The UNLOCK AUKUS Act modifies export rules for defense equipment and technology shared among the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom under their security partnership known as AUKUS. The bill amends the Arms Export Control Act to remove certain restrictions that currently limit which defense articles and services can be exported or transferred between the three allied nations. Specifically, it excludes three particular subclauses from existing export limitations, making it easier to share advanced military technology among the partners without going through the standard export licensing process for each item. This change primarily affects defense contractors, military officials, and government agencies involved in coordinating defense technology sharing within the AUKUS alliance. The legislation contains no specified funding or implementation timeline beyond the amendment itself.

This bill would amend immigration law to allow courts to revoke the citizenship of naturalized U.S. citizens who are convicted of terrorism-related offenses. The legislation defines terrorism-related offenses to include specific federal crimes such as use of weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism, terrorist financing, and providing material support to terrorist organizations, as well as attempts or conspiracies to commit these crimes. Once citizenship is revoked, the person would become deportable and subject to removal from the United States. The bill also directs the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize the deportation of anyone whose citizenship is revoked under these provisions. The legislation applies only to naturalized citizens, not those born as U.S. citizens, and only after conviction in court for one of the specified terrorism offenses.

H.R. 9097 establishes an international workforce exchange program to address severe labor shortages in U.S. manufacturing, which has lost millions of jobs over the past four decades and faces a projected shortage of 3.8 million workers by 2033. The bill creates the American Manufacturing Revitalization Exchange Program, administered by the State Department, which will send up to 10 U.S. manufacturing workers annually to allied nations for up to 12 months of hands-on training in critical industries like semiconductors, robotics, shipbuilding, and aerospace. Eligible participants must be U.S. citizens with relevant trade experience, completed apprenticeships, or higher education, and will receive stipends covering living expenses, travel, training materials, and healthcare. Upon returning home, participants will share their knowledge with U.S. manufacturers and training institutions through digital platforms, and the program will submit annual congressional reports on participant outcomes and program effectiveness. The legislation reflects Congress's belief that partnering with allied nations on work-based learning and apprenticeships will help develop a workforce trained in industry certifications rather than traditional four-year degrees.

This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to create a public list of healthcare providers who have completed annual training on suicide prevention for veterans. Within 180 days of enactment, the VA must make this training available to all covered providers, which includes VA doctors, community care providers, and medical professionals in the VA's network. Providers who complete the training will be added to a "preferred provider list" that veterans can access when choosing their healthcare providers, and the VA will review and update this list annually. The bill also requires the VA to submit reports to Congress every year detailing how many providers have completed the training, how many veterans are using these trained providers, and whether the list should be improved to better serve veterans. This legislation aims to expand access to suicide prevention training and help veterans find qualified mental health professionals.

H.R. 8398, the Guidelines for Use, Access, and Responsible Disclosure of Financial Data Act, strengthens consumer privacy protections by requiring financial institutions to provide customers with copies of their privacy policies upon request, disclose nonpublic personal information when asked, and allow customers to request deletion of their data within 45 days at no cost for up to two requests annually. The bill establishes an "opt-in" requirement for collecting or sharing sensitive personal information like health status, race, religion, or precise location with third parties, and gives consumers the ability to revoke consent at any time. The legislation updates privacy definitions to address modern financial practices, including coverage of financial data aggregators, access credentials, biometric data, and geolocation information. While the bill preempts most state privacy laws, it preserves state insurance regulators' authority and requires federal regulators to consider compliance costs for smaller financial institutions with $15 billion or less in assets. These changes apply to all financial institutions and their customers and former customers.

The Deterring American AI Model Theft Act of 2026 protects proprietary artificial intelligence models by establishing federal tools to punish and deter theft of AI technology. The bill defines key terms like "closed-source AI models" (private AI systems with secret technical details) and "countries of concern" (including China and Russia), and identifies "model extraction attacks" as unauthorized attempts to steal AI capabilities by breaking into systems or using fake accounts. Under the legislation, the Commerce Department can add foreign entities engaged in AI theft to a federal restriction list that blocks their access to U.S. commerce and technology, while the President may freeze their assets and block financial transactions. The bill aims to protect American companies developing advanced AI systems from foreign competitors attempting to bypass security protections and access restrictions.

