities plant and maintain trees in their neighborhoods. The bill creates the Neighborhood Tree Fund within the existing Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act, providing grants to increase urban tree canopy, particularly in areas that historically lack trees due to past discriminatory policies like redlining. Research cited in the bill shows that communities of color have significantly less tree cover than white neighborhoods, and this disparity contributes to higher temperatures and health risks. The legislation prioritizes funding for projects in low-income areas and formerly redlined neighborhoods, and requires grantees to conduct tree assessments, use climate science in project design, and maintain proper tree care. Funding authorization starts at $100 million in fiscal year 2025 and increases to $700 million by 2029, with a requirement that no more than 10 percent of annual funds can be used for tree assessments rather than actual planting and maintenance.

The Feeding Families Not Fear Act of 2026 proposes to redirect federal spending by repealing recent budget increases for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and restoring cuts to food assistance benefits. Specifically, the bill would eliminate funding provisions for ICE that were included in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" and reverse reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, made under that same law. This legislation would affect low-income families who receive SNAP benefits and would reduce enforcement operations at ICE. The bill does not specify new funding amounts but instead rescinds existing appropriations and restores previous benefit levels, making it a mechanism to reallocate resources away from immigration enforcement toward nutrition assistance for struggling families.

The Healthy Hair Act would ban hair straightening and smoothing products that contain formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing substances from being sold in the United States by classifying them as adulterated cosmetics under federal law. The ban would take effect 180 days after the law is enacted, giving manufacturers time to reformulate their products. The bill particularly aims to protect salon workers and consumers who use these products, as formaldehyde exposure has been associated with cancer, respiratory problems, and hormonal disruption. Additionally, the legislation requires the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to study the health impacts of these products and submit findings and recommendations to Congress within one year and two years of enactment, respectively. The bill was introduced by a bipartisan group of representatives, primarily women, and was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.Res. 1004 is a symbolic resolution honoring Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 97th anniversary of his birth, celebrating his legacy of promoting diversity, tolerance, and equality. The resolution reaffirms King's core teachings about the importance of civil rights and democratic participation for all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, or other characteristics. It condemns harassment, discrimination, and prejudice against minority communities including Black Americans, Indigenous people, Jewish, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, Muslim, and Hispanic communities, as well as discrimination based on gender and LGBTQ+ status. The resolution also calls on Americans nationwide to uphold King's values of justice, equality, peace, and tolerance. As a House resolution, this measure carries symbolic weight but does not establish law, funding, or binding requirements—it simply expresses the sense of Congress on these values.

The Expanding Cybersecurity Workforce Act of 2025 directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to establish a new program within its existing Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program to recruit people from underrepresented groups into cybersecurity careers. The program targets disadvantaged communities including racial and ethnic minorities, women, people with disabilities, veterans, formerly incarcerated individuals, older workers, people from rural areas, and those from non-traditional educational backgrounds like community colleges and historically Black universities. CISA must launch outreach to schools, unions, community colleges, workforce development offices, and private companies within 180 days of the law's enactment and tailor recruitment efforts to meet regional needs. The bill authorizes $20 million annually from fiscal year 2026 through 2031, and requires CISA to submit annual reports to Congress on how the program is diversifying the cybersecurity workforce.

Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets ActThis bill requires federal agencies and Intelligence Community (IC) elements to assess their software inventory and develop software management plans.The bill requires each agency and each IC element to complete a comprehensive assessment of the software paid for by, in use at, or deployed throughout the agency or element. The assessment must include information such as (1) the current inventory of software; (2) contracts and other arrangements used to acquire, build, deploy, or use the software; (3) costs and fees not included in the initial contract or agreement; and (4) the interoperability of the software and restrictions on its use.Each agency and IC element must use their assessment to develop a plan to consolidate software entitlements, develop procedures for cost-effective acquisition strategies, and restrict subordinate entities from using any software entitlement without approval. (A software entitlement is software that has been purchased, leased, or licensed by or billed to an agency and that is subject to use limitations.) Such plans must be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congress. Within two years of enactment, OMB must submit recommendations to Congress regarding government software procurement policies and practices to • increase the interoperability of software licenses; • consolidate licenses when appropriate; • reduce costs; • improve performance; and • modernize the management and oversight of agency software. The GAO must report on certain related topics, including governmentwide trends in agency software asset management practices and comparisons of such practices among agencies.

