Legislation

The Small Business Workforce Pipeline Act of 2026 directs Small Business Development Centers to assist small businesses in establishing and improving various workforce development initiatives. This includes providing guidance on work-based learning, registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and job training programs. The goal is to help small businesses build stronger talent pipelines.

The **BE HEARD in the Workplace Act** comprehensively strengthens federal workplace protections by requiring new anti-discrimination policies, expanding legal rights for employees, and phasing out the tipped minimum wage. It aims to prevent harassment through mandated training, broadens protections to nearly all workers, and restricts employers' use of secrecy agreements. The Act also establishes grants to increase access to legal aid and worker advocacy nationwide.

The Litigation Funding Transparency Act of 2026 mandates new disclosure requirements for third-party litigation funders in large federal class and mass actions. This law requires parties to reveal the identity of funders, including any foreign state or sovereign wealth fund involvement, and produce funding agreements for court inspection. The legislation also prohibits funders from influencing litigation strategy and restricts their access to certain discovery materials.

The CLEAR Act establishes new transparency requirements for companies developing generative AI models. It mandates that developers must notify the U.S. Copyright Office about copyrighted works used in their training datasets before releasing or commercially using the model. This legislation also creates a public database of these notices and establishes civil penalties for non-compliance.

This bill, the "Eliminating Fraud in the CFPB’s Complaint Database Act," establishes new requirements for submitting consumer complaints to the CFPB. It mandates that consumers attest to the truthfulness of their complaints and prove they first attempted to resolve the issue directly with the company. Furthermore, the legislation requires the CFPB to protect the confidentiality of complaint narratives while allowing financial companies to close certain unauthorized or frivolous complaints.

The Lifelong Learning Act amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to increase funding reservations for incumbent worker training and transitional jobs programs. It also establishes new performance reporting requirements for incumbent worker training programs. Finally, the bill expands flexibility by allowing local workforce development boards to serve as one-stop operators under specific conflict of interest safeguards.

The Radar Next Program Act of 2026 establishes a new program within NOAA to modernize the nation's weather radar network. This act mandates the development of performance requirements and a detailed plan to replace the current NEXRAD system by September 30, 2040. The program aims to improve weather coverage, accuracy, and severe weather detection across the U.S. and its territories, including by filling existing data gaps.

This Act officially designates two Department of Veterans Affairs clinics in Iowa to honor fallen Iowa National Guard heroes. The Des Moines VA clinic will be renamed the Staff Sergeant Edgar Torres-Tovar VA Clinic. Additionally, the Marshalltown VA clinic will be named the Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard VA Clinic.

This act mandates that U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District Commanders provide annual briefings to Members of Congress regarding ongoing Corps projects within their districts. These detailed briefings must cover project status, funding, environmental impacts, and community engagement. The legislation establishes procedures, including reporting by the Army Inspector General, to ensure these required congressional updates occur each year.

"Virginias Law" amends federal criminal law to establish new civil remedies for victims of sexual abuse and sex trafficking crimes, allowing them to sue perpetrators for damages. The bill creates specific pathways for victims to file lawsuits in U.S. district courts related to these offenses. Furthermore, it eliminates the statute of limitations for certain civil claims involving forced labor and sex trafficking. A special one-year window is created for previously time-barred claims to be refiled.

The SAFE CATTLE Act mandates federal agencies to formally cooperate on preventing, controlling, and eradicating the New World screwworm parasite on federal lands. This requires the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior to establish joint surveillance, response, and eradication protocols. The agencies must also report annually to Congress on their coordination efforts and progress until the parasite is contained outside the U.S.

This bill authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to James Capers, Jr., for his valorous actions as a Marine during the Vietnam War. It specifically waives existing time limitations to allow for this recognition of his service between March and April 1967.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility in Martville, New York, located at 15422 NY 104. The building will now be known as the "Sergeant Staret J. Engleston Memorial Post Office Building." This designation must be used in all future official federal references to the facility.

The Unlocking Homeownership Act allows first-time homebuyers to make tax-free withdrawals from their 529 college savings plans to purchase a principal residence. These distributions can be used for qualified acquisition costs for the beneficiary, their spouse, or certain family members. The bill also includes special provisions for transferring or recontributing funds if a planned home purchase is delayed or canceled due to a federally declared disaster.

The Responsible Firearms Marketing Act directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study and regulate unfair or deceptive advertising and marketing practices related to firearms. This includes examining advertising that targets minors, encourages illegal use, or involves semiautomatic assault weapons. The FTC must issue regulations prohibiting these practices and enforce them using existing authority under the Federal Trade Commission Act.

The TANF Hygiene Access Act establishes a demonstration program to test innovative ways to help low-income households access essential hygiene materials like soap, diapers, and feminine hygiene products. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will award competitive grants to states and tribes to implement these initiatives. Recipients must report on their performance, and the Secretary will ultimately assess the program's feasibility for nationwide expansion.

The Close the Shadow Banking Loophole Act aims to increase federal oversight of industrial banks and their parent companies, often referred to as industrial loan companies. This legislation amends the Bank Holding Company Act to establish new supervisory authority for the FDIC over these institutions, particularly those that have recently gained federal deposit insurance. The bill also imposes stricter conditions on changes in control for industrial banks.

This bill mandates the creation of secure electronic communication systems for incarcerated individuals, ensuring that privileged communications with their attorneys cannot be monitored. It establishes strict rules for retaining and accessing the contents of these electronic messages, requiring a warrant for law enforcement access and prohibiting the review of privileged information by prosecutors. Ultimately, this Act aims to safeguard the attorney-client privilege in the digital age for those in federal custody.

The Postal Supervisors, Managers, and Postmasters Fairness Act of 2026 updates the process for determining pay and benefits for Postal Service supervisory personnel. This bill requires the Postal Service to formally propose pay changes to supervisor organizations before existing decisions expire or after related union contracts are settled. Any unresolved disputes regarding these proposals will result in a final, binding determination issued quickly by a review panel.

The Safe Shelters for Survivors Act of 2026 prohibits federally-funded domestic violence and homeless shelters from providing services to registered sex offenders. This legislation also prohibits registered sex offenders from using these covered shelters, with limited exceptions for seeking information about non-federally funded alternatives. Violations by shelters can result in the loss of federal funding, and knowing violations by sex offenders may lead to fines or imprisonment.