Government shutdowns and spending

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide quarterly budget briefings to Congress, prohibits the VA from providing specified pay incentives to senior-level employees, and establishes an office to carry out customer service initiatives of the VA.

Protecting Regular Order for Veterans Act of 2025 or the PRO Veterans Act of 2025

(Sec. 1) This section requires the VA to provide quarterly budget briefings to Congress, which must include information on any budget shortfalls the VA may be experiencing. The VA must present its plans to address or mitigate shortfalls during such briefings.

Next, the section prohibits the VA from providing certain senior-level employees with a critical skill incentive, which is generally a payment bonus for employees possessing a high-demand skill or skill that is at a shortage. Specifically, the VA may not provide such an incentive to an employee in a Senior Executive Service position or other comparable position in the VA Central Office, regardless of the actual location where the employee performs the functions of the position. Senior-level employees whose positions are primarily in the VA Central Office but perform some portion of their job function based out of non-Central Office VA facilities are eligible for an incentive for their non-Central Office work.

The section also provides that an incentive may only be provided to senior-level employees on an individual basis and upon approval by specified officers (e.g., the Under Secretary for Health).

The VA must report to Congress annually regarding senior-level employees who were provided a critical skill incentive.

Improving Veterans’ Experience Act of 2025

(Sec. 2) This section establishes the Veterans Experience Office through FY2028 to carry out the key customer experience initiatives of the VA relating to veteran and beneficiary satisfaction with and usage of VA benefits and services.

The Government Accountability Office must complete an analysis of and report on the methodology, effectiveness, and implementation of findings and feedback of veterans and beneficiaries used by the VA, including the Veterans Experience Office, to improve customer experience and satisfaction.

Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025

This bill expands a requirement for federal agencies to report expenditures on the USAspending.gov website to include other transaction agreement expenditures. (Other transaction agreements, or OTAs, are contractual instruments other than standard procurement contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements; they are exempt from many federal procurement laws and regulations).

Under current law, federal agencies must report expenditures on federal awards to USAspending.gov with the term federal award defined as federal grants, loans, cooperative agreements, contracts, and certain other types of expenditures. This bill expands the definition of federal award to include expenditures under OTAs, and therefore such expenditures must be included on the USAspending.gov website.

The Department of the Treasury must ensure that data relating to OTAs are automatically transmitted to the website and a centralized view of this data is available on the website. Treasury must also annually post on the USAspending.gov website a report that includes (1) the total amount of federal spending on federal awards for which data has not been posted on the website, and (2) the reason why such spending data was not posted.

For 10 years after enactment, the Office of Inspector General of specified federal agencies must periodically submit to Congress and make publicly available a report assessing the agency's spending data and use of data standards.

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

This bill sets forth policies and authorities for FY2027 for Department of Defense (DOD) programs, activities, and military construction as well as the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE).

Among other elements, the bill

• authorizes the procurement of various items, including aircraft and ships;

• sets active duty and reserve component personnel strength levels;

• sets policy regarding various aspects of military health care and military compensation;

• sets policy regarding DOD acquisitions and acquisition management, including contracting authorities and the acquisition workforce;

• sets policy for various matters related to DOD interactions with foreign nations, including matters concerning Israel, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific;

• sets policy for various matters related to DOD cybersecurity and artificial intelligence;

• requires DOD to include projected demand for foreign military sales in certain contexts, including munitions production planning, sustainment planning for major defense acquisition programs, and decisions regarding production rate increases of defense articles;

• requires DOD to establish an expedited qualification process for new domestic and allied sources of certain strategic materials, including specified metals, alloys, oxides, and magnets;

• authorizes specified military construction projects and extends the authorization of certain projects from previous fiscal years; and

• authorizes the National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Naval Petroleum Reserves, and Maritime Administration.

For additional information on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) see

• In Focus IF10516, Defense Primer: Navigating the NDAA, and

• In Focus IF10515, Defense Primer: The NDAA Process.

Homeowner Energy Freedom Act

This bill repeals the Department of Energy's (1) high-efficiency electric home rebate program for certain electrification projects in low- or moderate-income households, (2) state-based home energy efficiency contractor training grants, and (3) assistance for states and local governments to adopt specified building energy codes. It also rescinds any unobligated balances available for the rebates or adopting the building energy codes. (The unobligated balances for the contractor training grants were previously rescinded by the 2025 reconciliation act.)

Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025

This bill expands a requirement for federal agencies to report expenditures on the USAspending.gov website to include other transaction agreement expenditures. (Other transaction agreements, or OTAs, are contractual instruments other than standard procurement contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements; they are exempt from many federal procurement laws and regulations).

Under current law, federal agencies must report expenditures on federal awards to USAspending.gov with the term federal award defined as federal grants, loans, cooperative agreements, contracts, and certain other types of expenditures. This bill expands the definition of federal award to include expenditures under OTAs, and therefore such expenditures must be included on the USAspending.gov website.

