This House resolution formally recognizes suicide as a significant public health issue in the United States and highlights the impact of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on individuals and communities. It commends the establishment of the 988 number as a nationwide three-digit dialing code for crisis support, noting its role in connecting people to mental health resources. The bill supports the designation of September 8, 2026, as "988 Day" to raise awareness about the service and promote access to mental health care. Additionally, it encourages continued public education and federal, state, and local efforts to expand crisis intervention programs for high-risk populations.
This bill directs the Secretary of Education to conduct a study on how states, local school districts, and public schools teach students about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The study must examine whether 9/11 education is required or optional in curricula, identify available teaching resources and professional development for teachers, and assess the methods used to evaluate student learning. It also requires the Secretary to work with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and submit a report on these findings to Congress within three years of the law's enactment.
The Protecting Taxpayers from Ghost Preparers Act aims to stop tax preparers from fraudulently changing filed tax returns without the taxpayer's knowledge. It does this by broadening the legal definition of a "return" to include various administrative documents and by preventing the statute of limitations from being extended when a preparer commits fraud. These changes ensure that the time limit for the government to collect unpaid taxes remains fixed even if a dishonest preparer tries to alter a return after it has been submitted. The bill also includes a minor technical adjustment to another tax deadline provision.
The End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act modifies the Internal Revenue Code to protect United States nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad from tax penalties and interest. It achieves this by disregarding the time spent in captivity when calculating tax deadlines, interest accruals, and penalty amounts, while also requiring the Treasury Department to update its systems to suspend collection activities for these individuals. Additionally, the bill establishes a program to refund or abate any taxes, penalties, or interest that eligible individuals paid during the period from January 1, 2021, to the date of the law's enactment. To implement these changes, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General must provide lists of affected individuals to the Treasury by January 1, 2027, and notify them of their eligibility for refunds.
The Student Protection and University Accountability Act requires colleges receiving federal funds to establish clear, public processes for investigating discrimination complaints based on race, color, or national origin. Under this bill, universities must designate a compliance officer, provide detailed explanations for their investigative decisions, and notify complainants of outcomes within 30 days. The law also mandates that schools display federal anti-discrimination materials on campus and makes them ineligible for funding if they fail to comply with these requirements for two consecutive years. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Education to report monthly on discrimination complaints to Congress and prohibits the agency from dismissing or delaying investigations when similar claims are filed elsewhere.
This bill designates the American mastodon as the national fossil mammal and the Tyrannosaurus rex as the national fossil dinosaur for the United States. It achieves this by amending Title 36 of the U.S. Code to officially recognize these specific species within the legal framework for national symbols. The changes update the relevant chapter heading to include "fossil" and add a new section to formally establish these designations.
The Title IX Clarification Act of 2026 amends federal education law to explicitly define the terms "sex," "female," and "male" based on biological characteristics. Specifically, it states that "sex" refers to an individual's biologically determined status as male or female, while "female" and "male" are defined by the presence of specific reproductive systems capable of producing ova or sperm, respectively. These definitions apply to all education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance starting on the date the bill becomes law. The legislation aims to clarify existing statutes by removing ambiguity around biological sex definitions in the context of Title IX protections.
HR 5267, the American Franchise Act, clarifies when franchisors can be considered joint employers of franchisee employees under federal labor laws. It defines "substantial direct and immediate control" over essential employment terms like wages, benefits, hours, hiring, and discipline - requiring franchisors to actively set these terms to be deemed joint employers. The bill explicitly excludes routine brand standards, training, or minimal safety requirements from constituting such control. This directly affects franchisors and franchisees by limiting joint employer liability to cases where franchisors exert significant, ongoing influence over core employment decisions. The law applies prospectively to new cases after enactment, not past disputes.
This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to clarify that direct sellers and qualified real estate agents (as defined under IRS rules) are not considered "employees" under federal labor law. It directly affects these workers by excluding them from FLSA protections like minimum wage and overtime pay. The key provision inserts a new definition into the law, changing how these professions are classified for labor rights purposes. This is a technical definitional change, not a new policy or program.
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Inclusion Act of 2026 modifies federal student loan rules to make it easier for borrowers in public service jobs to qualify for debt cancellation. The bill changes how qualifying monthly payments are counted by allowing the first 60 payments to count regardless of their amount, while requiring subsequent payments to meet a specific minimum threshold based on a standard 10-year repayment schedule. It also expands eligibility to include payments made under the standard repayment plan and counts months where repayment was suspended due to administrative forbearance as qualifying payments if the borrower remained employed in public service. The Department of Education is required to notify affected borrowers about these changes within 180 days of enactment, with the new payment counting rules applying to those who have not yet made 120 monthly payments.
This House resolution marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by formally honoring the memory of the nearly 3,000 victims and recognizing the sacrifices made by first responders, military personnel, and the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93. The bill acknowledges the ongoing health challenges faced by survivors and responders, highlighting the role of the World Trade Center Health Program in providing long-term medical support. It also credits charitable organizations and community groups that have continued to assist victims' families and veterans over the past two decades. Finally, the resolution urges the American public to observe the anniversary with ceremonies and reaffirms Congress's commitment to remembering the events and lessons of that day.
The El Salvador TPS Act of 2026 requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to individuals from El Salvador. This designation would remain in effect until a date 18 months after September 9, 2026. The bill directly affects eligible residents of El Salvador by providing them with legal protection and work authorization during this specified period.
