Legislative Activity

The Advancing Safe Medications for Moms and Babies Act of 2026 aims to improve medication safety for pregnant and lactating women. This bill directs the FDA to update regulations to encourage including these women in clinical trials. It also mandates an education campaign to raise awareness about relevant research and requires the NIH to prioritize and fund research on drugs used by this population.

This resolution supports the goals of National Fentanyl Awareness Day in 2026 to combat the deadly threat of counterfeit pills. It aims to increase public awareness regarding the dangers of fake fentanyl-laced medications, which are increasingly accessible to young people. The bill also applauds law enforcement efforts to stop the distribution of these illicit and often lethal counterfeit pills.

This resolution supports designating the week of April 27 through May 1, 2026, as "National Specialized Instructional Support Personnel Appreciation Week." It recognizes the vital role of over one million school-based professionals, such as counselors, social workers, and therapists, in removing barriers to learning for all students. The bill commends these individuals for delivering essential educational, social, and emotional support that improves student outcomes and school climate.

This bill amends federal law to reclassify clergy and religious workers as employees for Social Security and Medicare tax purposes, requiring churches to withhold these taxes. It also repeals the existing religious exemption that allows clergy to opt out of Social Security coverage. Furthermore, the Act establishes a process for currently exempt clergy to revoke their exemption and mandates the IRS to report on informing these workers of their new options.

The SEED Act (Supporting Early-childhood Educators Deductions Act) expands the existing federal educator expense deduction to include early childhood educators. This legislation allows childcare providers and preschool teachers to claim tax deductions for out-of-pocket classroom expenses, mirroring the benefit currently available to K-12 teachers. The change is set to take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Kenya Merritt Renewing our PACT Act of 2026 establishes a legal presumption that certain diseases are proximately caused by employment for federal workers exposed to toxic burn pits during overseas military operations. This means qualifying federal employees who served in designated locations will automatically have covered illnesses considered work-related for disability or death claims. The bill mandates that the list of covered diseases aligns with the Department of Veterans Affairs' list.

This bill, the Rehabilitation of Historic Schools Act of 2026, amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the federal rehabilitation tax credit to expenditures made on public school buildings. This change allows for tax incentives for renovating qualified public educational facilities. The Treasury Department will report to Congress on the impact of this new credit five years after enactment.

The HELP Act of 2026 establishes a program within HHS to strengthen nationwide access to 211 services for health and human services information and referrals. This initiative aims to increase 211 capacity, improve coordination with 911 and 988 crisis lines, and raise public awareness. The Act authorizes $250 million annually through 2032 to provide grants to local 211 providers to expand and improve service accessibility across all states.

This bill establishes a grant program to enhance screening, intervention, and services for pregnant and postpartum individuals affected by domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking. It also mandates a study on how various forms of violence and trauma impact maternal health risks. Finally, the legislation supports grants for innovative approaches to improve maternal and child health outcomes for victims of violence and trauma.

This bill aims to protect consumers from deceptive content created by generative Artificial Intelligence, such as deepfakes. It requires AI application providers to embed machine-readable disclosures in AI-generated audio or visual content. Covered online platforms must then clearly display these disclosures to users. The FTC is tasked with issuing regulations to enforce these transparency requirements.

The Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act aims to significantly improve access to and quality of mental health and substance use care nationwide. It strengthens Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) by establishing stable Medicaid and Medicare payment systems, providing substantial grant funding for expansion, and extending federal liability protection to their clinicians. Overall, the bill seeks to ensure comprehensive, affordable, and sustainable behavioral health services for patients across all major federal health programs.

The Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026 establishes a national system to map, protect, and restore critical pathways for wildlife movement across federal and nonfederal lands. It creates a scientific mapping program, designates formal wildlife corridors on federal property, and funds grants for habitat connectivity projects on private and state lands. The bill aims to reduce habitat fragmentation, improve species adaptation to climate change, and enhance public safety by mitigating wildlife-vehicle conflicts.

The Deterring American AI Model Theft Act of 2026 aims to protect proprietary, closed-source Artificial Intelligence models owned by U.S. entities from theft by foreign adversaries. It establishes new legal restrictions and penalties targeting "model extraction attacks" used by designated "entities of concern" to replicate advanced AI capabilities. The bill mandates government assessments, public reporting, and grants the President authority to impose sanctions against those found violating these provisions.

The BIS IT Modernization Act mandates a comprehensive overhaul of the Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) technology systems through fiscal year 2030. This modernization aims to leverage advanced tools like AI and data analysis to speed up export licensing and enhance supply chain tracking. The goal is to improve national security by better identifying and tracking entities involved in illicit trade, particularly concerning adversaries like China and Russia. Ultimately, the Act requires a unified, secure IT environment to boost efficiency and data sharing capabilities across government and industry partners.

The Baltic Security Assessment Act of 2025 affirms the critical importance of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to U.S. national security amidst Russian aggression. This bill mandates that the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense deliver a comprehensive report to Congress detailing emerging military, cyber, and political threats to the Baltic states. The report must also recommend specific actions to enhance U.S. and NATO defense cooperation and bolster Baltic resilience.

This bill mandates a comprehensive report to Congress detailing Russia's systematic persecution of religious groups in occupied Ukrainian territories. It requires the administration to identify responsible individuals and entities involved in suppressing religious freedom, including the destruction of houses of worship. Following the report, the President must impose sanctions on those found responsible for this religious persecution.

The Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2025 aims to establish a coordinated federal effort to combat lung cancer in women. This legislation focuses on increasing research tailored to women's specific risk factors, updating guidelines for preventive screening, and improving public awareness. It also mandates an interagency review to accelerate progress in research and access to preventive services for women and underserved populations.

The 21st Century Entrepreneurship Act aims to boost economic growth by increasing entrepreneurship rates, particularly in disadvantaged communities. This is achieved by requiring the Small Business Administration (SBA) to develop an entrepreneurship curriculum for SCORE volunteers to teach at community learning centers. The bill mandates collaboration between the SBA and the Department of Education to implement this program and includes regular reporting to Congress on its progress and impact.

The Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2026 aims to expand access to childhood immunizations by broadening eligibility for the VFC program and setting minimum payment rates for vaccine administration under Medicaid and CHIP. The bill mandates that Medicaid and CHIP programs pay providers at least 100% of the Medicare Part B rate for vaccine administration and counseling services through 2028. Additionally, it increases the federal Medicaid matching rate contingent upon states implementing culturally competent vaccination outreach efforts.

The Pets Belong with Families Act aims to ensure that pets can remain with their families by removing unnecessary barriers in federally assisted housing. This legislation prohibits most pet bans, fees, and breed restrictions in these housing situations. Housing providers can still enforce reasonable rules regarding pet behavior and safety, but cannot charge deposits beyond a specified limit or deny pets based on breed.