Legislation

The HAILEY Act of 2026 establishes new minimum standards for issuing AMBER Alerts through the national network. Specifically, it mandates that an alert can only be issued for an individual under the age of 18. Furthermore, the bill requires law enforcement to reasonably believe the missing person meets the criteria of a high-risk missing person before an alert is disseminated.

The Cost of Living Tax Cut Act adjusts federal income tax brackets based on regional differences in the cost of living, starting in 2027. This means taxpayers in areas with a higher cost of living will see their tax bracket thresholds adjusted accordingly. The Treasury Department will annually publish multipliers based on cost-of-living indexes calculated by the Department of Commerce.

The Drain the Slush Fund Act prohibits the federal government from paying any judgments, awards, or settlements resulting from lawsuits filed by the President or Vice President. This restriction applies to all current and future cases arising on or after January 20, 2025.

The Military Pension Protection Act aims to provide financial relief to military retirees by excluding all federal pensions and annuities received for military service from federal income tax. This change will apply to taxable years beginning after the date the Act is enacted.

The Restore Military Families’ Voices Act strengthens protections for tenants in privatized military housing by prohibiting landlords from requiring nondisclosure agreements. It also expands the list of officials to whom tenants can report housing issues without fear of retaliation. This legislation aims to give military families a safer voice in addressing housing concerns.

The Tax Dollar Accountability Act grants the Comptroller General of the United States the authority to access state and local government financial records related to the use of federal funds. This ensures transparency by allowing for necessary audits and evaluations of how federal money is spent. States that fail to provide this access may face the withholding or suspension of their federal funding.

This act establishes the Diplomatic Reserve Corps Pilot Program within the State Department to create a surge workforce for supporting U.S. diplomatic operations during crises. The program will recruit retired Foreign Service members to provide temporary assistance during emergencies like conflicts or disasters. After three years, the Secretary of State will submit a final evaluation recommending whether to establish a permanent corps.

The "No Safe Haven for Terrorist Families Act" amends immigration law to bar entry to and mandate the deportation of specified close family members of foreign threat actors, including designated terrorists and senior officials from adversarial nations. This measure expands inadmissibility grounds to address national security risks posed by relatives of individuals involved in terrorism, state sponsorship of terrorism, or significant corruption. The Act requires mandatory visa revocation and prioritizes the removal of these inadmissible individuals, eliminating most forms of discretionary relief.

The BLANCHE Act of 2026 strictly regulates and prohibits any settlement where the federal government pays the sitting President or a third party at the President's direction to resolve a claim against the United States. Any such agreement must be reviewed and explicitly approved by a federal court after a public hearing to ensure the parties are truly adverse and the settlement is in the interest of justice. These rigorous standards apply retroactively to all existing and future agreements between the President and the United States.

The Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act mandates a comprehensive study by the Comptroller General to examine federal authorities that impact wildfire mitigation efforts across land ownership boundaries. This study will assess how existing programs help or hinder collaboration between federal agencies and state, local, and tribal governments. The goal is to identify necessary changes to existing laws to improve cross-boundary wildfire risk reduction and forest health. The final report will include recommendations focused on simplifying these essential mitigation activities.

This bill implements significant reforms to foreign intelligence surveillance authorities, primarily by establishing strict new limitations and warrant-like requirements for accessing the communications data of U.S. persons collected under Section 702. It generally prohibits warrantless queries for U.S. person data, creating only four narrow exceptions, and mandates detailed record-keeping for all searches. Additionally, the legislation provides a nine-month extension of the underlying Section 702 authority until March 12, 2027.

The Jewish American Security Act addresses the rising threat of antisemitism across the nation. This bill mandates new protections for Jewish students in educational settings and significantly increases funding and administrative support for securing Jewish community institutions. Furthermore, it requires increased transparency from large online platforms regarding their moderation of antisemitic content and mandates federal assessments of domestic and transnational antisemitic threats.

The Millstone Act significantly increases federal penalties for a range of severe offenses. This legislation amends multiple criminal statutes to make the death penalty or life imprisonment the maximum punishment for crimes involving sexual violence against children, child exploitation, and female genital mutilation. Essentially, it mandates the harshest possible sentences for these specific violent crimes.

The Improving Mentorship in STEM Higher Education Act authorizes the National Science Foundation to establish a demonstration program providing competitive grants to improve mentorship skills and practices for STEM faculty and researchers. Special consideration for these grants will be given to minority-serving and emerging research institutions. The bill also expands National Science Foundation reporting requirements to include processes for addressing harassment and scientific misconduct.

The Walter Patterson Justice and Extradition Act aims to strengthen U.S. efforts to secure the extradition of fugitives from other nations. It specifically highlights the ongoing case of George Wright, convicted of the 1962 murder of Walter Patterson. The bill mandates the President to submit regular, detailed reports to Congress regarding the status of U.S. extradition requests and diplomatic actions taken. Furthermore, Congress expresses its view that U.S. officials should prioritize advocating for these extradition requests when meeting with foreign counterparts.

The PARKS Act expands access to federal recreation lands by granting free annual passes to families in foster care. This legislation ensures that foster families can enjoy national parks and recreation sites without the barrier of entrance fees. The bill allows for additional passes to be issued for larger foster families to cover all members.

The Let America Build Act of 2026 aims to significantly accelerate domestic energy and mineral development by streamlining federal permitting and limiting environmental reviews and legal challenges across oil and gas, mining, and electric transmission projects. The bill shifts oversight authority to states for certain drilling activities and imposes strict deadlines on federal agencies for project approvals. Ultimately, it reduces regulatory hurdles to boost resource production while curtailing the scope of environmental considerations and public litigation against development.

The Abraham Accords Expansion Act of 2026 formally expands the mission of the Presidential Envoy for the Abraham Accords to include Central Asia and the Caucasus. This legislation directs the Envoy to promote normalization and integration efforts in these strategically important regions, aligning with U.S. national security and economic interests. The Act utilizes existing authorities and funding to carry out these expanded duties.

The Protect Every Preschooler Act of 2026 expands the existing Gun Free School Zones Act to include early childhood education programs and preschools. This amendment broadens the definition of a "school" to ensure these younger educational settings are covered under federal gun-free zone restrictions.

The Chief Nimham Purple Heart Act authorizes the posthumous award of the Purple Heart to Daniel Nimham. This special recognition honors his service and injuries sustained as a Commissioned Captain in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, waiving standard eligibility requirements.