Legislative Activity

The Medicaid Financing Clarification Act of 2026 explicitly confirms that public funds provided by local government entities, such as counties and cities, can be counted toward a state's required matching contribution for Medicaid. This legislation clarifies the definition of "public funds" to ensure transparency and consistency in how states meet their financial obligations under the Medicaid program.

The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act prohibits the VA from reporting veterans to the NICS background check system solely because a fiduciary was appointed to manage their benefits. This legislation ensures that a VA finding of mental incompetence or the appointment of a fiduciary alone is not used to treat a veteran as a "mental defective" for gun control purposes. Furthermore, the VA must notify the Attorney General about past transmissions of this information that lacked a proper legal basis.

The Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026 exempts small "marginal wells" from specific performance standards and reporting requirements set by the EPA under the Clean Air Act. This legislation aims to reduce regulatory burdens on these smaller oil and gas operations. The bill also mandates automatic approval for state plans that remove these standards for marginal wells.

This bill aims to improve federal programs for the prevention, detection, and treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). It updates the Public Health Service Act to enhance TBI prevention and surveillance, extends grant programs to include high-risk populations and Tribal entities, and requires the CDC to make aggregated TBI data publicly available. Additionally, the bill mandates studies and reports on TBI's long-term effects and high-risk populations, ensuring continued support and research in this critical area through 2030.

The FDA Modernization Act 3.0 mandates the FDA to update federal regulations within one year, replacing references to "animal testing" with the broader term "nonclinical testing" in drug development rules. This change aligns FDA regulations with recent legislative updates, allowing for the use of modern, non-animal testing methods in drug approval processes. The interim final rule implementing these changes will take effect immediately upon publication.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative gold and silver coins marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The coins will honor the victims, first responders, and survivors, with designs selected in consultation with the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. All surcharges from the sale of these coins will be paid directly to the Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance.

The Semiconductor Technology Resilience, Integrity, and Defense Enhancement Act (STRIDE Act) aims to protect U.S. technological leadership by coordinating with allies to secure the global semiconductor supply chain against adversarial control, particularly from the Chinese Communist Party. The bill mandates the State Department to align export controls and establish trusted supplier networks with key semiconductor partners. It also outlines consequences, including enhanced export restrictions, for nations that fail to prevent technology transfer to countries of concern.

The DATA Act of 2026 establishes a new type of utility called a Consumer-Regulated Electric Utility (CREU) designed to serve new, isolated electric loads independently of the existing grid. CREUs are fully exempt from regulation under the Federal Power Act, FERC, DOE, and PURPA, provided they remain physically islanded from the bulk-power system. This legislation also allows CREUs to utilize existing public rights-of-way under limited review criteria.

This resolution supports the designation of March 2026 as Endometriosis Awareness Month to recognize the impact of this common, debilitating disease. It affirms a commitment to improving early detection, provider education, and funding for research into better treatments and a cure. The bill encourages nationwide observance with appropriate awareness and educational activities.

The FENCES Act amends the Clean Air Act to prevent areas within a state from being designated as nonattainment areas due to pollution originating outside the United States or beyond the state's control. It also waives certain federal sanctions and fees for states that demonstrate air quality failures are caused by uncontrollable external emissions or exceptional events. This legislation ensures states are not penalized for pollution they cannot regulate, while still requiring them to maintain plans to meet air quality standards.

The Drug Origin Transparency Act of 2026 aims to increase the visibility of pharmaceutical supply chains. This bill mandates that drug manufacturers provide the FDA with more detailed and frequent reports regarding the suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and production amounts. Furthermore, it requires that drug labels clearly list the original manufacturer and key supply chain partners for both finished drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

The Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act prevents federal agencies from banning the use of lead ammunition and tackle on federal lands and waters open to hunting and fishing. Exceptions to this rule are only permitted if specific, site-based field data proves lead is causing a wildlife population decline and the action is approved by or consistent with state wildlife policies.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 strengthens U.S. policy by imposing mandatory sanctions on foreign persons and financial institutions that support Iran’s nuclear, ballistic missile, drone, and terrorist activities. The bill specifically targets Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sectors to cut off funding for these malign programs. Additionally, it expands the State Department’s "Rewards for Justice" program to incentivize the reporting of individuals who evade these sanctions.

The Homeowner Energy Freedom Act repeals three specific energy-related programs established under Public Law 117-169 and rescinds any remaining unspent funds associated with those programs. This legislation aims to eliminate these specific federal energy initiatives.

The Gun Owner Registration Information Protection Act prohibits federal agencies from providing funding or support for the creation and maintenance of state-level firearm ownership databases. This legislation ensures that federal resources cannot be used to track lawful gun owners, with a specific exception for databases tracking lost or stolen firearms.

This resolution recognizes the 10th anniversary of the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) export shipment from the lower 48 states in February 2016. It celebrates this milestone as a turning point that established the U.S. as a leading global LNG supplier, significantly boosting economic growth and strengthening international energy security. The bill honors the innovation and hard work that supported this vital sector.

This Act establishes a "zero-based" system requiring specific federal energy and environmental regulations to automatically expire unless actively renewed. Covered agencies must set expiration dates for existing rules within one year and for new rules within five years. Agencies can extend these deadlines only after providing public notice and comment on the regulation's costs and benefits.

The Recycled Materials Attribution Act of 2026 establishes national standards for making recycled content claims in commerce. This bill recognizes mass balance accounting as an acceptable method for substantiating these claims, provided it adheres to a third-party certification system. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with updating its Green Guides to reflect these standards and will enforce prohibitions against misleading recycled content claims. Furthermore, the Act preempts state and local regulations concerning the enforcement of these federal standards.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE America Act) mandates that individuals must provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. It also establishes a federal requirement for voters to present a photo ID indicating U.S. citizenship when casting a ballot in federal elections. The bill outlines specific acceptable forms of proof and requires states to implement verification programs to ensure only citizens are registered and voting.

The Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act establishes a Department of Energy program to enhance the physical security and cybersecurity of natural gas pipelines and LNG facilities. This program will focus on improving coordination, leading incident response, developing new technologies, and providing workforce training. The Act ensures that existing security authorities of other federal agencies remain in place.