Browse Legislation

H.R. 8530, titled the 'Quantum for Health Act,' aims to update the National Quantum Initiative Act to address health and workforce issues. Introduced by Representative Emilia Sykes on April 27, 2026, the bill seeks to integrate quantum technologies into healthcare and enhance workforce development in this field. Specific provisions are not detailed in the available sources.

The Disaster Assistance Simplification Act (S. 861) aims to make it easier and faster for people affected by disasters to get help. It proposes creating a single application process that combines various federal disaster aid programs into one, so survivors don't have to fill out multiple forms for different agencies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is tasked with developing this unified system within a year of the bill becoming law, working with federal, state, local, and tribal authorities to ensure it meets everyone's needs.

The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act extends the operation of the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board from seven to eleven years. It mandates that all federal, state, and local government records related to civil rights cold cases be presumed for immediate disclosure, ensuring public access to these historical documents. Additionally, the Act allows the Review Board to reimburse state and local governments for expenses incurred in digitizing, photocopying, or mailing these records to the federal collection.

The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act of 2026 (S. 4388) aims to provide essential disaster assistance to families affected by major disasters. Introduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren and co-sponsored by 12 other senators, the bill was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on April 27, 2026. The bill's primary objective is to ensure that families impacted by significant disasters receive the necessary support to recover and rebuild their lives.

H.R. 8512 is a bill introduced in April 2026 by Representative Clay Higgins. It seeks to extend the government's authority under Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) until April 20, 2029. This extension would allow continued surveillance of foreign individuals located outside the United States without a traditional warrant. The bill also proposes additional safeguards, such as requiring attorney approval for certain FBI searches involving American identifiers, imposing criminal penalties for intentional misuse, enhancing congressional access to secret surveillance court proceedings, and mandating a Government Accountability Office audit.

The Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act (S. 1204) aims to expand the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program to include spouses of certain veterans and Armed Forces members. This program, managed by the Department of Labor, offers career and employment assistance to disabled veterans. The bill extends eligibility to spouses of those who died in service, died from a service-related disability, are missing in action, captured, or detained for over 90 days, have a total permanent disability from service, or died while having a total disability.

The HELP Response and Recovery Act (S. 594) is a bill that aims to improve disaster response and recovery efforts by extending the maximum duration of noncompetitive contracts issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from 150 days to one year. This change removes the current limitation on such contracts, allowing standard procurement regulations to address urgent needs. Additionally, the bill mandates that DHS report to Congress annually for five years on how this change has helped prevent waste and provide details about noncompetitive contracts issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The National Historical Park and National Historic Landmark Establishment and Boundary Adjustments Act of 2025 likely involves the creation of new national historical parks and national historic landmarks. It may also include adjustments to the boundaries of existing parks and landmarks. This could involve designating new areas for preservation due to their historical significance and possibly altering the borders of current sites to better protect and manage them.

S. 612 is a bill that aims to support recreational travel and tourism within Native American and Native Hawaiian communities. It allows for the provision of grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations, and other federal agencies are authorized to distribute these grants and enter into agreements with these groups to enhance tourism activities.

The Caring for Veterans and Strengthening National Security Act (S. 3436) is a bipartisan bill introduced by Senator Jerry Moran on December 11, 2025. It aims to improve healthcare access for U.S. veterans residing in the Freely Associated States (FAS), which include the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. The bill mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide telehealth services and mail-order pharmacy benefits to these veterans within one year of enactment. Additionally, it requires the VA to cover travel expenses for veterans seeking medical care, ensuring they are reimbursed for transportation costs. To maintain transparency and oversight, the VA must submit quarterly reports to Congress detailing the implementation and costs of these services. The bill also extends certain veterans' pension payment limits from January 31, 2033, to March 31, 2033, providing continued financial support for eligible veterans.

The Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act (S. 856) is a bill that amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require lobbyists to disclose any foreign governments or political parties that are involved in directing, planning, supervising, or controlling their lobbying activities. This means that lobbyists must now report not only their direct clients but also any foreign entities that influence their work, even if those entities are not providing direct financial support.

The ENFORCE Act is a proposed law aimed at strengthening federal measures against child exploitation, particularly focusing on child pornography and visual depictions of child sexual abuse. Key provisions include: 1) Clarifying federal jurisdiction by ensuring that producing child pornography becomes a federal crime if any part of the process involves interstate or foreign commerce, such as using equipment that has crossed state lines or intending to distribute the material online. 2) Eliminating the statute of limitations for prosecuting crimes involving obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse, allowing legal action regardless of when the offense occurred. 3) Mandating that individuals convicted of these offenses be included in the national sex offender registry, ensuring lifelong tracking. 4) Requiring that visual evidence in these cases be handled with the same high security as child pornography evidence, and granting victims or their representatives special access to view such evidence during legal proceedings. 5) Presuming detention for defendants charged under specific sections, making it more challenging for them to obtain bail before trial, and imposing mandatory supervised release after prison sentences to extend oversight and minimize community risk.

The Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act (S. 865) is a bill that aims to increase transparency in lobbying activities by requiring lobbyists to disclose whether they are exempt from registering under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). This means that when lobbyists register under the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA), they must indicate if they are claiming an exemption from FARA, which is a law that mandates individuals representing foreign interests to disclose their activities. The bill was introduced by Senator Gary Peters on March 5, 2025, and passed the Senate without amendment by unanimous consent on December 16, 2025. As of December 17, 2025, it has been received in the House and held at the desk.

The Preventing Child Trafficking Act of 2025 directs the Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime to implement recommendations from a 2023 Government Accountability Office report. These recommendations focus on improving collaboration between agencies to prevent child trafficking and support survivors. The Act requires setting clear, measurable goals for anti-trafficking programs and mandates a report to Congress within 180 days detailing the steps taken.

The National STEM Week Act mandates the designation of a National STEM Week each year. During this week, educational institutions and families are encouraged to engage in STEM-related activities. The bill also promotes interaction between STEM industries and students through mentorship, site visits, and lectures, as well as support for STEM education. An annual report on these activities is required to be submitted to Congress.

The bill S. 2245 aims to extend the Digital Coast program, run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), until 2030. This program provides a digital platform with data, tools, and training to help manage coastal areas. The bill mandates that all data and products created under this program be made freely available online. It also requires NOAA to enhance efforts to gather and integrate data on underground infrastructure and utilities. Additionally, the bill specifies that trainings should focus on teaching technical skills related to the program's data and tools.

S.Con.Res. 25 is a concurrent resolution that recognizes the 15th anniversary of the January 8, 2011, shooting in Tucson, Arizona. This resolution honors the survivors and victims of the shooting, including former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who is a notable survivor of gun violence.

The DEFIANCE Act of 2025, as suggested by its title, likely addresses issues related to defiance or resistance, potentially in a legal, regulatory, or enforcement context. This could involve measures to counteract non-compliance with federal laws or enhance penalties for certain defiant actions against government regulations or mandates. Without an official summary, the specific focus and provisions of the bill are unclear.

The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025 aims to extend the funding and activities of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) through 2028. It involves four federal agencies: the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the National Science Foundation. The bill mandates these agencies to enhance their efforts in understanding and mitigating the effects of earthquakes, including secondary effects like tsunamis and fires. Additionally, it focuses on improving infrastructure recovery post-earthquake and involves tribal governments in these efforts.

The Improving Veteran Access to Care Act mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to form a specialized team to enhance the scheduling process for VA health care appointments. This team is tasked with developing a user-friendly scheduling system that allows both VA staff and patients to see available appointments. It also aims to create a telephone-based service where patients can speak with a scheduler to book appointments. The team must work in coordination with the VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization Program. If any objectives cannot be met, the VA must explain to Congress and propose a plan without those objectives. Progress reports to Congress are also required.

The VetPAC Act of 2025 creates a new commission called the Veterans Health Administration Policy Advisory Commission. This commission is tasked with reviewing how the Veterans Health Administration operates and providing Congress with reports and recommendations based on their findings.

The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (S. 836) is a proposed law that aims to enhance online privacy protections for individuals under 17 years old. It expands the existing Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by including teenagers aged 13 to 16, who were previously not covered. The bill requires online services to obtain verifiable consent before collecting personal information from these age groups. It also grants teens and their parents rights to access, delete, and correct their data. Additionally, the legislation imposes stricter data security and notice requirements on online service providers and mandates the development of a common consent mechanism overseen by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S. 1626) aims to continue and enhance efforts to understand and mitigate landslide risks across the United States. Sponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski and co-sponsored by Senator Maria Cantwell, the bill seeks to reauthorize and potentially expand programs established under the original National Landslide Preparedness Act. Key provisions likely include continued funding for landslide research, improved mapping and monitoring of landslide-prone areas, and support for state and local governments in developing landslide preparedness and response strategies. The bill passed the Senate with unanimous consent on January 5, 2026, and was received in the House on January 7, 2026, where it was held at the desk for further consideration.

The HEATS Act (H.R. 5587) aims to simplify the process for geothermal energy activities on state and private lands by removing certain federal requirements. It exempts these activities from needing a federal drilling permit if the U.S. owns less than 50% of the geothermal resources. Operators only need a state permit. Additionally, these activities are not subject to federal environmental reviews under NEPA, nor do they require consultation under the Endangered Species Act or review under the National Historic Preservation Act, unless state laws do not cover historic preservation.