Legislative Activity

The SAFE for Kids Act of 2026 requires commercial entities that primarily distribute sexual material harmful to minors to implement age verification systems to block access by minors. These entities must use digital identification or a commercial age verification system, and cannot retain any collected data. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice are tasked with civil and criminal enforcement, respectively, and individuals are granted the right to file private lawsuits.

The Parkinson’s Protection for Firefighters Act adds Parkinson's disease to the list of illnesses presumed to be proximately caused by federal employment in fire protection activities. This legislative change ensures that federal firefighters diagnosed with Parkinson's disease receive appropriate recognition and benefits related to their service.

This bill establishes a formal research and development partnership between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The collaboration focuses on joint projects addressing national security, agricultural resilience, and supply chain integrity, including bioindustrial manufacturing feedstocks. The Secretaries must coordinate through an agreement, utilize competitive funding, and implement robust risk management to protect sensitive research.

The Securing Innovation and Research from Adversaries Act prohibits recipients of federal research funding from collaborating with entities or individuals on U.S. government restricted lists. This rule applies to all aspects of federally funded research, including joint projects and data sharing. Federal agencies must issue uniform guidance on compliance and may grant national security-based waivers with required notification to Congress.

The Medical Device Electronic Labeling Act amends federal law to allow medical device manufacturers to provide required labeling entirely through electronic means, provided they ensure user access and offer paper copies upon request. This legislation aims to modernize labeling requirements while maintaining safety and effectiveness standards. The Secretary of Health and Human Services retains authority to add requirements or grant exceptions to these electronic labeling conditions. Furthermore, the bill mandates the FDA to seek public feedback on optimizing electronic labeling for professional-use medical devices.

The AI OVERWATCH Act establishes strict new export controls on advanced integrated circuits to designated countries of concern, including China, Iran, and Russia. It mandates a rigorous licensing process requiring detailed Congressional certification before high-performance chips can be transferred. Furthermore, the bill temporarily halts all licenses for these chips while requiring the development of a comprehensive national strategy to secure U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.

The START Act aims to streamline and increase transparency in the national apprenticeship system by establishing formal, time-bound processes for registering new apprenticeship programs. It clarifies the roles of state apprenticeship councils and establishes a new federal grant program to support states in expanding and improving registered apprenticeships. Furthermore, the bill mandates public posting of reciprocity and standards information to ensure clarity for program sponsors across state lines.

The INSIGHT Act mandates the Department of Labor to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the status of employee benefit plan investigations. It also establishes new requirements for when the Department provides "adverse assistance" to individuals for use in lawsuits against plan fiduciaries, requiring written agreements and subsequent reporting to Congress. Finally, the bill amends ERISA to reinforce the policy of promoting the voluntary sponsorship of private pension plans.

The PARITY Act, or Promoting Access and Revenue Integrity Through Institutional Transparency Act, aims to provide regulatory relief for institutions of higher education. This is achieved by repealing two specific provisions within the Higher Education Act of 1965 that currently impose requirements or restrictions on participating institutions.

The Faster Department of Veterans Affairs Construction Act of 2026 aims to streamline the construction and alteration of VA facilities. This bill directs the VA to utilize recognized commercial building codes and standards instead of federal ones where appropriate. It mandates at least three annual pilot projects to test this new approach between 2027 and 2031, with required reporting to Congress.

Tyler’s Law directs the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive study on the current practices, costs, and benefits of fentanyl testing in hospital emergency departments. Following this study, the Secretary will issue formal guidance to help hospitals improve their testing protocols for patients experiencing overdoses. This legislation aims to enhance clinical responses to the fentanyl crisis and improve patient health outcomes.

The Gaining Meaningful Experiences from Service (GAMES) Act expands access to military adaptive sports programs for veterans. By removing the one-year post-separation application deadline, the bill ensures that more veterans can participate in these beneficial athletic programs regardless of how long they have been out of service.

The Review Every Veteran’s Claim Act of 2025 prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from denying a veteran's claim for benefits solely because the veteran failed to appear for a scheduled medical examination. This legislation ensures that missed appointments do not automatically result in claim rejection, requiring the VA to consider all other evidence submitted. The bill broadens existing protections to cover all claims for benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

The Veterans SPORT Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must now provide eligible veterans with coverage for adaptive prostheses and terminal devices specifically designed for sports and other recreational activities. This amendment expands the medical services the VA furnishes, ensuring veterans have access to necessary equipment for physical recreation.

The Ensuring Veterans’ Final Resting Place Act of 2025 makes technical updates to VA regulations regarding burial benefits. This bill clarifies the process when a veteran's family chooses to provide their own urn or marker instead of receiving one from the VA. The legislation also reorganizes benefit numbering for clarity, applying these changes to veterans who passed away on or after January 5, 2021.

The Raising Awareness for Youth Suicide Prevention Act (RAYS Act) requires school districts receiving federal funds to provide students with easy access to mental health and suicide prevention resources. Under this legislation, contact information for crisis lifelines must be included on student identification cards or prominently displayed on school websites and digital portals. Additionally, the bill mandates federal outreach campaigns to ensure students, parents, and staff are well-informed about available mental health support.

The Health Care for Homeless Veterans Act grants the Department of Veterans Affairs permanent authority to provide essential treatment and rehabilitation services to homeless veterans suffering from serious mental illness. By removing previous expiration dates, this legislation ensures these critical support programs remain a permanent fixture of VA care.

The Joint Medical Facilities Fund Act of 2026 permanently establishes a dedicated fund to streamline the joint operation and financing of medical facilities shared by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. This legislation formalizes funding mechanisms, maintenance protocols, and administrative oversight to ensure efficient resource allocation for combined federal healthcare centers.

The Dalilah Law restricts the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and holders of specific work visas. It mandates English proficiency for all applicants and requires states to recertify current CDL holders to maintain federal transportation funding. Failure to comply with these eligibility and testing requirements will result in the withholding of federal funds for non-compliant states.

The SAFE Drugs Act of 2026 aims to enhance the safety and oversight of compounded drug products. It restricts pharmacies from frequently copying commercially available drugs and introduces new annual reporting requirements for out-of-state compounding activities. Furthermore, the bill imposes stricter FDA inspection schedules and mandatory registration for large-scale compounding facilities.