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.
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.
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.
This bill exempts H-1B visa holders working in healthcare from a presidential restriction that requires a $100,000 payment for entry into the United States. It directly affects foreign medical professionals and healthcare workers who hold H-1B nonimmigrant visas. The legislation removes the additional fee requirement for these workers while limiting any fees that may be charged to the standard amount already established under immigration law. The bill defines healthcare workers using the existing definition from the Affordable Care Act and was introduced in the 119th Congress in March 2026.
This bill establishes a new excise tax on crude oil extracted or imported by large oil companies and uses the revenue to provide rebates to eligible consumers. The tax would be imposed on companies that extract or import over 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day, at a rate of 50% of the difference between the current Brent crude oil price and a 2025 baseline price, adjusted for inflation. All revenue from this tax would be deposited into a new "Protect Consumers from Gas Hikes Fund." This fund would then be used to provide refundable tax credits, or rebates, to eligible individuals, with the rebate amount determined by the Secretary based on fund revenues and the number of eligible individuals. These rebates would be phased out for individuals with adjusted gross incomes exceeding certain thresholds, such as $150,000 for joint filers.
This bill designates the Chí'chil Biłdagoteel Historic District, a traditional cultural place significant to Western Apache and other Native American tribes, as protected land within the Tonto National Forest. It prohibits mining, toxic waste disposal, pipeline construction, and other development activities on the area to preserve its cultural and natural integrity. The legislation requires the Secretary of Agriculture to maintain the land in its natural condition, consult with affected tribes, and ensure continued access for traditional religious and cultural practices. By withdrawing the land from public land laws and mining rights, the bill prevents future extraction projects that could damage sacred sites, water sources, and ecosystems.
This bill, titled the Working Americans' Tax Cut Act, proposes two main tax changes: it would create an alternative maximum tax rate of 25.5% for individuals earning less than 175% of a cost-of-living exemption (approximately $46,000 for single filers), and it would impose a progressive surcharge on high-income taxpayers earning over $1 million. The alternative tax would cap the total tax liability for low- and middle-income earners at 25.5% of their income above a basic living threshold, while the surcharge would add 5%, 10%, and 12% taxes on income brackets above $1 million, $2 million, and $5 million respectively. Both provisions would apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, and include inflation adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index.
This bill, known as the Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act, would change federal labor rules to require overtime pay and minimum wage protections for certain babysitters who currently do not receive these benefits. It specifically targets casual babysitting jobs that are irregular or intermittent and not performed by individuals whose primary occupation is babysitting. The law would also clarify that trained medical professionals like nurses and home health aides remain exempt from these new requirements, ensuring the changes apply only to casual domestic caregivers. By amending the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the bill aims to extend wage protections to a specific group of home care workers while maintaining existing exemptions for professional medical staff.
This bill provides temporary funding to ensure Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees continue receiving standard pay and benefits during a potential government funding gap between February 14, 2026, and when regular fiscal year 2026 appropriations are enacted. It directly affects TSA employees who might otherwise face pay interruptions if Congress fails to pass a full-year budget by that date. The bill authorizes using Treasury funds for standard pay, allowances, and benefits during this interim period, with these costs later charged to the appropriate future appropriations. The funding expires automatically on September 30, 2026, or when regular appropriations are passed, whichever occurs first.
This bill, the Government Surveillance Reform Act of 2026, establishes new legal restrictions on how federal agencies collect, query, and retain data from Americans and people located in the United States for foreign intelligence purposes. Key provisions include banning warrantless searches of domestic communications, prohibiting the use of foreign intelligence surveillance to specifically target Americans ("reverse targeting"), and requiring warrants for accessing certain types of data like location information and web browsing records. The legislation also mandates stricter accuracy standards for surveillance applications, requires the destruction of unneeded data within five years, and creates new accountability measures for federal employees who violate these rules. Additionally, the bill enhances transparency by requiring detailed annual reports on surveillance activities and expands the ability of independent reviewers to access classified court documents.
This bill, known as the Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act, would change federal labor rules to require overtime pay and minimum wage protections for certain babysitters. It specifically targets casual babysitting work that is irregular or intermittent, while excluding trained medical professionals like nurses and home health aides from these changes. The law would also allow babysitters to perform up to 20% of their work time on unrelated household tasks without losing their protected status. These amendments would apply to workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 who provide custodial care for infants or children in private homes.
This bill reorganizes the Corporation for National and Community Service into a new executive department called the AmeriCorps Administration, which would oversee national service programs. It creates a seven-member Advisory Board with representatives from different age groups and political parties to advise on program policies and priorities. The legislation increases financial support for participants by raising living allowances and educational awards, while also establishing a new National Service Foundation to accept private donations for the programs. Additionally, the bill sets a goal of serving 1 million participants annually by 2036 and creates an outreach program to notify young people aged 17-30 about service opportunities.
