The Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act of 2026 expands benefits for people exposed to radiation from nuclear weapons testing and the Manhattan Project by increasing compensation payments from $100,000 to $150,000 for affected individuals and from $25,000 to $150,000 for survivors of deceased victims, while also covering documented medical expenses related to radiation-induced diseases. The bill extends the deadline for filing claims by 15 years, moving it from 2027 to 2042, and extends the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act fund authorization from 2028 to 2043, giving more people time to apply for assistance. Additionally, the legislation requires the Department of Energy to conduct an 18-month study investigating whether radioactive fallout from Pacific nuclear weapons testing between 1946 and 1962 affected residents of the Northern Mariana Islands and whether they should qualify for compensation. All changes take effect retroactively, allowing eligible individuals to submit claims immediately under the expanded benefits without waiting for the bill to be officially enacted.

This bill establishes a new program to recruit and train diplomats specializing in biotechnology to represent U.S. interests abroad. The legislation amends the existing Regional Technology Officer program at the State Department to require current and new officers to receive specialized training in biotechnology topics including gene editing, synthetic biology, biosecurity, and international biotechnology regulations. These trained officers would serve as diplomatic experts to advance U.S. leadership in biotechnology, negotiate international agreements, work with foreign governments and private partners, and ensure responsible use of biotechnology technologies. The bill requires the Secretary of State to submit an implementation plan within 180 days and annual progress reports to Congress, and it exempts these new biotechnology positions from any existing government hiring freezes. While the legislation does not specify funding amounts, it directs the State Department to begin expanding the program during fiscal year 2026 with priority placement of trained officers in regions critical to U.S. biotechnology interests.

This resolution honors the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Philippines, which began on July 4, 1946. The measure recognizes the historic significance of Philippine independence and the longstanding friendship between the two nations, including their military cooperation since World War II and the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty that commits the U.S. to defending the Philippines if it is attacked. The resolution also celebrates the contributions of Filipino Americans to U.S. society, noting that over 4.6 million U.S. citizens have Philippine ancestry and that approximately one in four working Filipino adults serve as healthcare workers in America. The measure reaffirms U.S. commitment to strengthening economic and security ties with the Philippines and encourages Americans to commemorate this anniversary through appropriate programs and activities. No funding or specific timelines are attached to this symbolic resolution, which simply expresses congressional recognition and support for the bilateral relationship.

H.Amdt.203 amendment — An amendment numbered 42 printed in Part B of House Report 119-628 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct studies in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam with, respectively, the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the Guam Department of Agriculture, on the development of aquaculture.. The text for this legislation has not yet been released. A summary will be generated when there is text available.

The USTDA Modernization Act of 2026 amends the Foreign Assistance Act to allow the U.S. Trade and Development Agency to use up to 15 percent of its annual appropriated funds to support development and infrastructure projects in high-income countries, particularly those that advance American interests in energy, critical minerals, transportation, and telecommunications sectors. Previously, the agency's assistance was limited primarily to emerging markets. The bill also expands the agency's personnel flexibility by increasing the number of non-career appointees it can hire from two to five and authorizing the use of personal services contractors without triggering federal employee protections or requirements. The legislation requires the agency to submit annual reports to Congress detailing the number of personal services contractors hired, their roles, and associated costs. Overall, the bill modernizes the agency's authorities to better respond to strategic economic and national security priorities in developed nations while maintaining its traditional focus on emerging markets.

The Territorial Small Business Development Act of 2026 requires the Small Business Administration to establish a new assistance program for small businesses owned and controlled by residents of Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Eligible businesses must have their principal place of business in one of these Pacific territories, be at least 51 percent owned by Pacific territories residents, and be managed and operated by such residents who have lived in the territory for at least the past 10 years. The program will provide the same types of support available to socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses, but without imposing net worth requirements on applicants. This legislation aims to support economic development in these U.S. territories by expanding access to Small Business Administration resources for qualifying local business owners.

