Legislative Activity

The Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026 modernizes the H-2A visa program to better support the agricultural industry by streamlining application processes and establishing a centralized online portal for employers. The bill updates labor certification, housing, and wage requirements while expanding the definition of eligible agricultural work to include a broader range of activities. Additionally, it enhances worker protections—including new heat illness prevention standards—and provides greater administrative efficiency for federal agencies managing the program.

The Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2026 protects students and single-sex social organizations from adverse actions by colleges and universities that receive federal funding. The bill ensures that students can freely join or lead these organizations without facing institutional bias or discrimination based on their membership. It establishes clear standards to prevent schools from penalizing students or organizations solely for maintaining single-sex membership policies.

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 Prior Authorization Accountability Act mandates that group health plans and insurance issuers publicly report detailed data on their prior authorization approval and denial rates, including appeal outcomes and processing times. This transparency requirement aims to give consumers and regulators a clearer view of how prior authorization decisions are made. Furthermore, the bill enhances plan comparisons on health insurance Exchanges by requiring the inclusion of historical prescription drug cost and coverage data for previously offered plans.

The Premium Transparency Act mandates that health insurers and Medicare Advantage plans publicly disclose detailed breakdowns of how they spend premium dollars, starting in 2027. This aims to increase accountability by requiring clear reporting on costs for clinical services, quality improvement, and retained overhead. Furthermore, the bill requires health insurance Exchanges to display this spending information when comparing plans and directs the HHS Secretary to create plain-English standards for benefit summaries.

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.

This bill, the "Child Care Modernization Act of 2026," reauthorizes and significantly updates the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. It aims to increase child care quality and access by updating eligibility definitions, strengthening state planning requirements, and establishing new grant programs for supply expansion and facility improvements. Key changes include mandating that payment rates cover the full cost of care and enhancing support for the child care workforce.

This bill strengthens U.S. access to critical minerals by authorizing international partnerships and agreements to build secure, transparent supply chains with allies. It establishes Energy Security Compacts to diversify energy and mineral sources while protecting American jobs and the environment. Finally, the legislation creates new leadership roles and exchange programs at the State Department to build a skilled domestic mining workforce and counter foreign leverage over essential resources.

The Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2026 significantly enhances benefits for veterans and service members. It increases disability compensation with a new monthly allowance for certain veterans and ties future Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) adjustments to Social Security cost-of-living increases plus an extra percentage. The bill also expands VA home loan eligibility to include National Guard and Reserve members with at least 14 days of qualifying service, though these borrowers will pay a higher loan fee. Finally, it extends the current VA home loan fee structure and modifies definitions of active duty for Guard and Reserve components.

This act officially establishes the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and designates its location on the National Mall, requiring the transfer of land jurisdiction to the Smithsonian Institution. The museum is mandated to preserve and present the history and achievements of biological women in the United States. Furthermore, the legislation requires that exhibits and programs reflect diverse political viewpoints and authentic experiences of women, as guided by a broad array of knowledgeable sources.

The Improving Home Dialysis Act of 2026 expands Medicare coverage to support individuals choosing home dialysis for end-stage renal disease. This bill mandates Medicare payment for necessary home dialysis training provided by qualified professionals. Additionally, it adds coverage for critical early-stage support services, including staff-assisted respite care and renal mental health services, to ease the transition to home treatment.

The Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026 aims to improve the accuracy and predictability of Medicare physician payments. The bill reforms budget neutrality calculations, mandates periodic updates to practice expense cost data, and establishes a 2.5% cap on annual conversion factor fluctuations. These measures are designed to ensure more stable reimbursement rates for healthcare providers.

The Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act expands Medicare Part B coverage to include services provided by pharmacists starting January 1, 2026. This coverage is specifically for testing or treatment related to COVID-19, the flu, RSV, strep throat, or during a declared public health emergency. The bill outlines payment structures, generally covering 80% of the cost, and prohibits pharmacists from balance billing Medicare patients for these covered services.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue commemorative gold and silver coins marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The coins will honor the victims, first responders, and survivors, with designs selected in consultation with the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. All surcharges from the sale of these coins will be paid directly to the Memorial and Museum to support its operations and maintenance.

The NO FAKES Act of 2026 establishes a federal property right for individuals, living or deceased, to control the use of their voice or visual likeness in unauthorized, highly realistic digital replicas. This law outlines specific licensing requirements, post-mortem rights, and creates civil liability for unauthorized creation or distribution of these digital likenesses. It also implements a notice-and-takedown system for online service providers to manage infringing user-uploaded content.

This Act establishes the **Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park** to commemorate the life and philanthropic legacy of Julius Rosenwald, particularly his partnership with Booker T. Washington to build over 5,000 schools for African American children in the segregated South. The bill designates specific sites for the park, including the former Sears complex in Chicago, and directs the National Park Service to establish a national network connecting remaining Rosenwald Schools across the country. This effort aims to preserve and interpret the profound impact these schools had on education and civil rights history.

The GUARD Act expands the use of federal grant funds to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement investigate elder financial fraud, "pig butchering" scams, and general financial fraud. This legislation allows agencies to hire specialized staff, receive advanced training on emerging technologies, and acquire necessary investigative tools. Furthermore, the Act mandates comprehensive federal reports to Congress detailing the scope of these scams and the effectiveness of current enforcement efforts.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 aims to combat sophisticated, cross-jurisdictional organized retail and supply chain theft. It achieves this by strengthening federal laws regarding money laundering and stolen property offenses, including lowering monetary thresholds for prosecution. Furthermore, the bill establishes a dedicated Center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal, state, and local enforcement efforts against these criminal organizations.

This resolution reaffirms the foundational U.S. commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and longstanding bipartisan policy toward Taiwan. It underscores that peace and stability in the region are vital to U.S. interests and opposes any non-peaceful efforts to determine Taiwan's future. The bill affirms the U.S. commitment to providing Taiwan with defensive arms and maintaining the capacity to resist coercion.

The Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 prohibits the sale or importation of connected vehicles, hardware, or software originating from or controlled by designated "covered countries" (North Korea, China, Russia, or Iran). This measure aims to safeguard U.S. economic and national security against risks like espionage and cyber intrusion posed by foreign adversaries exploiting vehicle connectivity technology. The Secretary of Commerce is tasked with issuing regulations to enforce these bans, which begin phasing in starting in 2027, though waivers may be granted under specific national security conditions.