The Fair Audits and Inspections for Regulators' Exams Act establishes strict deadlines for federal financial regulators to complete examinations, conduct exit interviews, and issue final reports, with extensions permitted only for specific documented reasons. The bill creates a new Office of Independent Examination Review within the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, staffed by a three-member board appointed by the President, to oversee examination quality and handle complaints from financial institutions. It grants banks and credit unions the right to request binding written advice on regulatory interpretations and allows them to seek independent, de novo review of significant supervisory determinations made during exams. Additionally, the legislation permits regulated entities to choose between an administrative hearing before their regulator or a judicial hearing in federal district court when facing enforcement actions or civil money penalties.
The Trade Deficit Elimination Act of 2026 directs the United States Trade Representative to annually identify countries with which the U.S. has a bilateral deficit in goods trade and designate them as "trade deficit economies." For these designated partners, the bill authorizes the imposition of additional import duties specifically calculated to eliminate the trade imbalance, subject to presidential direction and consultation with congressional committees. The legislation allows for exemptions on goods that are critical to national security or unavailable domestically at reasonable prices. Additionally, it empowers the Trade Representative to negotiate bilateral agreements requiring partner nations to increase purchases of U.S. goods or reduce their exports to the United States.
The Bring Our Heroes Home Act requires all government agencies to identify, preserve, and transmit records related to missing military personnel and civilian personnel who supported the military (from December 7, 1941, through the bill's enactment date) to a new Missing Armed Forces and Civilian Personnel Records Collection at the National Archives. It establishes a Review Board to oversee the process, ensure timely public disclosure of these records, and periodically review any records withheld for national security reasons. The bill aims to make these records more accessible to families of missing personnel, researchers, and the public, while allowing limited exceptions to protect national security. This would improve transparency about the fate of missing military personnel and civilians who went missing while serving the country.
This bill (S 829) is a procedural naming resolution. It designates the U.S. Postal Service facility at 840 Front Street in Casselton, North Dakota, as the "Commander Delbert Austin Olson Post Office." The bill updates all official federal references (laws, documents, maps) to this specific location to reflect the new name. It does not change postal services, funding, or policy; it solely honors an individual through a permanent facility designation.
This bill, the GOOD Act (Guidance Out Of Darkness Act), requires federal agencies to publish all their non-binding guidance documents - such as memos, bulletins, letters, and blog posts - on a single, publicly accessible government website. It applies to all federal agencies and mandates that existing guidance be posted within 180 days of the law's enactment, with new guidance published immediately upon issuance. Agencies must also maintain rescinded guidance documents online with clear labels indicating they are no longer in effect. The law does not apply to documents already exempt from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
HR 7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act, restricts Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing certain investments like stocks in publicly traded companies. It requires 7-14 days' advance public notice before selling any such investment, including the sale date, description, and number of shares. Exceptions apply for work-related transactions (e.g., employer compensation) and reinvesting dividends. Violations trigger a fee of $2,000 or 10% of the investment’s value (whichever is greater), plus any net gain, paid from personal funds - not congressional allowances or campaign donations. The bill aims to prevent conflicts of interest by increasing transparency around congressional financial dealings.
This bill designates the U.S. Postal Service facility at 840 Front Street in Casselton, North Dakota, as the "Commander Delbert Austin Olson Post Office." It updates all official references in federal laws, maps, documents, and records to use this new name for the building. The bill has no policy provisions - it solely changes the facility's name and related references. This affects USPS operations and government paperwork referencing the Casselton location.
The Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026 establishes uniform legal protections for chaplains across the Army, Navy, and Air Force to ensure they can perform their religious duties without interference or retaliation. The bill explicitly prohibits military members from assigning chaplains tasks that conflict with their sincerely held religious beliefs or the tenets of their endorsing organizations, making such violations subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It also creates new leadership positions, including Deputy Chiefs of Chaplains for each service branch, who will hold general officer ranks and serve as principal advisors on religious support matters. Additionally, the legislation requires commanding officers to provide necessary facilities and transportation to assist chaplains in carrying out their spiritual care responsibilities.
The Kids Online Safety Act (S 1748) requires major social media platforms, online video games, and other "covered platforms" to implement specific safety features for minors (under 17). These features include default privacy settings that limit harmful design features like infinite scrolling and auto-play, parental controls for managing minors' accounts, and restrictions on advertising illegal products to minors. The bill also mandates annual transparency reports about how platforms are used by minors and requires platforms to provide clear notices about their content algorithms. It creates a Kids Online Safety Council to advise Congress on online safety issues for children. The law applies to platforms with more than 10 million monthly users in the U.S. and takes effect 18 months after enactment.
The College Transparency Act establishes a federal data system to collect and analyze student-level information about college enrollment, costs, completion rates, and post-graduation outcomes. The National Center for Education Statistics must develop this system within 4 years, collecting data on student demographics, program of study, financial aid, and earnings while prohibiting sensitive information like health data or citizenship status. The system will provide public, aggregated data through an online tool that allows students and families to compare institutions and make informed education decisions. The bill repeals a previous prohibition on such a data system and amends requirements for colleges to submit data, aiming to reduce reporting burdens while improving transparency. It includes privacy protections, an advisory committee with diverse representation, and prohibits using the data for federal rankings or to limit student services.
This resolution designates August 1, 2026, as Gold Star Children's Day to honor the sacrifices and hardships faced by children of fallen members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The bill does not create new laws or change government operations; instead, it serves as a formal expression of gratitude from the Senate and encourages the public to observe this day in support of these families. By establishing this specific date, the measure aims to raise awareness about the legacy carried by children who lost a parent in military service.
This bill creates a pilot program that transfers management authority for certain federal court buildings from the General Services Administration to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. Under this new arrangement, the Director of the Administrative Office would gain the power to acquire, construct, alter, lease, and maintain court facilities, including the ability to hire contractors and manage utilities and security services. The legislation establishes a dedicated fund to finance these operations and requires congressional approval for major construction or leasing projects exceeding specific cost thresholds. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building be transferred to the Director's control within 181 days of the law's enactment. The program is designed to run for seven years, with a requirement to return all transferred properties to the General Services Administration by the tenth year.
