HR 8380 amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to establish new procedures for how the Senate and House of Representatives consider annual appropriation (spending) bills. In the Senate, the bill applies existing rules for budget resolutions to these spending bills and limits debate on them to a maximum of 20 hours. For the House of Representatives, it prohibits adjourning for more than three calendar days during the month of July until all annual appropriation bills for the upcoming fiscal year have been approved by the House. These changes directly affect how members of Congress manage and approve federal spending legislation.
This bill, the "Stop Deadly Denials Act of 2026," aims to significantly restrict prior authorization requirements for Medicare beneficiaries. It prohibits Medicare Advantage plans from imposing prior authorization for most medical services and items starting January 1, 2027, with non-compliant plans facing potential sanctions. For traditional Medicare, the bill blocks a specific prior authorization pilot program and limits future models from implementing prior authorization if they use artificial intelligence for denials without individual physician review or do not use Medicare administrative contractors for processing. Additionally, it requires public notice and comment for all future Medicare innovation models.
The Equal Treatment for Farmers Act removes references to 'socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers' from multiple federal agricultural laws and programs. This bill amends various statutes including the Federal Crop Insurance Act, Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, and other agricultural legislation to eliminate special preferences or categories based on social disadvantage status. The legislation also prohibits the USDA from providing any preference, priority consideration, or enhanced benefits based on race or gender in its programs. These changes affect how federal agricultural assistance, loans, and benefits are categorized and distributed to farmers and ranchers.
The PEARL Act (HR 8366) aims to protect pharmacists who have sincerely held religious beliefs against dispensing or selling the abortion-inducing drugs mifepristone and misoprostol. It specifies that pharmacists, whether employed by private businesses or government agencies, cannot be required to dispense these drugs or be subject to punishment, such as license revocation or loss of federal funding, for refusing to do so based on their religious beliefs. The bill also establishes a private right of action, allowing pharmacists who are compelled or penalized in violation of this act to file a civil lawsuit in federal court for injunctive relief.
The Momnibus Act is a comprehensive legislative bill designed to improve maternal health outcomes across the United States by addressing social determinants of health, expanding access to care, and reducing disparities among pregnant and postpartum individuals. The bill establishes a federal task force to coordinate efforts between agencies and stakeholders to eliminate preventable maternal mortality and severe morbidity, while providing sustained funding to community-based organizations to address nonclinical factors like housing, nutrition, and transportation. Key provisions include extending WIC eligibility to 24 months postpartum, creating grants to grow and diversify the perinatal workforce, implementing respectful maternity care training for all healthcare employees, and establishing compliance programs to track and address bias in maternity care settings. The legislation also includes specific measures for incarcerated mothers, veterans, and vulnerable populations affected by climate change, alongside funding for maternal mental health services and technology-enabled care models to expand access in underserved areas.
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that former President Donald Trump, his Special Envoy Steven Witkoff, and all federal officials must comply with the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause. It specifically calls for them to immediately turn over to the Department of the Treasury any payments received from the United Arab Emirates or other foreign states. Furthermore, the resolution urges them to divest from all business interests linked to foreign governments, including those tied to United Arab Emirates officials.
This resolution expresses the House of Representatives' opinion that the Department of Justice and other federal agencies should not administratively settle legal claims for money filed against the United States by a sitting President, specifically referencing President Donald Trump. The House believes that such settlements would violate the Domestic Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prevents a President from receiving payments from the government beyond their official salary. Therefore, the resolution advises the Department of Justice to refuse any administrative settlement of these claims, while clarifying that a President can still pursue lawsuits in independent courts. This position directly affects how the Department of Justice would handle such claims from a President.
This House Resolution supports designating the week of April 11 through April 17, 2026, as "Black Maternal Health Week." The resolution aims to bring national attention to the maternal and reproductive health crisis in the United States, specifically highlighting the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing people.
The Faster Department of Veterans Affairs Construction Act of 2026 requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to use commercial building codes alongside or instead of federal codes when constructing or altering facilities, provided there are no legal conflicts. To test this approach, the bill mandates that the Department run at least three pilot projects each year from 2027 through 2031 using these commercial standards for various construction and leasing initiatives. Additionally, the Secretary must submit annual reports to Congress detailing how these codes were applied and the results of the pilot projects. This legislation aims to streamline the building process for VA facilities by adopting widely accepted industry standards such as those from the National Fire Protection Association and the International Code Council.
This bill amends the Title X family planning program to prohibit the use of federal funds for entities that perform or financially support abortions. It allows exceptions for cases involving rape, incest, or life-threatening medical conditions, while also permitting hospitals to receive funding as long as they do not give those funds to non-hospital abortion providers. To enforce these rules, the bill requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit annual reports detailing which organizations receive grants and the specific number of abortions performed under the medical and criminal exceptions.
This bill, the Breast Cancer Research Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2026, extends the period during which a special postage stamp can be sold to raise funds for breast cancer research. It amends existing law to change the program's expiration date. Specifically, the bill allows the U.S. Postal Service to continue selling the Breast Cancer Research Stamp until 2037, extending its current authorization which was set to expire in 2027. This change aims to continue providing a dedicated funding source for breast cancer research through stamp sales, affecting stamp purchasers and breast cancer research institutions.
The Senior Citizens’ Freedom to Work Act of 2026 aims to repeal the Retirement Earnings Test (RET) for Social Security beneficiaries. This means that individuals collecting Social Security benefits, including those under the Railroad Retirement program, would no longer have their benefits reduced if they continue to work and earn above a certain income threshold. The bill achieves this by repealing specific subsections of the Social Security Act and making conforming amendments across related benefit provisions. This change directly affects senior citizens and other beneficiaries who choose to remain employed while receiving their benefits, ensuring they receive their full entitlement. The provisions of this act are set to take effect for taxable years ending after December 31, 2026.
