Legislative Activity

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 SHINE Act of 2026 establishes a voluntary federal program to help local governments streamline and simplify permitting for residential clean energy systems like solar panels and EV chargers. The program, managed by the Secretary of Energy, will develop an exemplary online platform and standardized inspection protocols to speed up installations. It also authorizes funding and incentives to encourage local government adoption of these simplified processes.

The Duty Status Reform Act aims to modernize and streamline the process for determining and managing duty status for federal employees. This legislation seeks to clarify existing regulations and ensure fair and consistent application of duty status rules across government agencies.

The Rural Investment for Producers and the Environment (RIPE) Act of 2026 establishes a demonstration program within the USDA to pay agricultural producers for implementing environmentally beneficial practices in selected watersheds. This program will offer direct, performance-based contracts ranging from three to five years to improve water quality, soil health, and climate resiliency. Payments will be calculated based on costs, foregone income, and environmental benefits, with increased rates for limited resource and socially disadvantaged farmers.

The Families First Housing Act of 2026 establishes an 180-day "first look" period for certain homebuyers and organizations to purchase government-owned single-family properties before they can be sold to institutional investors. This mandates that federal housing entities offer eligible properties at fair market value exclusively to qualified primary residents, nonprofits, or local governments during this initial period. The Act also requires public listing, reporting on sales, and imposes penalties for non-compliance.

This act mandates a strategic review of the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve to ensure its readiness for energy security needs. The Secretary of Energy must report to Congress on the Reserve's optimal capacity, composition, and capabilities. The goal is to create an action plan for maximizing the Reserve's effectiveness in supporting the region's energy security.

The Peace Through Strength Against Russia Act of 2025 imposes comprehensive sanctions on Russia's financial, military, and energy sectors in response to its war against Ukraine. This legislation cuts off major Russian banks from the U.S. financial system and bans new American investment in Russia. Additionally, the bill makes the existing sanctions authority against Iran permanent by removing its expiration date.

The Veteran Suicide Prevention Act mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a comprehensive review of veteran suicides over the preceding five years, focusing on prescription practices. This review will analyze medication use, diagnoses, and demographic data for veterans who died by suicide while receiving VA care. The VA must then submit a detailed report of its findings and recommendations to Congress and the public.

This resolution expresses support for designating November 2025 as National Lung Cancer Awareness Month. It highlights the critical need to increase public awareness regarding lung cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment options. The bill also recognizes significant disparities in screening rates and the impact of stigma on patients.

This act expands an existing grant program to specifically fund research-based public service announcement (PSA) campaigns aimed at preventing youth substance use. These campaigns must use age-appropriate materials across various media platforms. The bill also mandates annual reporting on the awarded grants, including campaign details and effectiveness evaluations.

The Snowmobiles Arent Weapons (SAW) Act establishes a federal prohibition against using a motor vehicle to intentionally harm or capture mammalian predators on most federal lands. This act sets significant penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for violations. An exception is made for actions taken in self-defense against immediate harm.

The Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025 aims to increase awareness of civil rights protections for students under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The bill mandates a public awareness campaign and requires colleges receiving federal aid to prominently display links and materials related to filing discrimination complaints. Furthermore, it establishes regular congressional briefings and requires annual reporting and targeted audits on how institutions handle complaints of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin.

The Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New Devices (STAND) Act mandates an annual preventative health evaluation for veterans with spinal cord injuries or disorders. This comprehensive assessment will cover risks, pain management, nutrition, and the need for advanced assistive technologies, including neuromodulation devices. The VA is required to consult with specialists and manufacturers when developing implementation guidelines. Furthermore, the Secretary must report biennially to Congress on the utilization and outcomes of these evaluations and assistive technologies.

This resolution condemns antisemitism in all its forms, particularly its proliferation on artificial intelligence (AI) platforms. It urges technology companies to implement robust, transparent safeguards to prevent AI systems from generating or amplifying antisemitic content. The bill encourages the development of standards, research, and public awareness initiatives to combat this threat while ensuring all actions remain consistent with constitutional protections.

The NFIP Extension Act of 2026 officially extends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This legislation ensures the NFIP continues to operate by pushing its expiration date from September 30, 2023, to September 30, 2026. The bill also includes a provision to ensure this extension takes effect even if enacted after September 30, 2025.

The Protecting Private Job Creators Act creates an exception to SEC Rule 15c2-11 specifically for fixed-income securities. This change exempts certain debt instruments, such as bonds and debentures, from the rule's quotation requirements. This aims to ease regulatory burdens on private job creators dealing with these types of securities.

The Least Cost Exception Act amends FDIC rules to allow the agency to choose a bank resolution method that is *not* the least costly option. This exception permits the FDIC, in consultation with the Federal Reserve and Treasury, to prioritize limiting concentration among global systemically important banks. Any alternative method chosen must still be less costly than outright liquidation and subject to specific cost limitations and special assessments on acquiring entities.

The All American Metal Act expands the advanced manufacturing production credit to incentivize the domestic recycling and purification of copper. Specifically, it offers a tax credit for recycled copper that meets a minimum purity standard of 99.9 percent. This provision aims to boost American manufacturing using recycled materials starting in 2025.

This Act mandates a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on how federal banking regulators review merger applications for insured depository institutions. The study will evaluate the use of commitments and conditions in these reviews to ensure they align with the law and assess their impact on financial stability and competition. The GAO must report its findings to Congress within one year of enactment.

This act, the Critical Minerals Independence Act, aims to bolster domestic supply chains by expanding the advanced manufacturing production credit. Specifically, it includes "black mass"—a key material derived from processing spent lithium-ion batteries—as an eligible component for this credit starting in 2025. This measure encourages the recycling and domestic processing of critical battery materials.