This bill, titled the Protecting America's Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act, amends the existing tree assistance program within the Agricultural Act of 2014 to expand financial support for fruit and tree growers facing tree loss. The key changes allow growers to receive assistance regardless of their production history or whether their trees have stopped producing economically viable crops, while also giving the Secretary discretion to adjust acreage limits for assistance. The bill requires recipients to replant their trees within two years of approval or sooner if necessary for tree survival, and permits replanting with alternative tree varieties, densities, or locations, though funding amounts remain capped at what would have been received for replanting with the original specifications. Additionally, the program mandates that the Secretary must approve or deny applications within 120 days and notify applicants of the decision. These provisions directly affect orchardists and nursery tree growers who lose trees due to disease, pests, or other causes and seek federal assistance for replanting.
Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025 This act permanently extends and expands judicial authority under the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016. The law allows and establishes procedures for civil claims and causes of action to recover artwork and other property lost between 1933 and 1945 because of Nazi persecution. Among the changes, the act removes the deadline for filing civil claims or causes of action. Currently, the filing deadline is December 31, 2026. (Claims must still be filed within six years of the claimant's discovery of the property in question.) The act permits courts to exercise jurisdiction over civil claims or causes of action against a foreign state without regard to the nationality or citizenship of the alleged victim. The art or property at issue must still have a connection to the foreign state's commercial activities in the United States. Additionally, the act authorizes nationwide service of process, which allows courts to exercise personal jurisdiction over defendants in any judicial district where they may be found, reside, have an agent, or transact business. Finally, the act limits the defenses that may be asserted against civil claims or causes of action, including by prohibiting defenses based on the passage of time, including equitable defenses such as laches (i.e., unreasonable delays); and discretionary bases for dismissal that are unrelated to the merits of the claim, including international comity (i.e., deference to the laws of other countries). These changes apply to pending and future civil claims or causes of action.
This bill seeks to block a specific rule issued by the Department of Education that affects the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. If passed, it would prevent the rule from taking effect, meaning the proposed changes to federal student loans would not be implemented. The measure uses a legislative process known as a joint resolution of disapproval to override agency regulations. It directly impacts students, families, and institutions that rely on federal student loans by stopping the Department of Education from enforcing the new policy.
This resolution formally acknowledges the American Chemical Society's 150th anniversary and recognizes its long-standing contributions to American science and innovation. It highlights the organization's role in advancing chemical research, supporting STEM education, and addressing global challenges through chemistry. The House of Representatives will send a copy of this resolution to the society's leadership to honor their work.
This bill, known as the OHH SNAP Act of 2026, would expand eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to include more college students. It directly affects students who are working while attending college or have no financial aid available. The key changes allow students with zero financial aid and those classified as independent to qualify for SNAP benefits, while also broadening the definition of eligible work activities to include attending school. These provisions would take effect 180 days after the bill is signed into law, but would not apply to certification periods that began before that date.
This bill extends the Health Coverage Tax Credit program through January 1, 2030, allowing eligible individuals and small businesses to receive tax credits for purchasing health insurance. The program directly affects people who buy health insurance outside of government marketplaces and small businesses that provide coverage to their employees. Under this legislation, qualified taxpayers can claim a tax credit to help pay for their monthly health insurance premiums, with the credit amount based on their income and the cost of coverage. The change is administrative, simply updating the expiration date in the tax code rather than altering how the credit is calculated or who qualifies for it.
The Power for the People Act of 2026 requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create a special approval process for data centers, which are defined as facilities using more than 50 megawatts of electricity. Under this system, data centers must offset their energy consumption by bringing their own clean power sources to the grid or agreeing to flexible power usage that can be reduced when needed. The bill also directs states to establish separate electricity rates for data centers so these facilities pay their full share of grid upgrade costs rather than spreading those expenses across all customers. Additionally, the legislation mandates that data center construction use prevailing wages and registered apprenticeship programs, while requiring greater transparency in how data center energy demands are forecasted and approved.
This bill directs the Economic Development Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to work together on revitalizing communities affected by environmental contamination. It requires these agencies to coordinate their efforts to promote economic recovery before, during, and after cleanup projects through memorandums of understanding and various interagency activities. The legislation supports stakeholder engagement, grants access to federal funding and technical resources, and funds workforce development programs to help local communities benefit from environmental remediation projects.
The Books Save Lives Act requires public libraries and schools receiving federal funding to maintain diverse book collections that include works by and about members of underrepresented communities. It mandates that covered schools employ trained librarians and establishes that excluding books with a disparate impact on underrepresented groups serves as initial evidence of discrimination under existing civil rights laws. Additionally, the bill directs the Comptroller General to produce a report within 180 days on how recent book ban campaigns have affected underrepresented communities. The legislation defines underrepresented communities to include racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, religious minorities, and people with disabilities.
This bill directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study on the 1-800-MEDICARE hotline within one year of enactment. The study will examine customer wait times, satisfaction levels, staffing competency, contractor performance, and any changes in service quality since previous reports. It also requires the report to include recommendations for improving the hotline and describe actions taken in response to past recommendations. The bill affects Medicare beneficiaries who use the hotline and the contractors and government officials responsible for managing it.
The Tech Diplomacy Training Act requires all U.S. Foreign Service officers to complete mandatory training on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics topics, including artificial intelligence and emerging communications technologies. This training will be administered through the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center and must cover how these technologies impact diplomacy, how adversaries use them, and how the United States can leverage them as diplomatic tools. New officers must complete the full curriculum during their initial training, while existing officers have 18 months to finish the comprehensive program or 270 days to complete a condensed version. The requirement applies to all Foreign Service officers and operates alongside existing training requirements without replacing them.
This bill, known as the Moral Injury Recognition and Restitution Act, changes how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles compensation claims for veterans affected by military sexual trauma. It allows veterans who receive approved claims for mental health conditions or physical injuries caused by such trauma to receive back pay starting from the day after their military discharge rather than from the date their claim was filed. The legislation defines military sexual trauma according to existing legal standards and includes both mental health conditions and physical disabilities resulting from or worsened by the trauma. This change applies retroactively to eligible veterans who have already been approved for compensation benefits.
