Legislative Activity

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2026 reauthorizes and expands critical federal programs to improve services and prevention for victims of domestic and dating violence through 2031. It significantly increases funding and broadens support, especially for Tribal communities and underserved populations, by allowing for culturally specific and digital services. Additionally, the bill enhances efforts to prevent teen dating violence through increased funding for broader educational programs.

This bill amends federal law to establish specific qualifications for marriage and family therapists appointed to provide clinical supervision within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). To qualify, therapists must meet existing VHA requirements and also be recognized or authorized to provide clinical supervision by the state in which they are licensed. This ensures VHA clinical supervisors meet recognized state standards.

The Justice for Shireen Act mandates that the FBI Director and Secretary of State submit a comprehensive, unclassified report to Congress within 30 days regarding the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. This report must identify responsible parties and any U.S. materials implicated in the incident. The findings will also be made publicly available on the Department of State's website.

The Prison Libraries Act of 2026 establishes a federal grant program, administered by the Attorney General, to fund essential library services for incarcerated individuals. These grants aim to reduce recidivism and boost reintegration efforts by supporting education, job training, and access to modern library materials. States and territories can apply for these renewable, multi-year grants, which must be used strictly for library-related activities and cannot charge inmates for access to resources.

The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act establishes a process for victims of human trafficking to seek the expungement of federal arrests and the vacatur of certain federal criminal convictions resulting from their victimization. It also creates a new duress defense in federal criminal trials for individuals who committed offenses while being trafficked. Furthermore, the bill allows courts to reduce the sentences of current prisoners who committed offenses as a direct result of trafficking.

This bill mandates the President to withdraw all United States Armed Forces from Venezuela. This action is required unless Congress has formally declared war or passed specific legislation authorizing the use of military force in that country.

This resolution asserts that advancing the rights of women and girls in Haiti is crucial for the nation's stability and successful transition from crisis. It condemns the widespread gender-based violence and the exclusion of women from leadership roles in the transitional government. The bill calls for urgent measures to center women's needs, ensure their representation in government, and prioritize funding for survivor services and accountability for violence.

The Mental Health and MAMA Act of 2026 aims to improve access to care for new and expecting mothers. This legislation prohibits certain health plans from charging out-of-pocket costs for in-network mental health and substance use disorder services for pregnant and postpartum individuals. Furthermore, it updates continuity of care protections to explicitly cover postpartum individuals receiving ongoing mental health or substance use disorder treatment. These provisions will also apply to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

The Language Access to Gun Violence Prevention Strategies Act of 2026 mandates that federal agencies translate critical gun violence prevention materials into priority languages. It prioritizes federal grant funding for efforts that include targeted outreach to limited English proficient populations. The Act also establishes national public awareness campaigns by the DOJ and HHS specifically designed to increase language access to prevention strategies like Extreme Risk Protection Orders.

The Youth Financial Learning Act establishes a competitive grant program to incentivize states to integrate comprehensive financial literacy education into public elementary and secondary schools. State educational agencies will receive federal grants to award subgrants to local school districts for implementing and expanding curriculum on topics like credit and student loans. States must secure matching funds and prioritize districts demonstrating the greatest need to ensure broad access to financial education.

The Follow the Science Act aims to insulate the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from political influence by prohibiting most political appointees from working on or managing NIH programs. This legislation specifically bars political employees from participating in the review, selection, or awarding of NIH grants and contracts. Furthermore, it restricts the NIH Director from canceling or delaying existing funding agreements unless specific findings of mismanagement or fraud are documented and reported to Congress.

The PrEP Access Act aims to expand access to HIV prevention by amending Medicare Part B to cover HIV prevention services, such as PrEP and PEP management, when provided by pharmacists. This coverage will take effect on January 1, 2027. The bill also establishes specific payment rates and prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare beneficiaries for these services.

The Fair Legal Access Grants Act establishes a grant program to provide legal assistance and resources for individuals seeking extreme risk protection orders. This funding will help ensure petitioners have access to lawyers, translation services, and educational resources regarding the order process. Additionally, the bill protects individuals who file these petitions from being sued in federal court, unless the petition is false or harassing.

The Eliminating Bias in Algorithmic Systems Act of 2026 mandates that federal agencies address bias and discrimination in automated systems that materially affect individuals based on protected characteristics. This requires covered agencies to establish specialized civil rights offices focused on algorithmic harms. These offices must submit biennial reports to Congress detailing risks, mitigation efforts, stakeholder engagement, and legislative recommendations regarding biased algorithms.

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 Stop Body Camera Paywalls Act requires states and local governments to stop charging the public fees to access or obtain copies of specific law enforcement camera footage, including body-worn and dash camera video. To receive funding from major federal law enforcement grant programs, applicants must certify they comply with this requirement. Non-compliant governments will be ineligible for these federal grants.

This resolution initiates impeachment proceedings against Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem for high crimes and misdemeanors. The articles of impeachment charge her with willfully refusing to comply with Congressional oversight laws and violating the Impoundment Control Act by improperly withholding funds. Further articles allege she directed widespread misconduct by ICE agents that violated federal law and constitutional rights, and misused taxpayer funds for personal gain through improper contracting.

The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026 establishes a special pay system to increase the base pay for Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officers by 35 percent. This legislation also provides a similar 35 percent wage increase for certain hourly BOP employees involved in inmate custody. The new pay authority is set to expire after five years, unless the Department of Justice Inspector General reports measurable progress in reducing the use of non-custodial staff for officer duties and excessive overtime.

The Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act establishes minimum federal salary and wage floors for school support staff, requiring states to implement higher state-level standards. It authorizes significant federal funding through grants to help states and local districts meet these new pay requirements within four years. States must prioritize funding distribution to districts serving high numbers of low-income students to ensure compliance with the mandated pay increases.

The Qualified Immunity Abolition Act of 2026 eliminates qualified immunity as a defense for law enforcement officers in civil lawsuits alleging constitutional rights violations. This means officers can no longer claim good faith or lack of clearly established law to avoid liability. The Act also establishes a new civil cause of action allowing citizens to sue federal law enforcement officers for constitutional violations.