The STARS Act of 2026 establishes a new United States Space Academy within NASA to provide undergraduate technical education and leadership training for future space domain professionals. The bill mandates that the academy's permanent campus be located in Florida, prioritizing sites near existing launch facilities like Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It requires the NASA Administrator to consult with the Governor of Florida during site selection and submit a detailed implementation report to Congress within 180 days of enactment. The legislation also authorizes necessary federal appropriations for the construction and operation of the new institution.
The CHC REBASE Act of 2026 amends the Medicare program to adjust payment rates for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) so that they cover 100 percent of estimated reasonable costs by 2028, effectively removing previous financial caps on these services. To support this change, the bill requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to convene a working group with stakeholders from health centers, physicians, and CMS to review payment methodologies and recommend further modifications. Additionally, the legislation ensures that telehealth services provided by FQHCs and rural health clinics are paid at standard rates starting in 2027, treating associated costs as allowable expenses. The bill also mandates new guidance for Medicare Advantage plans to streamline "wraparound" payments to FQHCs and requires a Government Accountability Office report on how well these centers are included in insurance provider networks for underserved populations.
The Survivors' Rights Restitution Act of 2026 establishes a federal compensation program administered by the Attorney General for victims of sexual assault, abuse, trafficking, or exploitation involving Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as victims whose rights were violated by the federal government. Petitions are filed with the United States Court of Federal Claims and assigned to special adjudicators who must be mental health professionals or experts in victim services, civil rights law, or claims administration. The process is designed to be informal and less adversarial than standard litigation, with decisions required within 120 days and a minimum compensation award of $123,000. Compensation is funded by a dedicated Treasury account that accepts forfeited assets and voluntary contributions, and payments are exempt from federal income tax and means-tested benefit calculations.
The WIC for Kids Act expands eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to include children in households receiving Head Start services, food assistance on Indian reservations, or nutrition block grants in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The bill extends the standard certification period for WIC-eligible children from one year to two years and allows state agencies to align recertification dates for all eligible family members within a household. Additionally, it requires states to automatically certify infants born to participating mothers without requiring a new application and grants automatic eligibility to children in kinship care arrangements.
This bill temporarily suspends federal excise taxes on certain transportation fuels, such as gasoline and diesel, setting the tax rate to zero for sales occurring between enactment and December 31, 2026. The legislation directly affects consumers by aiming to lower fuel prices at the pump. It mandates that fuel producers and dealers pass the full amount of the tax savings on to buyers immediately. To enforce this requirement, the bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to impose monetary penalties on companies that fail to reduce their prices accordingly.
The Survivor's Voice Protection Act makes nondisclosure clauses unenforceable if they prevent victims of sexual abuse or others from disclosing facts related to such abuse, a rule that applies retroactively to contracts signed before the law is enacted. The bill also requires fiduciaries, such as guardians or trustees, to report suspected grooming behavior to law enforcement within 90 to 180 days of learning about it. Victims who suffer harm due to a fiduciary's failure to report can sue for damages in federal court, and state attorneys general may also bring civil actions on behalf of their residents.
The Problem Solvers MAPS Act requires states to draw congressional districts that are contiguous, compact in shape, and nearly equal in population. It prohibits mapmakers from creating boundaries intended to advantage or disadvantage specific candidates, incumbents, or political parties. Additionally, the law mandates that state officials consider preserving existing political subdivisions like counties, cities, and tribal land boundaries when establishing new districts. These rules apply to any congressional district created on or after the date the act is signed into law.
The Problem Solvers TRUST Act would prohibit states from changing their U.S. House of Representatives district maps during the ten-year period following a census, unless a court orders new lines to comply with federal or state constitutional requirements. If such a court order is issued, the state must make changes that result in the smallest possible alteration to the existing map. The bill also sets a one-year deadline for filing legal challenges against a redistricting plan after it becomes law. These rules would apply to congressional redistricting occurring after the November 2032 federal elections and would not affect how states draw districts for local or state offices.
The Make Apportionment Great Again Act would change how U.S. House seats are distributed among states by excluding noncitizens from the population count used for apportionment. It requires the Secretary of Commerce to recalculate state populations using existing federal and state government records, without conducting a new census, and mandates that future censuses include a question on citizenship status. The bill establishes a legal presumption that any resulting changes in seat allocation are valid, allowing courts to overturn them only with clear evidence of statutory or constitutional violations. Additionally, it creates an expedited judicial process for legal challenges, requiring cases to be heard by three-judge panels and permitting direct appeal to the Supreme Court.
This bill, known as the Post-Disaster Protection Act, extends the time limit for appealing federal disaster assistance decisions from 60 to 90 days. It directly affects individuals and communities seeking aid after natural disasters by amending the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The change provides applicants with additional time to contest decisions regarding their eligibility or the amount of assistance they receive. This adjustment aims to give affected parties more time to review and challenge assistance determinations without rushing the appeals process.
The Pray Safe Act of 2025 establishes a federal Clearinghouse within the Department of Homeland Security to provide houses of worship, faith-based organizations, and nonprofit groups at risk of threats with evidence-based safety resources. The Clearinghouse will publish online best practices for security planning, facility safety, and incident response, while listing existing federal and state grant programs to help these organizations implement these measures. It requires annual updates based on user feedback and includes a centralized resource section for contacts like Protective Security Advisors and Fusion Centers. The program expires four years after enactment and does not create new funding but coordinates existing federal and state safety resources.
The Local Communities & Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2025 establishes the Urban Bird Treaty Program, which provides grants and technical assistance to local groups - including cities, nonprofits, community organizations, and academic institutions - to protect and restore urban bird habitats. Key provisions include funding for habitat restoration (e.g., removing invasive species and planting native plants), reducing urban bird hazards, and engaging communities in monitoring and education. The program, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, authorizes $1 million annually from 2026 to 2032 for projects focused on conserving urban bird populations through collaborative local efforts. It directly affects communities seeking to enhance green spaces and support bird conservation in populated areas.
