The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 mandates that all public schools provide free breakfast and lunch to every enrolled student, regardless of income. It establishes specific funding rates for these meals, adjusts payments based on the use of locally sourced food, and eliminates the ability of schools to collect debt for unpaid charges. Additionally, the bill expands free meal access to summer programs, afterschool care, and incarcerated juveniles while updating poverty measurement standards across various federal education and nutrition laws.
The Army Organic Industrial Base Mineral Partnerships Act of 2026 allows the Army to partner with private companies to extract and process strategic minerals on Army-owned land and facilities. Under this bill, private entities would handle the mining operations while the Army retains control of the property and receives compensation in the form of cash, materials, or industrial improvements. The legislation requires these partners to follow all environmental laws, assume full responsibility for cleanup costs, and provide financial security to protect the government from liability. Additionally, the Act exempts these operations from certain federal leasing rules and mandates that the Army submit annual reports detailing the number of contracts and the types of minerals involved.
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive review of federal programs addressing bleeding disorders in women and girls, with a specific focus on improving diagnosis, provider training, and access to care in underserved areas. Following this review, the legislation authorizes $10 million annually from 2027 to 2031 to fund a national public education campaign aimed at raising awareness among women, girls, and healthcare providers to reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment. The law defines bleeding disorders as inherited conditions affecting blood clotting, such as hemophilia and von Willebrand disease, and requires the report and subsequent campaign to include input from patient advocates and resources tailored for rural and diverse communities.
The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act authorizes federal grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to fund long-term improvements to their campus facilities and infrastructure. These grants are awarded competitively to eligible HBCUs based on criteria such as the age of their facilities, deferred maintenance needs, financial capacity, and student enrollment levels. Recipients may use the funds to construct or renovate buildings, upgrade technology and broadband systems, improve safety measures, and develop workforce training hubs, while being prohibited from using the money for routine maintenance or athletic facilities. The legislation also includes provisions for reporting on project outcomes and requires institutions to create comprehensive master plans that involve consultation with diverse campus and community stakeholders.
The Let Kids Play Act prohibits private equity firms and their affiliates from investing in or engaging in specific harmful practices within the youth sports industry. It defines "vulture practices" as actions that extract profit by imposing excessive debt, raising prices, cutting jobs, or restricting access to essential services and competing platforms. To operate in this sector, these firms must obtain certification from the Federal Trade Commission or the Department of Justice proving they have never engaged in such behaviors and will not do so in the future. If a firm is designated as a vulture investor, it is required to divest its ownership stakes, return assets, refund fees, and forgive debts owed to the community and employees. The bill also establishes a Youth Sports Fund to receive disgorged funds for reducing participation costs and supporting local sports programs.
This bill requires the Department of Defense to review and eventually ban contracts with retailers that use payment processing systems from specific countries deemed a national security risk, such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Effective January 1, 2027, the Defense Department will be prohibited from entering into agreements for payment equipment or services if those tools rely on technology developed, owned, or controlled by entities in these nations. The law defines covered systems broadly to include hardware, software, and firmware linked to these countries, aiming to prevent potential foreign access to sensitive military financial data. Retailers wishing to continue working with the Department of Defense must replace their payment processing infrastructure with systems that do not involve these restricted technologies.
The INVEST Act amends the federal tax code to expand the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for employers who hire veterans with specific renewable energy skills. To qualify for this credit, a veteran must be certified by a local agency as having military training in renewable energy fields, a recent vocational degree in the sector, or a LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The legislation defines renewable energy broadly to include sources like solar, wind, and geothermal power. Additionally, the bill addresses tax implications for U.S. territories by providing compensation for any lost tax revenue and ensuring coordination between federal and local tax credits. These provisions will take effect for employees who start working for an employer after December 31, 2025.
The Patients Before Monopolies Act aims to break up large health care companies that currently own both insurance or pharmacy benefit management services and physical pharmacies. It directly affects major health care conglomerates by making it illegal for them to own pharmacies while also managing drug pricing or insurance, requiring them to sell off their pharmacy operations within one year. The bill empowers federal agencies like the FTC and the Department of Justice to enforce these rules, impose financial penalties for non-compliance, and block future mergers that would recreate these conflicts of interest.
This bill, known as the Bulletproof Law Enforcement Vehicles Act, directs the Department of Homeland Security to allow funding for upgrading law enforcement vehicles with security features like bulletproof windows. By amending an existing law, it expands the types of vehicle enhancements that can be financed with current federal assistance programs. The change specifically authorizes the use of these funds for protective upgrades without creating new budgetary requirements. Law enforcement agencies that receive federal financial assistance would be the primary beneficiaries of this expanded eligibility.
This bill repeals or modifies numerous existing laws that require the State Department and other federal agencies to submit specific recurring reports to Congress. By removing or extending the deadlines for these reports, the legislation reduces the frequency of submissions for many foreign policy and security-related topics, such as sanctions compliance, defense trade, and international treaties. The changes primarily affect government agencies responsible for drafting and filing these documents, while also altering the reporting schedules for various legislative acts that have been in place for years. Overall, the bill streamlines congressional oversight by eliminating some mandatory reporting requirements and extending the duration of others.
This resolution expresses support for police officers and other law enforcement personnel. The resolution further recognizes law enforcement officers across the United States in the pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities; the need to ensure that such officers have the equipment, training, and resources necessary to protect their health and safety while they are protecting the public; and the law enforcement community for acts of sacrifice and heroism. The resolution expresses condolences and appreciation to the loved ones of each law enforcement officer who has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
This bill designates the U.S. Chancery building in Pristina, Kosovo, as the "Eliot L. Engel Building" to honor a specific individual. It requires all future legal documents, maps, and official records to use this new name instead of the current designation. The change is purely symbolic and does not alter the building's function or the operations of the U.S. government in Kosovo.