This bill expands the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include residents of Guam who were exposed to radiation from U.S. atmospheric nuclear testing in the Pacific. Currently, the law provides compensation to people exposed during testing in other Pacific locations, but Guam is excluded. The legislation allows Guamanians who were physically present in affected areas for at least one year between 1946 and 1992 (or during the specific period April-November 1962) to claim compensation for radiation-related illnesses, including leukemia and other specified diseases. The bill also adds renal disease to the list of compensable conditions and extends benefits to armed forces members who participated in radiological cleanup efforts at Enewetak Atoll between 1977 and 1980. By amending existing law rather than creating new funding mechanisms, the bill extends current compensation programs to Guam without specifying new budget allocations.

H.R. 7673 would change Guam's land transfer rules to allow the Guam government to return certain government-owned land to its original private owners or their heirs without meeting the usual "public purpose" requirement. Currently, when Guam transfers excess government property, it must demonstrate a public benefit; this bill creates an exception specifically for restoring land to original owners. The bill requires Guam to establish a process for these transfers and report to Congress within 180 days on how it will implement the new system. The legislation also includes a national security provision requiring federal review if any individual who receives restored land attempts to sell it to a foreign buyer, with automatic committee scrutiny triggered under the Defense Production Act.

The Territorial SBA Loan Guaranty Adjustment Act of 2026 increases federal support for small business loans in U.S. territories by raising the Small Business Administration's (SBA) loan guarantee participation rate to 90 percent for covered territory businesses. This means the federal government will back a larger share of loans made to eligible small businesses in territories like Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and others, making it easier for lenders to approve loans and reducing risk for both lenders and borrowers. The higher guarantee applies to most SBA loan programs, though it excludes certain specialized loan categories and pilot programs that have their own rules. The bill was introduced in January 2026 and referred to the House Small Business Committee. No specific funding amount or implementation timeline is specified in the legislation.

The "Equality in the Halls of Congress Act" allows U.S. territories and commonwealths—American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—to contribute statues to the National Statuary Hall Collection in the Capitol, a privilege previously limited to the 50 states. The bill requires these territories to follow the same rules and specifications that states must follow when submitting statues. The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for acquiring and displaying these statues and will work with Congress's Joint Committee on the Library to carry out the law. The bill does not specify funding amounts or timelines for implementation, leaving those details to be determined through the normal appropriations process.

Territorial Student Access to Higher Education ActThis bill requires public institutions of higher education that participate in federal student aid programs to charge no more than in-state tuition and fee rates to students who are residents of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, provided they are also U.S. nationals.

H.R. 6275, the China AI Power Report Act, requires the Secretary of Commerce to submit detailed annual reports to Congress for three consecutive years examining China's artificial intelligence capabilities and related supply chains. Each report must assess China's AI chip designs, semiconductor manufacturing facilities and equipment, software tools, advanced AI models, humanoid robots, and emerging AI research, along with China's funding sources, regulatory framework, and efforts to shape global AI standards. The reports must include technical specifications, production capacity data, information about international collaborations, and evaluations of national security implications, with comparisons to U.S. and allied capabilities. This legislation aims to give Congress comprehensive intelligence on China's AI development trajectory and potential competitive advantages in this critical technology sector.

H.R. 6063 directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to officially designate the Guam and Western Pacific USDA Rural Development office as the primary representative for USDA rural development programs in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia. The bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Undersecretary for Rural Development to make this designation within 90 days of the law's enactment and to grant this office the same rights and responsibilities held by USDA Rural Development offices in U.S. states. This change affects residents and businesses in these Pacific island territories and freely associated states seeking access to USDA rural development assistance. The bill does not specify additional funding but essentially streamlines the administrative structure to provide clearer regional coordination. The legislation was introduced by Representative Moylan on November 17, 2025.

