Congress focused on several high-profile legislative items this week, including military funding authorizations, economic sanctions, and procedural motions regarding presidential nominations. The House and Senate considered measures ranging from stopgap government funding to significant changes in federal oversight of collegiate athletics and international trade. Several pieces of legislation previously passed in earlier sessions also remained among the most-viewed items as they awaited further action or were cited in current records.
Bills introduced: H.R. 6509, the SAFE Drugs Act of 2025, would establish new statutory definitions for drug compounding by physicians and pharmacies and increase the frequency with which pharmacists may compound copies of commercial products. Introduced by Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN), it was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. S. 4668, the Protect College Sports Act of 2026, would establish federal guidelines for student athlete name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements, cap agent fees at 5%, and provide a limited antitrust exemption for schools to pool media rights. Introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), it went to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. S. 5025, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, would mandate property-blocking sanctions on Russian leaders, raise import tariffs on Russian goods to 500%, and prohibit U.S. investment in Russian sovereign debt. Introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), it was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Debated and reported: S. Res. 817 was debated in the Senate. The resolution establishes procedures to allow the Senate to consider a specific group of executive and judicial nominations simultaneously in a single package. The record indicates the resolution covers nominees for the Departments of Defense, State, and Treasury, along with several ambassadorships. S. 5271, a bill to require photo identification for federal elections, was debated in the Senate. Proponents argued for the measure as a means to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to ensure election integrity, while the procedural vote to advance the bill was rejected.
Votes taken: Senate: Rejected a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 5271 by a vote of 52-46. (A three-fifths majority was required). House: Passed H.R. 1, an act to provide for budget reconciliation, by a vote of 222-210.
Provisions unrelated to the bill: No unrelated provisions were identified in this week's records.
What happens next: S. 2296, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2026, having passed the Senate, awaits further action. H.R. 8800, the defense authorization for FY 2027, remains in the Senate following its House passage. H.R. 6500, a stopgap funding measure to prevent a government shutdown through December 2026, awaits House floor consideration.