The Firefighter PFAS Injury Compensation Act of 2026 establishes a no-fault compensation program to provide financial awards to firefighters who have served for at least two years and developed specific health conditions linked to exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Eligible claimants, including deceased firefighters' estates or heirs, can receive base payments of $250,000 for cancer diagnoses or $50,000 for other covered illnesses, with amounts adjusted by a multiplier based on the firefighter's years of service. The program is funded through a new PFAS Trust Fed, which receives revenue from two new excise taxes: a 10 percent tax on the sale of products containing PFAS and a 10 percent tax on payments made in PFAS-related litigation settlements or court orders that do not involve personal injury claims.
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
The Reverse Big Ugly Tax Breaks for Data Centers Act removes specific tax incentives for large-scale data centers and artificial intelligence facilities. It excludes these facilities from bonus depreciation, a provision that currently allows businesses to deduct the full cost of certain equipment in the year it is purchased. Additionally, the bill prevents these properties from qualifying as opportunity zone business property, which would otherwise offer significant tax benefits for investments in designated areas. The legislation targets structures with a power capacity exceeding 50 megawatts that are dedicated to data storage, processing, or AI operations.
The Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act of 2026 prohibits non-physician entities from owning, controlling, or employing licensed medical professionals, requiring that medical practices be majority-owned and controlled by the clinicians who work there. The bill grants physicians and other advanced practice providers protections against non-compete agreements and bans health care providers from interfering with clinical judgment through administrative controls such as limiting patient visit times or dictating diagnostic codes. Additionally, it imposes strict restrictions on management services organizations to prevent them from exercising de facto control over medical practices, including prohibitions on controlling hiring, compensation, and billing decisions. Enforcement is handled by the Federal Trade Commission, which can treat violations as unfair business practices, while individuals and state attorneys general are also granted the right to sue for damages and injunctive relief.
The SYLLABLE Act of 2026 authorizes the Department of Education to award up to five grants over a five-year period to partnerships consisting of local school districts, early childhood education programs, and technical assistance providers. These grants are designed to fund dual language immersion programs for children from low-income families, including English learners and minority students, serving them from preschool through fifth grade. To receive funding, applicants must demonstrate that their programs use a partner language for at least half of the instructional day and include rigorous assessment systems, professional development for teachers, and strong community engagement. The bill appropriates $15 million for fiscal year 2027 and such sums as necessary for the following four years to support these initiatives and conduct evaluations of their effectiveness.
The FLUENT Act authorizes a competitive grant program to provide family literacy services to households with English language learners, specifically targeting families that include at least one child under the age of eight. The Department of Education would award grants ranging from $150,000 to $1,000,000 to eligible providers, such as schools and nonprofit organizations, for periods of up to five years. These funds must be used for research-based instruction grounded in the science of reading, with a requirement that programs prioritize families facing the greatest economic and educational needs. The bill also mandates that grantees track specific outcomes, including improvements in English proficiency, primary language skills, and caregiver workforce readiness, while reserving federal funds for program evaluation and technical assistance.
The Reaching English Learners Act establishes a competitive grant program to help colleges and universities improve how they prepare teachers to instruct students who are learning English. These grants, which last up to five years, require partnerships between higher education institutions and high-need school districts or early childhood programs to develop curricula that include evidence-based teaching strategies such as bilingual and immersion education. Recipients must cover at least half of the program costs with non-federal funds and prioritize recruiting teacher candidates from underrepresented groups or those who are former English learners. The law also mandates that these partnerships evaluate their progress in placing new teachers in high-need areas and report findings to the Secretary of Education.
The STARS Act of 2026 establishes the United States Space Academy as a new institution within NASA, designed to provide undergraduate technical education and leadership training for future space professionals. The bill mandates that the academy's permanent campus be located in Florida, prioritizing sites near major launch facilities like Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Within 180 days of enactment, the NASA Administrator must submit a report to Congress detailing the specific site selection, proposed curriculum, graduate service obligations, and budget estimates. The legislation authorizes necessary federal funds for the acquisition, design, and construction of the academy's facilities.
The Backlog Justice Act of 2026 aims to reduce the backlog of untested sexual assault evidence kits by requiring the Attorney General to create a public database tracking inventory levels and laboratory processing times across state and local jurisdictions. To address staffing shortages, the bill authorizes the FBI to develop training programs for forensic analysts and DNA technical leaders, allowing states and localities to hire individuals who have completed this federal training. Additionally, it funds a program for the FBI to collaborate with state and local providers on validating new DNA processing technologies and sharing related protocols. The legislation also provides increased grant funding to states that implement electronic tracking systems allowing sexual assault survivors to monitor the status of their evidence kits from collection through final disposition.
The Equity in Research Act directs the National Science Foundation to create a grant program that provides financial assistance to specific institutions of higher education for improving their research capabilities. These grants, ranging from $1 million to $5 million per institution, can be used to upgrade building infrastructure, purchase materials and equipment, and cover personnel costs related to research activities. The bill targets a defined group of schools, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal colleges, and various other minority-serving and land-grant universities. To fund this initiative, the legislation authorizes $50 million in appropriations for fiscal year 2027 and each subsequent year.
Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Science, Space, and Technology, Armed Services, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Food for Thought Act of 2026 establishes a competitive grant program administered by the Department of Agriculture to provide free meals and snacks to low-income college students at eligible institutions, including community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, and other minority-serving schools. To qualify, an institution must have at least 20 percent of its undergraduate students eligible for Federal Pell Grants, and grants are awarded for a maximum duration of two years with funds restricted to meal preparation, outreach, and limited equipment purchases. Recipients are required to prioritize students who receive Pell Grants or report food insecurity, while also evaluating institutional policies that may create barriers to enrollment and referring students to other federal benefit programs like SNAP. The bill authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 and mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture submit reports to Congress on the program's impact on student retention and completion rates.
