II 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1834 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JANUARY 12, 2026 
Received 
JANUARY 15, 2026 
Returned to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent 
AN ACT 
To advance policy priorities that will break the gridlock. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Breaking the Gridlock 
Act’’. 
TITLE I—CONGRESSIONAL TIME 
CAPSULE 
SEC. 101. SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL CONGRESSIONAL TIME 
CAPSULE. 
(a) CREATION BY ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL.— 
The Architect of the Capitol shall create a congressional 
time capsule, to be known as the ‘‘Semiquincentennial 
Congressional Time Capsule’’ (in this title referred to as 
the ‘‘Time Capsule’’). 
(b) CONTENTS.— 
(1) DETERMINATION BY CONGRESSIONAL LEAD-
ERSHIP.—The Office of the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, Office of the Minority Leader of the 
House of Representatives, Office of the Majority 
Leader of the Senate, and Office of the Minority 
Leader of the Senate shall jointly determine the con-
tents of the Time Capsule, taking into account the 
requirements of paragraph (2). 
(2) SPECIFICATIONS.—The contents of the 
Time Capsule shall include— 
(A) a representative portion of all books, 
manuscripts, 
miscellaneous 
printed 
matter, 
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memorabilia, relics, and other materials relating 
to the United States Semiquincentennial; 
(B) copies or representations of important 
legislative and institutional milestones of Con-
gress during the time before the Time Capsule 
is buried; 
(C) a message from Congress to the future 
Congress when the Time Capsule will be 
opened; and 
(D) such other content as the offices de-
scribed in paragraph (1) consider appropriate. 
(3) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this sub-
section, the offices described in paragraph (1) may 
consult with the Architect of the Capitol, the Sec-
retary of the Smithsonian Institution, and such 
other entities of the Federal Government as the of-
fices consider appropriate. 
(c) DUTIES OF ARCHITECT.—The Architect of the 
Capitol shall— 
(1) prepare the Time Capsule to be sealed and 
buried on the West Lawn of the Capitol, at a loca-
tion specified by the Architect, on or before July 4, 
2026, at a time which would permit individuals at-
tending this event to also attend the burial of a time 
capsule in Independence Mall in Philadelphia, Penn-
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sylvania, under section 7(f)(1) of the United States 
Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 (36 
U.S.C. 101 note prec.); and 
(2) install a plaque to provide such information 
about the Time Capsule as the Architect considers 
appropriate. 
(d) UNSEALING.—The Time Capsule shall be sealed 
until July 4, 2276, on which date the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives shall present the Time Capsule 
to the 244th Congress, and such Congress shall determine 
how the contents within should be preserved or used. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this title, and any amounts so ap-
propriated shall remain available until expended. 
TITLE II—FIRE SUPPRESSION 
COST SHARE AGREEMENTS 
SEC. 201. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO CERTAIN FIRE 
SUPPRESSION COST SHARE AGREEMENTS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
STANDARD
OPERATING 
PROCEDURES.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this section, the Secretaries shall— 
(1) establish standard operating procedures re-
lating to payment timelines for fire suppression cost 
share agreements established under the Act of May 
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27, 1955 (42 U.S.C. 1856a) (commonly known as 
the ‘‘Reciprocal Fire Protection Act’’); and 
(2) with respect to each fire suppression cost 
share agreement in operation on such date— 
(A) review each such agreement; and 
(B) modify each agreement as necessary to 
comply with the standard operating procedures 
required under paragraph (1). 
(b) ALIGNMENT OF FIRE SUPPRESSION COST SHARE 
AGREEMENTS WITH COOPERATIVE FIRE PROTECTION 
AGREEMENTS.—The standard operating procedures re-
quired under subsection (a)(1) shall include a requirement 
that each fire suppression cost share agreement be aligned 
with each of the cooperative fire protection agreements ap-
plicable to the entity subject to such fire suppression cost 
share agreement. 
(c) PAYMENTS PURSUANT TO COST SHARE AGREE-
MENTS.—With respect to payments made pursuant to fire 
suppression cost share agreements, the standard operating 
procedures required under subsection (a)(1) shall require 
that the Federal paying entity reimburse a local fire de-
partment if such fire department submits an invoice in 
accordance with cost settlement procedures. 
(d) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Secretaries should carry out reciprocal fire 
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suppression cost share agreement repayments to local fire 
suppression organizations as soon as practicable after fire 
suppression occurs but not later than 1 year after fire sup-
pression occurs. 
(e) SECRETARIES DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘Secretaries’’ means— 
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture; 
(2) the Secretary of the Interior; 
(3) the Secretary of Homeland Security; and 
(4) the Secretary of Defense. 
TITLE III—UDALL FOUNDATION 
FUNDING 
SEC. 301. FUNDING. 
Section 13 of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. 
Udall Foundation Act (20 U.S.C. 5609) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘through 2023’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘through 2029’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘$1,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$5,000’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘the fiscal 
year in which this subsection is enacted’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘fiscal year 2026’’. 
