National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act. [ sic ] This bill temporarily directs the Department of the Interior to award a grant to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund for the expenses associated with operating and enhancing the community outreach, public education, and officer safety and wellness programs of the National Law Enforcement Museum.
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
This bill, known as Kayleigh's Law Act of 2026, requires federal courts to issue permanent restraining orders against defendants convicted of certain serious crimes, prohibiting them from contacting their victims for the rest of their lives. The law applies specifically to individuals convicted of violent felonies or felony offenses involving sexual acts, including crimes like child exploitation and human trafficking. Courts must include these orders in sentencing, and violations are treated as contempt of court, while the only way to lift the order is if the conviction is overturned or pardoned. The bill also ensures that victims cannot be charged any fees for obtaining these protective orders and clarifies that the restrictions apply regardless of state laws.
Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act This bill prohibits federal contract bid solicitations for contractor personnel from including minimum educational requirements unless the contracting officer justifies the requirements. The prohibition applies to educational requirements that may be met through education alone, education or experience, or a combination of education and experience. The bill also requires the Office of Management and Budget to issue implementing guidance to federal agencies, including instructions for contracting officers that encourage using alternatives to education requirements.
HR 1869 creates a new DOJ task force within the Criminal Division to investigate and prosecute international trade crimes, such as customs evasion, smuggling, and trade-based money laundering. It requires the DOJ to hire specialized prosecutors, coordinate with agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and focus on specific violations covered under statutes like 18 U.S.C. §§ 541-546 and 21 U.S.C. § 331. The bill authorizes $20 million in funding for fiscal year 2026 (with 80% dedicated to criminal prosecutions), mandates annual reports to Congress on enforcement activities, and requires the DOJ to develop multi-agency partnerships to address these crimes. This directly affects federal prosecutors, border enforcement agencies, and industries impacted by trade violations.
This bill modifies tax rules to provide relief for individuals affected by major disasters. It allows taxpayers to deduct disaster-related losses (like damaged homes or personal property) more easily by creating a new "disaster loss deduction" that combines certain casualty losses and adjusts for income limits. It also excludes wildfire relief payments (such as compensation for lost wages or home damage not covered by insurance) from taxable income for people in federally declared wildfire areas, effective 2026 through 2030. These changes apply to losses incurred in taxable years starting after 2024, specifically for disasters declared between 2025 and 2027.
The Cost Estimates Improvement Act requires the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation to include public debt servicing costs in their financial estimates, to the extent practicable. This change directly affects federal budgeting processes by ensuring that the interest payments on national debt are factored into official cost projections for new legislation. The bill amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to mandate this specific inclusion in all future estimates prepared by these two bodies.
The Gender Delusion Disqualification Act would amend federal employment laws to prohibit individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria from holding specific government jobs or credentials that require meeting mental health standards. The bill defines "covered positions" as executive agency roles where regulations already mandate mental health criteria for appointment or continued service, and extends this exclusion to any federal license or certificate issued under similar conditions. Agencies would be required to issue implementing regulations within 180 days of enactment to identify which specific positions and certifications fall under these new restrictions. The legislation explicitly states that it does not impose additional standards on employees in roles that do not currently have established mental health requirements.
The PEPTIDES for Veterans Act directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to review existing federal regulations regarding peptides and submit a report within 180 days that establishes specific definitions for peptides and peptide-based therapies. Following this initial review, the Department must conduct an 18-month study on the safety and efficacy of these treatments for veterans, focusing on conditions such as chronic pain, mental health, and rehabilitation needs. If the study concludes that these therapies should be made available, the Secretary is required to launch a pilot program lasting up to five years to evaluate their effectiveness in real-world clinical settings. The bill ultimately aims to determine whether peptide-based therapies can be integrated into standard care for veterans based on the findings from the mandated research and pilot evaluation.
This bill, known as the Congressional Records Protection Act, aims to shield the personal and official communications of Members of Congress and their employees from government searches and subpoenas. It directly affects federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies by prohibiting them from obtaining records related to these individuals unless the person is the specific target of a criminal investigation. Under the new rules, agencies must notify the affected Member or employee before searching their records, except in urgent cases where notice could endanger lives or destroy evidence. Additionally, any materials found during a search that belong to a protected individual cannot be reviewed for 30 days to ensure they are not accessed without proper oversight.
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.
