Congress advanced several major policy initiatives this week, including the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027 in the House and the FY2026 version in the Senate. Lawmakers also moved forward with legislation addressing semiconductor manufacturing, medical coverage for obesity, and congressional stock trading. Significant debates occurred regarding federal voter registration requirements and the regulatory framework for digital assets, while a resolution proposing a change to presidential term limits drew high public interest.
Bills introduced H.R. 4818, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2023, sponsored by Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), would expand Medicare coverage to include medications for obesity treatment and authorize additional behavioral therapy services from qualified providers; it was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
S. 5122, the Fairness in Women's Sports Act, sponsored by Sen. Robert Jones (R-FL), would prohibit federal student aid to colleges that allow individuals not assigned female at birth to participate in women's athletic programs; it went to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
H.R. 6509, the SAFE Drugs Act of 2025, sponsored by Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA), establishes new production limits and oversight for compounded drugs that mimic commercial products; it was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
S. 664, sponsored by Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA), would prohibit federal agencies from using facial recognition technology and biometric surveillance without specific statutory authorization from Congress; it was referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
H.J.Res. 29, a joint resolution sponsored by Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), proposes a constitutional amendment to allow a person to be elected President up to three times, provided they do not serve more than two consecutive terms; it went to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Debated and reported The House debated H.R. 22, the SAVE Act, which would mandate documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration. Proponents, such as sponsor Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), argued the measure is necessary to ensure election integrity and prevent noncitizen voting. Opponents argued the bill could disenfranchise eligible voters who lack immediate access to specific documents like passports.
The Senate reported S. 2296, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026. The bill includes provisions to repeal statutory requirements related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including the role of Chief Diversity Officer. During committee markup, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) supported these removals as necessary for military readiness, while Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced the measure focusing on personnel strength and the Pacific Deterrence Initiative.
Votes taken H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, passed the House. The vote was not recorded in the provided summary, but the bill moved to the Senate.
H.R. 7344, the American Chip Production Act, passed the House 225-201.
H.R. 7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act, passed the House. The record does not state the specific tally, but indicates the bill moved to the Senate.
H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, passed the House. The record does not state the specific tally, but indicates the bill was placed on the Senate legislative calendar.
H.R. 827, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025, passed the House 422-0.
H.R. 3206, to remove the cap on Tax Court judges, passed the House 415-5.
S. 139, the FASD Respect Act, was introduced and remains under review by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Provisions unrelated to the bill No unrelated provisions were identified in this week's records.
What happens next The House-passed National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027 (H.R. 8800) now heads to the Senate, while the Senate-passed FY2026 version (S. 2296) moves to the House for consideration. The Stop Insider Trading Act (H.R. 7008) and the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (H.R. 3633) await further action in the Senate. The proposed constitutional amendment regarding presidential terms (H.J.Res. 29) requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers and ratification by three-fourths of the states to take effect.