This bill creates two grant programs to help prevent suicide among individuals under 26 years old by funding health care and education initiatives. The first program provides up to $20 million to states, health departments, hospitals, and other organizations to train health care providers on identifying suicide risks, discussing firearm safety, and connecting at-risk individuals with support services. The second program allocates $10 million to medical and nursing schools to develop curricula on suicide prevention and safe firearm storage for health care professionals. Additionally, the bill authorizes the use of up to 15 percent of the first grant's funds to distribute secure gun storage devices at reduced or no cost to households with youth, along with counseling on their use. The Department of Health and Human Services will maintain an informational website and submit annual reports to Congress on the programs' progress through fiscal year 2030.
This bill establishes a new annual wealth tax on individuals with net assets exceeding $50 million, requiring them to pay a percentage of their total asset value each year. The tax applies a 2 percent rate to assets between $50 million and $1 billion, with a higher rate of 3 percent or 6 percent on assets above $1 billion depending on whether a universal health insurance program is enacted. Married couples are taxed as a single unit, and certain assets like primary residences and small personal items are excluded from the calculation. The legislation also mandates enhanced reporting requirements for asset values, requires the IRS to audit at least 30 percent of taxpayers subject to this tax annually, and authorizes $100 billion in funding over ten years to support enforcement and administration of the new tax system.
This bill, the 287(g) Cooperation Act of 2026, requires state and local law enforcement agencies to sign a formal agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to remain eligible for federal Community Oriented Policing Services grants. The law mandates that agencies must have this written memorandum of agreement in place within 180 days of the bill's enactment, or they will be ineligible to receive funding for the program. The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security must establish procedures to verify that agencies have completed this agreement before approving any grant awards. The changes apply to grant applications starting with fiscal year 2027 and all subsequent years.
The Safety in Shared Skies Act of 2026 requires the Department of Defense to test and certify automatic surveillance systems on its aircraft that fly in U.S. airspace at least once every 90 days. Under this law, the Defense Secretary must report testing results and any system failures to Congress every six months for the first two years of the bill's operation. Additionally, the Defense Department Inspector General will conduct audits to verify compliance with these testing requirements and submit a report on whether these oversight measures should continue beyond the initial period. This legislation directly affects the Department of Defense and its aircraft operations by establishing regular safety checks and transparency requirements.
The Kira Johnson Act establishes a federal grant program to support community-based organizations in improving maternal health outcomes for populations facing higher rates of maternal mortality and health disparities. It allocates $100 million annually from 2027 to 2031 for grants that fund programs addressing social determinants of health, culturally congruent care, and support for midwifery practices. The bill also creates a separate $5 million annual funding stream for training all maternity care employees on bias reduction, trauma-informed care, and respectful service delivery. Additionally, the legislation requires hospitals and health systems to establish compliance programs that allow patients to report bias and mandates regular public reporting on these efforts. A study by the National Academies and ongoing evaluation by the GAO will assess the effectiveness of these initiatives in improving patient experiences and health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups.
The Data to Save Moms Act aims to improve maternal health outcomes by increasing funding and support for maternal mortality review committees across the United States. The bill provides $10 million annually from 2027 to 2031 to help these committees recruit more diverse community members, including people with personal experiences of maternal mortality or severe health complications, and to address barriers like transportation and compensation that prevent participation. It also requires committees to conduct outreach to racial and ethnic minority communities and publicly report on their review processes and diversity efforts. Additionally, the legislation directs the Health and Human Services Secretary to study maternal health data collection methods, conduct a specific study on American Indian and Alaska Native maternal health outcomes, and award grants to minority-serving institutions for research on maternal mortality disparities.
The Perinatal Workforce Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services to issue guidance encouraging hospitals, insurers, and maternity care providers to recruit and retain diverse healthcare professionals, including midwives, physician assistants, and perinatal health workers, while incorporating implicit bias and racism training into their practices. The bill authorizes $15 million annually from 2027 to 2031 for grants that establish or expand accredited education programs for perinatal health professionals, prioritizing schools that recruit students from racial and ethnic minority groups and those planning to practice in areas with maternal health disparities. Additionally, the legislation creates a separate grant program for nursing schools to provide scholarships to students pursuing careers in maternal and perinatal health, with similar diversity and training requirements. The act also requires the Secretary of HHS to conduct a study on respectful maternity care practices and mandates periodic reports from the Government Accountability Office on barriers to maternal health education and access to care.
The Candis King Hope for Sickle Cell Families Act establishes a new data collection program to track the incidence, prevalence, and healthcare patterns of sickle cell disease across the United States. Funded through $10 million in annual grants from 2027 to 2031, the program directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award funding to states for gathering demographic and clinical information about sickle cell disease patients. The legislation also reinstates specific employees from the CDC's Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics who were removed in agency actions affecting 3 percent or more of the division's workforce within a 60-day period starting January 1, 2025.
Extending WIC for New Moms Act This bill amends the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to extend the eligibility periods for breastfeeding and postpartum women. Specifically, a state program may elect to certify a breastfeeding woman for up to 24 months (currently 1 year) postpartum. The bill also expands the eligibility period for postpartum women to up to 24 months after termination of pregnancy (currently 6 months). The Department of Agriculture must submit a report to Congress evaluating the effect of these changes to the program on (1) maternal and infant health outcomes, (2) breastfeeding rates, and (3) qualitative evaluations of family experiences under WIC.
This bill would eliminate interest on all existing and future Federal student loans starting in 2026, directly affecting current borrowers and future students. It requires the Department of Education to automatically modify eligible Federal Direct loans to stop interest accrual and allows borrowers to refinance other Federal loans into zero-interest consolidation loans without origination fees. The legislation also creates a new Education Affordability Trust Fund that would use loan repayments to fund these interest-free loans and potentially provide additional Pell Grants, while establishing a six-member board to oversee investments in government bonds.
SJRES 116 requires the President to remove U.S. military forces from hostilities against Iran that lack a congressional declaration of war or specific statutory authorization. It specifically cites the Trump administration's Operation Epic Fury as an example of unapproved military action, referencing statements from officials calling it a "war." The resolution allows for continued defense of U.S. personnel, intelligence sharing, and support for allies attacked by Iran, but mandates withdrawal of forces engaged in unapproved hostilities. This policy change enforces the constitutional principle that Congress, not the executive, must authorize military conflict.
S 921, titled "Tyler’s Law," requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to study how often hospital emergency departments test for fentanyl during overdose cases, along with the costs, benefits, privacy impacts, and effects on patient-clinician relationships. The study must examine current testing frequency, associated costs, and how fentanyl testing might influence patient privacy and care. Within six months of completing the study, the Secretary must issue guidance on whether hospitals should routinely test for fentanyl, how to inform clinicians about testing protocols, and how such testing might affect future overdose risks and health outcomes. This bill directly affects hospitals with emergency departments and patients experiencing overdoses, but it does not mandate testing - it only mandates a study and subsequent guidance.
