The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2026 automatically provides federal funding for government programs if Congress fails to pass a budget by the start of a new fiscal year. This mechanism supplies money for 14-day periods that can be extended as long as the shutdown continues, ensuring essential services like food assistance and loan programs keep running without interruption. To prevent political games during these shutdowns, the bill restricts official travel for government officials and limits what Congress can debate or vote on, except for passing a new budget or addressing the national debt limit.
This bill provides temporary funding to ensure Transportation Security Administration employees receive their regular pay, benefits, and allowances during a potential government funding gap in fiscal year 2026. It allows the agency to use Treasury funds to cover salaries and benefits starting February 14, 2026, until a full-year budget is passed or the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026. The legislation prevents employees from receiving duplicate payments by restricting these funds to periods when no other pay sources are available and requires any costs to be transferred to the permanent budget once enacted. The bill takes effect retroactively as if it were passed on February 13, 2026, to cover the initial days of the potential funding lapse.
This bill extends the expiration date for cybersecurity information sharing authorities under the 2015 law from September 30, 2025, to September 30, 2035. It directly affects organizations and government entities that share cybersecurity threat information under the existing framework. The key provision amends Section 111(a) of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 to update the deadline, with retroactive effect starting October 1, 2025. The bill also updates the law's title to "Protecting America from Cyber Threats Act" for consistency.
S 1668 prohibits senior U.S. government officials - including the President, Vice President, Members of Congress, and Senate-confirmed appointees - from issuing, sponsoring, or endorsing cryptocurrencies, tokens, or stablecoins for profit. It also bans acquiring similar financial interests through derivatives or investment funds, while allowing normal public market trading. Violations face civil penalties of up to 10% of the financial interest's value or profits gained, and criminal charges if losses exceed $1 million or personal financial gain occurs. The law applies during official service and for one year after leaving office.
Right to IVF Act This bill provides a statutory right to access fertility treatments (e.g., in vitro fertilization). Specifically, under the bill, individuals have the right to access fertility treatments and to make decisions about the use of their reproductive genetic material (e.g., embryos) without limitation or interference. Health care providers and insurers have the right to provide and cover these services, respectively. Manufacturers of applicable drugs or devices also have the right to provide these drugs or devices. The bill supersedes state laws that limit or otherwise interfere with the provision of fertility treatments as set out under this bill, including laws that require medically unnecessary procedures or services in conjunction with fertility treatments or that restrict the ability of individuals to receive fertility treatments based on marital status or sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity). The bill does not affect state health and safety regulations for medical facilities or health care providers that are in accordance with widely accepted and evidence-based medical standards and for which the purpose cannot be achieved in another, nonrestrictive manner. The Department of Justice may bring civil actions against states, individuals, or entities that implement or enforce limitations or requirements that violate this bill. Individuals and health care providers may also bring civil actions. In addition, the bill provides for coverage of fertility treatments under Medicare and Medicaid and for members of the uniformed services and veterans. It also requires private insurers that cover obstetrical services to also cover fertility treatments.
S 4973, the "No Kings Act," removes presidential and vice presidential immunity from federal criminal prosecution, requiring such cases to be handled in federal district courts with appeals limited to the D.C. Circuit. The bill specifically bars the Supreme Court from reviewing cases involving claims of presidential immunity for official acts, including dismissals of indictments or overturning convictions. It directly affects current and former presidents and vice presidents by subjecting them to the same federal criminal accountability as all other citizens. Key provisions prevent courts from considering whether alleged crimes were part of official duties unless Congress specifies otherwise, and clarify that state criminal laws remain applicable.
This bill (S 4554) is a non-binding resolution expressing Congress's "sense" that protections for abortion access should be supported after the *Dobbs* decision and that *Roe v. Wade* protections should be restored. It does not create new laws or change existing policies; it is solely a statement of congressional opinion. The resolution directly affects no individuals or entities, as it lacks legal force. Key provisions (Section 2) state Congress supports post-*Dobbs* reproductive health care access and aims to restore *Roe*-era protections, but these are declarative statements only.
S 4381, the Right to Contraception Act, establishes a federal statutory right for individuals to access contraceptives and contraception services without government interference, directly affecting people seeking care, healthcare providers (like doctors, nurses, and pharmacists), and state governments. It prohibits states or the federal government from implementing laws that restrict access to contraceptives, hinder providers from offering services, or single out contraceptive care for special restrictions. The bill preempts conflicting state laws and creates legal avenues for individuals or providers to sue to block violations, with courts required to invalidate such restrictive laws. It explicitly does not alter existing requirements for health insurance coverage of contraceptives under federal law.
SJRES 4 is a joint resolution that removes the 1972 deadline for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was originally proposed in House Joint Resolution 208. It declares that the ERA is valid as part of the U.S. Constitution if ratified by three-fourths of states (38), regardless of the expired deadline. The resolution directly affects the ERA ratification process, making it possible for states to complete ratification without time constraints. As of 2023, 38 states had already ratified the ERA, and this resolution would finalize its inclusion in the Constitution if enacted.
S 701, the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023, prohibits states from imposing restrictions on abortion that are more burdensome than those for comparable medical procedures. It protects access to abortion before fetal viability (when a fetus could survive outside the womb) by banning requirements like unnecessary in-person visits, medically inaccurate counseling, or facility restrictions not applied to similar care. Post-viability abortions remain protected when medically necessary to safeguard a patient’s life or health. The bill preempts conflicting state laws and ensures enforcement through federal courts to uphold these access protections for patients and health care providers.
The No Budget, No Pay Act requires Congress to pass a budget resolution and all regular spending bills by October 1 each fiscal year. If Congress misses this deadline, Members of Congress (including Senators and Representatives) will not receive pay for the period after October 1 until the budget is approved, and they will not receive retroactive pay for that time. The chairs of the budget and appropriations committees in each chamber will determine compliance and certify the pay suspension period. The law takes effect on September 29, 2025.
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2022 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2022 This bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosures of campaign expenditures, and requiring additional disclosures regarding certain political advertisements. Specifically, the bill expands existing foreign money prohibitions to include disbursements for paid web-based or digital communications and federal judicial nomination communications. It also prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to campaigns related to ballot initiatives and referenda. The Government Accountability Office must, for each four-year election cycle, study and report on the incidence of illicit foreign money in federal elections. Next, the bill makes it unlawful to establish or use a corporation, company, or other entity with the intent to conceal an election contribution or donation by a foreign national. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. Covered organizations (e.g., corporations, labor organizations, and political organizations) must, within 24 hours, file reports with the Federal Election Commission to disclose campaign expenditures of more than $10,000 during an election cycle. The bill also requires organizations to provide additional disclosures regarding political advertisements, including the donors who contributed the most money to that organization in the last year.
