The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 mandates that all public schools provide free breakfast and lunch to every enrolled student, regardless of income. It establishes specific funding rates for these meals, adjusts payments based on the use of locally sourced food, and eliminates the ability of schools to collect debt for unpaid charges. Additionally, the bill expands free meal access to summer programs, afterschool care, and incarcerated juveniles while updating poverty measurement standards across various federal education and nutrition laws.
The Multigenerational Caregiving Data Act requires the U.S. government to add a specific question to major national surveys to identify people who provide unpaid care to both children and older adults. This change aims to better track individuals who juggle responsibilities for dependents across different generations, addressing a gap in current data collection. Before the question is fully used, the government will test it to ensure it is clear and not too burdensome for respondents, and all answers will remain voluntary. Within three years of passing, the survey must include this new question, and within two years of its inclusion, the government must report to Congress on how well the data works and suggest any needed adjustments. Ultimately, the bill seeks to improve official statistics on caregiving to help policymakers make more informed decisions about health, work, and family support.
The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act authorizes federal grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to fund long-term improvements to their campus facilities and infrastructure. These grants are awarded competitively to eligible HBCUs based on criteria such as the age of their facilities, deferred maintenance needs, financial capacity, and student enrollment levels. Recipients may use the funds to construct or renovate buildings, upgrade technology and broadband systems, improve safety measures, and develop workforce training hubs, while being prohibited from using the money for routine maintenance or athletic facilities. The legislation also includes provisions for reporting on project outcomes and requires institutions to create comprehensive master plans that involve consultation with diverse campus and community stakeholders.
This bill requires the Department of Defense to review and eventually ban contracts with retailers that use payment processing systems from specific countries deemed a national security risk, such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Effective January 1, 2027, the Defense Department will be prohibited from entering into agreements for payment equipment or services if those tools rely on technology developed, owned, or controlled by entities in these nations. The law defines covered systems broadly to include hardware, software, and firmware linked to these countries, aiming to prevent potential foreign access to sensitive military financial data. Retailers wishing to continue working with the Department of Defense must replace their payment processing infrastructure with systems that do not involve these restricted technologies.
The Bereaved Parents Rights Act requires hospitals and birth centers to notify parents of miscarriages or stillbirths about their options for burial, cremation, or hospital disposal. This notification must occur within six hours of the event or the parent's discharge, using a standardized form provided by the government. If parents choose burial or cremation within 72 hours, the facility must follow the same state laws that apply to other fetal deaths. The bill also allows parents to sue in federal court if these notification requirements are not met.
The Critical Mineral and Extraction Tax Parity Act expands a federal tax credit for advanced manufacturing to include eleven new critical minerals, such as boron, copper, and uranium, while also adding specific rules for phosphate. It allows companies that extract ore in the United States to claim these credits for the extraction costs themselves, provided they certify that the ore is refined into a qualifying mineral and sold to an unrelated buyer. Additionally, the bill removes a previous penalty that reduced tax credit amounts for metallurgical coal, ensuring these materials receive the same financial support as other critical minerals. These changes are designed to encourage domestic production and processing of essential raw materials and will take effect for minerals produced and sold after December 31, 2025.
The Patients Before Monopolies Act aims to break up large health care companies that currently own both insurance or pharmacy benefit management services and physical pharmacies. It directly affects major health care conglomerates by making it illegal for them to own pharmacies while also managing drug pricing or insurance, requiring them to sell off their pharmacy operations within one year. The bill empowers federal agencies like the FTC and the Department of Justice to enforce these rules, impose financial penalties for non-compliance, and block future mergers that would recreate these conflicts of interest.
HRES 64 is a non-binding House resolution affirming the U.S.-South Korea alliance. It highlights historical ties (dating to 1882), economic partnerships (including 2023 trade data), and security cooperation (like the 1953 Mutual Defense Treaty), while celebrating Korean American contributions to U.S. society. The resolution formally supports strengthening security, economic, and cultural ties between the two nations and notes the 2025 anniversary of Korean liberation. It does not create new laws or funding, but serves as a symbolic statement of congressional support for the alliance.
S 1555, the Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act of 2025, increases loan limits for qualifying small manufacturers under two federal programs. It defines a "small manufacturer" as a business primarily in U.S. manufacturing sectors 31-33 (like automotive or electronics) with all facilities located in the United States. The bill doubles the maximum loan amount under the Small Business Act's Section 7(a) from $3.75 million to $7.5 million for these manufacturers, and raises the Small Business Investment Act's limit from $5.5 million to $10 million. These changes directly affect U.S.-based small manufacturing businesses seeking expanded access to federal loans for operations and growth.
The YALI Act of 2025 establishes the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) to support emerging leaders in sub-Saharan Africa aged 18-35, focusing on business, civic engagement, and public administration. It creates at least four regional leadership centers in Africa for training, expands the Mandela Washington Fellowship (for 25-35-year-olds with demonstrated leadership), and requires annual reports on program outcomes. The bill mandates partnerships with private sector entities to fund networking, entrepreneurship, and leadership development, while requiring the State Department to submit implementation plans within 180 days of enactment. The program expires five years after enactment, with reports assessing its impact on U.S.-Africa relations, including trade, governance, and youth empowerment.
This resolution reaffirms the House of Representatives' support for the Taiwan Relations Act and longstanding bipartisan U.S. policy toward Taiwan. It highlights key provisions such as maintaining commercial and cultural ties, emphasizing regional peace, and providing Taiwan with defensive arms. The document also reiterates the Six Assurances, which clarify that the U.S. does not set a date for ending arms sales, will not mediate between Taiwan and China, and will not pressure Taiwan to negotiate with China. By restating these principles, the bill aims to reinforce the current framework without introducing new legal obligations or changing existing policy.
This bill, titled the Gas Tax Relief Act, temporarily eliminates the federal excise tax on gasoline and other taxable fuels for a period of up to 215 days starting after its enactment. The tax holiday directly affects drivers and businesses that purchase fuel, removing the specific tax rates that currently apply to these purchases. To maintain federal revenue, the law requires the Treasury Secretary to transfer an amount equal to the tax savings into the Highway Trust Fund and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund. Additionally, the President has the authority to extend the tax suspension or gradually reintroduce the tax over time based on economic conditions.
