Legislative Activity

The College Transparency Act establishes a secure, new Postsecondary Student Data System to track student enrollment, completion, and post-college outcomes across higher education institutions. This system aims to increase transparency for students and families by providing clear data on costs and success rates, while minimizing duplicate reporting burdens for schools. The collected data will be used for secure research and public reporting of aggregate statistics, strictly prohibiting the sale of data or its use for federal college rankings.

The 21st Century Dyslexia Act updates federal education law to specifically define dyslexia and ensure children with this learning disability receive appropriate support. This legislation amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to include dyslexia in its definitions of qualifying conditions. Furthermore, the Act mandates that schools guarantee equitable access to necessary accommodations and services for all eligible students, regardless of socioeconomic status or English proficiency.

The Health Information Privacy Reform Act aims to strengthen privacy, security, and breach notification standards for health information beyond current HIPAA rules, primarily by establishing new regulations for entities not traditionally covered. It also mandates studies on patient compensation for research data and clarifies rules regarding patient access rights and the de-identification of health data. Ultimately, this bill seeks to modernize and expand federal protections for health information across a broader range of data handlers.

The **READ Act** aims to combat the national literacy crisis by promoting reading instruction aligned with the science of reading across K-12 education. It establishes new grant programs to support states in implementing evidence-based policies, improving teacher training, and ensuring early identification and intervention for struggling readers. Furthermore, the bill mandates that schools notify parents when their child is identified as being at risk for reading difficulties.

The Railroad Retirement Board Stability Act of 2026 establishes a dedicated administrative account to streamline funding for the Railroad Retirement Board’s operations and benefit processing. The bill mandates a multi-year investment in technology modernization to replace legacy systems and requires the Government Accountability Office to provide oversight through comprehensive progress reports.

The FAIR DME Appeals Act requires Medicare contractors to reimburse small durable medical equipment suppliers for attorney fees and litigation costs when those suppliers successfully overturn a clearly erroneous claim denial. This legislation ensures that small businesses are not financially burdened by the costs of challenging incorrect payment decisions. It establishes a clear, binding process for fee recovery while protecting against fraudulent claims.

The Special Education Administration Protection Act prohibits the Secretary of Education from transferring the functions of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services to the Department of Health and Human Services. This legislation ensures that the oversight and administration of special education programs remain centralized within the Department of Education. The bill includes a specific exception for any contracts or arrangements that were already in effect as of February 1, 2025.

The Veteran Suicide Spousal Career Services Act expands the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program to provide essential employment services to the spouses of veterans who died by suicide, as well as spouses of veterans with permanent disabilities or those who died in the line of duty. This legislation ensures these families receive the same career support and resources previously reserved for veterans.

The Veteran Acquired Brain Injury Caregiving Act establishes a five-year pilot program allowing veterans with acquired brain injuries to use Veteran-Directed Care funds to purchase services from eligible mission-driven nonprofits. This initiative aims to expand care options across at least five VA medical centers while requiring regular reporting on clinical outcomes and program effectiveness.

The STOP Child Care Fraud Act strengthens the integrity of federal child care programs by implementing stricter eligibility verification, mandatory attendance tracking, and enhanced data integration to prevent fraud. The bill increases federal oversight of state programs, mandates corrective action for improper payments, and establishes a public database of disqualified providers. Additionally, it sets clear income and asset limits for families while requiring states to dedicate specific funding toward quality improvement and compliance monitoring.

The Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 strengthens the national aging network by expanding access to mental health, nutrition, and caregiver support services while increasing transparency and accountability. The bill promotes independence for older adults through enhanced preventive health programs, improved housing accessibility, and modernized employment training. Additionally, it bolsters protections against elder abuse and ensures more culturally responsive care for Native American elders through 2030.

The Outpatient Surgery Access Act of 2026 aims to modernize Medicare reimbursement by aligning annual payment updates for ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) with those of hospital outpatient departments. Additionally, the bill reforms budget neutrality requirements to ensure more equitable financial treatment between these two surgical settings. These changes are designed to stabilize funding and improve access to same-day surgical care.

The Home Market Restoration Act of 2026 aims to protect domestic agricultural and seafood industries by establishing strict tariff-rate quotas and increasing duties on a variety of imports. The bill targets products including shrimp, honey, crawfish, rice, siluriformes fish, sheep and goat meat, and bovine products. By implementing these import limits and higher duty rates, the legislation seeks to regulate foreign market competition and support U.S. producers.

This resolution expresses support for designating June 11, 2026, as "Anti-Illicit Trade Awareness Day." It highlights the severe, multi-trillion-dollar global threat posed by illicit trade, which fuels crime, undermines national security, and harms legitimate businesses. The bill calls for increased public awareness, government action, and whole-of-society approaches to combat these illegal activities year-round.

This resolution officially designates specific dates in 2026 as National Seersucker Day, Seersucker Thursday, and Seersucker Appreciation Month. It honors the history and cultural significance of the breathable seersucker fabric, recognizing its connection to American tradition and the working person. The bill encourages the public to celebrate by wearing their best seersucker attire on these designated days.

This bill, the "Stopping Illegal Minor Simulations Act" (SIMS Act), prohibits the creation and provision of chatbots that simulate minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct or conversation. It establishes federal criminal and civil penalties for covered entities that willfully violate this ban. The law includes exemptions for research and law enforcement investigations.

This Act modifies the New Markets Tax Credit rules to better support rural economic development. It adjusts how "high migration rural counties" are defined by excluding institutional populations from migration calculations. Additionally, the bill lowers the poverty threshold for census tracts in counties where the federal government owns a significant portion of the land, making them more eligible for investment incentives.

The Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2026 prohibits the Department of Labor from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing OSHA's proposed 2024 heat safety standard. Congress finds the proposed rule too rigid, burdensome, and confusing for both businesses and workers across diverse industries. This legislation prevents the adoption of that specific, prescriptive standard or any substantially similar regulation.

The Improving Financial Aid Offers for Students Act mandates that colleges standardize how they present financial aid offers to students, requiring clear, consumer-friendly formats. This legislation directs the Department of Education to develop standard terminology and a model form that clearly separates costs, grants, and loans. The goal is to ensure students easily understand the true net price they will have to pay.

The Save America’s Family Forests Act of 2026 aims to incentivize forest restoration through tax code modifications. It significantly increases the immediate deduction limit for general reforestation expenses for businesses. Additionally, the bill creates a new, substantial tax deduction for reforestation costs following a qualified natural disaster. These provisions are designed to encourage the timely replanting and recovery of damaged timber properties.