Legislative Activity

The Disaster Zone Energy Affordability and Investment Act allows businesses in federally or state-declared disaster areas to transfer certain unused general business tax credits from prior years. This provision is designed to help affected taxpayers by converting these credits into usable funds based on their eligible operating expenditures within the disaster zone. The credits apply to investments made following disasters declared after December 31, 2023.

The Defend Rural Health Act of 2026 establishes stricter criteria for hospitals seeking rural geographic reclassification for Medicare payment purposes starting in late 2026. It limits eligibility to hospitals meeting specific designations like Rural Referral Center or Sole Community Hospital, and phases out existing reclassifications after 2029 unless new criteria are met. Furthermore, the bill prohibits hospitals from holding dual geographic classifications simultaneously for payment purposes.

The Community Health Center Drug Pricing Protection Act ensures that Federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs) receive the full 340B discounted price for drugs at the point of purchase. This legislation prohibits manufacturers from requiring FQHCs to pay more than the established ceiling price upfront, regardless of any later rebates or reimbursements. The goal is to guarantee immediate, upfront savings for these vital health centers.

The Buying American Cotton Act of 2026 establishes the Domestic Cotton Consumption Credit to incentivize the use of U.S.-grown cotton in products sold domestically. This new business tax credit is calculated based on the volume of U.S. cotton used, the market price, and where the product was processed. The bill mandates digital tracing to verify the supply chain and offers significantly increased credit multipliers for products containing U.S.-made cotton yarn or fabric.

This bill aims to streamline the New Source Review (NSR) permitting process for industrial facilities under the Clean Air Act by setting strict deadlines and consolidating permit requirements. It revises the definition of a "modification" to focus on actual hourly emission rate increases and excludes certain efficiency, safety, or reliability projects from triggering new reviews. Furthermore, the legislation narrows the definition of "construction" to primarily mean the physical building of emissions units, limiting when preconstruction review requirements apply.

The Protecting Local Zoos Act of 2026 amends the Lacey Act to create new exemptions and a registration pathway for certain entities possessing previously prohibited wildlife species. This legislation specifically exempts Class B licensed exhibitors and allows current owners to register existing animals under strict conditions, such as ceasing all public contact and breeding. Furthermore, the bill removes the snow leopard and clouded leopard from the list of prohibited wildlife species.

The Genomic Answers for Children’s Health Act of 2026 mandates that state Medicaid programs cover whole genome and whole exome sequencing for children with specific medical conditions, effective January 1, 2027. This sequencing is to be covered as a first-tier diagnostic test for genetic disorders, rare diseases, or conditions of unknown origin. The bill also directs the HHS Secretary to promote awareness and address implementation challenges for this new mandatory benefit.

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 Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 targets the increasing threat posed by organized theft groups impacting retail and the national supply chain. This bill strengthens federal law by expanding money laundering statutes and lowering thresholds for property crimes related to theft. Crucially, it establishes a new federal coordination center within Homeland Security Investigations to align efforts across all levels of law enforcement and the private sector to combat these cross-jurisdictional crimes.

This bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to temporarily exclude certain False Claims Act recoveries from being deposited into the Crime Victims Fund through fiscal year 2029. It also mandates a comprehensive audit by the Department of Justice Inspector General on the Fund's sustainability and the impact of recent legislative changes. The resulting report will provide recommendations for improving the Fund's effectiveness and oversight.

The Reliable Power Act mandates annual long-term reliability assessments by the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to proactively identify risks of power shortages. If a "generation inadequacy" is found, it triggers a review process for certain federal agency regulations that affect power generation resources. This ensures federal agencies must address and respond to FERC's recommendations on how their proposed rules might impact the reliability of the bulk-power system before finalizing those actions.

The Championing Local Efforts to Advance Resilience Act of 2025 (CLEAR Act of 2025) establishes a grant program to help state, territory, and tribal governments create and maintain offices focused on community resilience. These offices will develop frameworks to identify risks from extreme weather and other challenges, and implement programs to address them. The bill authorizes $100 million annually through 2030, prioritizing assistance for communities with the greatest need.

The Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025 grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) new authority to order utilities to maintain adequate interstate electric service, including requiring the continued operation of specific generating units if service is deemed insufficient. This legislation also mandates that owners must provide FERC and relevant state bodies with at least five years' advance notice before retiring any qualifying electric generating unit. Compliance with a FERC order to maintain service is protected from potential violations of environmental laws.

The Essential Caregivers Act of 2025 protects the rights of residents in long-term care facilities to designate an essential caregiver who can provide support and companionship. This legislation ensures that these caregivers maintain in-person access to residents even during public health emergencies when general visitation is restricted. By establishing clear protocols and an appeals process, the bill aims to prevent the harmful effects of isolation and ensure residents continue to receive vital care and advocacy.

The CFIUSMCA Act establishes a policy for the U.S. to align its foreign investment review standards with Canada and Mexico under the USMCA. It directs the U.S. Trade Representative to advocate for the three nations to adopt similar national security screening frameworks for foreign investment. Furthermore, the bill seeks to create a coordination mechanism to address shared threats from investments in critical infrastructure and strategically important sectors across North America.

This bill, the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, officially authorizes Congress to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Team for their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. The medals will be struck by the Treasury and permanently displayed at specific national sports museums. The Act also permits the sale of duplicate bronze medals to cover production costs.

This bill exempts specific, carefully defined less-than-lethal projectile devices and their ammunition from the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition. It also removes these qualifying devices from regulation under the National Firearms Act. The legislation establishes clear criteria, including velocity limits and design restrictions, to ensure the exemption applies only to tools intended for de-escalation rather than lethal force. Manufacturers can request official classification for their products to confirm eligibility for these tax and regulatory benefits.

The SAFE Drugs Act of 2025 aims to enhance the safety and oversight of drug compounding by limiting the ability of pharmacists and physicians to copy commercially available drugs. It introduces new annual reporting requirements for pharmacies compounding drugs for out-of-state patients and imposes stricter FDA inspection schedules for large-scale compounding facilities. Furthermore, the bill mandates registration for all outsourcing facilities and adjusts the fee structure used to fund safety assurance activities.

This bill modifies the procedures for investigating claims that antidumping and countervailing duty orders are being evaded. It grants the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection the authority to self-initiate evasion investigations based on reasonable suspicion. Furthermore, it requires parties found to have evaded duties to pay all associated duties before seeking judicial review of that determination.

The Energy Choice Act places federal restrictions on state and local governments, preventing them from enacting regulations that prohibit or limit energy service based on its type or source. This means local governments cannot ban or restrict access to energy services sold in interstate commerce. The legislation aims to ensure consistent access to various energy sources across jurisdictions.