The CLEAN Pacific Act of 2025 establishes a U.S. government program to help Pacific Island nations combat drug trafficking by improving their ability to seize and destroy chemicals used in illicit drug production. The initiative will assist 16 Pacific countries—including Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, and the Marshall Islands—by providing training, equipment, and infrastructure support for law enforcement to enhance chemical interdiction, safely dispose of hazardous waste, and reduce environmental damage from drug trafficking. The State Department, working with the Defense Department and Attorney General, must submit a detailed implementation plan within 90 days and then provide annual progress reports for five years, with specific benchmarks and measurable outcomes for each participating country. The program uses existing foreign aid funding authorized under the Foreign Assistance Act rather than requesting new congressional appropriations. Overall, the bill aims to strengthen Pacific nations' drug enforcement capacity while addressing the environmental and public health threats posed by illicit drug production in the region.

This bill allows the federal government to temporarily waive maritime shipping regulations for vessels delivering disaster relief supplies to U.S. territories and remote states during declared emergencies. When the President declares a major disaster or emergency in noncontiguous areas—including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Hawaii, and Alaska—relevant federal agencies can suspend navigation and vessel-inspection laws that might otherwise delay critical shipments. Individual waivers last up to 10 days and can be extended for another 10 days with the affected governor's input, though all waivers for a single disaster cannot exceed 45 days total. Within 48 hours of issuing any waiver or extension, the agencies must notify Congress, ensuring legislative oversight of the temporary regulatory relief designed to expedite emergency aid to geographically isolated U.S. territories.

Supplemental Security Income Equality ActThis bill extends Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to eligible residents of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. SSI is a federal assistance program designed to help aged, blind, and disabled individuals with limited income and resources meet basic needs. Under current law, residents of these territories are excluded from the program.Under the bill, the Social Security Administration may waive or modify statutory requirements relating to the provision of benefits as necessary to adapt the SSI program to each territory.The bill also eliminates a cap on payments to these territories from certain programs, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other grants to support aid for older individuals, blind individuals, and individuals with disabilities.Finally, the bill specifies that non-citizen U.S. nationals are eligible for SSI benefits under the same conditions as U.S. citizens. (Individuals born in American Samoa are nationals, but not citizens, of the United States.)

H.Res. 552 is a symbolic resolution supporting the designation of Guam War Survivors Remembrance Day to honor the CHamoru people of Guam who endured nearly three years of Japanese occupation during World War II following the invasion on December 8, 1941. The resolution recognizes the extraordinary suffering and resilience of Guam's civilians, noting that approximately 1,170 people died during the occupation and that survivors faced forced labor, torture, and imprisonment in camps like Manenggon. The bill acknowledges that survivors demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the United States despite unimaginable hardships, including hiding American soldiers and providing crucial intelligence that aided their liberation in 1944. The resolution calls on Americans to observe Guam War Survivors Remembrance Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities to honor deceased survivors, support living survivors, and preserve their stories for future generations. No funding or specific timelines are required, as this is a commemorative resolution rather than legislation that allocates resources.

H.Res. 545 is a congressional resolution supporting the designation of Guam War Survivors Remembrance Day to honor the CHamoru people of Guam who survived nearly three years of harsh Japanese occupation during World War II, from December 1941 until liberation in July 1944. During this period, approximately 1,170 CHamoru civilians died—nearly 10 percent of the population—while survivors endured forced labor, torture, executions, and imprisonment in concentration camps, yet many risked their lives to protect American servicemen and provide intelligence to liberation forces. The resolution recognizes the extraordinary courage and loyalty demonstrated by these survivors, acknowledges the $38 million in federal and local war reparations already awarded, and calls on Americans to observe the commemorative day with appropriate ceremonies to honor survivors' sacrifices and ensure their stories inspire future generations. This symbolic resolution carries no fiscal cost and does not create binding obligations, but rather expresses congressional support for recognizing and remembering this significant chapter in Guam's and America's history.

