Legislative Activity

The Restoring Overtime Pay Act of 2026 significantly updates overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. It establishes a phased-in, rising minimum salary threshold for executive, administrative, and professional employees to qualify for overtime exemption, eventually tying it to national earnings data. Additionally, the bill tightens the "duties test," reducing the amount of non-exempt work an employee can perform while remaining exempt from overtime pay. These changes aim to restore overtime eligibility to more salaried workers.

The **Protecting Our Democracy Act** imposes sweeping reforms across the executive branch to strengthen accountability and restore checks and balances. It restricts presidential pardon power, closes loopholes to ensure no President is above the law, and enforces constitutional emoluments clauses to prevent self-enrichment. Furthermore, the Act enhances congressional oversight by strengthening subpoena enforcement, increasing transparency around White House visitors and tax returns, and protecting federal whistleblowers from retaliation.

The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 establishes permanent, universal free breakfast and lunch programs for all enrolled students at participating schools, eliminating income tests and meal debt collection. The bill significantly updates federal funding mechanisms by replacing reliance on free and reduced-price lunch data with new measures for identifying economically disadvantaged students across various education and social programs. Furthermore, it expands access to summer and afterschool meals while making technical amendments across several federal education and nutrition laws.

The Trade Responsibly for Environmental Emissions (TREE) Act prohibits the import and sale of "deforestation goods"—commodities linked to deforestation or forest degradation after December 31, 2020—starting in 2029. Importers must submit detailed due diligence statements to Customs and Border Protection, with violations resulting in significant civil penalties, including fines up to 4% of U.S. revenue and potential import bans. The bill also mandates a risk-based country categorization system to guide increased border inspections.

This bill, the Assault Weapon Financing Accountability Act, prohibits the use of "Buy Now, Pay Later" loans for the purchase of semiautomatic assault weapons. It makes it illegal for lenders to issue these loans and for gun dealers to knowingly accept them for these specific firearm sales. Violations carry a significant civil penalty of $100,000 per offense.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives commending public servants for their dedication to defending the Constitution and delivering essential services to the American people. It specifically designates the week of May 3 through May 9, 2026, as Public Service Recognition Week. The bill honors the millions of federal, state, and local employees and uniformed service members who support the economy and democratic foundations of the nation.

This resolution officially designates the week of May 4 through May 8, 2026, as Teacher Appreciation Week. It recognizes the vital role of public school teachers and highlights their key priorities, including support for existing federal protections and funding. Furthermore, the bill encourages leaders to engage directly with teachers to ensure their expertise informs education policy.

The CHARTER Act ensures that federally funded charter schools adhere to nonprofit requirements by prohibiting them from contracting with for-profit entities to operate or manage the school's core operations. This legislation aims to prevent public education funds from being diverted as profit for private entities. It clarifies that while core management must remain nonprofit, charters can still contract for specific support services like food or transportation.

The Housing FIRST Act amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to establish formal standards for tenant screening reports, treating them similarly to employment reports. This bill strictly limits the types of criminal and financial history landlords can use when evaluating rental applicants. Furthermore, it mandates specific disclosure and adverse action notification requirements for landlords using these reports.

This Act nullifies three specific Department of State rules concerning foreign assistance, effectively treating them as if they never existed. It prohibits any federal agency from implementing or enforcing these rules, or any substantially similar future policies. The legislation aims to prevent the enforcement of rules related to "Protecting Life," "Discriminatory Equity Ideology," and "Gender Ideology" in foreign aid.

This resolution directs the House Oversight Committee Chair to initiate or intervene in a federal lawsuit within 30 days. The legal action must compel Pamela J. Bondi to comply with a committee subpoena for testimony regarding the DOJ's handling of records related to Jeffrey Epstein and sex trafficking law enforcement.

The Lowering Utility Bills Act aims to reduce consumer energy costs by establishing stricter federal and state guidelines for how electric transmission providers and investor-owned utilities calculate their allowed rate of return. The bill mandates using the lowest reasonable return on equity based on market data and explicitly bans passing numerous lobbying, administrative, and political expenses onto customers. Furthermore, it requires utilities to prioritize lower-cost, grid-enhancing technologies when planning new capital expenditures.

The "Timely and Accurate Benefits Act" mandates states to implement an Enhanced Income Verification Platform to receive federal funding for benefit programs. This platform will use real-time data matching and analytics to verify income, including wages, self-employment earnings, and other sources, ensuring accurate eligibility determinations. The goal is to reduce improper payments and ensure timely benefit distribution. The act defines key terms such as "Enhanced Gross Income" and "Enhanced Income Verification Platform" to provide a clear framework for implementation.

The Living Wage For All Act establishes a phased increase of the federal minimum wage, ultimately aiming to tie it to two-thirds of the national median hourly wage. It creates differentiated wage schedules, requiring large corporations to reach higher minimums sooner than other employers. Furthermore, the bill phases out subminimum wages for tipped workers and workers with disabilities, and extends federal wage protections to incarcerated workers.

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, the Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act, establishes a grant program to help health care facilities protect essential workers during declared emergencies or disasters. Funds can be used to provide eligible, non-remote health care workers with hazardous duty pay, up to $13 per hour, when their work or commute is deemed hazardous. Additionally, grants can cover safety measures like PPE and alternative transit for these essential personnel.

This resolution affirms that stable housing is a fundamental human right essential for all families, regardless of immigration status. It strongly condemns a proposed rule that would force families with mixed immigration status to separate or lose vital housing assistance. The bill calls for protecting families in federal housing programs and demands increased investment to address the national housing crisis.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House that the Department of Justice must comply with the Domestic Emoluments Clause. It specifically calls for the DOJ to refuse to administratively settle the billions of dollars in legal claims filed against the United States by President Donald Trump. The bill asserts that allowing the President to settle his own personal claims against the government constitutes an unconstitutional conflict of interest.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House that President Trump and Special Envoy Witkoff violated the Foreign Emoluments Clause by accepting undisclosed payments linked to a secret deal with an entity substantially funded by the UAE. It demands they immediately turn over all such payments to the Treasury and divest from any business interests connected to foreign governments. The bill cites specific financial transactions and subsequent U.S. policy actions favoring the UAE as evidence of a grave conflict of interest.

The Transit Workforce Development Act establishes a competitive grant program through the Department of Transportation to address critical workforce shortages in public transit maintenance. This funding supports training, recruitment, and retention efforts for essential transit workers like mechanics and technicians. The bill also expands existing funding flexibility, allowing transit agencies to use more federal bus and facility funds specifically for broader workforce development training.