The Combating Foreign Threats to Main Street Act of 2026 directs the Small Business Administration to create and distribute educational materials that help small businesses identify and protect against harmful activities by foreign adversaries. These materials must cover topics such as intellectual property theft, cybersecurity risks, forced labor in supply chains, and the dangers of specific commercial relationships with foreign-controlled entities. The bill requires the agency to review and update these resources annually starting in 2027 to ensure they reflect current threats and best practices. Additionally, if the agency determines that a specific activity poses a significant risk to national or economic security, it must notify the relevant congressional committees about the finding and its justification.
The HOMEFRONT Act of 2026 prohibits U.S. courts from recognizing or enforcing foreign judgments based on censorship laws if the underlying conduct would be protected by the First Amendment in the United States. The bill places the burden of proof on the party seeking enforcement to demonstrate that the foreign court's jurisdiction and the specific judgment comply with U.S. constitutional standards and Section 230 of the Communications Act. It also bars federal, state, and local government officials from assisting foreign governments in enforcing such laws against U.S. persons and prevents the extradition of individuals for speech protected domestically. Additionally, the legislation grants affected individuals a private right of action to seek damages and requires the Attorney General to submit annual reports on foreign censorship impacts while directing the Federal Trade Commission to maintain a database of targeted speech instances.
The AI LABS Act directs the Secretary of Education to provide competitive grants to states for establishing or expanding artificial intelligence programs in elementary and secondary schools. These funds are specifically designated for creating dedicated curricula that teach students how to use and understand AI, as well as providing professional development for teachers to integrate these tools into their instruction. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary to conduct a study on how states utilize the grant money and submit a report with recommendations to Congress within one year of enactment.
This bill prohibits federal agencies from providing any form of federal financial assistance or tax benefits for the construction, expansion, or major rehabilitation of data centers located on prime farmland and other designated agricultural land. The restriction applies to all projects that begin after the date the law is enacted. By defining "federal financial benefit" broadly to include grants, loans, tax credits, and deductions, the legislation aims to prevent public funds from supporting data center development in areas critical for food production.
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The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026 is a comprehensive legislative proposal designed to reduce health disparities by mandating standardized data collection on race, ethnicity, gender identity, and socioeconomic status across federal health programs. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish new commissions and task forces focused on preventing bias in artificial intelligence and ensuring equitable data reporting during public health emergencies. It also expands access to care for underserved populations by removing citizenship barriers to Medicaid, increasing funding for minority-serving institutions, and requiring culturally and linguistically appropriate services from federally assisted health providers. Additionally, the legislation addresses specific disease disparities through targeted research grants and mandates that drug manufacturers investigate and report on racial or ethnic differences in drug safety and effectiveness.
HR 10332, the Sunset Section 230 Act, would repeal Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, a provision that currently shields online platforms from legal liability for content posted by their users. By removing this protection, the bill directly affects internet service providers, social media companies, and other interactive computer services, making them potentially responsible for user-generated material under existing defamation and copyright laws. The legislation also includes numerous conforming amendments to update definitions and cross-references in various federal statutes, including the Trademark Act and criminal codes, to ensure consistency with the repeal. These changes would take effect two years after the date of enactment.
The People-First Chatbot Act imposes strict privacy and safety regulations on companies that create or distribute AI chatbots, requiring them to obtain explicit user consent before using personal data for training or advertising purposes. The bill mandates that providers clearly disclose when users are interacting with an AI rather than a human, prohibit the sale of chat logs, and limit data retention to five years unless required by law. Additionally, companies must conduct monthly risk assessments for potential harms such as emotional dependence or compulsive usage, with specific safeguards required to protect minors from features that could cause significant injury. Enforcement is handled by the Federal Trade Commission, while state attorneys general and private individuals are granted the right to file lawsuits against providers who violate these provisions.
The Data Center Fair Share Act requires electric utilities to ensure that large commercial customers, defined as those with a peak demand of 100 megawatts or more at a single site, pay the full incremental costs for any power grid upgrades needed to serve them. This obligation applies even if the customer later cancels their contract or stops purchasing electricity from the utility. The bill mandates that state regulatory authorities and nonregulated utilities begin considering these new standards within one year of enactment and complete the process within two years. States that fail to implement these federal requirements will face a penalty where 100 percent of their apportioned federal highway funds are withheld starting in the first fiscal year after the deadline passes.
The Robo COP Act directs the Federal Trade Commission to update its telemarketing rules within 180 days to ban automated political phone calls to individuals who have registered on the national do-not-call list. This legislation specifically targets outbound calls that play a recorded message rather than connecting to a live person, provided the call is intended to promote or oppose a candidate or issue, or if it mentions a political candidate's name. The law directly affects political campaigns and organizations that use robocalls for fundraising or advocacy by restricting their ability to contact opted-out voters.
The Data Science and Literacy Act of 2026 establishes a competitive grant program administered by the Secretary of Education to support state agencies, local school districts, tribal schools, and higher education institutions in expanding data literacy and statistics education from pre-kindergarten through postsecondary levels. Eligible recipients must use funds for activities such as developing new curricula, providing professional development for teachers, and creating partnerships with industry or community organizations to reduce access gaps for underrepresented students. The bill authorizes $10 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, requiring grantees to submit biannual reports on student outcomes disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and income status. Additionally, the legislation amends existing federal law to require the collection of demographic and background data on secondary school STEM teachers in each state every five years.