H.Res. 541 is a symbolic resolution supporting the designation of July 21, 2025, as "Guam Liberation Day" to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the island's liberation from Japanese occupation during World War II. The resolution honors the CHamoru people of Guam, who endured nearly three years of harsh occupation, forced labor camps, and significant casualties—with approximately 1,000 civilians confirmed dead from the camps alone—as well as the American servicemembers who fought to liberate the territory. On July 21, 1944, the United States launched the Marianas Campaign with over 55,000 troops in an amphibious landing at Asan Bay, resulting in nearly 1,200 American casualties on the first day alone, and American forces ultimately secured the island by August 10, 1944. The resolution encourages the President to issue a proclamation calling on Americans to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. This resolution has no direct fiscal impact or funding requirements, as it is a non-binding expression of support for recognizing this important historical commemoration.

This resolution recognizes the historic significance of the 127th anniversary of the Philippines' sovereignty and independence.The resolution also (1) reaffirms the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the United States and the Philippines, (2) recognizes the courage and bravery of Filipino and Filipino American servicemembers who have fought alongside and in the U.S. armed forces, and (3) supports the recognition of Philippines Independence Day.

H.Res. 463 is a resolution condemning the international practice of "flag of convenience," in which ships register under foreign flags to avoid U.S. regulations and costs. The resolution argues that these practices harm the U.S. merchant marine industry, undermine American maritime dominance, and enable illegal activities including unregulated fishing (which costs the global seafood industry about $50 billion annually), human trafficking, forced labor, and potential terrorist operations. The resolution affects U.S. shipbuilders, seafarers, fishing industries, and national security by highlighting how foreign-flagged ships evade American labor standards, safety requirements, and economic policies while making vessels unavailable for U.S. military or emergency use. Rather than authorizing spending, this resolution expresses congressional support for strengthening U.S. maritime industries and calls on international organizations like the United Nations and International Maritime Organization to establish stricter global maritime standards and oversight. The House calls for enhanced enforcement through Port State Control Agreements and greater international collaboration to combat flag-of-convenience practices.

The Guam Temporary Workforce Act would allow Guam's governor to approve temporary foreign workers for the territory under the H-2B visa program, which is typically used for seasonal and temporary labor. Currently, the federal government makes these determinations, but the bill shifts that authority to Guam's governor, who would issue temporary labor certifications to employers after determining there is a genuine need for foreign workers and that U.S. workers are unavailable. Once the governor approves a certification, federal immigration officials must accept it and approve employer petitions for H-2B workers, provided the certification was issued within the past year and doesn't involve fraud or misconduct. The bill affects Guam's employers seeking temporary workers and the territory's labor market, though it contains no specific funding allocations or implementation timelines beyond referencing existing 2018 federal immigration regulations as the baseline.

This bill exempts Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands from specific eligibility requirements of the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, thus allowing certain communities in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands to participate. As background, the Department of Transportation's EAS program subsidizes passenger airline service to eligible small and isolated communities.To participate in the program under current law, most places must meet the eligibility requirements, such as be a community that received EAS in FY2011. Alaska and Hawaii are generally exempt from most of the EAS eligibility requirements. This bill adds Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands to that exemption.

Correcting Guam's History in the PACT Act This bill expands eligibility for a presumption of service-connection for specified diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded. Under the bill, service performed in Guam or its territorial waters between August 15, 1958, and July 31, 1980, provides a veteran who has a specified disease that is associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents with eligibility for a presumption of service-connection. (Under current law, the eligible time frame for service in Guam is between January 9, 1962, and July 31, 1980.)

H.Res. 183 is a symbolic resolution that designates March as National CHamoru Heritage and Culture Month in recognition of the indigenous people of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The resolution celebrates CHamoru history, culture, and contributions, highlighting their ancient seafaring heritage, their role in key World War II battles in the Pacific, and their ongoing service in the U.S. military at higher-than-average rates. The measure acknowledges that over 200,000 people in the United States and the Pacific islands identify as CHamoru and emphasizes their cultural values of respect, family, and community. As a House resolution rather than legislation, it carries no funding requirements or enforcement mechanisms—instead, it expresses congressional support and encourages all Americans to recognize and observe the month. The resolution was introduced on March 3, 2025, by a House member and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.