Legislative Activity

The Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act updates the Higher Education Act of 1965 to strengthen U.S. capacity in global education and language proficiency. The bill establishes new grant programs for international research, innovation, and global professional training to better align higher education with national security and workforce needs. Additionally, it streamlines existing programs by repealing duplicative requirements and expanding support for diverse institutions, including community colleges and minority-serving institutions.

This resolution congratulates the Carolina Hurricanes on winning the 2026 Stanley Cup Championship, their first in 20 years. It celebrates their dominant playoff run, significant economic impact on Wake County, and extensive community contributions. The bill also recognizes the outstanding performances of the players, coaches, and staff who brought the championship back to Raleigh.

The RETURN Act aims to improve the IRS's handling of tax refund claims by establishing a mandatory 12-month review period. If the IRS disallows a claim, it must provide a detailed explanation and appeal instructions to the taxpayer. If the IRS misses this deadline, the interest rate on the overpayment increases by one percentage point, capped at $500 per claim.

The AI Flaw Reporting and Security Enhancement Act directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to establish a program supporting the voluntary reporting, collection, and tracking of artificial intelligence (AI) flaws. This initiative involves multi-stakeholder collaboration to define terms, develop technical standards, and create infrastructure, including a national database, for managing AI-related vulnerabilities and incidents. The ultimate goal is to enhance AI security and safety through standardized reporting and disclosure norms.

The POWER Moldova Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of State and Secretary of Energy to submit a comprehensive report to Congress within 180 days. This report will detail Moldova's current energy landscape, including infrastructure vulnerabilities and pricing transparency. Furthermore, it will assess the potential for developing renewable energy sources in Moldova to enhance its energy resilience.

The Protect Working Musicians Act of 2026 addresses the imbalance of power between dominant online music platforms and independent music creators. This bill grants independent music copyright owners the ability to collectively negotiate licensing terms without facing antitrust liability. This protection is designed to ensure fair compensation for musicians whose work is distributed online or used by generative AI.

The Protect Working Musicians Act of 2026 aims to rebalance power between independent music creators and dominant online platforms. It grants individual music creator owners a limited antitrust exemption to collectively negotiate fair licensing terms for their work. This allows smaller creators to negotiate with large platforms without facing antitrust liability.

The Supporting Women COPS Act of 2026 establishes a Department of Justice Task Force to develop recommendations for improving the hiring, retention, and advancement of women in law enforcement. This legislation incentivizes states to adopt these new standards by offering a 5% bonus payment on top of their existing federal law enforcement funding. The goal is to create fairer and more supportive career pathways for female officers nationwide.

The Petfax Act of 2026 enhances consumer protection by requiring sellers of dogs and cats to disclose detailed source and health history information before any sale. It also prohibits unfair or deceptive sales practices, such as misrepresenting an animal's origin. Furthermore, the Act strengthens enforcement against problematic breeders by barring individuals whose dealer licenses were recently suspended or revoked from obtaining new licenses at the same location, even through family members or new entities.

This act amends the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to significantly restrict how bankruptcy proceedings handle debts arising from child sexual abuse. It establishes new requirements for victim impact statements, limits the sealing of court records, and imposes strict new standards for releasing third parties from liability in reorganization plans. Crucially, the bill prohibits the discharge of debts resulting from abuse if the debtor was directly responsible or grossly negligent.

This bill establishes the Federal and State Food Safety Information Sharing Act of 2026 to enhance public health protection. It allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to share critical, non-public food safety data with state, local, Tribal, and Territorial authorities. The legislation also extends the maximum duration of certain food safety grants from three to five years.

The RECOVER Act of 2026 aims to eliminate the current Medicare payment reduction for therapists providing multiple therapy services to a patient on the same day. This legislation strikes the rule that reduces payments by more than 50% for these concurrent services under the Physician Fee Schedule and outpatient rehabilitation services. By removing this reduction, the bill seeks to ensure fair compensation for comprehensive therapy care.

The Clean Slate through Repayment Act of 2026 aims to improve credit histories for former student loan borrowers. This bill mandates that upon full repayment of a defaulted federal student loan, the relevant loan holder must instruct credit reporting agencies to remove the record of default. This action helps borrowers re-establish strong credit after resolving their past loan issues.

This resolution expresses support for designating March 26, 2026, as "National Science Appreciation Day." The initiative aims to celebrate American scientific achievements and recognize the vital role that STEM fields play in driving economic growth, innovation, and the overall quality of life for all Americans.

The "No Rewards for January 6 Rioters Act" prohibits the use of any federal funds to compensate individuals prosecuted for involvement in the January 6th Capitol attack. It also forbids the creation of any compensation fund for these individuals. Furthermore, the bill bars the U.S. Treasury from refunding court-ordered restitution, fines, or special assessments paid by those convicted for their role in the attack.

The End Prison Gerrymandering Act changes how incarcerated individuals are counted in the U.S. Census, requiring them to be counted at their last known home address before incarceration, starting with the 2030 census. This change mandates that states must use this pre-incarceration residence when drawing congressional districts. The goal is to prevent prison populations from artificially inflating the political power of districts where prisons are located.

The Buy Now, Pay Later Protection Act of 2025 aims to enhance consumer safeguards for "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) loans. It amends the Truth in Lending Act to apply specific credit card protections, such as dispute resolution rights, to these short-term installment loans. Furthermore, the bill subjects BNPL lenders to direct federal supervision by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB is required to issue implementing rules within one year of enactment.

The Shadow Docket Sunlight Act of 2025 mandates increased transparency for the Supreme Court when issuing emergency orders concerning preliminary injunctive relief or stays thereof. This requires the Court to publish a written explanation detailing the reasoning and how each participating justice voted. The bill also establishes periodic reporting requirements for the Federal Judicial Center to assess compliance with these new disclosure standards.

This bill, the FEMA Administrative Reform Act, streamlines disaster response by removing the requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to personally approve FEMA expenditures over $100,000 related to disaster costs. It aims to expedite the allocation of necessary funds during emergencies.

This bill terminates the national emergency declared by the President on August 6, 2025, which authorized the imposition of duties on articles imported from India. It effectively ends the trade restrictions put in place under Executive Order 14329.