Legislative Intelligence Briefing - Monday, May 25, 2026

Executive Summary

Congress is in recess today (Memorial Day, May 25, 2026) — the House does not return until June 2 and the Senate resumes May 26. The most significant developments from the past 72 hours center on the Iran war powers standoff, with the Senate advancing a war powers resolution while House Republican leaders abruptly canceled a companion floor vote to shield the President from a likely defeat. Separately, FY2027 appropriations subcommittee markups advanced last week with significant funding cuts to EPA and clean energy programs, and the SCORE Act college sports bill collapsed for a second time under CBC opposition.

Iran War Powers: Senate Advances, House Cancels Vote

The Senate voted on May 19 to advance a war powers resolution that would force President Trump to withdraw from the Iran war, with four Republicans defecting — including Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who flipped after losing his primary on May 16. The procedural vote passed with bipartisan support, marking the first time the chamber has advanced such a measure since the conflict began in late February.

On May 21, House Republican leaders abruptly canceled a scheduled floor vote on a companion war powers resolution after it became clear they lacked the votes to defeat it. Democrats sharply criticized the cancellation as an act of political cowardice. The resolution remains pending; Republican absences and a growing cohort of unencumbered GOP members (those not facing primaries) are creating ongoing floor management risk for leadership.

→ Draft a memo on Iran war powers floor dynamics and member risk

Reconciliation (H.R. 1 — "One Big Beautiful Bill"): Senate Resistance Grows

The Senate is now the primary battleground for H.R. 1 (119th Congress), the reconciliation package passed by the House. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has told colleagues in unequivocal terms he will not vote for the bill as currently structured, citing objections to White House ballroom funding and ICE/CBP slush fund provisions. Separately, a faction of conservatives is pressing for a third reconciliation bill focused on Pentagon funding and anti-fraud measures before the August recess. The bill carries 1,502 lobbying registrants — the highest of any bill in the 119th Congress — and has a momentum score of 0.23 (composite of media, lobbying, cosponsor, and hearing signals).

→ Generate a one-pager on H.R. 1 reconciliation Senate dynamics

FY2027 Appropriations: Subcommittee Markups Advance with Deep Cuts

Two House Appropriations subcommittees advanced FY2027 spending bills last week:

Interior, Environment & Related Agencies: The subcommittee marked up its FY2027 bill on approximately May 21, proposing significant cuts to EPA funding. The bill also reduces funding for the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Energy & Water: The subcommittee advanced its FY2027 bill on a party-line vote, boosting nuclear defense and water infrastructure while cutting clean energy programs by approximately 40%.

The appropriations cycle is currently in the Subcommittee Markups phase, with Full Committee Markups expected within approximately 7 days. The 302(b) allocation process is also active.

FY2027 Appropriations Live Signals — 55 Member Request Portals Now Open. The following member offices have active FY2027 appropriations request portals (detected as of April 22, 2026). Constituent and advocacy organizations should submit requests immediately:

| Member | Portal URL |

|---|---|

| Rep. John Mannion (D-NY) | mannion.house.gov/fy27-appropriations-requests |

| Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) | sarajacobs.house.gov/appropriations-requests |

| Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) | troycarter.house.gov/services/fy27-appropriations-requests |

| Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) | collins.house.gov/services/fy27-appropriations-requests |

| Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) | espaillat.house.gov/appropriations-requests |

| Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) | sessions.house.gov/appropriations-requests |

| Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ) | norcross.house.gov/fy27-appropriations-requests |

| Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) | torres.house.gov/fy27-appropriations-requests |

| Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) | burchett.house.gov/appropriations-requests |

| Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) | mcclellan.house.gov/appropriations-requests |

(55 total portals are live; 10 shown above. Full list available on request.)

Action item: Public testimony submission windows are currently active (through approximately May–June). Full committee markups are approximately 7 days out — this is the last window to influence chairman's marks before full committee consideration.

→ Pull the full list of 55 open FY2027 member request portals and identify which subcommittees they sit on

→ Draft appropriations testimony for the Interior-Environment FY2027 markup

SCORE Act (College Sports): Second Collapse, Senate Takes Lead

House Speaker Mike Johnson pulled the SCORE Act from the floor for the second time in less than a year on approximately May 19–20, after the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) announced opposition in response to Republican redistricting actions in southern states. The CBC's leverage reflects the bill's need for Democratic votes to pass. Senate members now believe they hold the upper hand in shaping a revised college athletics package. Bipartisan negotiations are ongoing. The bill would establish new standards for college athlete revenue sharing and compensation.

→ Explain the SCORE Act CBC opposition and what a Senate-led alternative might look like

Major Richard Star Act: Discharge Petition Filed

Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) filed a discharge petition on approximately May 21 to force a floor vote on the Major Richard Star Act, a bipartisan bill that would expand concurrent receipt benefits for combat-wounded veterans. Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) is co-leading the effort. A discharge petition requires 218 signatures to succeed — a high bar that has rarely been met in recent Congresses, but the filing signals growing frustration with committee inaction on veterans' benefits.

→ Pull the current cosponsor count and discharge petition signature status for the Major Richard Star Act

Southern California Chemical Tank Emergency

A chemical storage tank in Southern California cracked over the weekend, prompting the evacuation of approximately 50,000 residents as of May 25. Authorities are working to prevent an explosion or vapor release. This is an active emergency with potential federal response implications (FEMA, EPA, DHS). No congressional action has been taken as of this briefing, but oversight and emergency supplemental appropriations activity is possible if the situation escalates.

→ Identify relevant House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over chemical facility safety and emergency response

High-Momentum Bills to Watch (119th Congress)

Beyond the headline items above, the following bills show elevated momentum signals:

|---|---|---|---|

| S. 452 | BARCODE Efficiency Act | 0.25 | 15x media surge, 6 lobbying registrants |

| S. 1705 / H.R. 3447 | Chip Security Act | 0.20 | 10x media surge, 29 lobbying registrants; H.R. 3447 reported 42-0 on March 26 |

Congressional Calendar

Today (May 25): Memorial Day — both chambers in recess. No floor activity, no committee hearings or markups scheduled.
Senate: Resumes May 26.
House: Does not return until June 2, 2026.
Next recess: Juneteenth (June 19).
No committee hearings or markups are currently scheduled for the week of May 25–31.

Monday, May 25, 2026