Legislative Activity

This bill authorizes the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to honor the American citizens and organizations who rescued Jews and other refugees from Nazi persecution between 1933 and 1945. The medal recognizes their heroic efforts, which saved tens of thousands of lives during the Holocaust. Following the award, the gold medal will be permanently housed at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The Act also permits the production and sale of duplicate bronze medals to cover production costs.

The Open Meetings Act of 2026 introduces new transparency requirements for meetings of certain federal judicial conferences and councils. This bill mandates that these "covered meetings" must provide at least 30 days public notice and offer free, accessible live audio streaming. Furthermore, the Judicial Conference must archive and publish recordings of these meetings online within seven days.

The Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2026 aims to significantly strengthen federal student aid by doubling the maximum Pell Grant award and funding it through mandatory appropriations. This bill also expands eligibility to include Dreamer students, restores Pell Grant eligibility for students with certain scholarships, and reforms Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) rules to make regaining aid easier after academic setbacks. These changes are designed to stabilize and expand access to postsecondary education for millions of students.

This bill, the "Find Our Families Act of 2026," mandates the creation of a public, online detainee locator system for individuals in CBP and ICE custody, accessible in multiple languages. It requires timely posting of custody and location information, along with new notification requirements for medical transfers to family members. Additionally, the bill requires the public reporting of detailed information regarding CBP arrests and ongoing enforcement operations.

The Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act significantly expands and modernizes paid family and medical leave for federal workers across various agencies, including the Postal Service and Congressional staff. This legislation introduces new qualifying reasons for leave, such as recovery from domestic violence, sexual assault, or fertility challenges. It also adjusts service requirements, leave duration rules, and establishes repayment/work obligation agreements for certain paid leave.

The Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act of 2026 aims to redirect funding by eliminating federal tax incentives for private school scholarships. Specifically, it repeals the tax credit for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations and removes the income exclusion for certain scholarship amounts received. These changes are set to take effect starting in 2027.

The Child Safety and Well-Being Act of 2026 establishes a permanent, expert-led Children’s Commission to advise Congress and federal agencies on policies affecting children and marginalized youth. This Commission will promote child well-being, review agency actions, and ensure the voices of children are incorporated into federal decision-making. It will be led by a Children's Commissioner and is authorized to receive funding through fiscal year 2034.

This bill expresses the disapproval of Congress, under the Congressional Review Act, of a Department of Health and Human Services rule concerning the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). Specifically, it rejects the rule that aimed to restore flexibility within the CCDF program. As a result, the rule published on May 12, 2026, will not take effect.

The Double the Wage for Overtime Act of 2026 amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to increase the required overtime pay rate for covered employees from time-and-a-half to double their regular rate of pay. This means employees will earn twice their normal hourly wage for all hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. This change will take effect 180 days after the bill is enacted.

The **Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act** amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to significantly improve services for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind. The bill mandates better identification, specialized instruction—including access to American Sign Language and Braille—and increased training for qualified personnel across all three disability areas. It ensures these students receive comprehensive support tailored to their unique communication and access needs from early intervention through school age.

This resolution invokes the War Powers Resolution to mandate the withdrawal of all United States Armed Forces from Lebanon. It directs the President to complete this removal within seven days of the resolution's adoption.

This bill expresses support for designating June 5, 2026, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and the entire month of June 2026 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month." The designations aim to honor the nearly 47,000 people killed by gunfire each year and raise public awareness about the devastating impact of gun violence. The resolution encourages the public to wear orange on that day and focus on community efforts to promote gun safety.

The "Gig Is Up Act" amends the tax code to require payroll tax withholding for independent contractors of very large businesses that rely heavily on them. For qualifying large businesses, payments to these contractors will be treated as wages subject to standard payroll taxes, and the employer's Social Security tax rate will be doubled. These changes are designed to ensure workers receive proper credit toward their Social Security earnings.

The American High-Speed Rail Act significantly expands federal support for high-speed and higher-speed rail development by increasing funding limits, broadening eligibility for public-private partnerships, and establishing new planning and safety requirements. The bill authorizes substantial funding through 2031 for corridor development and planning, while also creating pathways for acquiring necessary right-of-way property and ensuring labor protections on federally-funded infrastructure. It also refines definitions, setting the threshold for true "high-speed rail" at 186 mph or more, and introduces a new category for "higher-speed rail."

The CLEAN UP Mines Act of 2026 significantly strengthens environmental protection and reclamation standards for surface coal mining operations. It mandates stricter deadlines for backfilling, regrading, and revegetation following the cessation of coal production. The bill also enhances monitoring requirements for water quality and mandates annual biological assessments of local streams. Furthermore, it tightens rules regarding mine idling and the automatic non-compliance of permits left inactive for extended periods.

The Worker Rights and Support Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to establish new mandatory meal, rest, restroom, and medical break requirements for employees. This legislation ensures employees receive specific paid and unpaid break times based on hours worked or medical necessity. Violations of these new break provisions are subject to enforcement actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act aims to create a more equitable and trauma-informed justice system for women and families. It establishes new standards for policing, prioritizes family reunification during pretrial detention and foster care, and creates gender-responsive alternatives to incarceration. The bill also reforms sentencing and prison policies to address the specific needs and histories of incarcerated women, focusing on trauma, health care, and successful reentry.

This bill seeks to disapprove the Department of Education's final rule regarding the "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program." By utilizing the Congressional Review Act, this legislation prevents the new regulations from taking legal effect. Consequently, the Department of Education cannot implement the changes outlined in that specific rule.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative gold and silver coins marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The coins will honor the victims, first responders, and survivors, with designs selected in consultation with the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. All surcharges from the sale of these coins will be paid directly to the Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance.

This bill reauthorizes the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection program, ensuring its continued operation to gather historical documents related to unsolved civil rights investigations. It strengthens the Civil Rights Cold Case Review Board's authority to obtain and expedite the public release of federal, state, and local records, removing previous opt-out exceptions for state and local entities. Furthermore, the legislation extends the tenure of the Review Board from seven to eleven years to complete its review process.