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TITLE IV—STRATEGY ON BOKO 
HARAM 
SEC. 401. REGIONAL STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE THREAT 
POSED BY BOKO HARAM. 
(a) STRATEGY REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall 
jointly develop and submit to the appropriate com-
mittees of Congress a five-year strategy to help en-
able the Government of Nigeria, members of the 
Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko 
Haram (MNJTF) authorized by the African Union, 
and relevant partners to counter the regional threat 
of Boko Haram and assist the Government of Nige-
ria and its neighbors to accept and address legiti-
mate grievances of vulnerable populations in areas 
affected by Boko Haram. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—At a minimum, the strategy 
must address the following elements: 
(A) Enhance, pursuant to existing authori-
ties and restrictions, the institutional capacity, 
including military capabilities, of the Govern-
ment of Nigeria and partner nations in the re-
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gion, as appropriate, to counter the threat 
posed by Boko Haram. 
(B) Provide humanitarian support to civil-
ian populations impacted by Boko Haram’s ac-
tivity. 
(C) Specific activities through which the 
United States Government intends to improve 
and enhance the capacity of Multinational Joint 
Task Force to Combat Boko Haram partner 
nations to investigate and prosecute human 
rights abuses by security forces and promote re-
spect for the rule of law within the military. 
(D) A means for assisting Nigeria, and as 
appropriate, Multinational Joint Task Force to 
Combat Boko Haram nations, to counter vio-
lent extremism, including efforts to address un-
derlying societal factors shown to contribute to 
the ability of Boko Haram to radicalize and re-
cruit individuals. 
(E) A plan to strengthen and promote the 
rule of law, including by improving the capacity 
of the civilian police and judicial system in Ni-
geria, enhancing public safety, and responding 
to crime (including gender-based violence), 
while respecting human rights and strength-
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ening accountability measures, including meas-
ures to prevent corruption. 
(F) Strengthen the long-term capacity of 
the Government of Nigeria to enhance security 
for schools such that children are safer and 
girls seeking an education are better protected, 
and to combat gender-based violence and gen-
der inequality. 
(G) Identify and develop mechanisms for 
coordinating the implementation of the strategy 
across the inter-agency and with the Govern-
ment of Nigeria, regional partners, and other 
relevant foreign partners. 
(H) Identify the resources required to 
achieve the strategy’s objectives. 
(b) ASSESSMENT.—The Director of National Intel-
ligence shall submit, to the appropriate committees of 
Congress, an assessment regarding— 
(1) the willingness and capability of the Govern-
ment of Nigeria and regional partners to implement 
the strategy developed under subsection (a), includ-
ing the capability gaps, if any, of the Government 
and military forces of Nigeria that would need to be 
addressed to enable the Government of Nigeria and 
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the governments of its partner countries in the re-
gion— 
(A) to counter the threat of Boko Haram; 
and 
(B) to address the legitimate grievances of 
vulnerable populations in areas affected by 
Boko Haram; and 
(2) significant United States intelligence gaps 
concerning Boko Haram or on the willingness and 
capacity of the Government of Nigeria and regional 
partners to implement the strategy developed under 
subsection (a). 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that lack of economic opportunity and access to edu-
cation, justice, and other social services contributes to the 
ability of Boko Haram to radicalize and recruit individ-
uals. 
(d) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate commit-
tees of Congress’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
Appropriations, and the Select Committee on Intel-
ligence of the Senate; and 
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(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
Appropriations, and the Permanent Select Com-
mittee on Intelligence of the House of Representa-
tives. 
TITLE V—VETERANS 
INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE 
SEC. 501. REPORTING REQUIREMENT FOR VETERANS 
INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE. 
Section 32(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
657b(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) REPORT.—Along with the budget justifica-
tion documents for the Small Business Administra-
tion submitted to Congress in connection with the 
budget for a fiscal year submitted under section 
1105 of title 31, United States Code, the Adminis-
trator shall submit a report— 
‘‘(A) discussing the appointments made to 
and activities of the task force; and 
‘‘(B) identifying and outlining a plan for 
outreach and promotion of the programs and 
services for veterans, including Veteran Busi-
ness Outreach Centers, Boots to Business, 
Boots to Business Reboot, Service-Disabled En-
trepreneurship Development Training Program, 
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Veteran Institute for Procurement, Women Vet-
eran Entrepreneurship Training Program, and 
Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepre-
neurship.’’. 
TITLE VI—VETERANS PILOT 
PROGRAM 
SEC. 601. VETERANS PILOT PROGRAM ON PROMISING RE-
TENTION MODELS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Attorney General, acting 
through the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, 
shall carry out a pilot program to make grants to eligible 
units of local government to improve retention in veterans 
treatment court programs (as such term is defined in sec-
tion 2991 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 
Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10651)) and drug court programs. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible for a grant 
under subsection (a), a unit of local government shall op-
erate a veterans treatment court program or a drug court. 
(c) APPLICATION.—A unit of local government seek-
ing a grant through the pilot program under subsection 
(a) shall submit to the Attorney General an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such infor-
mation as the Attorney General may reasonably require, 
including— 
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