Legislative Activity

The Commonsense Review Act establishes an interagency group, chaired by the Secretary of Energy, to standardize and create categorical exclusions under NEPA for energy-related projects. This group must adopt existing exclusions from member agencies or jointly develop new ones for transmission and battery storage projects within a year. The group will then report its actions and recommendations to Congress before dissolving.

The Grid Expansion and Reliability Act aims to streamline the construction of interstate electric transmission facilities by transferring siting authority from the Secretary of Energy to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This new process allows for self-certification of projects within national interest corridors, subject to annual FERC audits and reporting to Congress on the process's effectiveness. The bill simplifies certain requirements related to landowner engagement during the authorization process.

The DPA Specialized Staffing Act grants federal agencies the authority to bypass standard competitive hiring processes to rapidly recruit subject matter experts. These experts will be tasked with identifying, evaluating, and approving projects eligible for financial assistance under the Defense Production Act. This measure aims to streamline the staffing process to ensure agencies have the specialized talent necessary to support critical national production efforts.

The ICE Standards Act introduces comprehensive reforms to federal immigration enforcement, mandating enhanced officer training, the use of body and dashboard cameras, and clear identification requirements. The bill also establishes strict protocols for de-escalation, limits enforcement actions at sensitive locations like schools and hospitals, and mandates the verification of citizenship status prior to any arrest. Additionally, it requires improved coordination and notification between federal agents and local law enforcement agencies.

Leo’s Law aims to support the development of treatments for rare diseases by extending market exclusivity periods for certain orphan drugs. This legislation provides a 180-day extension to compensate for development delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Senate resolution recognizes the significant impact of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease and calls for robust, continued research funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It specifically encourages the NIH to support research on CMT, including the CMT4B3 type, and to promote collaborative efforts to advance understanding, diagnosis, and treatment for this and other rare diseases.

Gwenn's Law aims to boost the participation of women in NIH clinical trials through a targeted public awareness campaign. The bill also mandates a separate campaign to increase women's awareness and involvement in research concerning bleeding and clotting disorders. Furthermore, it establishes a permanent Interagency Task Force and requires an action plan to better coordinate federal efforts on rare diseases that disproportionately affect women.

The AI Workforce Training Act incentivizes businesses to upskill their employees by providing a tax credit covering 30% of qualified artificial intelligence training expenses, up to $2,500 per employee. To ensure widespread adoption, the bill also mandates a federal public outreach campaign to promote the credit and requires annual reports to Congress on its impact.

This act establishes a demonstration program to award federal grants to states for creating or expanding mobile vaccination units. These units aim to improve the delivery of recommended immunizations for all age groups. States receiving funds must use them for unit acquisition, equipment, and vaccine costs. The Secretary of HHS will report on the program's effectiveness by late 2027.

The SECURES Act of 2026 mandates the Secretary of Transportation to establish new federal standards for school bus seat belts within 180 days of enactment. This rulemaking must consider the superior safety benefits of lap-shoulder belt systems and innovative detection technologies. The goal is to ensure all new school buses meet enhanced safety requirements for student protection.

The Miranda Vargas School Bus Driver Red Flag Act establishes a national employer notification service to alert employers when a school bus driver's commercial driving status changes due to violations or suspensions. This law mandates that states implement this service to monitor drivers with school bus endorsements. The goal is to enhance student safety by ensuring employers are immediately aware of critical changes in their school transportation employees' driving records.

The U.S.-Israel Anti-Killer Drone Act of 2026 establishes a framework to significantly enhance joint U.S.-Israel cooperation specifically aimed at countering threats posed by Iranian unmanned aerial systems (drones). This legislation increases authorized funding for cooperative missile defense programs and mandates detailed annual reporting on joint counter-drone research, development, and deployment efforts. The goal is to accelerate the exchange of technology and expertise to defend against evolving drone attacks.

The Sikh American Anti-Discrimination Act of 2026 establishes a Department of Justice Task Force dedicated to combating anti-Sikh hate and discrimination. This Task Force is charged with formally defining anti-Sikh hate, developing educational programs for law enforcement and schools, and collaborating with the Sikh community. The bill mandates annual reporting to Congress on hate crimes, legal actions, and ongoing threats against Sikhs.

The PLAY Act of 2026 aims to promote youth physical activity through significant tax incentives and new federal funding. It expands the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to include youth sports expenses and increases contribution limits for dependent care FSAs. Additionally, the bill allows certain health savings accounts to be used for youth physical activity costs and establishes a HHS grant program to make recreational sports more affordable.

The Porch Pirates Act of 2025 establishes new federal criminal penalties for stealing or interfering with packages delivered by private or commercial carriers across state lines. This legislation asserts Congress's authority to extend protections against package theft to items shipped via services like FedEx or UPS, mirroring existing protections for the U.S. Postal Service. The bill specifically targets the theft of delivered packages before the recipient takes physical possession.

The American Products in Parks Act mandates that all items sold in National Park System gift shops and visitor centers must be manufactured in the United States. This requires that final assembly, significant processing, and the sourcing of virtually all components occur domestically. The Secretary of the Interior is tasked with establishing compliance procedures one year after the law's enactment.

This bill mandates that state Medicaid programs must cover lung cancer biomarker testing for beneficiaries starting January 1, 2027. It amends the Social Security Act to establish this testing as a required benefit under Medicaid. The goal is to improve precision in cancer care through mandated diagnostic coverage.

The Benay Taub Lung Cancer Research Act establishes a Lung Cancer Task Force within the National Institutes of Health. This task force is charged with examining disparities in lung cancer research, funding, and patient access compared to other diseases. The Act mandates that the Task Force submit a report to Congress with findings and recommendations, including proposals for increasing federal research funding.

This bill, the Lung Cancer Medicare Access to Precise Testing Act, mandates that Medicare begin covering lung cancer biomarker testing for diagnosed individuals starting January 1, 2027. The legislation ensures Medicare will pay 100 percent of the reasonable charges for these tests, which analyze tissue or bodily fluids to identify specific biomarkers.

This bill mandates an annual increase in compensation rates for veterans with service-connected disabilities and for the survivors of certain disabled veterans. Effective December 1st each year, these rates will automatically rise by the same percentage as the Social Security Act benefit increase. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to publish these adjusted compensation and dependency/indemnity rates annually.