Legislation

The Early Childhood Educator Professional Improvement Act of 2026 provides federal grants to states to strengthen the early childhood workforce. This initiative supports educators through scholarships, professional development, and increased compensation to improve educational standards and career pathways. By fostering collaboration between state agencies and higher education institutions, the Act aims to enhance the quality of early childhood education programs nationwide.

The Enhancing North Korea Humanitarian Assistance Act of 2026 aims to streamline the delivery of life-saving aid to North Korea by reducing bureaucratic barriers and regulatory delays. The bill directs U.S. agencies to simplify licensing, reporting, and travel requirements for humanitarian organizations while providing clearer guidance to financial and shipping institutions. Additionally, it mandates that the U.S. advocate for more efficient humanitarian exemption processes within the United Nations.

The Defense Community Infrastructure Program Tribal Eligibility Act of 2026 amends existing law to formally include Indian Tribes as eligible participants in the Defense Community Infrastructure Program. This legislation ensures that Tribal governments can access federal support for infrastructure projects that benefit military installations and their surrounding communities.

The Defense of Environment and Property Act of 2026 narrows the federal definition of "navigable waters" to limit EPA and Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction over isolated wetlands and intermittent water bodies. The bill strengthens state authority over water regulation, mandates landowner consent for federal property entry, and requires agencies to compensate property owners for regulatory actions that reduce land value. Additionally, it nullifies previous federal guidance and prohibits future expansions of jurisdictional authority without explicit Congressional approval.

The BLADE Act (Blocking Large-scale Adversarial Distillation Efforts Act of 2026) aims to protect U.S. national security and economic interests by identifying and deterring unauthorized "model extraction attacks" against closed-source artificial intelligence models. The bill mandates that the Department of Commerce assess and track foreign entities that illicitly acquire AI capabilities, while establishing a framework to impose sanctions and export restrictions on those involved in such activities. By fostering information-sharing between the government and private AI developers, the legislation seeks to safeguard American intellectual property from foreign adversaries.

The PREFERRED Screening Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a Medicare payment model that incentivizes providers to offer comprehensive, personalized breast cancer risk assessments. By integrating genetic testing, family history, and clinical data, the program aims to provide tailored screening and risk-reduction plans for Medicare beneficiaries. This initiative prioritizes underserved and high-risk populations to improve early detection and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of risk-stratified breast cancer care.

The Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act of 2026 strengthens oversight of home health agencies through enhanced enrollment screenings, more frequent inspections, and stricter accreditation standards to combat fraud. The bill also resets Medicare base payment rates to improve predictability and mandates the exclusion of suspect claims from quality-based payment calculations. Additionally, it provides dedicated funding for federal fraud investigations and state-level enforcement to ensure greater program accountability.

The Medicare at Home Act proposes expanding Medicare Part B to cover essential home care services for older adults and individuals with disabilities. This benefit would provide up to 20 hours per week of assistance with daily living activities, helping beneficiaries remain safely in their homes while reducing the burden on family caregivers. The program would be financed through adjustments to Medicare Part B premiums and implemented through new federal standards for care providers.

The Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026 updates and clarifies the leadership structure, duties, and responsibilities of the Chaplain Corps across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The bill strengthens protections for chaplains to perform their duties in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs and the tenets of their endorsing organizations, free from censorship or retaliation. Additionally, it establishes clear legal standards for the chaplaincy and ensures that military leadership provides the necessary support for chaplains to fulfill their spiritual mission for service members.

The Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act of 2026 establishes stricter oversight and transparency requirements for presidential pardons involving political associates or investigations into the President. The bill mandates comprehensive documentation disclosures to Congress and the DOJ Inspector General, explicitly prohibits presidential self-pardons, and expands federal bribery laws to include the exchange of pardons for value. Additionally, it requires pardon recipients to publicly disclose any financial gifts provided to the President.

The Bus Operator Safety and Security Act mandates the installation of protective, full-enclosure barriers around the workstations of operators on new, federally funded fixed-route buses. These safety requirements apply to buses 30 feet or longer, ensuring protection from physical intrusion while maintaining the operator's visibility. Transit agencies may opt out of this requirement if they obtain a waiver from the labor organization representing their frontline workforce.

The Double the Wage for Overtime Act of 2026 amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to increase the mandatory overtime pay rate from time-and-a-half to double time. This legislation ensures that employees are compensated at twice their regular hourly rate for all overtime hours worked. The new pay requirement will take effect 180 days following the bill's enactment.

The "Recover COVID Unemployment Fraud in Banks Act" establishes a federal task force to coordinate with states and financial institutions to identify and recover improperly paid pandemic unemployment funds. Additionally, the bill extends the statute of limitations to 10 years for criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement actions related to pandemic unemployment fraud.

The Veterans’ Earned Benefits Access Act of 2026 provides veterans with greater flexibility in repaying military separation or severance pay by allowing for installment plans and hardship waivers. The bill limits monthly recoupment deductions to 25% of a veteran’s disability compensation and mandates the creation of a formal process for requesting financial hardship exemptions.

The Workforce Recovery and Resilience Act strengthens the national response to substance use disorders by integrating addiction-related employment and training services into the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The bill expands eligibility for National Dislocated Worker Grants to support individuals affected by substance use and authorizes funding for addiction treatment and mental health-related career training. Additionally, it mandates that the Department of Labor provide states with updated, evidence-based strategies to address the economic impacts of the addiction crisis.

The GHOST Act (Guaranteeing Honest Ownership in Secondary Ticketing Act) prohibits ticket resellers from selling or advertising event tickets they do not actually possess. This legislation empowers the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to enforce these rules through significant civil penalties to protect consumers from speculative ticketing practices.

The FIRE Cancer Act of 2026 establishes a $700 million federal grant program to provide firefighters with access to multi-cancer early detection and preventive testing. Additionally, the bill creates a voluntary, anonymized data-sharing initiative with the CDC to help researchers better identify and understand cancer trends within the firefighting profession.

The Pay PCPs Act of 2026 aims to modernize Medicare by introducing a voluntary hybrid payment model for primary care providers, combining predictable prospective payments with traditional fee-for-service billing. This approach is designed to support comprehensive, team-based care and reduce administrative burdens while lowering out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Additionally, the bill establishes a technical advisory committee to improve the accuracy and transparency of how Medicare determines physician payment rates.

The End Housing Welfare for Illegal Aliens Act prohibits sanctuary jurisdictions from receiving Community Development Block Grants and mandates that public housing agencies verify the citizenship status of all applicants before providing assistance. Additionally, the bill eliminates prorated housing subsidies for mixed-status households and restricts noncitizen eligibility for specific supportive housing programs for the elderly and persons with disabilities.

The Ride in Freedom Act prohibits the District of Columbia from enacting or enforcing laws that require motorcycle operators and passengers to wear protective helmets. This legislation repeals existing local helmet mandates and amends the D.C. Home Rule Act to prevent the Council from implementing such requirements in the future.