MEDAL Act of 2025

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Bill ID: 119/s/214
Last Updated: March 18, 2026

Sponsored by

Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

ID: C001098

Follow the money

The bill

MEDAL Act of 2025

S. 214, 119th Congress β€” read as touching Labor Unions.

The sponsor

Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$1,525,021 raised

30 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 119-86.

May 20, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

πŸ“ Current Status

Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.

πŸ—³οΈ

Floor Action

βœ…

Passed Senate

πŸ›οΈ

House Review

πŸŽ‰

Passed Congress

πŸ–ŠοΈ

Presidential Action

βš–οΈ

Became Law

πŸ“š How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another meaningless exercise in legislative theater, brought to you by the esteemed Senators Cruz and Cotton. The MEDAL Act of 2025: because what our veterans really need is a fancy acronym and a pat on the back.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's primary objective is to increase the special pension payable to Medal of Honor recipients from $1,406.73 to $8,333.33 per month. Wow, what a bold move! I'm sure this will make up for the decades of neglect and bureaucratic red tape our veterans have faced.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends title 38, United States Code, to increase the special pension rate for living Medal of Honor recipients. It also makes some minor adjustments to the language regarding surviving spouses' benefits. Yawn.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Medal of Honor recipients and their families will be affected by this bill. But let's be real, folks; this is just a token gesture to appease the veterans' lobby and make politicians look good on camera. The actual impact will be negligible.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It does nothing to address the systemic issues plaguing our veterans' affairs, such as inadequate healthcare, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and lack of support for mental health services. But hey, at least we can pretend to care about our heroes by tossing them a few extra bucks.

The real motivation behind this bill is to provide a PR opportunity for Senators Cruz and Cotton to grandstand about their "support" for veterans. Meanwhile, the actual problems facing our veterans will continue to fester, ignored by the very people who claim to care.

Diagnosis: This bill suffers from Acute Politician-itis, a condition characterized by an overwhelming desire for self-aggrandizement and a complete disregard for meaningful policy changes. Treatment: Ignore the symptoms and focus on actual solutions that address the root causes of our veterans' problems. But don't hold your breath; this is Washington we're talking about.

Related Topics

Military & Veterans Affairs
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

πŸ’° Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

Congress 119 β€’ 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$1,525,021
23 donors
PACs
$1,497,892
Organizations
$27,129
Committees
$0
Individuals
$0
1
WINRED
2 transactions
$1,497,892
1
FASKEN MANAGEMENT
1 transaction
$10,000
2
REPUBLICAN PARTY OF HARRISON COUNTY
1 transaction
$4,000
3
FOLAD ENTERPRISES LLC
1 transaction
$2,000
4
JOHNSEY
7 transactions
$1,854
5
BALCH & BINGHAM LLP
1 transaction
$1,000
6
PARTNERS HOTEL GROUP LLC
1 transaction
$1,000
7
KHAT INVESTMENS LLC
1 transaction
$1,000
8
PJB INVESTMENT ADVISORS LLC
1 transaction
$800
9
GRANT MORELAND LP LLC
1 transaction
$750
10
BL PARTNERS GROUP LLC
1 transaction
$750
11
MILLE'S LLC
1 transaction
$500
12
HARRY M BETTIS JR LLC
1 transaction
$500
13
ROBDON L.P.
1 transaction
$500
14
JAMES E. JOHNSON LLC
1 transaction
$500
15
FALSE RIVER VIEW LLC
1 transaction
$500
16
MURDOCK PROPERTIES LLC
1 transaction
$325
17
RESEDA HOLDINGS LLC
1 transaction
$250
18
DIXON RENTAL PROPERTIES LLC
1 transaction
$250
19
ROGERS LIVESTOCK LLC
1 transaction
$250
20
MISRASI CONCRETE LLC
1 transaction
$200
21
JOUETT LLC
1 transaction
$100
22
FORCE CONSTRUCTION OF LA LLC
1 transaction
$100

No committee contributions found

No individual contributions found

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 7 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]

ID: C001095

Top Contributors

10

1
WINRED
PACARLINGTON, VA
$1,919
Mar 7, 2024
2
CLARK COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE
OrganizationARKADELPHIA, AR
$600
Mar 4, 2024
3
YELL COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE
OrganizationDARDANELLE, AR
$500
Jan 17, 2024
4
DARDANELLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OrganizationDARDANELLE, AR
$400
Jan 26, 2024
5
RAMSEY, JASON
RAGNAR β€’ MANAGER
IndividualBREVARD, NC
$11,600
Jul 11, 2023
6
KLINGENSTEIN, THOMAS D. MR.
COHEN KLINGENSTEIN LLC β€’ INVESTMENT COUNSELOR
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$11,600
Sep 28, 2023
7
MCINERNEY, THOMAS
BLUFF POINT ASSOCIATES β€’ INVESTOR
IndividualWESTPORT, CT
$11,600
Oct 24, 2023
8
MCMAHON, LINDA E. MRS.
AMERICA FIRST POLICY INSTITUTE β€’ SELF-EMPLOYED
IndividualGREENWICH, CT
$11,600
Oct 31, 2023
9
CHIAPPA, CARL
RETIRED β€’ RETIRED
IndividualOLD CHATHAM, NY
$11,600
Nov 9, 2023
10
SCHWARZMAN, CHRISTINE
RETIRED β€’ RETIRED
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$11,600
Jan 11, 2024

Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

ID: B001305

Top Contributors

10

1
MACFARLANE, RON
IndividualBUFFALO GROVE, IL
$13,068
Apr 10, 2024
2
HEGYI, ALBERT P MR.
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Dec 31, 2024
3
NAZIROV, ATABEK
UZDIF β€’ CEO
IndividualCHARLOTTE, NC
$6,600
Sep 14, 2023
4
NAZIROV, ATABEK
IndividualCHARLOTTE, NC
$6,600
Sep 26, 2023
5
FROST, BRANT IV
SELF-EMPLOYED β€’ FINANCIAL SERVICES
IndividualNEWNAN, GA
$3,300
Dec 31, 2024
6
FROST, KRISTA
HOMEMAKER β€’ HOMEMAKER
IndividualNEWNAN, GA
$3,300
Dec 31, 2024
7
TAYLOR, WILLIAM MR.
VETERANS GUARDIAN VA CLAIM CONSULTING β€’ BUSINESS OWNER
IndividualPINEHURST, NC
$3,300
Dec 7, 2023
8
TAYLOR, WILLIAM MR.
VETERANS GUARDIAN VA CLAIM CONSULTING β€’ BUSINESS OWNER
IndividualPINEHURST, NC
$3,300
Dec 7, 2023
9
GREENBLATT, SCOTT MR.
VETERANS GUARDIAN β€’ CEO
IndividualPINEHURST, NC
$3,300
Dec 8, 2023
10
GREENBLATT, SCOTT MR.
VETERANS GUARDIAN β€’ CEO
IndividualPINEHURST, NC
$3,300
Dec 8, 2023

Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]

ID: J000312

Top Contributors

10

1
VECELLIO, LEO A. JR.
SELF-EMPLOYED β€’ CORP EXEC
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$13,200
Jun 1, 2023
2
HASLAM, JAMES A. II
PILOT FLYING J β€’ CHAIRMAN
IndividualKNOXVILLE, TN
$13,200
Jun 28, 2023
3
MCCLUNG, RICHARD E.
RETIRED β€’ RETIRED
IndividualLEWISBURG, WV
$13,200
Jun 30, 2023
4
MILLER, CHRISTOPHER D.
DUTCH MILLER KIA β€’ OWNER
IndividualHUNTINGTON, WV
$13,200
Jun 30, 2023
5
WAY, GLENN MR.
CHARTER ONE β€’ FOUNDER
IndividualQUEEN CREEK, AZ
$10,000
Oct 18, 2023
6
BUNN, JAMES O.
SELF-EMPLOYED β€’ MINING ENGINEER
IndividualBRISTOL, VA
$6,600
Sep 30, 2023
7
CORRIGAN, FREDRIC W.
IndividualEDINA, MN
$6,600
Sep 30, 2023
8
ERICKSON, KRISTINE S. MRS.
RETIRED β€’ RETIRED
IndividualEDINA, MN
$6,600
Sep 30, 2023
9
ERICKSON, RONALD A. MR.
RETIRED β€’ RETIRED
IndividualEDINA, MN
$6,600
Sep 30, 2023
10
KROLL, MARK W. DR.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA β€’ ADJUNCT FULL PROFESSOR
IndividualCRYSTAL BAY, MN
$6,600
Sep 30, 2023

Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]

ID: C001056

Top Contributors

10

1
WINRED
COMARLINGTON, VA
$47
Jul 10, 2024
2
WEEKLEY, RICHARD W
WEEKLEY PROPERTIES β€’ REAL ESTATE BROKER/DEVELOPER
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$100,000
Dec 27, 2023
3
MCINGVALE, JAMES F
GALLERY FURNITURE β€’ OWNER/OPERATOR
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$50,000
Feb 27, 2023
4
MCINGVALE, LINDA
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$50,000
Feb 27, 2023
5
DUNN, TIMOTHY
CROWN QUEST OPERATING β€’ EXECUTIVE
IndividualMIDLAND, TX
$45,000
Apr 4, 2023
6
MARTIN, KIMBERLY R
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$20,000
Mar 13, 2023
7
BLAINE, JAY C.
N/A β€’ N/A
IndividualROCKWALL, TX
$16,478
Oct 11, 2024
8
THOMPSON, JERE W. MR. JR.
AMBIT ENERGY β€’ CEO
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$13,200
Mar 15, 2023
9
MIDDLETON, MAYES
MIDDLETON OIL CO β€’ OIL AND GAS
IndividualGALVESTON, TX
$12,500
Jan 7, 2023
10
MIDDLETON, MACEY
IndividualGALVESTON, TX
$12,500
Jan 7, 2023

Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]

ID: H001076

Top Contributors

10

1
WOODS, ANDREW L.
LIBERTY PARTNERS GROUP β€’ ATTORNEY
IndividualFORT MYERS, FL
$4,300
Jun 29, 2023
2
WOODS, ANDREW L.
IndividualFORT MYERS, FL
$3,900
Jul 12, 2023
3
BEKENSTEIN, ANITA
NOT EMPLOYED β€’ NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualWAYLAND, MA
$3,300
Oct 4, 2023
4
BEKENSTEIN, JOSH
NOT EMPLOYED β€’ RETIRED
IndividualWAYLAND, MA
$3,300
Oct 4, 2023
5
HUNTER, DANIEL
SELF-EMPLOYED β€’ PLAYWRIGHT & TEACHER
IndividualCAMBRIDGE, MA
$3,300
Dec 6, 2023
6
KLARMAN, SETH
THE BAUPOST GROUP β€’ CEO
IndividualBOSTON, MA
$3,300
Dec 18, 2023
7
SCHWARTZ, GABRIEL
DAVIDSON KEMPNER β€’ INVESTMENT MANAGER
IndividualBROOKLYN, NY
$3,300
Oct 16, 2023
8
SWINDELL, C. DAVID
NOT EMPLOYED β€’ NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualBOSTON, MA
$3,300
Oct 10, 2023
9
KORN, WILLIAM T.
NSRA β€’ RADIOLOGIST
IndividualWABAN, MA
$3,300
Mar 29, 2023
10
KORN, WILLIAM T.
NSRA β€’ RADIOLOGIST
IndividualWABAN, MA
$3,300
Mar 29, 2023

Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]

ID: W000790

Top Contributors

10

1
JME GROUP
OrganizationSTONE MOUNTAIN, GA
$2,900
Jun 30, 2023
2
JME GROUP
OrganizationSTONE MOUNTAIN, GA
$2,900
Jul 18, 2024
3
PORTFOLIO ONE
OrganizationLOS ANGELES, CA
$1,250
Mar 17, 2023
4
MCKENNEY HOUSE LLC
OrganizationFORT WASHINGTON, MD
$1,000
Jun 30, 2023
5
WATKINS WATKINS & WATKINS LLC
OrganizationCARROLLTON, GA
$1,000
Feb 17, 2023
6
SCR CONSULTING LLC
OrganizationATLANTA, GA
$500
Feb 17, 2023
7
GIBSON, DAVID H.
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$26,750
Mar 31, 2023
8
ROBBINS, BONNIE
IndividualSEATTLE, WA
$12,118
Mar 31, 2023
9
ROBBINS, BONNIE
IndividualSEATTLE, WA
$12,118
Jul 18, 2024
10
KERR, WILLIAM G.
IndividualOKLAHOMA CITY, OK
$9,625
Mar 31, 2023

Sen. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK]

ID: M001190

Top Contributors

10

1
SNOQUALMIE TRIBE
OrganizationSNOQUALMIE, WA
$3,300
Nov 7, 2023
2
SNOQUALMIE TRIBE
OrganizationSNOQUALMIE, WA
$3,300
Nov 1, 2024
3
MATCH-E-BE-NASH-SHE-WISH BAND OF POTTAWATOMI INDIANS
OrganizationSHELBYVILLE, MI
$3,300
Oct 28, 2024
4
MIAMI TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationMIAMI, OK
$3,300
Mar 11, 2024
5
MIAMI TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationMIAMI, OK
$3,300
Mar 11, 2024
6
MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION
OrganizationOKMULGEE, OK
$3,300
Jun 10, 2024
7
HABEMATOLEL POMO OF UPPER LAKE INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationUPPER LAKE, CA
$3,300
May 16, 2024
8
HABEMATOLEL POMO OF UPPER LAKE INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationUPPER LAKE, CA
$3,300
May 16, 2024
9
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$3,300
Sep 17, 2024
10
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$3,000
Nov 5, 2024

Donor Network - Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 49 nodes and 45 connections (37 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $1,755,455

Top Donors - Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

Showing top 23 donors by contribution amount

1 PAC22 Orgs

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped.

  • +Labor Unionsconfidence 0.80

    Section 3 increases the special pension payable to Medal of Honor recipients, which may be seen as a benefit to labor unions representing veterans and military personnel, citing the increase in special pension payable to living Medal of Honor recipients in Section 3(a)

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β€” they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

  • from 5 contributions
    • FINCHER, WILLIAM$1,000
    • DELAGE, STANLEY$350
    • GROSSMAN, RICHARD$100

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