The Thriving Community Gardens Act would expand how schools can use federal education funding to support student health and wellness by allowing them to develop and maintain school and community gardens alongside traditional nutrition and physical education programs. The bill amends existing education law to add garden development and maintenance as an eligible use of Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, which go to schools and districts nationwide. The legislation directs the Secretary of Education to collect information from schools using funds for community gardens, identify best practices based on what works well, and publish those recommendations on the Department of Education's website with regular updates. This bill aims to help schools integrate gardening into their health and wellness efforts, potentially providing students with hands-on learning about nutrition, environmental stewardship, and healthy living while creating accessible green space in their communities. No specific funding amounts or implementation timelines are specified in the bill.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 890 East 152nd Street in Cleveland, Ohio, as the "Technical Sergeant Alma Gladys Minter Post Office Building".

This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct research on early detection and treatment of uterine fibroids and to develop evidence-based strategies for healthcare providers. The legislation authorizes the secretary to award grants to states for programs that increase early detection through screening and imaging, provide patient navigation services, and run public awareness campaigns about uterine fibroids. Grants will prioritize states serving socially vulnerable populations with higher risk of developing the condition. The bill also supports research into pain management disparities in fibroid surgery treatment and related gynecological conditions like Asherman's Syndrome. The secretary must report to Congress every two years on the results and findings from funded programs, though the legislation does not specify a total funding amount or authorization level.

This bill makes permanent a temporary ban on fees that states charge to retailers for SNAP (food stamp) benefit transactions processed through electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards. Currently, states are prohibited from charging retailers for most EBT-related costs, including transaction switching and routing, but this prohibition was set to expire. The legislation affects state agencies and retailers who accept SNAP benefits, ensuring they cannot be charged processing fees while protecting the cost-free nature of benefit transactions for program participants. The bill includes a narrow exception allowing equipment rental charges and takes effect on October 1, 2025, superseding any previous temporary restrictions that were scheduled to end.

The Electronic Consent Accountability Act requires 16 major federal agencies to report to Congress on whether they have fully implemented digital privacy and consent procedures that were mandated over four years ago. Specifically, the law directs agencies like the Department of Defense, Health and Human Services, and Social Security Administration to disclose their compliance status with Office of Management and Budget guidance requiring them to accept electronic identity verification, create electronic consent forms for website users, and process electronic consent for accessing personal information. Each agency must submit its report within 120 days of the bill's enactment, and if an agency has not implemented these requirements, it must explain why, provide a timeline for compliance, and detail the steps it is taking to catch up. The bill essentially creates accountability for compliance with a 2020 directive that agencies were supposed to implement by November 2021, addressing the Government Accountability Office's finding that federal agencies have not fully met these modernization requirements.

H.Res. 509 is a symbolic resolution expressing congressional support for designating June 2025 as "Black Music Month" to honor the profound contributions of Black musicians and musical genres to American culture and history. The resolution recognizes that Black music—spanning spirituals, jazz, blues, gospel, rock and roll, hip-hop, and many other genres—has shaped all American music and influenced music worldwide while serving as a vehicle for freedom and social change throughout U.S. history. The measure encourages Americans to celebrate Black Music Month through performances, education, and awareness campaigns that highlight the artistry, skill, and cultural impact of Black musicians and music creators. As a House resolution rather than legislation, this measure does not require funding or establish any legal mandate; it is a non-binding expression of the House's support that was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce on June 12, 2025.

H.Res. 493 is a House resolution expressing support for urgent action to address the nation's affordable housing crisis. The resolution declares that the United States faces a severe shortage of over 7 million affordable rental homes and highlights that nearly half of all renters spend more than 50 percent of their income on housing, threatening their ability to afford other necessities like food and healthcare. The resolution calls on Congress, state and local governments, and private and nonprofit organizations to work together to expand affordable housing supply, preserve existing affordable units, and ensure tenant protections—recognizing that the crisis disproportionately affects communities of color, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-wage workers. This is a non-binding resolution expressing the House's position rather than establishing specific programs or allocating funding. The resolution urges policymakers to prioritize rental assistance programs and align housing and zoning policies to support affordability and preservation.

The Health and Endocrine Research on personal care products for women Act directs the federal government to fund research on how personal care products containing endocrine-disrupting chemicals—substances that interfere with the body's hormones—affect women's reproductive health. The bill requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to researchers and to individual states to investigate these health impacts and run public awareness campaigns about safer product alternatives. The legislation also mandates that the federal government produce reports every five years detailing research findings, listing safe versus harmful products, and recommending strategies for the Food and Drug Administration to better regulate these chemicals in personal care items like cosmetics and hygiene products. The bill affects women nationwide and states that choose to participate in the grant program, with the reporting timeline beginning five years after the bill is enacted. No specific funding amount is designated in the legislation.

Healthy Food Financing Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2025This bill reauthorizes and provides specified funds for the Department of Agriculture's Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) through FY2030 and for each fiscal year thereafter.As background, HFFI provides loans, grants, and technical assistance resources to eligible healthy food retailers and food supply chain enterprises to improve and support access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food in urban and rural underserved communities.