This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to exclude the value of employer-provided child or dependent care services from overtime pay calculations. It directly affects employers who offer such care benefits, allowing them to exclude the cost of these services when determining overtime wages for eligible employees. The key change adds a new exclusion (paragraph (9)) to the overtime calculation rules, meaning the value of childcare or elder care provided by an employer is no longer counted toward an employee's regular rate for overtime purposes. The change applies to overtime pay required for workweeks beginning after the bill's enactment date.
HR 7016, the "No Funds for NATO Invasion Act," blocks federal funding for any U.S. military invasion of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member country or territory covered by NATO's Article 5 mutual defense clause. The bill prohibits using any federal funds for such invasions and bans U.S. officials from executing these actions. It directly affects U.S. military operations and funding decisions involving NATO members. The law applies to all federal spending, preventing the use of existing budgets for this specific purpose.
HRES 984 is a symbolic resolution designating January 9, 2026, as "National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day." It directly honors all federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers across the United States for their service and sacrifices. The resolution expresses the House's support and gratitude, encourages public observance through ceremonies, and recognizes officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but serves as a formal expression of appreciation.
HR 7004 prohibits federal elected officials, congressional staff, political appointees, and executive branch employees from trading prediction market contracts using material nonpublic information about government policy, actions, or political outcomes. It bans any purchase, sale, or exchange of these contracts when the individual possesses or could reasonably obtain such nonpublic information - defined as important investment details not available to the public. The bill directly affects government insiders who might otherwise trade on inside knowledge of upcoming decisions or election results through prediction markets. Key provisions clarify that covered transactions include any financial instrument tied to future government events, listed on platforms operating across state lines. This creates a specific insider trading rule for prediction markets, distinct from general securities laws.
HR 7002, the Justice for Exploited Children Act, amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to increase penalties for employers violating child labor laws involving minors under 18. It adds criminal penalties for repeated or willful violations, including fines up to $100,000 or 5 years in prison, and significantly higher fines for violations causing death or serious injury to child employees (up to $500,000 or 10 years imprisonment). Civil penalties are also raised, with minimum fines of $1,000 for standard violations and $50,000 for violations causing a child’s death (doubled for repeat or willful cases). The bill directly affects employers who violate child labor protections, aiming to strengthen enforcement through steeper financial and criminal consequences.
This bill establishes an EB-5 Regional Center Program Advisory Committee within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to advise on the EB-5 visa program. The committee, composed of up to 35 diverse representatives from EB-5 regional centers (covering categories like high-unemployment areas, rural projects, and infrastructure) and local/state governments, will focus on program improvements related to job creation, capital investment, fraud prevention, and processing efficiency. It must submit annual reports to USCIS and hold public meetings, but cannot make case-specific recommendations. The committee terminates once all pending EB-5 applications are processed, and the bill does not alter existing EB-5 program rules.
HR 6997, the Community Passport Services Access Act, allows qualified public libraries to become official passport acceptance facilities and collect the standard execution fee for passport applications. It directly affects non-profit public libraries meeting U.S. State Department regulations, enabling them to serve as passport application sites - expanding access beyond current locations like post offices. Key provisions authorize new libraries to apply for this role and automatically authorize existing libraries that previously accepted passports. The bill also updates the Passport Act to formally include public libraries in the list of authorized acceptance locations. This creates a concrete policy change in where passport services are available to the public.
This concurrent resolution (HCONRES 69) commemorates the 15th anniversary of the January 8, 2011, Tucson shooting that killed six people and injured 13, including former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. It honors the victims, survivors, and Giffords - now a prominent advocate for gun violence prevention - and recognizes her leadership in promoting civility and reducing gun violence. The resolution also commends Tucson residents and first responders for their resilience and reaffirms Congress’s commitment to respectful dialogue and opposing political violence. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws or policies.
S 3610, the "No Funding for Foreign Agents Act," prohibits U.S. government funding to entities controlled by agents of specific foreign governments. It bars direct or indirect U.S. financial assistance (including grants, loans, and vouchers) from being provided to any organization controlled by an agent of a "covered foreign principal," defined as governments of nations including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and several African countries listed in the bill. The law specifically targets entities acting under the direction of these foreign governments, excluding individuals or U.S.-based organizations not controlled by such agents. This policy change restricts federal funding eligibility for foreign-influenced groups without altering existing foreign aid programs.
This bill limits tax deductions for gambling losses to only the amount of gambling gains earned in the same year. It directly affects individuals who report gambling income on their tax returns, requiring them to offset losses against prior gambling winnings rather than using losses to reduce other taxable income. The key provision amends the tax code to restrict wagering loss deductions under Section 165(d), making losses deductible only up to the level of gambling gains. The rule applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
The PROTECT Act of 2026 requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to list all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act within 180 days of the bill becoming law. This would directly affect industries that manufacture or use PFAS, such as producers of non-stick cookware, firefighting foam, and other consumer products containing these chemicals. The EPA must then, within 365 days, update the list of specific industrial sources (including factories and facilities) that emit PFAS to establish regulatory oversight. These steps create the foundational framework for future EPA regulations targeting PFAS emissions, though the bill itself does not set specific emission limits.
This bill amends U.S. immigration law to make fraud convictions deportable without requiring a specific fraud loss amount. It directly affects non-citizens (aliens) convicted of fraud against private individuals, businesses, or government entities, and naturalized U.S. citizens convicted of such fraud. Key provisions include adding fraud to the list of deportable offenses under Section 237(a)(2) and enabling courts to revoke citizenship and cancel naturalization certificates for naturalized citizens convicted of qualifying fraud offenses. The changes apply to fraud committed on or after September 30, 1996, that wasn’t already charged before the bill’s enactment.
