Marsha Blackburn

Veterans' Infrastructure and Transformation Act of 2025 or the VITAL Act of 2025

This bill addresses various policies and procedures related to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) infrastructure and facilities, including those related to construction projects.

The bill modifies the VA’s authority to share health care resources, including by providing for a simplified agreement process to share physical space (e.g., a building or parking facility) or common services (e.g., electricity).

The bill also modifies the VA’s authority to lease its real property (enhanced-use leases). Specifically, the bill allows for the exchange of real property that is assessed to be of similar value and removes the cap on the length of an enhanced-use lease. The bill requires the VA to implement a seven-year pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of entering into enhanced-use leases for noncash consideration.

Among other elements, the bill also

• authorizes the VA to use commercial codes and standards instead of or in addition to federal codes and standards in constructing or altering VA facilities,

• authorizes the VA to contract with private entities for comprehensive construction project management services,

• expands and extends the pilot program under which the VA may accept donations of real property and facilities,

• modifies the authority and responsibilities of the VA’s Director of Construction and Facilities Management, and

• requires the VA to consolidate certain employees and functions relating to facilities and infrastructure as well as acquisition and procurement.

Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act

This bill provides for permanent coverage under Medicare of certain pharmacist services.

Specifically, the bill provides for permanent coverage of testing and treatment services provided by pharmacists relating to (1) COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat); and (2) other public health needs in relation to a declared public health emergency. (Similar authorities were temporarily granted during the COVID-19 public health emergency.) Such services must be provided in accordance with the applicable state laws governing pharmacists' scope of practice.

This bill directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to withdraw the final determination titled Adoption of Energy Efficiency Standards for New Construction of HUD- and USDA-Financed Housing and published on April 26, 2024.

The determination adopted updated minimum energy efficiency standards for newly built homes (except manufactured housing) financed through certain HUD and USDA programs. Specifically, it adopted the (1) 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which applies to single family homes and multifamily low-rise buildings up to three stories; and (2) 2019 American National Standards Institute/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers/Illuminating Electrical Society (ANSI/ASHRAE/IES) Standard 90.1, which applies to multifamily residential buildings with four or more stories. HUD and USDA must also revert to using the energy efficiency standards required before the determination.

In addition, the bill prohibits HUD, USDA, and the Department of Veterans Affairs from taking actions or using federal funds to implement or enforce the determination or any substantially similar determination. It also prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing a determination or rule relating to energy efficiency standards for single and multifamily housing.

Finally, the bill prohibits HUD and USDA from adopting updates to the IECC or ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 in certain circumstances unless at least 26 states have adopted codes or standards that meet or exceed the update's requirements.

This resolution expresses support for the designation of November 8, 2025, as National First-Generation College Celebration Day.

Returning Unspent COVID Funds Act

This bill rescinds certain unobligated funds that were provided to address COVID-19 and requires the funds to be used for deficit reduction.

Specifically, the bill rescinds unobligated funds that were provided by

• the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021;

• Divisions M and N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021;

• the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act;

• the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act);

• the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; and

• the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020.

Funds rescinded by this bill must remain in the Treasury to be used for the sole purpose of deficit reduction.

The bill allows the President to waive the required rescission for an account or program if a notice waiving the rescission for the account or program is submitted to the House Budget Committee and the Senate Finance Committee no later than 60 days after the enactment of this bill.

Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act

This bill requires federal agencies to submit reports to Congress and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regarding employees who were furloughed during a lapse in appropriations (i.e, government shutdown), the total number of employees, and the cost of salaries.

Specifically, each federal agency must submit a report to specified congressional committees and OPM within 30 days of the end of a lapse in appropriations. The report must include specified details regarding

• the total number of employees (including contract employees) employed by the agency before the lapse began,

• the total number of employees who were furloughed during the lapse,

• the total number of employees who were not furloughed during the lapse, and

• the total annual cost of the salaries for each group of employees.

The report must be submitted in an unclassified form, but it may include a classified annex. Each congressional committee that receives a report must publish the report on its website within 30 days.

OPM must consolidate all of the reports submitted with respect to a lapse in appropriations and publish the consolidated report on its website.

Keep America Flying Act of 2026

This bill provides continuing appropriations to pay air traffic controllers, other essential Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, and certain Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees during the period in which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2026 are not in effect (i.e., the government shutdown).

Specifically, the bill provides FY2026 continuing appropriations to pay and provide benefits to

• air traffic controllers and other FAA essential operational personnel whose services are required for the safe and orderly operation of the national airspace system; and

• TSA employees engaged in screening operations, aviation security duties, or related mission-support functions necessary to carry out security screening.

The bill also provides appropriations for payments to FAA and TSA contractors who are providing support to these employees.

The bill provides the continuing appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment into law of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) September 30, 2026.

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

Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act

This bill broadens the scope of pill machines that are subject to regulation under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The bill also requires regulated machines to have serial numbers and imposes criminal penalties for conduct involving the removal of serial numbers or the transportation of regulated machines knowing the serial numbers have been removed.

Currently, the CSA requires persons who manufacture, distribute, import, export, or purchase certain regulated machines to keep records of and report on transactions involving the machines. Currently, the term regulated machines includes tableting machines and encapsulating machines.

This bill requires persons who sell or deliver regulated machines to comply with the CSA's recordkeeping and reporting requirements, in addition to persons who manufacture, distribute, import, export, or purchase them.

The bill also expands regulated machines, for which transactions must be recorded and reported, to include critical parts of tableting and encapsulating machines such as dies used to mold pills and punches used to imprint markings and logos onto pills.

The bill requires serial numbers to be permanently affixed to encapsulating machines, tableting machines, and critical parts of tableting and encapsulating machines.

Finally, the bill prohibits, subject to criminal penalties, the (1) removal, alteration, or obliteration of any serial number affixed to a tableting machine, encapsulating machine, or a critical part; or (2) transportation, shipment, receipt, possession, distribution, delivery, sale, import, or export of any tableting machine, encapsulating machine, or critical part knowing the serial number has been removed, altered, or obliterated.