The Medicaid Equal Standards Act requires states to implement a resource limit for individuals eligible under the Medicaid expansion, effective January 1, 2029. Under this bill, an individual would lose eligibility if their countable assets exceed $10,000, or $20,000 for married couples, with the limit adjusted every four years based on inflation. States retain some flexibility to set lower limits or include certain assets that are normally excluded from the calculation. The law also ensures that states remain eligible for federal funding even if they deny coverage to people who exceed these asset thresholds.
The Hydropower Licensing Affordability Act amends the Federal Power Act to modify how federal licenses for hydropower projects are issued. Specifically, it requires that license conditions include measures to reasonably mitigate direct adverse effects on federal reservations and fish populations within applicable river systems. These changes aim to ensure that new or existing hydropower projects address environmental impacts on protected lands and aquatic species before a license is granted. The bill directly affects hydropower project developers and federal agencies responsible for licensing and environmental oversight.
The Better Care, Better Cost Act requires states to consider how well managed care organizations perform when deciding which ones to assign Medicaid beneficiaries to. Starting in 2028, states must create a system to score these organizations based on factors like medical costs, hospital readmissions, emergency visits, and patient satisfaction. Additionally, states must publish annual reports showing how using these scores changes enrollment patterns and estimates savings. This law directly affects state Medicaid programs and the managed care companies that serve them by mandating performance-based decision-making.
This bill would require the U.S. Treasury Secretary to evaluate whether major international trade partners are maintaining fair exchange rate policies before the U.S. votes to increase their quotas at the International Monetary Fund. The legislation mandates a seven-day waiting period where the Treasury must submit a report assessing whether these countries have violated trade obligations, maintained transparent exchange rate practices, and avoided manipulating currency values for unfair competitive advantage. If the Treasury determines a country fails to meet these standards, the U.S. would be instructed to vote against increasing that country's IMF quota, though the President retains the authority to override this decision if deemed important for national interests. The provision would automatically expire seven years after the bill is enacted.
HR 941, the Small LENDER Act, creates a 3-year compliance period and a subsequent 2-year penalty-free period for small lenders required to report small business lending data under a new rule. It directly affects financial institutions that originated at least 500 small business loans in each of the previous two years (defined as loans to businesses with under $1 million annual revenue). The bill delays full enforcement of new data reporting requirements, giving lenders time to adjust without penalties during the grace periods. This changes how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforces reporting rules for smaller lenders focused on small business loans.
Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act This bill repeals the Corporate Transparency Act. The act requires existing companies and newly created companies to report beneficial ownership information to the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for purposes of addressing the financing of terrorism and money laundering.
The America the Beautiful Act reauthorizes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund through 2033, increasing its annual funding from $1.9 billion to $2 billion. It requires that projects funded by the Legacy Restoration Fund must secure at least 15% of their costs from public donations, which will be solicited through public awareness campaigns, donation locations at recreation sites, and during the purchase of recreation passes. The bill also mandates new reporting requirements for deferred maintenance and disposal of assets no longer serving public interest, while ensuring donations are credited to the Fund and allocated to specific projects.
The Fresh Starts for Foster Youth Act amends federal law to require states to include legal counseling services for foster youth and to certify that their care plans address specific legal issues like housing, education, and family connections. This legislation directly affects the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program by updating how states must plan for the transition of foster youth into adulthood. The bill takes effect one year after enactment, with a provision allowing a delay if a state needs time to pass new laws to meet these updated requirements.
This House resolution expresses the sentiment that the Senate's current filibuster rules violate the Constitution's design for two co-equal chambers that should operate on majority rule. The bill argues that modern Senate procedures allow a minority of senators to block legislation passed by the House without engaging in actual debate or voting on the merits. It calls on the Senate to reform or abolish these rules to ensure that laws supported by a majority in both chambers receive a timely floor vote and a final decision based on majority opinion.
The COMPASS Act expands protections for military families by updating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to address homeschooling requirements during permanent moves. It ensures that a military child's home education is considered compliant with the laws of their new location if they were already following the rules of their legal residence state. This change aims to reduce administrative burdens and prevent conflicting state regulations from penalizing families when they relocate due to military orders. By clarifying these rules, the bill seeks to support family stability and ensure uninterrupted schooling for military-connected students.
This bill establishes the Lone Star Coastal National Recreation Area as a unit of the National Park System to protect the natural, cultural, and recreational resources along the Texas Gulf Coast. The area would be created only after the Secretary of the Interior acquires sufficient land through voluntary means such as donations, purchases from willing sellers, or exchanges, with no use of condemnation. A new partnership involving federal, state, local, and private stakeholders will develop a management plan that coordinates activities across both federally owned lands and participating private or state lands. The legislation ensures that private landowners retain their rights and that existing economic activities like hunting, fishing, and oil and gas operations continue without new regulations, while allowing the National Park Service to provide technical assistance and interpretive services.
This bill, known as the Government Bailout Prevention Act, prohibits the federal government from using taxpayer money or Federal Reserve funds to bail out state, local, county, or school district governments that face financial distress starting in 2026. Specifically, it bars the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve from purchasing bonds, issuing credit lines, or providing loans to any government entity that has filed for bankruptcy, defaulted on its debts, or is at risk of defaulting without federal help. The law explicitly excludes disaster relief assistance and discretionary grants from these restrictions, ensuring that emergency aid for declared disasters remains available even if a government is in financial trouble.
