The ReCement Act amends federal regulations to allow cement manufacturers to use non-hazardous secondary materials as fuel or ingredients without classifying them as waste. This change directly affects the cement industry by permitting the use of recovered resources that meet specific legitimacy criteria, such as being managed as valuable commodities or processed before use. By updating the definition of what constitutes waste under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the bill aims to increase material efficiency in cement production through the incorporation of alternative fuels and recovered materials.
This bill, known as the Supreme Court Justice Circuit Riding Act, would require Supreme Court justices to travel across the country to serve as judges in federal appeals courts, a practice that had ended in 1911. Under the new rules, justices must sit on at least one panel of an appeals court for a minimum of 10 days of oral arguments each year, while also being eligible to vote on panel rehearings but barred from participating in full court en banc reviews. The legislation mandates that these appearances occur in person rather than via video or teleconference and establishes a system for reimbursing travel and lodging expenses. Additionally, the bill adds a disqualification provision to prevent a justice from voting on any case after they have already participated in it as a circuit judge. Finally, the Chief Justice is tasked with creating regulations within 180 days to manage the assignment of justices to specific circuits.
The Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act of 2026 eliminates a federal tax credit that allowed parents to deduct contributions to scholarship granting organizations from their income. By removing these specific tax breaks, the bill prevents the use of public tax dollars to support private school vouchers and scholarship programs. This change directly affects families who currently rely on these tax incentives to fund education outside the public school system. The provisions take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026.
The Child Safety and Well-Being Act of 2026 establishes a new federal Children's Commission to advocate for the interests of all children and marginalized youth. This 15-member body, appointed by the Comptroller General, will include experts, advocates, and young people with lived experiences to review federal policies and regulations affecting child well-being. The Commission will conduct research, issue public reports, and provide written comments on agency actions to ensure children's perspectives are considered in government decisions. Additionally, the bill creates a Children's Commissioner to lead the commission and facilitates the collection of data on how laws impact vulnerable populations.
The Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Enforcement and Coordination Act establishes a new task force within the Department of Justice to coordinate efforts against cryptocurrency theft. Led by the Attorney General, this group will include representatives from agencies such as the FBI and the Treasury to improve how federal, state, and local law enforcement investigate and prosecute these crimes. The task force is responsible for sharing information, providing training on digital evidence collection, and identifying gaps in current laws without creating new criminal offenses or regulating digital assets. Additionally, the Attorney General must submit annual reports to Congress detailing the task force's activities and offering recommendations for future improvements.
This bill, titled the Dignity and Due Process for Children Act of 2026, restricts how unaccompanied children under 18 are handled by immigration authorities in the United States. It requires immigration judges to issue an arrest warrant before detaining these children pending removal decisions and prohibits the use of military personnel or Department of Defense vehicles to transport them for deportation, except during declared natural disasters. Additionally, the law forbids government agencies from pressuring children to sign legal documents that affect their status without first ensuring they have confidential access to a lawyer, mandating legal referrals within five business days if a child does not already have one.
The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2026 aims to improve the immigration court process for unaccompanied children by guaranteeing them government-funded legal representation. Under this bill, the Department of Health and Human Services would appoint lawyers for these children as soon as they enter federal custody, ensuring they have an attorney for every stage of their case, even if they turn 18 or are reunited with family while proceedings are pending. The law also requires that children receive copies of their immigration files at least seven days before a hearing and allows them to have a lawyer present during interviews and detention facility visits. Additionally, the bill mandates annual reports on how many children received counsel and establishes rules for pro bono legal services to support these efforts.
This bill, titled the Stop the SPLC Act of 2026, would remove the tax-exempt status of the Southern Poverty Law Center. By revoking its classification under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, the legislation would require the organization to pay federal taxes on its income and benefits. The change applies to all taxable years occurring after the bill is enacted.
The Protect Working Musicians Act of 2026 allows independent musicians and small music businesses to collectively negotiate licensing terms with large online music platforms without facing antitrust lawsuits. This protection applies specifically to creators who earn less than $1 million in licensing revenue or qualify as small businesses, enabling them to form groups to discuss fair rates and refuse unfair deals. The law defines "dominant platforms" as those generating over $100 million in music distribution revenue and extends these negotiation rights to include discussions with companies developing generative artificial intelligence. By shielding these groups from legal liability, the bill aims to correct an imbalance where smaller creators currently lack the power to bargain effectively against major digital services.
The Puerto Rico Democratic Self-Determination Act establishes a mandatory, two-round plebiscite in 2027 to allow eligible voters in Puerto Rico to choose among four political status options: independence, current Commonwealth status, statehood, or sovereignty in free association with the United States. If a majority vote is not achieved in the initial election, a runoff will be held to select between the two most popular choices, with the results triggering specific transition procedures for each outcome. Under the independence and free association paths, the bill outlines steps for drafting a new constitution, electing officers, and a presidential proclamation that would transfer sovereignty and end U.S. territorial control. For the statehood option, the President would issue a proclamation admitting Puerto Rico as the 51st state, while the Commonwealth option would create a joint commission to negotiate reforms to the current relationship. The legislation also details how federal laws, including tax codes and immigration rules, would change depending on the chosen status and ensures that existing economic benefits and social security rights are protected during any transition.
This bill establishes Temporary Protected Status for Iranian nationals currently in the United States who are unable to safely return home due to ongoing armed conflict and human rights abuses, while also addressing legal hardships caused by a government-imposed pause on processing their immigration applications. It defines eligible individuals as those lawfully present in the U.S. since December 2025 who have pending applications for status changes or work authorization that were delayed by this pause, excluding government officials or those with ties to the Iranian regime. Under the legislation, the Department of Homeland Security must grant these individuals temporary legal status and work authorization for an initial 18-month period, with automatic extensions if the processing delay continues, ensuring they do not accrue unlawful presence or face penalties for the government-caused backlog.
Critical Minerals Security Act of 2025 This bill establishes requirements for the Department of the Interior related to securing U.S. access to critical minerals and rare earth element (REE) resources. Critical minerals mean any mineral, element, substance, or material designated as critical by the U.S. Geological Survey. REEs mean cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, lanthanum, lutetium, neodymium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium, scandium, terbium, thulium, ytterbium, and yttrium. First, Interior must report on the critical mineral and REE resources, including recyclable or recycled materials containing those resources, around the world. Among other information, the report must include an assessment of the global ownership and supply of critical mineral and REE resources. Interior must submit the report within a year and every two years thereafter. Next, Interior must establish a process to assist a U.S. person—a U.S. citizen, a non-U.S. National (alien under federal law) lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or an entity organized under U.S. laws—seeking to divest stock in mining, processing, or recycling operations for critical minerals and REEs in a foreign country with finding a purchaser that is not under the control of North Korea, China, Russia, or Iran. Finally, Interior must develop (1) a strategy to collaborate with U.S. allies and partners to develop advanced mining, refining, separation, processing, and recycling technologies; and (2) a method for sharing related intellectual property with U.S. allies and partners to enable those countries to license those technologies and develop their resources.