The Empowering Shareholders Act of 2026 amends federal investment law to change how investment advisers vote shares on behalf of passively managed funds like index funds. Under the bill, investment advisers managing these funds must allow individual investors to direct how their shares are voted on corporate matters, follow the company's board recommendations, abstain from voting, or mirror the votes of other shareholders—rather than making voting decisions independently. The law applies to a wide range of investment vehicles including mutual funds, pension plans, 401(k) plans, and retirement accounts. The bill includes protections for investment advisers from liability when voting according to these new requirements and exempts foreign companies if their voting policies are clearly disclosed to investors. The law takes effect one year after enactment, giving investment advisers time to establish systems for collecting voting instructions from shareholders within a required five-business-day timeframe.

This bill modifies the federal tree assistance program, which helps orchardists and nursery tree growers recover from crop losses. The legislation expands eligibility by including biennial crop trees and pest damage alongside existing insect damage coverage, and removes a previous restriction that denied assistance to growers without prior production history. It allows farmers to replant with different tree varieties, planting densities, or locations while receiving the same level of assistance they would have gotten replanting identically, and gives the Department of Agriculture discretion to adjust acreage limitations on a case-by-case basis. The bill also establishes clearer timelines, requiring farmers to complete replanting activities within two years of approval or longer if necessary for tree survival, and mandates that the Department issue decisions on assistance applications within 120 days. The legislation does not specify new funding amounts or appropriations for the program.

H.R. 8139 establishes a new governance and operational framework for the Congressional Office for International Leadership, which runs exchange programs for emerging foreign leaders to build relationships between Congress and international political figures. The bill creates a 12-member Board of Trustees—including congressional leaders, committee chairs, and private citizens—to oversee the office and determine eligible countries, while an Executive Director manages day-to-day operations. The legislation authorizes a grant program providing up to 3,500 annual grants to U.S. organizations that host foreign emerging leaders for stays not exceeding 30 days per year, and sets up a dedicated Treasury fund for the office with independent annual audits subject to Government Accountability Office review. The Executive Director gains authority to hire staff, enter contracts, and spend funds with two-thirds Board approval, and the bill includes protections for existing staff and agreements when it takes effect.

This bill repeals reporting requirements related to the use of certain minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the surrounding area by publicly traded companies. Currently, publicly traded companies must annually make disclosures if certain minerals (tin, tungsten, tantalum, or gold) are necessary to the functionality or production of a product manufactured by the company. As part of the reporting process, companies must determine if such minerals are from the DRC or the surrounding area and exercise due diligence to determine if the minerals are DRC conflict free, not found to be DRC conflict free, or are unable to be classified. (DRC conflict free means the minerals do not finance or benefit armed groups in the DRC or an adjoining country.)

The Data Driven Diplomacy Act directs the U.S. Department of State to improve coordination between two of its offices: the Office of Opinion Research (which tracks global public sentiment) and the Bureau of Global Public Affairs (which manages U.S. messaging and media efforts overseas). Specifically, the bill requires the Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs to request that the Office of Opinion Research conduct public opinion surveys to help inform U.S. diplomatic communications and messaging strategies. These surveys would focus on understanding local cultures, identifying target audiences, and tracking how attitudes toward the United States are changing in regions where the U.S. operates or plans to operate government-funded media outlets. The legislation aims to make U.S. diplomatic efforts more data-driven by ensuring that public messaging and media strategies are based on real research about what foreign audiences think and care about. The bill does not specify funding amounts or implementation timelines.