The Department of the Treasury must ensure that data relating to OTAs are automatically transmitted to the website and a centralized view of this data is available on the website. Treasury must also annually post on the USAspending.gov website a report that includes (1) the total amount of federal spending on federal awards for which data has not been posted on the website, and (2) the reason why such spending data was not posted.

For 10 years after enactment, the Office of Inspector General of specified federal agencies must periodically submit to Congress and make publicly available a report assessing the agency's spending data and use of data standards.

This bill makes technical amendments to various titles of the U.S. Code to reflect reclassification of provisions of Title 2 (The Congress), Title 50 (War And National Defense), and Title 52 (Voting And Elections). (Reclassification is the transfer of provisions from one place in the code to another.)

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

This bill sets forth policies and authorities for FY2027 for Department of Defense (DOD) programs, activities, and military construction as well as the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE).

Among other elements, the bill

• authorizes the procurement of various items, including aircraft and ships;

• sets active duty and reserve component personnel strength levels;

• sets policy regarding various aspects of military health care and military compensation;

• sets policy regarding DOD acquisitions and acquisition management, including contracting authorities;

• sets policy for various matters related to DOD interactions with foreign nations, including matters concerning the Middle East, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific;

• sets policy for various matters related to DOD cyber operations, cyber forces, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence;

• requires DOD to review certain materials (including boron carbide, copper foil, and synthetic diamond) to determine actions to maintain access to critical defense industry components and materials, and report to Congress on such matters;

• authorizes DOD's Office of Strategic Capital to make equity investments in non-federal entities with respect to batteries and critical minerals, materials, and chemicals;

• authorizes specified military construction projects and extends the authorization of certain projects from previous fiscal years; and

• authorizes the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.

For additional information on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) see

• In Focus IF10516, Defense Primer: Navigating the NDAA, and

• In Focus IF10515, Defense Primer: The NDAA Process.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total federal expenditures for a year from exceeding the average annual federal receipts collected in the three prior years, adjusted for changes in the population of U.S. citizens and inflation. Expenditures for payment of debt and receipts derived from borrowing are excluded.

Under the amendment, Congress may authorize specific expenditures in excess of the limit with (1) a roll call vote of two-thirds of each chamber, or (2) a roll call vote for any year in which a declaration of war is in effect.

The amendment also prohibits any bill to levy a new tax or increase the rate of any tax from becoming law unless it has been approved by a roll call vote of two-thirds of the whole number of each chamber of Congress.

The requirements take effect in the fifth year beginning after ratification of the amendment.

Shutdown Fairness Act

This bill provides appropriations to pay federal employees who work during a government shutdown.

Specifically, the bill provides appropriations for federal agencies to provide standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other payments to excepted employees for work performed during any period in which interim continuing appropriations or full-year appropriations are not in effect for a fiscal year (i.e., a government shutdown). An excepted employee is an employee who is required to work during a government shutdown.

Under current law, excepted employees are not paid until the government shutdown is over. This bill provides appropriations to pay excepted employees during a government shutdown. The bill also specifies that the term excepted employee includes certain contractors who support federal employees during a government shutdown and members of the Armed Forces who are on active duty.

A federal agency may not use the funds provided by this bill during any period in which continuing appropriations are in effect for the purpose of paying excepted employees of the agency.

The bill must take effect as if it had been enacted on September 30, 2025.

Eliminate Shutdowns Act

This bill provides continuing appropriations to prevent a government shutdown if the appropriations bills for a fiscal year have not been enacted before the fiscal year begins and continuing appropriations are not in effect.

Specifically, the bill provides appropriations at the rate of operations that was provided for the prior fiscal year to continue programs, projects, and activities that were funded in the preceding fiscal year.

Incentivize Savings Act

This bill establishes requirements for allocating unexpended appropriations for federal agencies.

If appropriations are provided to a federal agency for a definite period and the agency does not spend the funds during the period of availability, the bill requires

• 49% of the funds to remain available for an additional fiscal year,

• 49% of the funds to be used for payments of principal and interest on the public debt, and

• 2% of the funds to be used for retention bonuses within the agency that do not exceed 10% of an employee's basic pay.

If an agency's unexpended appropriations are allocated under this bill, the agency's budget request for the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the funds expired may not exceed the prior year's budget request with an adjustment for inflation.

Aviation Funding Solvency Act

This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) if (1) an appropriations bill for the FAA has not been enacted before a fiscal year begins, or (2) a law making continuing appropriations for the FAA is not in effect.

