Legislative Activity

This resolution designates April 2026 as "Second Chance Month" to raise awareness about the systemic barriers faced by individuals reentering society after incarceration. It encourages communities, employers, and policymakers to support rehabilitation efforts and remove unnecessary obstacles to employment, housing, and education. By fostering these opportunities, the initiative aims to reduce recidivism and help individuals with criminal records successfully reintegrate into their families and communities.

The Ensuring Better Interest Treatment and Deductibility (EBITDA) Act repeals recent modifications to the calculation of adjusted taxable income regarding business interest limitations. By removing these specific constraints, the bill aims to restore previous tax treatment standards for businesses starting in the 2026 tax year.

The Protecting American Streaming and Innovation Act mandates an investigation into Canada’s Online Streaming Act to determine if its content requirements and taxes unfairly discriminate against U.S. digital service providers. The bill requires the U.S. Trade Representative to report on these trade barriers and authorizes potential retaliatory actions if Canada fails to remedy policies that violate the USMCA. Furthermore, the legislation establishes a framework to address similar protectionist digital trade practices adopted by other nations in the future.

The Child Care Supply Credit establishes a new federal tax credit for employers who increase the wages of their child care workers. This incentive aims to improve compensation in the industry, offering a higher credit percentage for facilities located in rural areas.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 strengthens U.S. policy by imposing mandatory sanctions on foreign persons and financial institutions that support Iran’s nuclear, ballistic missile, drone, and terrorist activities. The bill specifically targets Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sectors to cut off funding for these malign programs. Additionally, it expands the State Department’s "Rewards for Justice" program to incentivize the reporting of individuals who evade these sanctions.

The Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act of 2026 improves patient care by officially recognizing doctors of podiatric medicine as physicians within the Medicaid program. Additionally, the bill streamlines Medicare documentation requirements to ensure patients with diabetes have better access to essential therapeutic footwear.

The Expanding Support for Living Donors Act of 2026 strengthens the federal grant program that reimburses living organ donors for qualifying expenses by increasing eligibility and funding caps. The bill also mandates comprehensive annual reporting on program efficacy and requires a GAO study to explore how Medicare could further cover organ donation costs.

The Stop Unemployment Fraud Act aims to enhance the integrity of the unemployment insurance system by mandating stricter identity verification and data-matching procedures for state agencies. The bill prohibits the use of self-attestation for eligibility, establishes rigorous work-search requirements, and provides states with new tools and funding incentives to detect and prevent improper payments. Additionally, it grants the Secretary of Labor oversight authority to monitor compliance and enforce corrective actions to ensure program accountability.

This resolution recognizes the 10th anniversary of the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) export shipment from the lower 48 states in February 2016. It celebrates this milestone as a turning point that established the U.S. as a leading global LNG supplier, significantly boosting economic growth and strengthening international energy security. The bill honors the innovation and hard work that supported this vital sector.

The Iran Human Rights, Internet Freedom, and Accountability Act of 2026 aims to support the Iranian people by expanding access to uncensored internet and communication technologies. The bill strengthens U.S. policy against regime repression by mandating investigations into human rights abuses and establishing a new Treasury initiative to combat corruption and money laundering by Iranian officials. Additionally, it enhances congressional oversight of sanctions and promotes independent media to counter state-sponsored censorship.

The Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act aims to promote de-escalation by exempting specific, clearly defined less-than-lethal projectile devices from federal firearm restrictions and excise taxes. This legislation provides a formal process for determining which devices qualify for these exemptions under both federal law and the National Firearms Act. The bill also modernizes tax regulations by exempting qualifying less-than-lethal devices and their ammunition from federal excise taxes.

This bill establishes the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative to accelerate joint research, development, and integration of critical defense technologies. The initiative focuses on key areas like AI, missile defense, and counter-drone systems to enhance the security and technological edge of both nations. It mandates regular reporting to Congress on progress and authorizes funding for fiscal years 2027 through 2029.

The Pay Less at the Pump Act of 2026 terminates the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing tax starting January 1, 2026. The bill also modifies how existing Superfund money is repaid to the Treasury. This aims to reduce the financial burden on consumers at the gas pump.

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.