This Senate resolution formally recognizes the week of May 3 through May 9, 2026, as National Small Business Week to honor the contributions of small business owners and entrepreneurs across the United States. The measure expresses appreciation for the economic role these businesses play and acknowledges the resilience of their owners and employees. By adopting this designation, the Senate aims to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit within every community without imposing any new laws or regulations.
This resolution expresses support for designating April as National Foster Sibling Connections Month to highlight the importance of keeping siblings together in the foster care system. It acknowledges that separating siblings often leads to negative outcomes like placement instability and mental health challenges for children. The bill encourages federal, state, and local agencies to prioritize policies that maintain sibling connections and improve data tracking on these separations.
The Improving Financial Aid Offers for Students Act requires colleges and universities receiving federal funds to provide clearer, more detailed financial aid documents to prospective and enrolled students. To achieve this, the bill mandates that these offers include specific, plain-language information on total costs, grants, scholarships, loans, and the estimated amount a family must pay, while also offering a standardized model form developed through public testing. Institutions must use consistent terminology and clearly separate different types of aid to help students better understand their financial obligations and available resources. The law also requires the Department of Education to publish these forms and conduct studies to ensure the documents effectively assist students in making informed decisions.
This bill, known as the Lowering Input Costs for American Farmers Act, aims to reduce costs for U.S. agricultural producers by modifying trade duties on phosphate fertilizers. It removes existing tariffs and countervailing duties on phosphate imports from Morocco, while leaving duties on similar products from other countries unchanged. Additionally, the legislation requires the U.S. government to refund cash deposits collected from Moroccan importers under previous trade orders and ensures no new duties are applied to these specific shipments.
The Protecting Sibling Relationships in Foster Care Act creates a five-year pilot program to award up to five grants for developing specialized foster care programs focused on keeping siblings together. These grants are available to state agencies, tribal or local organizations, and community nonprofits that have proven expertise in managing foster care placements. Recipients must use the funds to create evidence-based programs specifically designed for groups of three or more siblings, including those with wide age gaps or complex needs like trauma or disabilities. To qualify, applicants must submit detailed plans describing how they will place siblings jointly and provide data on current placement challenges. The program is authorized a maximum of $10 million, and grantees are required to report on the number of children served, group sizes, placement methods, and outcomes.
This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study for expanding the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System to provide municipal, rural, and industrial water service across Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota. The study, to be developed with the local water system organization (Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, Inc.), will assess project viability and recommend whether construction should proceed and determine the local cost-sharing share (minimum 25% of total costs). Federal funding for the study is capped at 50% of costs, with $10 million authorized and a 10-year deadline for completion. The resulting report must be submitted to Congress and made public, but the bill does not authorize construction itself.
This Senate resolution formally recognizes April 2026 as National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month to highlight the issue of sexual violence across the United States. The bill expresses the Senate's support for educating the public, preventing future assaults, improving care for survivors, and ensuring perpetrators face legal consequences. It specifically commends the work of organizations like RAINN, military support services, law enforcement, and health professionals who provide essential resources and advocacy. By adopting this resolution, the Senate aims to encourage community awareness and celebrate the efforts of those working to end sexual violence without enacting new laws or funding changes.
This resolution designates the week of April 20 through April 24, 2026, as "National Home Visiting Week" to highlight the importance of home visiting programs for families. The bill does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic gesture to recognize the work of over 20,000 home visitors who support parents and children across the United States. By formally acknowledging these efforts, the Senate aims to raise awareness about how such programs help strengthen family relationships and promote healthy child development.
The NOPE Act of 2026 expands the congressional review process for U.S. sanctions targeting Russia, specifically including new executive orders and energy-related actions involving Russian crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, and other energy goods. Under this bill, Congress must review these specific energy sanctions until the Secretary of State certifies that Russia has ended its war in Ukraine and committed to a just peace settlement that compensates Ukraine for war damages. The legislation also creates an exception allowing the government to permit certain energy shipments during the initial review period if they are necessary for crew safety, emergency repairs, environmental protection, or to mitigate economic impacts in foreign countries.
The Lowering Input Costs for American Farmers Act removes existing trade barriers on phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco. It eliminates specific duties and countervailing orders previously applied to these goods, allowing them to enter the U.S. without extra fees. Additionally, the bill requires the government to refund any cash deposits that importers made while these restrictions were in place. This legislation directly affects American farmers by potentially reducing the cost of fertilizer and impacts importers by changing how they pay for these agricultural supplies.
The TEACH Improvement Act of 2026 amends the federal TEACH Grant program to better support teacher preparation by establishing stricter eligibility criteria for institutions and clarifying rules for post-baccalaureate students. The bill defines "eligible institutions" as those providing high-quality teacher training, financial stability, and ongoing support services, while also creating a specific pathway for individuals with bachelor's degrees to earn teaching credentials without pursuing a graduate degree. Key provisions include setting grant amounts of $4,000 to $5,000 per year, requiring recipients to serve as full-time teachers in high-need fields for four years within eight years, and introducing a new loan conversion process if service obligations are not met. Additionally, the act imposes penalties on institutions where more than 50% of their graduates fail to complete their service obligations, restricting their ability to offer grants until they demonstrate improved outcomes. The legislation also mandates annual reporting on grant conversions and servicer performance to ensure accountability and transparency in the program's administration.
The PURE Executive Act extends the period during which former senior federal employees are banned from lobbying to five years, up from the current one or two years. It also imposes a lifetime ban on these individuals lobbying on behalf of foreign governments or entities controlled by foreign powers. These rules apply to high-level officials who leave their government positions on or after the law is enacted. The bill aims to prevent conflicts of interest by restricting how quickly and for whom these officials can work in the private sector after public service.
