Legislative Activity

This bill, the "Right to Record Act of 2026," establishes an explicit federal right to record, observe, or peacefully protest federal law enforcement activities in public view. It creates a civil cause of action allowing individuals to sue officers and the United States for violations of this right, including provisions for statutory damages and attorney's fees. The Act mandates training for federal officers and requires courts to interpret its provisions broadly to protect these expressive activities.

The SAFE through Medicare Act amends Medicare to cover essential "home resiliency services" for individuals deemed medically at-risk during climate or manmade disasters. This new Part B benefit, starting in 2027, will cover items like heat pumps or solar batteries necessary for health and safety when disasters strike. Medicare will pay 100% of the cost for these medically necessary services, following a determination process that considers regional risks and individual medical needs.

The No Illegal Captivity and Extensions Act of 2026 (NICE Act of 2026) eliminates the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue or enforce immigration detainers. This legislation specifically strikes provisions allowing federal immigration authorities to request state or local law enforcement hold individuals in custody. The bill establishes a general prohibition against issuing or enforcing any immigration detainer or hold, regardless of any existing agreement.

The Legacy IT Reduction Act of 2026 mandates that federal agencies inventory their existing legacy information technology systems and develop comprehensive modernization plans. This legislation requires agencies to prioritize the updating, retirement, or disposal of outdated systems to improve efficiency. The Act also establishes reporting requirements to Congress and mandates a review by the Comptroller General, while explicitly excluding national security systems from its scope.

The Post-Disaster Protection Act establishes a temporary 180-day federal moratorium on most debt collection and negative credit reporting activities for individuals in presidentially declared disaster areas. This automatic protection prevents creditors from taking actions like foreclosures, repossessions, or wage garnishments following a major disaster. Additionally, the bill extends the deadline for appealing FEMA disaster assistance decisions from 60 to 90 days.

The Youth Climate Leadership Act of 2026 mandates that five key federal agencies establish Youth Advisory Councils to provide recommendations on climate change and environmental justice. These Councils will be composed of young people, with a strong emphasis on representation from disadvantaged communities. Their primary role is to advise agency heads on policies affecting youth and the environment, leading to annual reports detailing their findings and recommendations.

This Act establishes a competitive grant program through HUD to help residents acquire and preserve manufactured home communities as resident-owned communities (ROCs). It also incentivizes states to adopt laws that grant residents the right of first refusal when their community owner decides to sell. The goal is to increase resident control, stabilize lot rents, and preserve this source of unsubsidized affordable housing.

The Fair Future Act amends the Fair Housing Act to eliminate specific exemptions currently found in Section 807(b). This legislation streamlines housing regulations by removing outdated provisions to ensure more consistent application of fair housing standards.

The Fight Book Bans Act establishes a federal grant program to assist public school districts with the legal costs associated with defending their decisions to keep instructional and library materials available to students. By providing up to $100,000 per challenge, the bill aims to support districts in maintaining access to educational resources during formal reconsideration processes. The program is designed to be viewpoint-neutral, ensuring that funding is distributed without bias toward the content of the materials in question.

The Safer Rail Crossing Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue new guidance for states regarding safety projects aimed at reducing rail trespassing fatalities. This mandate requires the Federal Highway Administration to clarify how states can utilize specific federal funding to implement these critical infrastructure improvements.

The Destroy Zombie Guns Act establishes federal requirements for businesses that destroy firearms, making it a crime to fail to completely destroy every component of a firearm. This legislation defines who is considered to be in the business of firearm destruction and sets penalties, including fines, imprisonment, and potential license revocation for dealers, for non-compliance.

This bill, the Merchant Codes Can Save Lives Act, establishes federal authority over how payment card transactions for firearms and related items are categorized. It explicitly prohibits states from creating their own restrictions or deterrents regarding the use of standardized International Organization for Standardization (ISO) merchant category codes for these purchases. The Attorney General is empowered to enforce this federal standard.

The Prevent Illegal Gun Resales Act aims to curb illegal firearms trafficking by significantly increasing federal licensing fees for dealers, manufacturers, and importers. The bill mandates stricter anti-trafficking procedures for licensed dealers, requiring detailed business practices and compliance with new Attorney General regulations to prevent inventory diversion. Furthermore, it establishes new federal offenses and enhanced penalties for firearms trafficking while imposing heightened scrutiny and mandatory operational changes on dealers identified as "high risk."

The Medicare Investment and Gun Violence Prevention Act reinstates federal taxes on the transfer and manufacture of certain firearms, setting the tax at $200 per firearm. This legislation also provides $1.7 billion in additional funding for the Medicare Part A Trust Fund for fiscal year 2026.

The Faster Buses Better Futures Act aims to significantly improve public transit by creating competitive grants for ambitious bus network redesigns focused on doubling ridership. It also establishes funding to ensure bus stops have accessible shelters and mandates that road owners implement transit priority measures to improve bus reliability. Finally, the Act provides dedicated funding for the Federal Transit Administration to administer these new programs and support transit planning efforts.

The Epinephrine’s Pharma Inflated Price Ends Now Act (EPIPEN Act) caps consumer out-of-pocket costs for life-saving epinephrine delivery systems, such as EpiPens, at no more than \$60 per package of two. This requirement applies to most group and individual health insurance plans, with payments counting toward annual deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. These new cost-sharing limits will take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The Wheelchair Right to Repair Act establishes a "right to repair" for powered mobility assistance devices, including motorized wheelchairs and wearable robotics. This legislation carves out exceptions to copyright law, allowing owners and independent shops to legally bypass digital locks to diagnose, maintain, and repair these essential devices. Furthermore, manufacturers are required to provide all necessary documentation, parts, software, and tools to these independent providers at fair and reasonable terms. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with enforcing these provisions as unfair or deceptive business practices.

The Safe Air on Airplanes Act mandates the phase-out of "bleed air systems" in new aircraft designs to improve cabin air quality. This legislation requires the FAA to ban these systems in future aircraft designs within six months. For existing aircraft designs still in production, the bill requires the installation of specialized filters within seven years, followed by a 30-year timeline for completely eliminating bleed air systems from newly manufactured planes.

The No Radioactive Roads Act of 2025 clarifies and strengthens regulations regarding the use of phosphogypsum, a radioactive material, in construction. This Act mandates that any proposed new use of phosphogypsum must meet strict cancer risk standards previously established for waste piles. Furthermore, applicants seeking approval for unlisted uses must provide extensive safety and environmental monitoring plans to the EPA. All approvals and associated risk assessments for these special uses will be made publicly available online.

The Fixing Gaps in Hurricane Preparedness Act mandates new research to better understand how the public receives, interprets, and acts upon hurricane warnings. This effort focuses on the social and behavioral sciences to improve forecast communication, especially for vulnerable populations. The goal is to use this evidence to update NOAA's hurricane forecasting and warning services.