Legislative Activity

The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act establishes a process for victims of human trafficking to seek the expungement of federal arrests and the vacatur of certain federal criminal convictions resulting from their victimization. It also creates a new duress defense in federal criminal trials for individuals who committed offenses while being trafficked. Furthermore, the bill allows courts to reduce the sentences of current prisoners who committed offenses as a direct result of trafficking.

The Buying American Cotton Act of 2026 establishes the Domestic Cotton Consumption Credit to incentivize the use of U.S.-grown cotton in products sold domestically. This new business tax credit is calculated based on the volume of U.S. cotton used, the market price, and where the product was processed. The bill mandates digital tracing to verify the supply chain and offers significantly increased credit multipliers for products containing U.S.-made cotton yarn or fabric.

The Financial Reporting Threshold Modernization Act updates the thresholds for currency transaction reports and suspicious activity reports to reflect inflation. It raises the threshold for currency transaction reports from $10,000 to $30,000 and mandates updates every 5 years based on the Consumer Price Index. Additionally, it increases the reporting threshold for coins and currency received in nonfinancial trades or businesses from $10,000 to $30,000, also with CPI-based updates every 5 years. The Act requires federal agencies and the Secretary of the Treasury to revise regulations to reflect these changes, which must be implemented within 180 days of enactment.

The Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act aims to improve public access to ocean data within the Exclusive Economic Zone. It mandates the standardization and online publication of geospatial data regarding fishing restrictions and recreational activities. This effort requires the Secretary of Commerce to coordinate with various governmental and non-federal partners to ensure data accessibility while preserving existing agency authority and Tribal rights.

This Act ensures that when the EPA sets new air quality standards, they must immediately provide the necessary guidance for states to process preconstruction permits. If this guidance is delayed, the new standard cannot be applied to permit reviews until the instructions are published. Furthermore, the bill specifies that the new 2024 PM2.5 standard will not apply to certain permit applications already underway before the EPA officially designates the affected areas. These changes do not eliminate requirements for installing the best available pollution control technology.

This act establishes new pathways for advanced manufacturing and critical mineral facilities to address air pollution offset requirements under the Clean Air Act. It allows the President to grant a National Security Waiver for emission offsets for these critical facilities. Additionally, it permits states to approve alternative offset requirements or impose an emissions fee if standard offsets are unavailable.

Sara’s Law and the Preventing Unfair Sentencing Act of 2026 creates special sentencing considerations for young offenders who committed crimes while being victims of prior trafficking, abuse, or assault. This legislation grants courts the authority to sentence these "youthful victim offenders" below mandatory minimums and suspend portions of their sentences to account for past trauma. The law specifically targets individuals under 18 whose offense was committed against a recent abuser.

This resolution commends President Trump and U.S. forces for the successful "Operation Absolute Resolve," which apprehended fugitive Nicolás Maduro and dismantled the command structure of the Cartel de los Soles. It recognizes the operation as a critical step against state-sponsored narcoterrorism that fuels the U.S. drug crisis. Furthermore, the bill reaffirms the Monroe Doctrine and supports a democratic transition in Venezuela.

The Stop Insider Trading Act restricts Members of Congress and their immediate families from purchasing new securities issued by publicly traded companies. It requires advance public disclosure for any sale of existing covered investments, with a mandatory 7-to-14-day notice period before the transaction. Violations result in significant financial penalties, including disgorgement of any net gains, payable by the Member personally.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 targets the increasing threat posed by organized theft groups impacting retail and the national supply chain. This bill strengthens federal law by expanding money laundering statutes and lowering thresholds for property crimes related to theft. Crucially, it establishes a new federal coordination center within Homeland Security Investigations to align efforts across all levels of law enforcement and the private sector to combat these cross-jurisdictional crimes.

The Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026 amends immigration law to make non-citizens inadmissible and deportable if they commit specific fraud offenses against the U.S. government or unlawfully receive public benefits. This legislation explicitly bars individuals found inadmissible or deportable under these new grounds from receiving any form of immigration relief.

This bill, the Hemp Planting Predictability Act, seeks to amend the Agriculture Appropriations Act of 2026. Specifically, it delays the implementation of recent amendments affecting hemp production under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. The delay for these changes is extended from one year to three years.

This bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to temporarily exclude certain False Claims Act recoveries from being deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. It also mandates a comprehensive audit by the Department of Justice Inspector General on the Fund's sustainability and the impact of recent legislative changes. The resulting report will provide recommendations for improving the Fund's effectiveness and oversight.

The Mystic Alerts Act establishes a voluntary framework for commercial mobile service providers to choose whether to transmit national emergency alerts via satellite. Providers must file an election with the FCC, agreeing to specific technical standards if they choose satellite transmission, or notify customers if they opt out. The FCC is required to develop and finalize the necessary technical rules and protocols for satellite alerting within one year of enactment.

This bill officially designates January 9, 2026, as "National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day" to honor the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers nationwide. It also establishes National Police Week and National Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15th) to commemorate officers who have died in the line of duty. The legislation encourages the President to issue annual proclamations recognizing these days and calls for flags to be flown at half-staff on Memorial Day.

The Pet and Livestock Protection Act officially removes the gray wolf from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife. This legislation mandates the reissuance of the November 3, 2020, final rule concerning the gray wolf's delisting within 60 days of enactment. Furthermore, the reissuance of this rule is explicitly barred from judicial review.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that illicit fentanyl-related substances should be classified as weapons of mass destruction due to their devastating impact on public health. It urges the President to take action to classify these substances as such, recognizing the severity of the ongoing opioid crisis driven by these drugs. Furthermore, the resolution supports permanently placing illicit fentanyl and related substances into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

The WALZ Act mandates that the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services investigate specific HHS programs when payments to providers and suppliers surge by 10% or more within a six-month period. This legislation aims to ensure oversight and accountability for significant increases in federal health program spending.

The Protect Children’s Innocence Act establishes federal criminal penalties for performing genital or bodily mutilation or chemical castration on individuals under 18 years old. This law applies when the act involves interstate commerce or occurs in U.S. territories. It explicitly prohibits procedures intended to change a minor's body to correspond with a different sex, with narrow exceptions for specific medical necessities.

The Reliable Power Act mandates annual long-term reliability assessments by the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to proactively identify risks of power shortages. If a "generation inadequacy" is found, it triggers a review process for certain federal agency regulations that affect power generation resources. This ensures federal agencies must address and respond to FERC's recommendations on how their proposed rules might impact the reliability of the bulk-power system before finalizing those actions.