Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses the support of the House of Representatives for Charleston, South Carolina, to host the 2027 annual session of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly. It highlights the city’s world-class infrastructure and honors the legacy of the late Senator Lindsey Olin Graham by advocating for the event to proceed as originally planned.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act authorizes $6 million in annual federal grants over seven years to support the National Law Enforcement Museum. This funding will enhance public education, community outreach, and critical officer safety and wellness programs. By fostering greater understanding between law enforcement and the public, the bill aims to support the profession and improve safety for officers nationwide.

The Title IX Clarification Act of 2026 amends Title IX to explicitly define "sex," "female," and "male" based on an individual's biologically determined sex and reproductive system. This legislation clarifies the scope of sex-based protections under federal education law. The changes take effect immediately upon enactment.

The American Franchise Act aims to protect the traditional franchise business model by clarifying the definition of a "joint employer." This legislation establishes that a franchisor is only considered a joint employer if it exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over the essential terms of employment for a franchisee's workers. This change specifically targets liability risks associated with maintaining brand standards, ensuring franchisors are not automatically held responsible for local labor practices. The new standard applies prospectively to future legal proceedings.

The DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act of 2025 establishes a federally coordinated research program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) dedicated to advancing the understanding and treatment of Down syndrome. The initiative focuses on long-term health studies, expanding clinical trial access, and investigating co-occurring conditions to improve the quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome. By fostering collaboration across NIH institutes and consulting with patient advocates, the program aims to accelerate medical breakthroughs and provide biennial progress reports to Congress.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to streamline and modernize the prior authorization process within Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and significantly increases transparency regarding approval rates and decision times starting in 2027. Furthermore, it establishes new enrollee protections and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timeframes for medical services.

The Chloe Cole Act of 2026 establishes a federal private right of action allowing individuals to sue healthcare professionals and institutions for damages related to gender-transition medical interventions performed on them as minors. The bill permits lawsuits regardless of when the intervention occurred and sets a statute of limitations extending 25 years past the individual's 18th birthday. Additionally, it mandates strict liability for such interventions performed after the Act's enactment.

The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act prohibits payment card networks and processors from assigning specific merchant category codes to firearms retailers. This legislation aims to protect consumer privacy by preventing the tracking of firearm and ammunition purchases through specialized financial classification. The Attorney General is tasked with enforcing these provisions and reporting annually on compliance.

The "Replace UNRWA with Real Humanitarian Assistance Act" mandates that the Secretary of State develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to dismantle the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The bill requires a structured transition plan to transfer UNRWA’s humanitarian services to alternative entities, ensuring continued aid while prioritizing transparency, accountability, and neutrality.

This bill authorizes the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to recognize the collective heroism of the individuals who defended Bataan, Corregidor, and other locations in the Pacific theater during World War II. The medal honors the extraordinary sacrifice of U.S. service members and Filipino forces who fought and endured imprisonment by Imperial Japan. Following the presentation, the medal will be permanently displayed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The legislation also allows for the production and sale of bronze duplicate medals.

The Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act mandates updated threat analyses of the northern border every two years, with the first due by September 2, 2026. Following each analysis, the Department of Homeland Security must update its border strategy or formally explain why an update is unnecessary. The bill also requires classified briefings for Congress and the development of performance measures for Air and Marine Operations along the northern border.

The EXCLAVE Act of 2026 mandates that federal agencies must specifically consider and address the unique regulatory burdens faced by residents of pene-exclaves when issuing new rules. If a rule may impose such a burden, agencies are required to hold dedicated public meetings for those residents. Furthermore, agencies must respond to comments received from these communities in the final rule and the OMB must establish a list identifying all U.S. pene-exclaves.

This bill, the Great American Outdoors Act 250, significantly reforms and renames the existing public lands restoration fund to the America’s Legacy Restoration Fund. It secures dedicated funding streams, primarily from energy revenues and new fees on foreign visitors, to address critical deferred maintenance across the National Park Service, Forest Service, and other public land agencies. The legislation establishes strict spending priorities for infrastructure repair while also creating pilot programs for enhancing outdoor recreation and sportsmen's access. Finally, it mandates increased transparency and accountability through standardized metrics and public reporting on all funded projects.

The Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act significantly expands legal immunity for firearm manufacturers, sellers, and trade associations by redefining terms within existing federal law. It mandates the immediate dismissal of pending lawsuits against these entities and establishes strict new standards for any exceptions that might apply. Furthermore, the bill preempts state and local laws that attempt to impose liability based on the criminal misuse of qualified products.

The **Take Care of America’s Veterans Act** is a comprehensive bill designed to strengthen benefits and modernize services across compensation, education, health care, and VA operations. It eliminates benefit offsets for disabled retirees, expands educational flexibility, sets new standards for timely health care access, and invests in VA technology and infrastructure. Overall, the legislation aims to provide faster, fairer, and more comprehensive support for veterans and their families.

The Faster Labor Contracts Act aims to speed up the process of securing a first collective bargaining agreement after a union is certified. It establishes a mandatory timeline, including mediation and binding arbitration, if an agreement is not reached within 90 days of bargaining. This process is designed to prevent lengthy delays that currently weaken the union's position. The bill also requires a GAO report on current time-to-contract averages.

The TSP Modernization Act facilitates the electronic transfer of funds from Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) accounts to qualified retirement plans. This change will take effect one year after the bill is enacted, allowing participants to move their savings more efficiently. The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board is responsible for implementing this new electronic transfer process.

The Abraham Accords Expansion Act of 2026 formally expands the mission of the Presidential Envoy for the Abraham Accords to include Central Asia and the Caucasus. This legislation directs the Envoy to promote normalization and integration efforts in these strategically important regions, aligning with U.S. national security and economic interests. The Act utilizes existing authorities and funding to carry out these expanded duties.

The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Stone Slab Products Act aims to shield manufacturers and sellers of stone slab products from civil lawsuits related to silica dust exposure. This bill prohibits filing new lawsuits, and mandates the dismissal of existing ones, when injuries allegedly result from unsafe cutting or installation practices by third-party fabricators. The intent is to protect commerce by preventing liability for actions outside the manufacturer's control where safety standards already exist for installers.

This joint resolution disapproves the District of Columbia Council's approval of the Body-Worn Camera Transparency for Use of Force Temporary Amendment Act of 2026. By disapproving this local D.C. legislation, Congress prevents the temporary amendment from taking effect.