Legislative Activity

This bill seeks to disapprove the Department of Education's final rule regarding the "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program." By utilizing the Congressional Review Act, this legislation prevents the new regulations from taking legal effect. Consequently, the Department of Education cannot implement the changes outlined in that specific rule.

This bill reauthorizes the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection program, ensuring its continued operation to gather historical documents related to unsolved civil rights investigations. It strengthens the Civil Rights Cold Case Review Board's authority to obtain and expedite the public release of federal, state, and local records, removing previous opt-out exceptions for state and local entities. Furthermore, the legislation extends the tenure of the Review Board from seven to eleven years to complete its review process.

This Act, the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act, immediately bans the imposition of the death penalty for all federal crimes upon enactment. It also mandates that individuals previously sentenced to death for federal offenses must be resentenced.

This bill nullifies a specific decision and order from the Endangered Species Committee regarding certain oil and gas activities. It also imposes a three-year ban on the Committee issuing new exemptions for these activities under the Endangered Species Act. Importantly, all pre-existing Endangered Species Act requirements remain fully in effect for these activities.

The Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026 establishes new federal loan forgiveness programs for teachers, school leaders, and early childhood educators serving in high-need schools or programs. Educators can achieve full loan forgiveness after five years of qualifying service, or receive monthly payment support during that time. The bill mandates the Secretary of Education to launch these programs within 270 days of enactment. It also includes specific provisions for Parent PLUS loan borrowers and ensures flexibility for educators whose school status changes.

The IMPACT to Save Moms Act establishes a demonstration project for states to test alternative payment models for maternity care within Medicaid and CHIP programs. This project aims to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly for high-risk groups, by considering factors like risk stratification and social determinants of health. The Secretary of HHS must evaluate the project's impact and report recommendations to Congress on potential national expansion.

This act removes federal immunity for immigration law enforcement officers when their actions result in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. It allows state authorities to pursue criminal charges against federal officers for these specific severe violations of state law.

The Restoring Overtime Pay Act of 2026 significantly updates overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. It establishes a phased-in, rising minimum salary threshold for executive, administrative, and professional employees to qualify for overtime exemption, eventually tying it to national earnings data. Additionally, the bill tightens the "duties test," reducing the amount of non-exempt work an employee can perform while remaining exempt from overtime pay. These changes aim to restore overtime eligibility to more salaried workers.

The Department of Justice Integrity Act of 2026 establishes a one-year post-employment restriction for former federal prosecutors. This ban prevents former attorneys who substantially participated in a federal prosecution or deferred prosecution agreement against a specific business entity from representing or assisting that same entity in related matters after leaving government service. This measure aims to enhance integrity by limiting the revolving door between federal prosecution and private representation of former targets.

The Corporate Prosecution Reform Act strengthens oversight of corporate criminal activity by establishing stricter judicial standards for deferred prosecution agreements and mandating greater transparency in how the Department of Justice handles these cases. The bill creates a dedicated Office of Corporate Enforcement to monitor compliance and requires the public disclosure of all corporate settlement agreements. Additionally, it prohibits the use of non-prosecution agreements that rely solely on monetary payments, ensuring that corporate penalties prioritize accountability, victim compensation, and the deterrence of future offenses.

The Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act aims to improve maternal and infant health outcomes during public health emergencies. It authorizes significant funding for enhanced data collection, surveillance, and research across various CDC programs. Furthermore, the bill mandates public data disclosure, requires public health communication campaigns, and establishes a task force to develop federal recommendations for ensuring safe, respectful, and equitable maternity care during crises.

The HUD Data Privacy Act of 2026 establishes strict limits on how the Department of Housing and Urban Development can share personal information collected from housing assistance recipients. Information may only be shared with other entities for the specific purposes of benefit qualification verification and benefit determination. This Act explicitly prohibits the use of shared data for civil immigration enforcement purposes.

The Moms Matter Act establishes two grant programs to improve maternal mental health. The first program funds initiatives to expand mental health and substance use disorder services for pregnant and postpartum individuals, prioritizing high-risk populations. The second program provides grants to grow and diversify the workforce of mental and behavioral health providers specializing in maternal health.

The **Protecting Our Democracy Act** imposes sweeping reforms across the executive branch to strengthen accountability and restore checks and balances. It restricts presidential pardon power, closes loopholes to ensure no President is above the law, and enforces constitutional emoluments clauses to prevent self-enrichment. Furthermore, the Act enhances congressional oversight by strengthening subpoena enforcement, increasing transparency around White House visitors and tax returns, and protecting federal whistleblowers from retaliation.

This resolution condemns the devastating attacks on civilians in the Sudanese civil war and calls for an immediate end to external support fueling the conflict. It urges all parties to cease hostilities and demands robust international efforts to negotiate a settlement leading to civilian-led democratic governance. The bill emphasizes the urgent need to address the massive humanitarian crisis and hold perpetrators of atrocities accountable.

The Let Kids Play Act prohibits "vulture investors"—private equity firms with harmful track records—from investing in youth sports entities. It bans covered firms from using specific predatory business tactics, such as imposing junk fees or restricting competition, when involved in youth sports. The bill mandates that designated vulture investors must fully divest from these entities within two years. Enforcement is granted to the FTC and the Department of Justice, and the Act also allows private lawsuits for damages.

The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 establishes permanent, universal free breakfast and lunch programs for all enrolled students at participating schools, eliminating income tests and meal debt collection. The bill significantly updates federal funding mechanisms by replacing reliance on free and reduced-price lunch data with new measures for identifying economically disadvantaged students across various education and social programs. Furthermore, it expands access to summer and afterschool meals while making technical amendments across several federal education and nutrition laws.

This resolution establishes a "renewed mandate for human rights," recognizing the interconnected nature of global oppression and affirming the dignity of the global majority. It outlines a comprehensive vision, grounded in principles like intersectionality, that rejects systems such as racism, colonialism, and patriarchy. The bill details specific rights—including movement, housing, safety, and peace—and calls for sweeping policy changes in U.S. immigration, foreign policy, and domestic justice systems to align with these human rights principles.

The Trade Responsibly for Environmental Emissions (TREE) Act prohibits the import and sale of "deforestation goods"—commodities linked to deforestation or forest degradation after December 31, 2020—starting in 2029. Importers must submit detailed due diligence statements to Customs and Border Protection, with violations resulting in significant civil penalties, including fines up to 4% of U.S. revenue and potential import bans. The bill also mandates a risk-based country categorization system to guide increased border inspections.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act aims to establish comprehensive standards for the care, health services, and housing of pregnant individuals in federal custody, including those held by the Bureau of Prisons, CBP, ICE, and ORR. The bill mandates extensive data collection on the health needs of incarcerated pregnant women and strictly prohibits the use of restraints and restrictive housing during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum recovery, with very limited exceptions. Furthermore, it requires federal agencies to provide essential services like family unity programs, specialized medical care, and comprehensive education for pregnant and postpartum individuals.