The Revitalizing America’s Schoolyards Act of 2026 establishes a grant program, administered by the Department of Education, to help public elementary and secondary schools transform their outdoor spaces into "revitalized schoolyards." These new outdoor environments are designed to strengthen local ecological systems, provide hands-on learning opportunities, and promote nature play and social interaction for students and the community. Eligible entities, including local schools and partner non-profits, can apply for planning grants to design these spaces and then implementation grants to build them, with priority given to schools serving a high percentage of low-income students or those vulnerable to extreme heat or flooding. The bill requires a 20% non-federal match for implementation grants, which can be waived for high-need or tribal schools, and also directs the Secretary to maintain a clearinghouse of outdoor learning resources.
This bill mandates that the U.S. Secretaries of State and Treasury jointly review the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of Sudan within 90 days to determine if they meet the criteria for a global terrorist organization. If the RSF is affirmatively designated, the President must impose sanctions, which include freezing their assets within U.S. jurisdiction and preventing associated individuals from entering the United States. The bill provides exceptions for humanitarian assistance, U.S. national security activities, and allows for a waiver of sanctions if it's deemed important for U.S. national security interests. Concurrently, the Secretary of State must submit a report to Congress detailing the designation decision, foreign support to the RSF, and the implications of the designation.
The "Autofill Act of 2026" directs the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to establish a program allowing individual income taxpayers to download partially pre-populated tax forms, such as the 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ, from its website. These forms will include information already reported to the IRS and Social Security Administration, such as wages and self-employment income. To enable this, the bill changes the deadline for businesses and other entities to submit various information returns (like W-2s and 1099s) to the IRS and Social Security Administration to January 31st each year. Taxpayers can access these forms in both printable and computer-readable formats, but are explicitly reminded that they remain fully responsible for verifying the accuracy and completeness of their final tax return.
This bill, titled the "Preparing Superfund for Climate Change Act of 2026," amends the federal Superfund law, which governs the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. It requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to consider the potential threats from local natural disasters and extreme weather, including how climate change might exacerbate them, when selecting cleanup plans for hazardous waste sites. Additionally, the bill mandates that during the required five-year reviews of ongoing cleanups, the EPA must assess whether the chosen cleanup actions remain protective, taking these same climate-related hazards into account. This aims to ensure that Superfund cleanups are designed and maintained to withstand projected climate change impacts, affecting communities near these sites and the EPA's cleanup processes.
HR 8295, the Protecting Families from Fertility Fraud Act of 2026, creates a new federal crime for knowingly misrepresenting the nature or source of DNA used in assisted reproductive technology or assisted insemination. This directly affects fertility clinics, practitioners, and patients undergoing such procedures. Individuals found guilty could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine, or both. The bill defines federal jurisdiction for these offenses, primarily involving interstate commerce, and extends the statute of limitations to 10 years after identification through DNA testing. It also adds this new crime to the list of "racketeering activities" under federal law.
This bill, titled the "Millionaires Surtax Act," establishes a new 10% surcharge on high-income individuals. This additional tax applies to the portion of a taxpayer's "modified adjusted gross income" that exceeds $2,000,000 for married couples filing jointly, or $1,000,000 for single filers. The bill defines "modified adjusted gross income" with specific deductions and includes special rules for certain taxpayers, such as non-resident aliens and charitable trusts. If enacted, these changes would take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026.
The Supporting VA Families Act grants unpaid parental leave to Department of Veterans Affairs employees. This provision allows employees to take four weeks of unpaid leave within a 12-month period for the birth of a child or for adoption and foster care placements. The leave is designed to supplement existing leave policies rather than replace them, ensuring employees can balance family needs with their work responsibilities. The act defines eligible employees and children according to existing federal definitions found in Title 5 of the United States Code.
This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. military forces from ongoing hostilities against Iran that lack congressional authorization, specifically referencing the Operation Epic Fury campaign launched on February 28, 2026. It requires the withdrawal of troops unless Congress has declared war or passed a specific law authorizing military action against Iran. The resolution includes exceptions allowing U.S. forces to defend against attacks on American personnel, conduct intelligence activities related to Iran, assist allied nations under Iranian attack, and evacuate U.S. citizens. It does not alter current military operations involving defense, intelligence sharing, or aid to partners.
The REDUCE Act requires transmission organizations to allow aggregators - companies that combine electricity demand from multiple retail customers - to bid into power markets. This applies specifically to utilities distributing over 4 million megawatt-hours annually, overriding state laws that previously blocked such participation. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must issue implementing rules within one year of the law's passage. The bill directly affects large utilities and demand aggregation companies by enabling new market participation mechanisms.
The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act places xylazine - a veterinary sedative increasingly found in illicit drug mixtures - into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, subjecting it to federal regulation as a controlled substance. It specifically allows veterinary use without requiring registration of the ultimate user (e.g., pet owners or veterinarians) if xylazine is dispensed by a registered veterinarian or pharmacy with a vet prescription and used for animals owned by the user, under their care, or in authorized animal programs. The bill provides a one-year delay for labeling and packaging requirements and a 60-day delay for registration and recordkeeping for veterinary use to ease implementation. Additionally, it adds xylazine to the Arcos tracking system for controlled substances and mandates two congressional reports on illicit use prevalence within 18 months and 4 years of enactment.
The ALERT Act (HR 7613) requires the Federal Aviation Administration to improve aviation safety through several key measures. It mandates the evaluation and potential implementation of enhanced collision avoidance systems (ACAS-Xa) for commercial aircraft and ACAS-Xr for rotorcraft, with specific deadlines for rulemaking and installation. The bill establishes committees to develop recommendations for safety technology requirements, requires safety risk assessments for air traffic controllers, and addresses operational procedures at high-traffic airports like Ronald Reagan Washington National. These provisions affect air carriers, air traffic controllers, rotorcraft operators, and Department of Defense aircraft operations. The act aims to enhance situational awareness and reduce midair collision risks through technology upgrades and improved safety protocols.
HR 7280, the Veteran DATA Act, prohibits Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contractors from selling or misusing veterans' sensitive personal data. The bill requires all VA contracts to include clauses banning the monetization, sale, or misuse of covered information - such as health records and personally identifiable data - and mandates VA to issue compliance guidance within one year. It also requires the VA to submit a report to Congress detailing the new contract clauses, compliance guidance, and other implementation steps. This law directly affects veterans whose data is handled by VA contractors and aims to strengthen privacy protections for their personal information.
