This bill creates a new provision (Section 238A) in immigration law requiring the Department of Homeland Security to expedite the removal (deportation) of certain non-citizens. It directly affects individuals who are: (1) criminal gang members or members of a foreign terrorist organization, or (2) convicted of specific serious crimes including felonies, assaults against vulnerable groups (defined as children under 16, pregnant women, disabled individuals, or seniors over 65), sexual offenses, domestic violence, or child exploitation crimes. The bill mandates mandatory detention and faster removal proceedings for these individuals, and explicitly states they cannot seek withholding of removal (a form of protection from deportation). It does not change existing immigration categories but adds these specific grounds for expedited removal.
HR 5688, the Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act, changes rules for issuing commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) to people who don't live in the state where the license is issued. It allows states to issue CDLs to foreign nationals with lawful U.S. immigration status and work-related visas (valid for up to one year or until their stay ends), requiring states to verify status before issuing and keep records for two years. For residents of U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, it requires proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency before issuing CDLs, with similar verification and record-keeping rules. The bill directly affects commercial drivers from foreign countries and U.S. territories seeking CDLs in states where they are not residents.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to cover abortion care, counseling, and related medication as part of standard hospital and medical services for eligible veterans and certain dependents. It amends VA healthcare law to explicitly include these services under existing coverage for veterans qualifying under section 1703 and dependents eligible under section 1781(a). The policy directly affects veterans and their dependents enrolled in VA healthcare programs by expanding covered benefits to include abortion-related care. This is a concrete policy change to VA healthcare benefits, not a broader abortion law.
The Fiscal Contingency Preparedness Act (HR 4642) requires the Treasury Secretary and OMB Director to annually examine how the federal government would respond to major crises like recessions, pandemics, natural disasters, or cyberattacks, including their short- and long-term fiscal impacts. It mandates these assessments be included in an existing annual report and specifies key crisis types to evaluate. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) must then review the methodology and results of these assessments within one year of the first report. The bill directly affects federal agencies responsible for fiscal planning (Treasury and OMB) but does not create new spending or alter existing programs. It focuses solely on improving preparedness through structured risk analysis.
The MAWS Act of 2026 establishes a 3-year pilot program (2027-2029) to purchase invasive blue catfish from watermen and seafood processors within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. It authorizes $2 million annually to fund covered entities - manufacturers of pet food, animal feed, or aquaculture feed - to buy blue catfish caught in the watershed, requiring certification of origin and setting minimum prices based on market factors. The program mandates detailed reporting on environmental impacts, economic effects on watermen, and market responses to inform future policy. This directly supports watermen and processors by creating a market for invasive blue catfish while collecting data for potential expansion to other watersheds.
This bill requires federal agencies to clarify how they recognize special districts (like water, fire, or school districts operating separately from cities or counties) as eligible for federal grants. It mandates the OMB Director to issue guidance within 180 days, directing agencies to adopt this standard within one year for all federal financial assistance programs. The bill ensures special districts - defined as state-created entities with budgetary autonomy for specific services - can consistently access existing federal funding they currently face barriers to. A report on agency implementation must be submitted to Congress two years after enactment.
Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act This bill imposes fines on individuals for soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine.
The Hospice CARE Act of 2026 introduces stricter oversight and payment reforms for Medicare hospice programs. It temporarily halts enrollment of new hospice programs for five years, with exceptions for areas lacking adequate care access. The bill increases survey frequency for certain hospices, requires more independent physician certifications for terminal illness, and mandates face-to-face encounters before recertifying patients. Payment reforms include adjusting reimbursement rates for specific services like palliative chemotherapy and dialysis, while also implementing stricter reporting requirements and ownership change notifications.
This bill proposes a new windfall profits tax on crude oil producers and importers, targeting companies that extract or import more than 300,000 barrels of oil per day. The tax rate would be 50% of the amount by which current crude oil prices exceed a baseline set at the 2025 average, with adjustments for inflation in subsequent years. Revenue collected from this tax would be placed in a dedicated fund and then rebated directly to individual taxpayers as a credit against their income taxes. The rebate amount would be calculated quarterly based on the total tax revenue collected and distributed to eligible individuals, with higher amounts for joint filers and income-based phase-outs. The bill applies to oil extracted or imported after December 31, 2025, and includes provisions for territories with mirror tax systems to receive equivalent benefits.
This bill directs the Director of National Intelligence to conduct a comprehensive assessment of how the Chinese Communist Party has used foreign malign influence activities outside the United States since January 1, 2023. The assessment must examine impacts on U.S. alliances, regional perceptions, financial systems, and overall national security interests in key areas including the Indo-Pacific, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. The intelligence community must submit an initial report within 90 days and a final report within 180 days to designated congressional committees, with reports provided in unclassified form that may include a classified annex.
This bill directs the Department of Commerce to conduct a study on the challenges faced by small U.S. artificial intelligence businesses. The study will examine issues such as access to funding, tax credits, talent recruitment, and the impact of federal policies on these companies. It defines small AI businesses as independently owned U.S. companies with 250 or fewer employees that primarily create or develop AI products or services. The bill requires the Commerce Secretary to consult with relevant agencies and may involve outside experts to gather data and provide recommendations for addressing identified challenges.
The Hospice CARE Act of 2026 introduces stricter oversight and payment reforms for Medicare hospice programs. It temporarily halts enrollment of new hospice programs for five years, with exemptions for areas lacking adequate care access, while requiring enhanced surveys and ownership reporting for existing programs. The bill also mandates that physicians certifying terminal illness must not have financial ties to the hospice program, expands who can make these certifications, and requires face-to-face patient encounters before recertification. Payment adjustments include higher rates for specific palliative services and new rules for respite care, alongside stricter penalties for programs that fail to meet quality reporting standards.
