The Protecting Student Athletes from Unexpected Tax Liability Act requires companies to withhold 30 percent of income tax from payments made for a student athlete's name, image, and likeness. This rule treats these specific commercial payments as if they were standard wages, even though the athletes are not classified as employees. The bill also waives penalties for underpaid taxes in the first year a student athlete is subject to this new withholding requirement. To ensure the policy works effectively, the Treasury Department must report to Congress by 2029 on whether the 30 percent rate is appropriate and how well companies are complying with the law.
The Protecting American Beef Producers Act would nullify a 2026 presidential proclamation aimed at keeping beef prices affordable and prohibit federal agencies from spending money to implement that order. The bill also restricts the President and other officials from lowering tariffs or fees on imported beef without explicit approval from Congress. This legislative action directly affects domestic beef producers by removing executive branch authority to reduce trade barriers, thereby requiring a new law or a declared state of emergency regarding the domestic beef supply before any import duties can be cut.
This bill would prohibit any state or local government designated as a "sanctuary jurisdiction" from receiving grant funds distributed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A jurisdiction is defined as a sanctuary if it has laws, policies, or practices that restrict officials from sharing information about an individual's immigration status or from complying with federal requests to detain or notify about the release of individuals. The funding restriction would apply to grants distributed 180 days after the bill's enactment. To determine which jurisdictions qualify for this ineligibility, the HUD Secretary is required to consult with the Secretary of Homeland Security.
The Restoring Opportunity for Advanced Education Act amends the Higher Education Act to permanently restore access to Federal Direct PLUS Loans for graduate and professional students. By removing specific time limits and expiration dates from the law, the bill ensures that these loans remain available without a set end date. This change directly affects graduate and professional students who rely on this funding source for their advanced education.
The Packaging and Claims Knowledge Act of 2025 requires companies to ensure that recyclable, compostable, and reusable claims on consumer product packaging are accurate and supported by third-party certification. The bill mandates that recyclable claims must include information about local recycling availability, while compostable claims must be backed by scientific evidence and clearly explain disposal limitations. Companies must also provide actual reuse systems or products for reusable packaging claims, and the Federal Trade Commission will issue guidance on compliance without creating binding regulations.
The HEIRS Act of 2025 establishes two grant programs to help homeowners with "heirs' property" - residential land held by multiple heirs without clear title due to intestacy. It provides $30 million annually (2026-2036) to states/local governments that adopt the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, funding title documentation, legal fees, and estate planning. An additional $10 million annually (2026-2030) supports HUD-approved housing counselors and legal services to assist low- and moderate-income minority homeowners in clearing title and retaining homes. The bill requires grantees to prioritize neighborhoods with high concentrations of affected residents and includes mandatory education about heirs' property risks and solutions.
The High School Voter Empowerment Act of 2026 requires all public high schools in the United States to be designated as voter registration agencies under federal law. Schools must conduct at least one voter registration drive each academic year, with a specific goal of registering eligible students who are at least 17 years old and enrolled in American Government or Economics classes. To support these efforts, the Department of Education would establish a grant program that reimburses schools for the reasonable costs associated with running these drives. Additionally, state election officials may provide voting machines to schools upon request for use in student council elections.
This bill, known as Kayleigh's Law Act of 2026, requires federal courts to issue permanent restraining orders against defendants convicted of certain serious crimes, prohibiting them from contacting their victims for the rest of their lives. The law applies specifically to individuals convicted of violent felonies or felony offenses involving sexual acts, including crimes like child exploitation and human trafficking. Courts must include these orders in sentencing, and violations are treated as contempt of court, while the only way to lift the order is if the conviction is overturned or pardoned. The bill also ensures that victims cannot be charged any fees for obtaining these protective orders and clarifies that the restrictions apply regardless of state laws.
H.Res. 1497 is a House resolution that commemorates the fifth anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing, in which 13 U.S. servicemembers were killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The bill lists the names of the fallen soldiers and formally condemns the Biden-Harris administration for what it describes as dereliction of duty and the forfeiture of military property to the Taliban. It asserts that the withdrawal was a disastrous failure that ignored security warnings and left Americans at risk, while also criticizing the lack of accountability from officials involved in the decision-making process.
The BAD DEAL Act of 2026 repeals Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which previously allowed the President to impose tariffs on foreign countries that engaged in unfair trade practices. This legislation directly affects importers and businesses by removing the legal authority for these specific duties and invalidating any presidential proclamations issued under that section. The bill requires the President to refund all tariffs or other duties collected before, on, or after the enactment date that resulted from actions taken under the repealed provision.
HR 2555, the Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2025, protects students who join or form single-sex social organizations (like fraternities or sororities) at colleges. It prohibits colleges receiving federal funds from taking negative actions against these students or organizations solely because they limit membership to one sex - such as denying housing, financial aid, leadership roles, or recognition. The bill ensures students can join such groups without coercion and stops colleges from imposing unfair recruitment rules on single-sex organizations compared to others. It does not require colleges to recognize single-sex groups, allow organizations to set their own membership rules, or override Title IX protections.
This bill, titled the Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act, extends federal funding for the African American Civil Rights Network by three years. The legislation directly affects the network's operations by amending the United States Code to change the authorization period from seven years to ten years. By updating this timeline, the bill ensures continued financial support for the organization's mission to promote civil rights and historical preservation. No new programs or policy changes are introduced; the measure solely focuses on renewing the existing funding authorization.
