Legislative Activity

The ABLE Tomorrow Act aims to expand financial security for people with disabilities by enhancing access to and use of ABLE savings accounts. Key provisions include prohibiting Medicaid recovery from ABLE accounts upon the beneficiary's death and creating exceptions to annual contribution limits for specific lump-sum payments. Furthermore, the bill mandates widespread federal and state agency outreach to inform eligible individuals about ABLE programs and allows employees to redirect certain employer retirement contributions directly into their ABLE accounts.

This bill ensures that veterans' disability compensation and related benefits receive a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2026. The increase will match the percentage increase applied to Social Security benefits taking effect on December 1, 2026. This adjustment applies to various compensation and dependency/indemnity payments administered by the VA.

This resolution honors the life and legacy of Dirk Arthur Kempthorne, recognizing his significant contributions as a former U.S. Senator, Governor of Idaho, and Secretary of the Interior. The Senate expresses its profound sorrow over his passing and offers condolences to his family. The resolution directs that this tribute be communicated to the House and his family, and the Senate will adjourn in his memory.

The Puppy Protection Act of 2026 significantly strengthens the Animal Welfare Act by establishing rigorous new standards for dog dealers. This bill mandates substantial improvements to housing, nutrition, exercise, socialization, and veterinary care for dogs. Furthermore, it introduces strict regulations on breeding practices, including health screening and limits on female dog litters, while ensuring humane retirement for breeding dogs.

This resolution expresses support for designating the week of May 3, 2026, through May 9, 2026, as "National Small Business Week." It aims to celebrate the vital contributions and entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses across the United States. The bill recognizes the essential role these businesses play in the national economy and applauds their resilience.

The HELP Separated Children Act establishes comprehensive procedures to protect the rights and ensure the well-being of children when their parents are apprehended during immigration enforcement actions. It mandates that DHS officials identify detained parents, provide them with immediate access to make childcare arrangements, and facilitate ongoing communication and legal participation in child welfare and custody proceedings. The bill also requires mandatory training for personnel and extensive data collection to track the outcomes for these families.

The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act of 2026 expands FEMA disaster assistance eligibility to include occupants without formal property ownership, such as those experiencing homelessness. It simplifies repair standards, allowing aid for any home "damaged by a major disaster," and mandates streamlined processes for self-certifying eligibility. The bill also requires FEMA to coordinate with HUD on joint temporary rental assistance programs following a disaster declaration.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to establish and protect the fundamental right to vote for every eligible U.S. citizen. It sets a strict standard requiring any voting restrictions to serve a compelling government interest using the least restrictive means. Furthermore, the amendment would repeal language in the 14th Amendment that allows states to deny voting rights for reasons other than rebellion and grants Congress enforcement power.

The Farmland for Farmers Act of 2026 restricts unauthorized legal entities, such as large corporations and investment funds, from owning or acquiring agricultural land. The bill defines "authorized entities" as small operations where all owners are natural persons actively engaged in farming. It establishes strict compliance requirements, including mandatory affidavits, and authorizes the Attorney General to seek divestiture and impose severe civil and criminal penalties for violations.

The Climate Change Education Act establishes a federal program, managed by NOAA, to fund comprehensive climate change education for all ages. This initiative aims to increase climate literacy through formal schooling and nonformal programs, focusing on solutions, adaptation, and climate justice. The Act authorizes grants to K-12 systems, higher education, professional associations, and youth corps to develop and implement climate-focused learning and applied research.

This bill, the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act, explicitly repeals Executive Order 14399, which attempted to regulate mail-in voting. It prohibits federal agencies, including the Postal Service, from using funds to create national voter/citizenship databases or interfere with state administration of absentee and mail-in ballots. The Act reaffirms that states, not the federal government, control federal election procedures.

The Drug Deal Disclosure Act mandates the public release of all federal government agreements with drug manufacturers concerning pricing, sales, and import conditions. This transparency requirement applies to specific existing deals and any future agreements made after enactment. The law strictly limits what information can be withheld, preventing redactions based on political embarrassment. Finally, it requires analyses from the CBO and GAO on the economic and budgetary effects of these disclosed deals.

This bill, the Ending the Carried Interest Loophole Act, fundamentally changes how partnership interests received as compensation—often by investment managers—are taxed. It redefines the valuation of these interests and introduces a new mechanism that generally requires the income to be treated as ordinary income rather than long-term capital gains. The legislation aims to eliminate preferential tax treatment for compensation derived from investment or asset development businesses.

The Consumer Protection Remedies Act of 2026 significantly expands the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) power to protect consumers. This legislation authorizes the FTC to seek court orders against companies that have violated consumer protection laws, not just those currently violating them. Crucially, it grants the FTC new equitable remedies, including the ability to demand restitution, contract changes, and disgorgement of ill-gotten profits from violators. These new enforcement tools apply to legal actions initiated after the bill is enacted.

The Stop CHEATERS Act aims to prevent tax avoidance by large corporations and high-income individuals. It provides significant, multi-year appropriations to the IRS for increased enforcement, improved taxpayer services, and technology modernization. Furthermore, the bill mandates regular reporting from the IRS and the Treasury Inspector General to Congress detailing efforts to audit high-earners and large businesses.

The Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act repeals federal tax incentives that encourage private donations to scholarship granting organizations. Specifically, it eliminates the tax credit for contributions and the exclusion of certain scholarship amounts from gross income. This legislation aims to redirect financial support toward public education systems.

This bill expands federal Do Not Call protections to cover all phone numbers, including business and cell lines, and lowers the threshold for what constitutes a violation. It also updates the definition of an automatic telephone dialing system (ATDS) to better capture modern robocalling technology. The goal is to strengthen consumer protection against unwanted automated calls.

The Senior Hunger Prevention Act of 2026 aims to significantly reduce food insecurity among older adults and adults with disabilities through multiple avenues. It establishes new grant programs to fund local anti-hunger initiatives and modernizes federal nutrition assistance programs like SNAP by streamlining applications and improving access. Furthermore, the bill expands eligibility for existing programs, such as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, to include adults with disabilities.

The SAFE Act extends and reforms key foreign surveillance authorities under Section 702 of FISA through 2028 while significantly strengthening privacy protections for Americans. It mandates strict warrant requirements for the FBI to access U.S. persons' communications collected under this authority and introduces sweeping reforms across FISA to increase judicial oversight, transparency, and accountability for government misuse of surveillance powers. Furthermore, the bill bans intelligence agencies from purchasing Americans' sensitive data from commercial brokers without a court order.

This joint resolution seeks to disapprove and nullify a specific rule recently issued by the Department of Education concerning the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. If enacted, this resolution would prevent the published rule from taking effect or being enforced.