Eugene Vindman

Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act of 2025

This bill permanently increases the federal reimbursement rates for the school lunch and breakfast programs of the Department of Agriculture.

Specifically, beginning November 1, 2025, the bill provides an additional 45 cents per lunch served in the National School Lunch Program and an additional 28 cents per breakfast served in the School Breakfast Program. These amounts must be adjusted annually for inflation beginning July 1, 2026.

This concurrent resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a congressional authorization for use of military force against Iran.

Elements of the U.S. Armed Forces needed to defend the United States, an ally, or a partner from imminent attack are not covered by this requirement provided the President complies with a specified provision of the War Powers Resolution. (The provision generally requires the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities no more than 60 days after the President notifies or is required to notify Congress of such involvement, unless Congress authorizes such use. For more information on the War Powers Resolution, see CRS In Focus 13134.)

Savings Opportunity and Affordable Repayment Act

This bill creates a new income-driven repayment plan for student loans called the Savings Opportunity and Affordable Repayment (SOAR) plan. The SOAR plan has similar provisions to, but further expands on, the Department of Education's (ED's) final rule published on July 10, 2023, that created the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. The SAVE plan was blocked by federal courts.

The bill directs ED to carry out a SOAR plan program that complies with specified requirements. The bill allows all federal student loan types to be eligible for repayment under the SOAR plan, including Parent PLUS Loans and Federal Family Education Loans.

Under the SOAR plan, a federal student loan borrower whose income is at or below 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL) has $0 monthly payments. A borrower whose income is over 250% of the FPL pays 5% of their discretionary income on loans obtained for undergraduate study and 10% of their discretionary income for all other outstanding loans (e.g., loans obtained for graduate study).

Additionally, under the SOAR plan, holders of eligible federal student loans (e.g., ED or private lenders) must apply 50% of the borrower's monthly payment toward outstanding principal. The other 50% must be applied in the following order: (1) accrued charges and collection costs on the loan, (2) outstanding interest, and (3) outstanding principal.

ED must forgive any loan balance that remains outstanding after a specified maximum repayment period (e.g., 10 years or 15 years).

Kira Johnson Act

This bill establishes various grants for establishing or expanding programs to advance maternal health equity.

Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants for

• community-based programs to improve maternal health outcomes for demographic groups with elevated rates of maternal mortality and morbidity, maternal health disparities, and other adverse outcomes;

• training for health care providers and others who work in maternity care settings on reducing and preventing racism, bias, and discrimination; and

• programs in hospitals, health systems, and other maternity care settings to establish processes to identify and address instances of racism or evidence of bias in maternity care (i.e., respectful maternity care compliance programs).

Also, HHS must contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study issues related to the training programs, and the Government Accountability Office must study issues related to the respectful maternity care compliance programs.

Extending WIC for New Moms Act

This bill amends the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to extend the eligibility periods for breastfeeding and postpartum women.

Specifically, a state program may elect to certify a breastfeeding woman for up to 24 months (currently 1 year) postpartum. The bill also expands the eligibility period for postpartum women to up to 24 months after termination of pregnancy (currently 6 months).

The Department of Agriculture must submit a report to Congress evaluating the effect of these changes to the program on (1) maternal and infant health outcomes, (2) breastfeeding rates, and (3) qualitative evaluations of family experiences under WIC.

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025

This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas.

The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2026-FY2032; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. Additionally, one-third of the positions that are made available under the bill must be allocated to hospitals that are already operating above applicable resident limits.

The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.

Combating Global Corruption Act of 2025

This bill requires the Department of State to address corruption in foreign governments.

The State Department must annually publish a ranking of foreign countries based on their government's efforts to eliminate corruption. Corruption, for the purposes of the bill, is the unlawful exercise of entrusted public power for private gain, including by bribery, nepotism, fraud, or embezzlement.

The bill outlines the minimum standards that the State Department must consider when creating the ranking. These considerations include, for example, whether a country has criminalized corruption, adopted measures to prevent corruption, and complied with the United Nations Convention against Corruption and other relevant international agreements. Tier one countries meet the standards; tier two countries make some efforts to meet the standards; tier three countries make de minimis or no efforts to meet the standards.

If a country is ranked in the second or third tier, the State Department must designate an anti-corruption contact at the U.S. diplomatic post in that country to promote good governance and combat corruption.

The State Department must also evaluate whether there are foreign persons (individuals or entities) engaged in significant corruption in all third-tier countries for the purpose of potential imposition of sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. The State Department must annually provide Congress with a list of those persons that the President has sanctioned pursuant to this evaluation, the dates sanctions were imposed, and the reasons for imposing sanctions.

Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act

This bill amends the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Circuit Rider Program to include cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water systems serving fewer than 10,000 people. Under the program, USDA provides technical assistance to rural water systems that are experiencing day-to-day operational, financial, or managerial issues.

Specifically, the program's cybersecurity technical assistance must (1) assess system efficacy in protecting against cyber threats; and (2) implement cybersecurity plans, procedures, and technologies to protect against cyber threats.

The bill also reauthorizes the Circuit Rider Program through FY2030.

Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2025

This bill provides for Medicare coverage of dental, vision, and hearing care. Coverage includes (1) routine dental cleanings and exams, basic and major dental services, emergency dental care, and dentures; (2) routine eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses; and (3) routine hearing exams, hearing aids, and exams for hearing aids. With respect to such care, the bill establishes special payment rules, limitations, and coinsurance requirements.