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Commonsense Legislating Act

USA119th CongressHR-6039| House 
| Updated: 11/20/2025
James P. McGovern

James P. McGovern

Democratic Representative

Massachusetts

Committees (22)
• Committee on House Administration• Homeland Security Committee• Transportation and Infrastructure Committee• Small Business Committee• Ways and Means Committee• Ethics Committee• Foreign Affairs Committee• Agriculture Committee• Health Subcommittee• Rules Committee• Financial Services Committee• Veterans' Affairs Committee• Appropriations Committee• Judiciary Committee• Armed Services Committee• Science, Space, and Technology Committee• Energy and Commerce Committee• Education and Workforce Committee• Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee• Oversight and Government Reform Committee• Budget Committee• Natural Resources Committee
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The "Commonsense Legislating Act" extends the Small Business Administration's FAST program until 2030 and enhances assistance for small businesses applying to SBIR/STTR programs. This includes specific outreach efforts to increase participation from states with low award rates, minority institutions, and Hispanic-serving institutions. The bill also establishes new grant programs within the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Native Hawaiian Relations, and other federal agencies to support Native American and Native Hawaiian tourism, authorizing $35 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. To support military families, the legislation amends the Internal Revenue Code to make qualified military spouses eligible for the Work Opportunity Credit. For veterans, it mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs offer annual mental health consultations and conduct outreach to those receiving compensation for service-connected mental health disabilities. The Government Accountability Office is also required to report on the effectiveness of these veteran mental health provisions within two years. The bill expands federal protections against theft by making it a crime to embezzle or steal packages delivered by private or commercial interstate carriers before the addressee takes possession. Furthermore, it establishes an Interagency National Task Force on Working Families , led by the Secretary of Labor, to examine challenges facing working families and develop recommendations to improve their standard of living and quality of life. This task force is tasked with identifying factors impacting affordability, economic mobility, and access to essential services, and must report its findings and recommendations to Congress. Addressing public safety, the Act creates a Fentanyl Disruption Steering Group within the National Security Council, composed of senior officials from multiple federal agencies. This group will oversee efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking, set strategic disruption goals, and develop public-private partnerships, reporting annually to Congress. Additionally, the bill amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit Members, Delegates, Resident Commissioners, officers, and employees from serving as officers or directors of any public company, aiming to prevent conflicts of interest. To ensure accountability, each standing committee of the House of Representatives is required to hold a hearing on the implementation of this Act within one year of its enactment. Finally, the bill includes specific appropriations for fiscal year 2026, allocating $1 million each to several programs, including the National Institutes of Health for diabetes and kidney diseases, the Congressional Research Service, Small Business Administration entrepreneurial development, Marine Corps operations and maintenance, Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation, and HUD assisted housing inspections.
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Timeline
Nov 12, 2025
Introduced in House
Nov 12, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Small Business, Appropriations, Ethics, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, Veterans' Affairs, Natural Resources, House Administration, Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Homeland Security, Rules, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Nov 20, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  • November 12, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • November 12, 2025
    Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Small Business, Appropriations, Ethics, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, Veterans' Affairs, Natural Resources, House Administration, Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Homeland Security, Rules, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.


  • November 20, 2025
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Government Operations and Politics

Commonsense Legislating Act

USA119th CongressHR-6039| House 
| Updated: 11/20/2025
The "Commonsense Legislating Act" extends the Small Business Administration's FAST program until 2030 and enhances assistance for small businesses applying to SBIR/STTR programs. This includes specific outreach efforts to increase participation from states with low award rates, minority institutions, and Hispanic-serving institutions. The bill also establishes new grant programs within the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Native Hawaiian Relations, and other federal agencies to support Native American and Native Hawaiian tourism, authorizing $35 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. To support military families, the legislation amends the Internal Revenue Code to make qualified military spouses eligible for the Work Opportunity Credit. For veterans, it mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs offer annual mental health consultations and conduct outreach to those receiving compensation for service-connected mental health disabilities. The Government Accountability Office is also required to report on the effectiveness of these veteran mental health provisions within two years. The bill expands federal protections against theft by making it a crime to embezzle or steal packages delivered by private or commercial interstate carriers before the addressee takes possession. Furthermore, it establishes an Interagency National Task Force on Working Families , led by the Secretary of Labor, to examine challenges facing working families and develop recommendations to improve their standard of living and quality of life. This task force is tasked with identifying factors impacting affordability, economic mobility, and access to essential services, and must report its findings and recommendations to Congress. Addressing public safety, the Act creates a Fentanyl Disruption Steering Group within the National Security Council, composed of senior officials from multiple federal agencies. This group will oversee efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking, set strategic disruption goals, and develop public-private partnerships, reporting annually to Congress. Additionally, the bill amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit Members, Delegates, Resident Commissioners, officers, and employees from serving as officers or directors of any public company, aiming to prevent conflicts of interest. To ensure accountability, each standing committee of the House of Representatives is required to hold a hearing on the implementation of this Act within one year of its enactment. Finally, the bill includes specific appropriations for fiscal year 2026, allocating $1 million each to several programs, including the National Institutes of Health for diabetes and kidney diseases, the Congressional Research Service, Small Business Administration entrepreneurial development, Marine Corps operations and maintenance, Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation, and HUD assisted housing inspections.
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Timeline
Nov 12, 2025
Introduced in House
Nov 12, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Small Business, Appropriations, Ethics, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, Veterans' Affairs, Natural Resources, House Administration, Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Homeland Security, Rules, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Nov 20, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  • November 12, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • November 12, 2025
    Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Small Business, Appropriations, Ethics, Education and Workforce, the Judiciary, Veterans' Affairs, Natural Resources, House Administration, Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Homeland Security, Rules, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.


  • November 20, 2025
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
James P. McGovern

James P. McGovern

Democratic Representative

Massachusetts

Committees (22)
• Committee on House Administration• Homeland Security Committee• Transportation and Infrastructure Committee• Small Business Committee• Ways and Means Committee• Ethics Committee• Foreign Affairs Committee• Agriculture Committee• Health Subcommittee• Rules Committee• Financial Services Committee• Veterans' Affairs Committee• Appropriations Committee• Judiciary Committee• Armed Services Committee• Science, Space, and Technology Committee• Energy and Commerce Committee• Education and Workforce Committee• Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee• Oversight and Government Reform Committee• Budget Committee• Natural Resources Committee

Government Operations and Politics

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted