Mark DeSaulnier

Caring for Survivors Act of 2025

This bill increases the monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Dependency and indemnity compensation is a monthly payment made to eligible survivors (i.e., spouses, parents, or children) of (1) certain veterans who died as a result of a service-connected condition; (2) service members killed while on active military duty or active or inactive duty for training; or (3) veterans who did not die from a service-connected condition, but were totally disabled by a service-connected disability for a certain period of time.

The bill also (1) reduces, from 10 years to 5 years, the period of time that certain veterans must have been rated totally disabled due to a service-connected disability in order for a survivor to qualify for benefits; and (2) specifies the amount that is payable to survivors of veterans who were rated totally disabled for a period of less than 10 years before their death.

LNG Public Interest Determination Act of 2025

This bill modifies and expands requirements for exporting natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Under the existing provisions of the Natural Gas Act, exporters of natural gas must obtain authorization to make such exports from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Additionally, FERC must authorize such exports if they are consistent with the public interest.

The bill directs exporters of natural gas to obtain authorization from the Department of Energy (DOE) rather than from FERC. Before granting an authorization, DOE must determine that the export would not likely (1) contribute significantly to climate change; (2) materially increase energy prices or energy price volatility for U.S. consumers; or (3) create a disproportionate health or environmental burden on rural, low-income, minority, and other vulnerable communities.

The bill also classifies an authorization of the exportation of natural gas as a major federal action that triggers the environmental review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).

Additionally, the bill terminates the categorical exclusion for exports of natural gas, and any associated transportation of LNG by marine vessels, from NEPA environmental review requirements. A categorical exclusion is a class of actions that a federal agency has determined do not significantly affect the quality of the human environment and, thus, do not require either an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement.

Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act of 2025 or the FEMA Act of 2025

This bill reestablishes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (currently within the Department of Homeland Security) as an independent, cabinet-level agency. It also makes broad changes to FEMA’s disaster and hazard mitigation assistance programs.

The bill generally transfers FEMA’s current functions and authorities to the independent FEMA, except for certain security-related programs.

The bill makes various changes to the Public Assistance program, including by

• establishing new grants for expedited funding to repair or replace disaster-damaged facilities,

• establishing block grants that recipients may choose instead of Public Assistance for smaller disasters,

• expediting and expanding uses of funding for emergency response and debris removal, and

• allowing use of excess administrative funds for increasing recipients’ disaster management capacity.

The bill makes various changes to the Individual Assistance program, including by

• expanding eligibility for housing assistance,

• expanding mitigation and direct (non-financial) assistance for residences,

• reducing certain restrictions on funds duplicating program benefits, and

• establishing a unified disaster application system.

The bill makes various changes to FEMA’s mitigation programs, including by

• establishing mitigation plans with preapproved projects,

• authorizing an entire Hazard Mitigation Grant Program grant to be provided before costs are incurred,

• changing pre-disaster mitigation assistance to noncompetitive formula grants, and

• allowing recipients to combine mitigation project funds from multiple federal programs.

Additionally, federal entities must publish various information relating to disaster assistance and conduct various studies on related topics (e.g., preliminary damage assessments, fast-moving disasters, and government emergency alerting systems).

Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026

This bill expands loan forgiveness for educators by revising the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. The program provides loan forgiveness (up to $17,500) for teachers who are highly qualified, teach full-time in a low-income elementary or secondary school or educational service agency, and complete five years of consecutive service.

Specifically, the bill renames the program as the Educator Loan Forgiveness Programs.

Additionally, the bill expands the program by making additional loan types eligible for benefits under the program (e.g., Parent PLUS Loans).

Further, the bill expands program eligibility to early childhood educators and program directors serving in early childhood education programs and school leaders serving in public high-need schools.

The bill requires the Department of Education to

• make monthly student loan payments on behalf of the educator during qualifying service (i.e., employment as a full-time qualifying educator in a high-need school or an early childhood education program),

• provide complete loan forgiveness after five years of qualifying service (which does not have to be consecutive), and

• take steps to notify borrowers about changes to the program.

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.

More Options to Develop and Enhance Remote Nutrition in WIC Act of 2025 or the MODERN WIC Act of 2025

This bill permanently allows individuals to remotely certify their eligibility for, and receive benefits through, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Specifically, the bill requires that a state agency allow an individual seeking a WIC certification, recertification, or a nutritional risk evaluation to do so by phone or through video teleconference, in addition to the in-person option.

A state agency has 90 days to collect data for a nutritional risk evaluation for a remotely certified individual. Further, a state agency may consider an applicant who meets the income eligibility standards to be temporarily eligible on an interim basis to participate in the program and may certify the individual for immediate participation without waiting for a nutritional risk evaluation.

The bill also allows states to provide benefits on WIC electronic benefit transfer cards through mail or remote issuance instead of requiring participants to pick up or reload benefits in person at a WIC office.

Further, the Department of Agriculture must report to Congress about the use of remote technologies and other digital tools in the WIC program.

Currently, individuals are generally required to be physically present to certify their WIC eligibility and receive benefits, with exceptions. The Food and Nutrition Service has temporarily waived these requirements and allowed remote certification and benefits using authorities that were provided by laws that were enacted to address COVID-19.

Faster Labor Contracts Act

This bill establishes mandatory deadlines for parties negotiating an initial collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and provides for mediation and arbitration to finalize CBAs.

Under the bill, CBA negotiations must begin within 10 days after an employer receives a written request from a newly recognized or certified bargaining representative. The bill provides that parties must make every reasonable effort to conclude and sign a CBA. Further, the bill provides that, if the parties have not reached an agreement after 90 days, either party may request mediation by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). The bill directs FMCS to use its best efforts to secure an agreement.

If mediation does not result in an agreement within 30 days (or an additional period agreed to by both parties), FMSC must refer the parties to an arbitration panel to render a decision settling the dispute. The panel must consider specified factors, including the employer's financial prospects and employees' cost of living. The resulting CBA is binding on the parties for two years. (Parties may agree to amend the terms during the two-year period.)

The bill specifies that (1) an employer must maintain current wages, hours, terms, and conditions of employment during negotiations; and (2) an employer's duty to collectively bargain continues even if a representative has been decertified.

The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress regarding the average number of days between the certification or recognition of a bargaining representative and the date the initial CBA was executed.

End Veteran Homelessness Act of 2025

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish case management to certain veterans who are eligible for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the VA.

Specifically, the VA must furnish case management to veterans who are eligible for HUD-VASH that the VA determines require case management. The VA must prioritize vulnerable homeless veterans in assigning case managers and providing services.

The VA must take certain actions if a veteran refuses case management. HUD or a public housing authority may not revoke assistance solely on the basis that a veteran has refused case management. Additionally, a veteran may not be evicted or penalized by the owner of a property solely on the basis that they have refused case management or cannot be provided case management for health and safety reasons.

The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on veterans who are served by the HUD-VASH program, case managers and case management services provided under the program, and metrics about housing stability for veterans participating in federal housing assistance programs.

The bill also provides statutory authority to expand eligibility for the HUD-VASH program to any veteran who is homeless, at risk of homelessness, or receiving assistance under another housing assistance program if the VA determines a voucher under HUD-VASH is more appropriate. (Currently, assistance is statutorily limited to certain veterans who have chronic mental illness or substance use disorders.)