Specifically, the bill provides appropriations from the Aviation Insurance Revolving Fund at the rate of operations that was provided for the prior fiscal year to continue programs, projects, and activities that were funded in the preceding fiscal year. The FAA may use the balance of the fund, minus $1 billion. If the FAA determines that the amounts from the fund are insufficient to continue all programs, projects, or activities, then the FAA must prioritize compensation payments for employees of the Air Traffic Organization (e.g., air traffic controllers).

The bill provides the appropriations until the date on which either (1) specified appropriations legislation for the fiscal year becomes law, or (2) a bill making continuing appropriations becomes law.

Finally, the bill permanently extends the FAA Non-premium War Risk Insurance Program. This program provides aviation insurance without a premium to eligible air carriers at the request of the Department of Defense or another federal agency, provided that the agency agrees to indemnify the FAA from all losses covered under the insurance. Eligible air carriers include those whose operations are under a federal contract and are necessary for national security or to carry out U.S. foreign policy.

Preventive Health Savings Act

This bill requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), upon receiving a request from Congress, to determine if proposed legislation would reduce spending outside of the 10-year budget window through the use of preventive health care.

Under the bill, the term preventive health care generally refers to an action that focuses on the health of the public, individuals, and defined populations in order to protect, promote, and maintain health and wellness and prevent disease, disability, and premature death.

If CBO determines that the proposed legislation would result in net reductions in budget outlays from the use of preventive health care, any CBO projection regarding the legislation must include (1) a description and estimate of the reductions in outlays, and (2) a description of the basis for these conclusions.

Any estimate provided by CBO pursuant to this bill must be used as a supplementary estimate and may not be used to determine compliance with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 or any other budgetary enforcement controls.

Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2026

This bill provides continuing appropriations to prevent a government shutdown if the appropriations bills for a fiscal year have not been enacted before the fiscal year begins and continuing appropriations are not in effect.

Specifically, the bill provides appropriations at the rate of operations that was provided for the prior fiscal year to continue programs, projects, and activities that were funded in the preceding fiscal year.

The bill also limits official travel, congressional recesses or adjournments, and the consideration of legislation that is unrelated to appropriations after the beginning of a fiscal year if the appropriations process has not been completed.

Increasing Baseline Updates Act

This bill requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to submit to Congress at least two updates to its annual baseline unless CBO is otherwise directed by the chairs of the congressional budget committees. At least one of the updates must include the economic data used by CBO to calculate the update.

(A baseline is a projection of federal spending and receipts during a fiscal year under current law. Under current law, CBO is required to publish the baseline by February 15 of each year. While there is no statutory requirement for specific updates, CBO generally provides an update with its analysis of the President's annual budget request. It has also provided some updates during the summer, depending on the timing of the President's budget request.)

The bill also requires the President to submit technical budget data to Congress on or before February 1 of each year to the extent this is practicable. Currently, federal agencies provide the data to Congress as part of the President's budget request.

NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026

This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the programs and activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The bill also directs NASA to continue planning for the eventual deorbit of the International Space Station (ISS) and to continue lunar and Mars exploration missions.

Specifically, the bill requires NASA to submit to Congress a strategy for research and operations in low-Earth orbit. (Low-Earth orbit generally encompasses an altitude of up to 2,000 kilometers.) With respect to the ISS, which sits in low-Earth orbit, NASA must generally maintain a flight cadence necessary to support productive use of the station through its operational lifetime. The bill provides statutory authority for NASA's acquisition of ISS deorbit capabilities from a commercial entity and specifies that NASA must not, to the greatest extent practicable, reduce or deprioritize ISS activities. (In 2024, NASA contracted with SpaceX for the development of an ISS deorbit vehicle.)

Further, NASA must report on the risk to science and technology research posed by lack of access to a low-Earth orbit platform (i.e., after retirement of the ISS). NASA may continue to enter into agreements with U.S. commercial entities for the development of one or more private, low-Earth orbit platforms.

Separately, the bill directs NASA to continue efforts to support crewed lunar landings and Mars explorations, including through partnerships with the private sector (i.e., the Moon to Mars and Artemis programs).

Finally, NASA must continue researching advanced air mobility, unmanned aircraft systems (i.e., drones), and hypersonic technologies.

Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act

This bill reduces budgetary levels for certain federal programs that are funded through the annual appropriations process and do not have an authorization of appropriations.

Under the bill, budgetary levels are spending allocations provided to the congressional appropriations committees by a congressional budget resolution or a deeming resolution. The allocations are provided under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and are often referred to as 302(a) allocations.

The bill applies to programs included in the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO's) annual report listing programs that are funded through the appropriations process and have an authorization of appropriations that has either expired or will expire during the year.

If a program is listed in the CBO report, the bill requires specified reductions to be implemented over a three-year period and terminates the unauthorized programs at the end of the third unauthorized year.

Western Wildfire Support Act of 2025

This bill addresses wildfires by authorizing post-fire recovery activities, supporting adoption of technology, and requiring additional federal coordination.

