Legislative Activity

This bill directs the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study natural hormone variability in women before perimenopause. It also requires the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to review the clinical usefulness of hormone testing for diagnosing or managing perimenopause. The findings and recommendations will be reported to Congress within 18 months of enactment.

This Act directs the Transportation Research Board to study innovative hull designs and advanced materials for waterborne transit systems. The goal is to enhance operational performance and payload capacity through the use of technologies like carbon fiber and composite materials.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 324 Washington Avenue, Suite 1 in Grand Haven, Michigan. The facility will now be known as the "Ell Thomas Simantz Post Office Building." This designation updates all official records and references to reflect the new name.

This bill designates May 24th as National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day to honor the vital contributions of Aviation Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) to aviation safety and reliability. It recognizes their essential role in maintaining aircraft and highlights the growing demand for these skilled professionals in the aviation industry.

The Main Street Competes Act aims to strengthen the federal commitment to promoting competitive markets and consumer choice by explicitly including these goals in small business economic policy. It mandates that the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission regularly report on how their antitrust enforcement actions specifically impact small businesses. These reports will detail enforcement activities related to anticompetitive conduct and illegal mergers that harm small business growth.

The Streamlined Apportionment, Flexibility, and Efficiency Transit Act aims to reduce regulatory burdens on transit agencies. This bill streamlines the timing of formula fund apportionments, extends the availability of bus grant funds, and eases rules for asset disposition. It also simplifies environmental reviews and consolidates federal reporting requirements for greater efficiency.

The Main Street BRIDGE Act mandates collaboration between Small Business Development Centers and Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Centers to better serve small businesses. This partnership requires joint reporting to Congress on its results, including metrics on businesses served and jobs created. The goal is to enhance resource integration and support for small business growth and equity.

The SBA AI Adoption Reporting Act of 2026 mandates that the Small Business Administration (SBA) develop and implement policies for disclosing its use and consideration of artificial intelligence (AI). This requires the SBA Administrator to submit an implementation plan to Congress detailing how the agency will document and publish its AI use cases, following existing federal guidance. The goal is to ensure transparency regarding the SBA's adoption of AI in its operations.

This bill recognizes and honors the International Hearing Society on its 75th anniversary in 2026. It celebrates the organization's history, its dedication to connecting hearing professionals, and its vital role in advancing hearing health care. The legislation also commends the Society for its advocacy work to improve patient care and expand access to quality services nationwide.

The Postal Alert and Weather Preparedness Act requires the Postmaster General to study the feasibility of using the Informed Delivery platform to send electronic alerts to customers about weather-related mail delays or post office closures. This study must also consider including reminders for property owners to clear mail delivery paths. Following the report to Congress, the Postal Service may implement this notification program.

The Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026 aims to make it easier for local farmers and ranchers to accept benefits from major federal nutrition programs like SNAP and WIC. It mandates the creation of a single, streamlined application process for farmers to become authorized vendors across these programs. Additionally, the bill requires the provision of modern, mobile payment technology to support direct sales at farmers markets.

The Roadway Resiliency Act establishes an interagency working group between the Department of Transportation and the National Weather Service to develop standardized best practices for managing roads during inclement weather. These findings will be formally reported to Congress to improve roadway safety and infrastructure resilience.

This bill, the Friends in the Field Act, amends existing law to designate biological pest control as a high-priority area for agricultural research and extension. It authorizes the use of grants to support the development and dissemination of information on biological pest control methods. The goal is to reduce crop damage and food-borne illnesses through these natural approaches.

The Local Water Protection Act extends federal funding authorization for nonpoint source water pollution management programs through fiscal year 2031. This legislation ensures continued financial support for state and local efforts to address diffuse water pollution sources.

The Fatigued Pilot Protection Act mandates that existing federal flight crew rest and duty limitations be applied to **all commercial passenger airline operations**. This legislation requires the FAA to update regulations within 180 days to ensure these critical safety standards cover all relevant flight crew members and certificate holders operating under Part 121.

The AIWISE Act directs the Small Business Administration (SBA) to develop and publish free, publicly accessible educational resources and modules about artificial intelligence (AI) for small businesses. These materials must cover topics like how AI works, risk management, privacy, and best practices for adoption. The SBA must ensure the content is accurate, current, and actionable, coordinating with experts and resource partners to support small business understanding and effective use of AI.

This bill amends the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to mandate the National Science Foundation to develop a plan for ongoing data collection and analysis concerning the skilled technical workforce. The plan, submitted to Congress every two years, will establish the necessary capabilities within the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. This action aims to improve understanding and tracking of this critical workforce segment.

This bill requires the Secretary of Defense to study how the Department of Defense awards contracts at or below the simplified acquisition threshold to small businesses. The resulting report must detail contract awards, identify any missed opportunities for small businesses, and recommend policy changes to ensure full compliance with small business contracting requirements.

The Justice for Exploited Children Act significantly strengthens penalties for child labor violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. This legislation introduces harsher criminal penalties, including substantial fines and imprisonment, for willful or repeated offenses. It also dramatically increases the civil monetary penalties for all child labor violations, especially those resulting in serious injury or death to a minor employee.

This bill reauthorizes the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994 through fiscal year 2031. It ensures continued funding for the program using existing authorized appropriations, without authorizing new funds. The legislation also updates the definition of "State" within the original Act.