Monday, September 22nd, 2025
Continuing Resolution: The House passed H.R.5371 (217-212), which extends federal funding at current levels without any other policy changes. It would keep the government open through Nov. 21st. Leaders in both parties reached a deal to tee up a pair of votes on their competing approaches to averting a partial government shutdown. Under the agreement, if the House passes the GOP's spending bill (which they did), the Senate first would take up an alternative proposal Democrats unveiled (S.2882), subject to a 60-vote passage threshold.
If Democrats couldn’t get their bill passed, which they didn’t, then the chamber would proceed to a vote on the House-passed CR, also with a 60-vote threshold. That vote also failed. The idea was that the votes would give both sides proof that they need to start hashing out a compromise that could get to President Donald Trump's desk before the spending deadline on September 30th. The Republican stopgap would extend current funding through Nov. 21. The Democrats' version would end on Oct. 31, and adds a permanent extension of enhanced health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year
DC CRIMES: The House passed H.R.4922 (240-179), which asserts congressional authority over the District by prohibiting the D.C. Council from advancing progressive, soft-on-crime sentencing policies. It lowers D.C.’s definition of a “youth” from under 25 years old to under 18, ensuring that individuals 18 and older are treated and tried as adults in the criminal justice system. The bill also removes judicial discretion to sentence youth offenders below the mandatory minimum and requires the D.C. Attorney General to establish a public website reporting juvenile crime statistics.
D.C. Juvenile Sentencing Reform: The House passed H.R.5140 (225-, which lowers the age at which juveniles can be tried as adults in D.C. for certain violent offenses—such as murder, first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree burglary, and armed robbery—from 16 to 14, for crimes committed after the date of enactment.
District of Columbia Policing Protection: The House passed H.R.5143 (245-182), which would repeal restrictions on the circumstances under which law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia (DC) may engage in vehicular pursuits (i.e., police chases) of suspects fleeing in motor vehicles, and instead generally requires such pursuits in the absence of other means of apprehension.
District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform: The House passed H.R.5125 (218-211), which would terminate the District of Columbia (DC) Judicial Nomination Commission. Currently, the commission recommends to the President nominees for judges for DC's Superior Court and Court of Appeals, who must then be confirmed by the Senate. The commission also appoints the chief judges for these courts. The bill terminates the commission's involvement in nominations and requires the President to appoint the chief judges.
Honoring our Heroes: The House passed H.R.2721, which would establish and implement a two-year pilot program to furnish, when requested, an appropriate headstone or burial marker to commemorate covered veterans. Covered veterans are veterans who died on or before November 1, 1990, and were released or discharged from service under conditions other than dishonorable. Currently, these benefits are only available to eligible veterans who died on or after November 1, 1990.
Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare: The House passed H.R.3400, which addresses the critical lack of accessible veterans’ healthcare in the smaller, remote areas like the CNMI. The legislation empowers the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to assign traveling VA physicians to aid underserved communities, providing them with much- needed medical services. These physicians will receive a travel bonus and will be assigned to serve select regions for up to one year, helping to provide a sustained presence in the community.
Promoting Cross-border Energy Infrastructure: The House passed H.R.3062 (224-203), which replaces the Presidential permit requirement with a more transparent and effective review process by authorizing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review applications for cross-border oil and natural gas pipelines, and the Department of Energy to review applications for cross-border transmission facilities.
National Coal Council Reestablishment: The House passed H.R.3015 (217-209), which makes the National Coal Council permanent by removing requirements under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to re-charter every two years, therefore preventing future administrations from disbanding this essential council.
GRID Power: The House passed H.R.1047 (216-206), which provides Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators with authority to prioritize energy projects that are ready to bring more baseload power onto the grid immediately, improving grid reliability and resiliency and helping to meet the demand of industrial and household customers alike.
