Ken Calvert

Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception Act of 2026 or the GUARD Act of 2026

This bill allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and grantees that receive funds from certain law enforcement grant programs to use the funds to investigate general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, and pig butchering. Pig butchering refers to a confidence and investment fraud in which a victim is gradually lured into transferring increasing amounts of money, generally in the form of cryptocurrency, into a fake virtual investment.

The bill allows federal law enforcement agencies to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and fusion centers in the use of tracing tools for blockchain and related technology tools.

Finally, the bill requires the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to report on efforts to combat general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and scams, including an evaluation of any legislative recommendations to improve the efforts. The bill also requires FinCEN to report on the state of general financial fraud, elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and scams in the United States, including trends in the crimes.

This resolution expresses support for police officers and other law enforcement personnel.

The resolution further recognizes

• law enforcement officers across the United States in the pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities;

• the need to ensure that such officers have the equipment, training, and resources necessary to protect their health and safety while they are protecting the public; and

• the law enforcement community for acts of sacrifice and heroism.

The resolution expresses condolences and appreciation to the loved ones of each law enforcement officer who has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025

This bill limits birthright citizenship by redefining what it means to be subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

Currently, a person born in the United States and subject to U.S. jurisdiction is entitled to citizenship. Under the bill, a person is subject to U.S. jurisdiction if he or she is born to a parent who is (1) a U.S. citizen or national, (2) a lawful permanent resident residing in the United States, or (3) a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) with a lawful immigration status who is performing active service in the Armed Forces.

The bill does not affect the citizenship or nationality status of any person born before the bill's enactment date.

Security And Fairness Enhancement for America Act of 2025 or SAFE for America Act of 2025

This bill eliminates the diversity visa program. This program provides up to 55,000 visas annually to individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.

Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act

This bill establishes requirements to prevent fraudulent or improper payments from federal programs.

Specifically, the bill directs executive agencies to take corrective actions to temporarily pause, condition, or segment payment voucher requests before certifying them if the agencies have sufficient reason to determine that the payments present elevated risks of fraud or improper payments resulting in financial loss to the government. The corrective actions must be (1) based on objective, documented fraud-risk indicators; (2) narrowly applied to the portion of the payments presenting the elevated risk; and (3) limited in duration to the minimum period necessary to verify the eligibility or accuracy of the payments.

The Department of the Treasury must return certified payment vouchers to agencies for corrective action if they present an elevated risk of fraud based on an output of Treasury’s Do Not Pay system.

The bill also prohibits officers or employees of the federal government from being personally liable for actions taken in good faith under this bill.

Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2025

This bill establishes several requirements and standards relating to prior authorization processes under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans.

Specifically, MA plans must (1) establish an electronic prior authorization program that meets specified standards; (2) annually submit to the CMS for publication specified prior authorization information, including the percentage of requests approved and the average response time; and (3) meet other standards, as set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), relating to the quality and timeliness of prior authorization determinations.

The CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology must publish on the CMS' website a report that analyzes the information received from MA plans, the feasibility of implementing real-time decision making with respect to prior authorization requests, and the impact of decisions that are made using artificial intelligence on patient access.

Veterans' Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers Act of 2025 or the Veterans' ACCESS Act of 2025

This bill addresses the administration of the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) and other Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care matters.

Among other provisions regarding the VCCP, the bill

• establishes in statute access standards that determine when a veteran is eligible to receive non-VA care through the VCCP,

• requires the VA to notify veterans regarding their eligibility for care within two business days after the VA is aware the veteran is seeking care, and

• extends the deadline for the submittal of claims under the VCCP by health care entities and providers.

The VA must address its mental health treatment programs by

• establishing a standardized screening process to determine whether a veteran satisfies criteria for priority or routine admission to a mental health residential rehabilitation treatment program or a program for residential care for mental health and substance abuse disorders,

• tracking the performance of medical facilities and Veterans Integrated Service Networks in meeting the requirements for mental health treatment screenings and timely admission to treatment programs under such screenings, and

• establishing an appeal process for when a veteran is denied admission to a covered treatment program or is accepted into a program but not offered bed placement in a timely manner.

Additionally, the VA must establish an online self-service module for veterans to request and manage appointments, track referrals, and appeal and track decisions related to requests for care.

Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026

This act reauthorizes through FY2031 and revises programs that support research and development of drugs and other therapies to address amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The act reauthorizes

• grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for scientific research on investigational drugs to prevent or treat ALS for individuals not otherwise eligible for clinical trials,

• grants from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for research and development of therapies to prevent and treat ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, and

• a Public-Private Partnership including the FDA and NIH that supports development and regulatory review of treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

Also, the NIH, in considering renewal of its grants, must assess available information on the safety and efficacy of the investigational drugs. It must also require grantees to promptly report serious and unexpected adverse events associated with their investigational drugs.

Additionally, the FDA must publish a plan describing actions it will take over a five-year period to foster development of safe and effective drugs, and facilitate access to investigational drugs, that treat ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. The FDA must also publish a report describing the actions it has taken under the plan.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6444 San Fernando Road in Glendale, California, as the "Paul Ignatius Post Office".

Main Street Capital Access Act or the Main Street Act

This bill lessens and otherwise modifies banking regulations, including those regarding institution formation, supervision by federal financial regulators, and bank merger requirements.

Under the bill, new banks have a three-year phase-in period to meet certain capital requirements. The bill also reduces the leverage ratio for certain rural community banks.

Financial regulators must (1) tailor regulatory actions to limit burdens on financial institutions and must consider the institutions' risk profiles and business models, and (2) review their regulations more frequently and expand the scope of these reviews.

The bill eases requirements regarding bank mergers, for example, by allowing financial regulators to approve certain bank mergers without considering if the merger is noncompetitive or monopolistic.

The bill increases the dollar asset thresholds for various fees, reporting requirements, and other regulatory requirements so that more financial companies and banks are exempt from these requirements. For example, the bill increases the total asset threshold above which financial holding companies need Federal Reserve Board approval to acquire a company, thereby allowing for more acquisitions without board approval. The bill also raises certain asset thresholds so as to allow additional small bank holding companies to operate with higher debt levels and additional small banks to qualify for a longer examination cycle.

The bill also provides flexibilities regarding the use of reciprocal deposits, the resolution of failed banks, and other regulated activities.

Enhancing Necessary Federal Offenses Regarding Child Exploitation Act or the ENFORCE Act

This bill broadens the scope of prohibited conduct and increases criminal penalties for child pornography offenses involving the production or distribution of an adapted or modified depiction of an identifiable minor. The bill also expands federal enforcement of criminal offenses involving the possession, receipt, distribution, or production of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children.