The bill authorizes federal wildfire response and recovery activities by

• providing statutory authority for Burned Area Emergency Response Teams to coordinate emergency stabilization and erosion planning, and

• establishing an account to fund federal rehabilitation projects in areas impacted by a wildfire (e.g., ecosystem restoration, replacing infrastructure critical for land management).

Additionally, for all hazard types, the bill includes post-disaster assistance in the federal disaster preparedness program and authorizes assistance to states for operating websites to provide information on post-disaster recovery resources.

The bill requires federal agencies to develop and utilize technologies for managing wildfires by

• expediting the permitting and use of wildfire detection equipment (e.g., sensors, cameras);

• providing funding to Indian tribes for slip-on tanker units that convert vehicles into fire engines;

• performing research and development on wildfire response applications of unmanned aircraft systems (e.g., drones);

• studying radio communications systems, situational awareness tools, and wildland fire predictive modeling; and

• administering a prize competition for technological innovation for managing wildfire-related invasive species.

The bill directs federal agencies to plan and coordinate on wildfire management by

• incorporating the best available science and planning tools into spatial fire management policies for federal lands,

• collaborating with state agencies for mutual aid in fire suppression (including reimbursing states for suppressing fires caused by military operations), and

• studying training gaps for integrating structural (e.g., local) firefighters into wildfire response.

Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2025

This bill provides continuing FY2025 appropriations for federal agencies through April 11, 2025. It also extends various expiring programs and authorities, including several public health programs.

Specifically, the bill provides continuing FY2025 appropriations to federal agencies through the earlier of April 11, 2025, or the enactment of the applicable appropriations act. It is known as a continuing resolution (CR) and prevents a government shutdown that would otherwise occur if the FY2025 appropriations bills have not been enacted when the existing CR expires on March 14, 2025.

The CR funds most programs and activities at the FY2024 levels with some exceptions that provide funding flexibility and additional appropriations for various programs. For example, the CR

• provides additional emergency funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund,

• permits the Navy to apportion funds at the rate necessary to fund the Columbia-class submarine program and cost increases for certain shipbuilding programs, and

• provides additional funding for the Office of Navajo and Hopi Relocation.

In addition, the bill extends several expiring programs and authorities, including

• several public health, Medicare, and Medicaid authorities and programs;

• authorities related to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission whistleblower program;

• authorities for the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to take actions to mitigate a credible threat from an unmanned aircraft system;

• the special assessment on nonindigent persons or entities convicted of certain offenses involving sexual abuse or human trafficking; and

• the National Cybersecurity Protection System.

No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2025

This bill modifies provisions relating to federal funding for, and health insurance coverage of, abortions.

Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions or for health coverage that includes abortions. Such restrictions extend to the use of funds in the budget of the District of Columbia. Additionally, abortions may not be provided in a federal health care facility or by a federal employee.

Historically, language has been included in annual appropriations bills for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions—such language is commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment. Similar language is also frequently included in appropriations bills for other federal agencies and the District of Columbia. The bill makes these restrictions permanent and extends the restrictions to all federal funds (rather than specific agencies).

The bill's restrictions regarding the use of federal funds do not apply in cases of rape, incest, or where a physical disorder, injury, or illness endangers a woman's life unless an abortion is performed. The Hyde Amendment provides the same exceptions.

The bill also prohibits qualified health plans from including coverage for abortions. Currently, qualified health plans may cover abortion, but the portion of the premium attributable to abortion coverage is not eligible for subsidies.

Department of Education Protection Act

This bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds made available to the Department of Education (ED) to decentralize, reduce the staffing level of, or alter the responsibilities or functionality of ED compared to its organization or operation on January 1, 2025.

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026

This bill provides FY2026 appropriations for various agencies and offices within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), except for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and management and oversight activities of the Office of the Secretary.

Specifically, the bill provides appropriations to DHS for

• the Federal Protective Service,

• the Office of Inspector General,

• the Transportation Security Administration,

• the U.S. Coast Guard,

• the U.S. Secret Service,

• the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency,

• the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,

• the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, and

• the Science and Technology Directorate.

The bill does not provide appropriations for some agencies and activities that have been funded in prior DHS appropriations acts, including ICE, CBP, and management and oversight activities of the Office of the Secretary.

Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2025

This bill revises provisions relating to congressional review of agency rulemaking.

Specifically, the bill establishes a congressional approval process for a major rule. A major rule may only take effect if Congress approves of the rule. A major rule is a rule that has resulted in or is likely to result in (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises.

The bill generally preserves the current congressional review process for a nonmajor rule.

This bill requires the federal government to reimburse state agencies that use state funds to carry out operations necessary to maintain participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) during a lapse in discretionary appropriations (i.e., government shutdown). WIC provides nutrition-rich foods, nutrition education, and health care and social services referrals to eligible low-income women, infants, and children.