Legislative Activity

The Youth Poisoning Protection Act bans the sale of consumer products containing 10% or more sodium nitrite by weight to prevent accidental or intentional poisoning. This legislation classifies such high-concentration products as banned hazardous substances under the Consumer Product Safety Act. The ban includes specific exemptions for industrial use, as well as regulated food, drug, and cosmetic products.

This bill prohibits the Secretary of Education from transferring the functions or responsibilities of four key offices—including those overseeing special, postsecondary, Indian, and elementary/secondary education—to other federal agencies. It also mandates rigorous quarterly reporting on the costs of any interagency agreements and restricts the Secretary’s travel funding if these reporting requirements are not met.

The ASSET Act aims to improve financial security for low-income families by eliminating restrictive asset limits in key public assistance programs, including TANF, SNAP, and LIHEAP. By removing these barriers, the bill allows families to build savings without risking their eligibility for essential support. Additionally, the Act significantly raises and indexes resource limits for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to keep pace with inflation.

This bill mandates gender-neutral standards for all occupational specialties and assignments across the U.S. Armed Forces, prohibiting gender-based exclusions. It establishes rigorous, science-based performance requirements and increases transparency through enhanced annual reporting and congressional oversight. Additionally, the legislation requires the Department of Defense to provide Congress with comprehensive, unredacted reviews regarding the operational effectiveness of ground combat units.

The College Transparency Act establishes a secure, privacy-protected federal data system to track postsecondary student outcomes, including enrollment, completion, and post-college earnings. By repealing the existing ban on a national student-level database, the bill aims to provide students and families with transparent, customizable information to help them make informed educational decisions. The system is designed to streamline institutional reporting requirements while strictly prohibiting the use of personal data for law enforcement, immigration, or federal ranking purposes.

The Audit the Pentagon Act mandates financial accountability by imposing a 2 percent funding reduction on any Department of Defense component that fails to achieve a clean audit opinion. These withheld funds are then redirected to the U.S. Treasury to be used exclusively for deficit reduction.

The Restoring Justice for Workers Act prohibits employers from forcing workers to sign away their right to pursue legal claims in court or join class-action lawsuits as a condition of employment. The bill bans mandatory pre-dispute arbitration agreements and ensures that any agreement to arbitrate or waive collective action rights made after a dispute arises is strictly voluntary and informed. By amending the National Labor Relations Act and the Federal Arbitration Act, this legislation protects workers' rights to act collectively and seek justice for workplace violations.

The Supreme Court Ethics Act mandates that the Supreme Court and the Judicial Conference establish formal codes of conduct for all federal judges and justices. The bill creates an independent Ethics Investigations Counsel to oversee compliance, investigate potential violations, and issue annual public reports. Additionally, it requires Supreme Court justices to publicly disclose their reasoning when recusing themselves from a case or denying a motion for recusal.

The Right to IVF Act of 2026 establishes a federal right to access assisted reproductive technology (ART) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) by overriding restrictive state laws. The bill further expands family-building support by mandating comprehensive fertility coverage for military service members, veterans, federal employees, and those enrolled in private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. These measures aim to ensure equitable, affordable access to fertility treatments nationwide.

The SHIELD Our Elections Act strengthens election integrity by establishing a private right of action against voter intimidation and extending the statute of limitations for election-related crimes. The bill also protects election records by restricting the seizure of voting materials and provides federal grants to states to implement comprehensive, transparent absentee ballot tracking programs.

This resolution reaffirms the fundamental right of individuals with disabilities to live independently in their communities, as established by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the *Olmstead* decision. It condemns recent efforts to weaken integration mandates and calls on federal agencies to prioritize accessible housing, employment, and community-based services. Furthermore, the bill advocates for the protection of Medicaid funding and the removal of barriers to ensure full equality and self-sufficiency for all people with disabilities.

The Health Over Wealth Act establishes rigorous transparency, accountability, and oversight requirements for for-profit corporations and private equity firms that own or operate health care entities. The legislation mandates detailed financial reporting, creates a licensure system for private equity investment in health care, and imposes strict regulations on hospital closures and service reductions to protect patient access. Additionally, the bill reforms bankruptcy and tax laws to prevent asset stripping and ensure that financial interests do not compromise the quality or safety of essential health services.

The Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 prohibits the sale or importation of connected vehicles, their parts, and related software originating from or controlled by covered adversarial countries (North Korea, China, Russia, or Iran). Enforced by the Secretary of Commerce, this law aims to mitigate national security risks associated with foreign adversary access to sensitive vehicle data and control systems. The Act establishes phased bans starting in 2027 for vehicles and software, and 2030 for hardware, while setting up processes for compliance, authorization, and enforcement.

The Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now Act of 2026 aims to lower insulin costs by capping out-of-pocket expenses for insured patients and mandating transparency in pharmacy benefit manager rebates. The legislation also seeks to increase market competition by accelerating the approval of generic and biosimilar drugs. Additionally, it establishes a pilot program and national resource center to improve insulin affordability and access for uninsured individuals.

The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2026 strengthens the nursing profession by expanding grant eligibility for advanced education and modernizing training resources, including simulation and telehealth technologies. The bill addresses critical workforce shortages by increasing funding for nursing faculty and student programs while broadening support for specialized care, such as services for sexual assault survivors. These updates ensure that nursing education remains robust and responsive to the evolving needs of the healthcare system through 2030.

The **Patients Deserve Price Tags Act** aims to increase healthcare affordability by mandating comprehensive price transparency across hospitals, laboratories, imaging centers, and ambulatory surgical centers. The bill requires these providers and health insurance plans to publicly disclose negotiated rates, cash prices, and standard charges in standardized, machine-readable formats. Additionally, it empowers patients with real-time cost-estimation tools and requires providers to issue detailed, itemized bills before initiating any collection actions.

This resolution recognizes July 21, 2026, as Black Women’s Equal Pay Day to highlight the persistent and significant wage gap between Black women and white, non-Hispanic men. It details the economic impact of this disparity and reaffirms Congress's commitment to achieving pay equity through systemic change.

The CDC Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act amends the Public Health Service Act to formally include Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations as eligible entities for federal public health emergency preparedness funding. The bill authorizes $750 million annually for this program, with a dedicated 5% set-aside for Tribal entities and exemptions from traditional matching-fund requirements. Additionally, it mandates federal consultation with Tribal leaders to ensure program flexibility and requires a comprehensive report to Congress on the effectiveness of Tribal implementation.

The Disclosure of Tax Havens and Offshoring Act requires large multinational companies to publicly disclose detailed financial and operational data for every tax jurisdiction in which they operate. By mandating country-by-country reporting, the bill aims to increase corporate transparency regarding tax payments, profits, and employee counts. This information must be filed with the SEC in a machine-readable format and made available to the public online.

The Curtailing Executive Overcompensation (CEO) Act proposes a new excise tax on large corporations that maintain extreme pay gaps between their highest-paid executives and their typical workers. By penalizing companies with excessive pay disparities, the bill aims to discourage runaway executive compensation and promote more equitable wage structures.