Legislative Activity

The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 authorizes funding for U.S. intelligence activities and establishes significant reforms across the intelligence community. Key provisions restructure the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, extend CIA drone authority, and mandate new frameworks for the use of Artificial Intelligence. The bill also tightens rules on identifying U.S. persons in intelligence reports and strengthens counterintelligence efforts against foreign threats.

The No Safe Haven for Terrorist Families Act denies entry and mandates the removal of certain close relatives of designated terrorists, senior officials from state sponsors of terrorism, and sanctioned foreign adversaries. This legislation adds a new ground of inadmissibility and deportability to immigration law, applying retroactively to those already in the U.S. It also requires mandatory visa revocation and prioritizes removal proceedings for these individuals without eligibility for most forms of discretionary relief.

This Act strengthens federal espionage laws to deter foreign surveillance of critical U.S. military capabilities. It establishes stricter penalties and a legal presumption of intent to harm for foreign nationals from designated countries who photograph or record high-value military assets or installations. The legislation also mandates the public identification of these strategic locations and modernizes prohibited activities to include AI-enhanced visual depictions.

This bill proposes a short-term extension of specific surveillance authorities under Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). It moves the expiration date for these authorities from April 30, 2026, to June 12, 2026.

The Critical Infrastructure Airspace Defense Act grants owners and operators of designated critical infrastructure facilities the authority to detect, track, and stop drone threats after completing mandatory training and certification. The bill also establishes a grant program to help these entities purchase approved anti-drone technology. This new authority provides liability protection for authorized actions taken to defend critical infrastructure against aerial threats.

This bill proposes a three-year extension of the surveillance authority granted under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). It amends the current expiration date to April 20, 2029.

This bill establishes new restrictions and rigorous regulatory review for pharmaceutical products originating from or affiliated with the Chinese government, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), or the People's Liberation Army (PLA). It prohibits the approval of new drug applications and mandates the refusal and destruction of imported drugs linked to these affiliated entities. The legislation provides a limited compliance pathway for entities to divest or demonstrate non-affiliation to avoid these restrictions.

This bill, the Eliminating Nefarious Distribution of Smuggled Chinese Vapes Act of 2026, establishes significant new civil penalties for illegally bringing unauthorized electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) into the U.S. Penalties are tiered based on the violator's intent—ranging from negligence to fraud—and can be drastically increased for repeat offenses or evasion schemes. The legislation aims to deter the smuggling of unapproved vapes by imposing severe financial consequences per unit.

The JOAN Act streamlines the federal review and permitting process for natural gas infrastructure projects by designating FERC as the lead agency for environmental reviews and establishing strict timelines for all agencies. It centralizes legal challenges against project authorizations into a single, accelerated lawsuit in federal appellate court, limiting judicial review scope and imposing strict deadlines. The bill aims to expedite project development while requiring coordination among federal and state agencies regarding water quality and project data.

The American Security Robotics Act of 2026 prohibits federal agencies from purchasing or operating unmanned ground vehicle systems manufactured by entities linked to specific foreign nations. This legislation aims to strengthen national security by restricting the use of foreign-made robotics in federal operations and federally funded projects. Limited exemptions are provided for critical national security, research, and investigative purposes.

The Know Your American Customer Act requires banks and credit unions to verify the lawful presence of customers before opening or maintaining financial accounts. The bill mandates that individuals with temporary legal status provide updated documentation to maintain account access, with provisions for account restrictions or closure for non-compliance. Additionally, the legislation establishes criminal penalties for non-citizens who open or maintain accounts while not lawfully present in the United States.

The Educational Visa Transparency Act of 2026 mandates that federally funded colleges and universities electronically report all non-citizen students, faculty, and administrators to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). This legislation requires institutions to categorize these individuals by visa type and submit updated reports following each academic registration period. The collected data will be accessible to the Departments of Education, Justice, Homeland Security, and State to support their official oversight duties.

This bill proposes a two-year suspension of the clean electricity production tax credit from October 2025 through September 2027. The federal revenue generated by this suspension will be redirected to fund the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

The Rx ACCESS Act improves the TRICARE pharmacy benefits program by ensuring beneficiaries have permanent choice in how they receive maintenance medications. The bill establishes fair reimbursement standards for retail pharmacies, prohibits hidden fees, and mandates annual independent audits to ensure network adequacy and transparency.

The Naturalization Accountability Act strengthens the requirements for maintaining U.S. citizenship by allowing for the revocation of naturalization due to past felony convictions or instances of willful misrepresentation, regardless of when they occurred. Additionally, the bill removes the 10-year statute of limitations for prosecuting individuals who unlawfully procure citizenship.

The Trucking Security and CCP Disclosure Act of 2026 mandates that all motor carriers transporting Department of Defense freight certify they have no significant business ties to Chinese military companies. Additionally, the bill establishes a "Secure Defense Freight Carrier Registry" to ensure that only vetted, security-cleared carriers are eligible to handle sensitive military cargo.

The Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against living organ donors regarding life, disability, or long-term care coverage. The bill also amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to explicitly classify organ donation surgery as a serious health condition, ensuring job-protected leave for donors. Additionally, it mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services update public educational materials to reflect these new protections and the realities of organ donation.

The Ratepayer Affordability and Transparency in Energy Act of 2026 establishes federal law to protect electric grid reliability by overriding state and local climate mandates that affect energy planning or increase electricity prices. This Act specifically preempts state laws, such as renewable portfolio standards, that require specific percentages of renewable or zero-emission energy sources. The goal is to ensure energy planning prioritizes reliability and affordability over certain state-level climate requirements.

This bill, the "Enforce Immigration or Lose Transportation Act," conditions federal highway funding on state compliance with specific federal immigration enforcement policies. States will face escalating penalties, starting at a 5% reduction in federal highway funds, if they fail to verify lawful presence for driver's licenses or restrict information sharing with federal immigration authorities. The legislation aims to improve transportation safety and national security by ensuring drivers are properly vetted.

The Biosecurity Modernization and Innovation Act of 2026 addresses growing biological threats by establishing a national strategy to secure the synthetic nucleic acid supply chain. It mandates new security regulations requiring DNA/RNA synthesis providers to screen orders and customers against dangerous sequences. Furthermore, the Act creates pilot programs and governance sandboxes to foster innovation in biosecurity technology and streamline fragmented federal oversight.