The No Payoffs for Pardons Act requires individuals who receive executive clemency to file detailed financial reports if they provided gifts or benefits of $10,000 or more to the President or related entities in an attempt to secure that pardon. These disclosure reports must be submitted to the Attorney General and made publicly available online, while also updating federal bribery laws to explicitly include pardons as a form of "anything of value" that can be offered to officials. The bill imposes civil and criminal penalties for failing to file these reports or submitting false information, and it extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting bribery cases involving clemency to ten years. By mandating transparency around the exchange of favors for clemency, the legislation aims to prevent the misuse of presidential pardon power without restricting the President's constitutional authority to grant pardons.
This resolution designates the week of August 2 through August 8, 2026, as "National Farmers Market Week" to honor the importance of local food markets. It serves as a symbolic gesture to recognize how these markets support farmers' livelihoods, strengthen local economies, and connect urban and rural communities. The bill does not create new laws or funding but instead formally acknowledges the role farmers markets play in promoting sustainable farming and public health.
This resolution designates July 30, 2026, as "National Whistleblower Appreciation Day" to honor individuals who report misconduct, fraud, or abuse within the government. It requires federal agencies to inform employees, contractors, and the public about the legal protections available for reporting wrongdoing and to acknowledge the contributions whistleblowers make to saving taxpayer money. The bill does not create new laws or penalties but serves as a commemorative measure to encourage ethical reporting and recognize the role of whistleblowers in maintaining an ethical government.
The GRID Savings Act of 2026 directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create new rules for connecting large industrial electricity users to the national power grid. This legislation specifically targets new or expanded nonresidential loads with a peak demand of at least 150 megawatts, aiming to clarify how costs for grid upgrades are assigned. Under the proposed framework, the agency must establish procedures to ensure that facilities built solely for a specific large customer are paid for entirely by that customer, while shared grid improvements are allocated fairly among all users. The bill also allows these large customers to voluntarily pay for regional transmission projects in exchange for guaranteed access rights and includes an option for them to construct their own necessary grid connections. Additionally, the law excludes the Electric Reliability Council of Texas from these requirements and does not change how existing grid plans are managed.
The No Trump Immunity Act prohibits federal agencies from granting legal immunity or releasing claims against the President, Vice President, their immediate family, related trusts, or businesses they own. This restriction specifically targets actions involving money laundering for designated foreign entities and criminal groups, trading on insider information about potential wars with Iran, abusing young women, or illegally diverting taxpayer funds to personal associates. The law defines presidentially owned entities as those where the President or Vice President holds a significant ownership stake, excluding large corporations where their individual share is minimal. By banning these specific waivers, the bill aims to ensure that claims related to these serious allegations can be pursued without executive interference.
The Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes Act of 2026 authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to networks of organizations that use technology to improve health outcomes. These networks must consist of at least three entities with experience in collaborative learning and capacity building models. Recipients are required to use a shared dataset at the end of the grant period to demonstrate the impact of their work on significant public health issues such as infectious or chronic diseases. Additionally, the act extends the funding period for these grants from 2022 through 2026 to 2027 through 2031.
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to redraw the boundaries of Veterans Integrated Service Network 17 within 180 days of enactment. The change specifically includes Otero County and Eddy County in New Mexico, ensuring these rural areas fall under the oversight of that network. By integrating these counties into the existing network, the legislation aims to standardize how rural veterans receive health care coordination and services.
This joint resolution seeks to officially reject a rule proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services regarding the Child Care and Development Fund. If passed, the measure would prevent the new regulations from taking effect, thereby maintaining the previous rules governing how federal child care funds are administered. The bill directly impacts families and organizations that rely on CCDF subsidies for child care assistance by blocking the specific administrative changes outlined in the disputed rule. By exercising its authority under the Congressional Review Act, Congress aims to ensure the proposed flexibility measures do not alter the current structure of child care funding.
This bill expands paid family and medical leave benefits for a wide range of federal workers, including those in the Executive Office of the President, the Postal Service, and the District of Columbia courts. It primarily increases the amount of paid leave available for specific events, such as the birth or adoption of a child, by allowing employees to take up to 26 workweeks of leave in total, which includes a separate 12-week portion for other family and medical needs. The legislation also clarifies that leave for adoption can begin before the child is placed with the family to support necessary pre-placement activities. Additionally, it updates the rules for various federal agencies to ensure their leave programs align with these new standards and covers employees who might have previously received different types of paid leave under separate laws.
The Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Improvement Act expands eligibility for facilities to convert into rural emergency hospitals by relaxing certain operational requirements and clarifying rules for units providing psychiatric, rehabilitation, or obstetric care. It establishes a new payment structure that increases reimbursement by 5 percent for diagnostic laboratory tests starting in 2027 and allows these hospitals to use swing beds for extended care services. The legislation also ensures that rural emergency hospitals are recognized as health professional shortage areas to attract medical staff and includes their services in Medicaid coverage plans. Additionally, the bill permits facilities that revert to critical access hospital status to regain their previous necessary provider designation and makes them eligible for specific improvement grants.
The Strengthening Taxpayer Advocacy Act empowers the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate to make its own staffing decisions and grants it direct access to IRS records, legal advice, and meetings to better assist individual taxpayers. Under this law, the IRS Commissioner must provide requested information and schedule meetings within two weeks, while the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate gains the authority to issue orders that can suspend tax collection actions during government funding lapses. Additionally, the bill removes a specific time limit that previously prevented the Taxpayer Advocate Service from acting when a taxpayer faces economic hardship due to IRS actions. These changes aim to improve the ability of the Taxpayer Advocate to intervene on behalf of individuals dealing with IRS issues.
The Protecting Indian Water Rights Settlements Act of 2026 creates two new funding accounts to support the implementation of specific Indian water rights settlements. One account provides $45 million annually through 2035 for ongoing operations and maintenance related to five existing settlements, while the second account offers $250 million annually for the same period to fund new or continuing settlements approved by Congress. These funds are automatically deposited into the Treasury and made available to the Secretary of the Interior without needing further approval for each use. The legislation allows the Interior Secretary to decide how quickly and in what order to distribute the money to ensure settlements are completed efficiently.