This bill would grant temporary protected status (TPS) to nationals of Burma, allowing them to legally remain and work in the United States for 18 months starting November 25, 2025. Burmese nationals who have been continuously present in the U.S. since the bill's enactment and meet standard immigration eligibility requirements can register for this status with the Department of Homeland Security. The designation recognizes the challenging conditions in Burma and provides affected individuals protection from deportation during this period. The bill also allows TPS recipients to travel abroad with prior authorization from DHS if they face emergency or extenuating circumstances. This legislation is supported by members of both parties and applies specifically to Burmese nationals already in the country, not new arrivals.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) Congress should adopt a fiscal target to reduce the federal budget deficit to 3% of gross domestic product or less as soon as possible and no later than the end of FY2030; and (2) after the target is achieved, Congress should continue to pursue further deficit reduction with the goal of achieving a balanced federal budget.

This bill requires three federal banking regulators to study two specific tools used when banks fail: "shelf charters" and "modified bidder qualification processes." Shelf charters are preliminary bank approvals that can be activated quickly, while modified bidder qualification processes allow non-bank entities like private equity firms to bid on failed bank assets. The study must examine how these tools have been used since 2008, whether they could have helped during the 2023 bank failures, and their impact on financial stability and competition. The Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Federal Reserve Board must complete the study and report their findings to Congress within one year of the bill's enactment. The legislation aims to determine if these tools could expand the pool of bidders for failed banks and reduce costs to the federal deposit insurance system.

The Semiconductor Technology Resilience, Integrity, and Defense Enhancement (STRIDE) Act directs the Secretary of State to work with allied nations to coordinate export controls and protections for critical semiconductor technology and manufacturing equipment, with the stated goal of preventing China from acquiring advanced chip-making capabilities that could support its military modernization. The bill aims to harmonize international policies on controlling semiconductor manufacturing equipment, design tools, materials, and technical assistance while establishing information-sharing mechanisms to prevent technology transfer through third-country entities. If the State Department determines that a cooperating country is not adequately protecting semiconductor technology, it must report to Congress within 30 days and work with the Commerce Department to develop an action plan, potentially recommending additional export restrictions and Entity List designations for companies posing transfer risks. The Secretary of State must submit progress reports to Congress every 90 days detailing diplomatic engagement with key semiconductor-producing countries and the effectiveness of multilateral coordination efforts. The legislation does not authorize specific funding amounts but establishes an ongoing policy framework focused on multilateral coordination of semiconductor export controls.

Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act of 2026This bill provides continuing appropriations for the salaries of certain Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees during any period in which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2026 or FY2027 are not in effect (i.e., a government shutdown).If there is a government shutdown in FY2026 or FY2027, the bill provides continuing appropriations to provide pay and allowances to DHS law enforcement personnel;DHS employees or contractors who are necessary to carry out this bill, including employees or contractors involved in the administrative, payroll, distribution, accounting, and commercial accounts functions; andmembers, civilian personnel, and contractors of the U.S. Coast Guard.The bill provides the appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) January 1, 2027.

H.R. 5251 reorganizes the State Department's public diplomacy operations by creating a new Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy position to oversee all foreign-facing communications, information operations, and educational exchange programs. The bill establishes two Assistant Secretary positions—one for Educational and Cultural Affairs and one for Strategic Communications—both reporting to the Under Secretary and responsible for managing international exchange programs, countering foreign censorship, promoting internet freedom, and coordinating U.S. messaging to foreign audiences. The legislation authorizes necessary appropriations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to support these operations, though specific dollar amounts are not designated in the bill. The measure also consolidates various public diplomacy functions currently scattered across multiple State Department bureaus into a unified structure with regional teams, and repeals a prior limitation on using funds for international expositions. This restructuring affects State Department employees and the numerous exchange programs, media outlets, and diplomatic initiatives the U.S. uses to communicate with audiences overseas.

Stress Testing Accountability and Transparency ActThis bill requires the Federal Reserve Board to make public certain details concerning annual stress tests performed by the board and prohibits certain stress test practices. (Stress tests assess a financial institution’s response to a hypothetical disruptive economic event. The board sets an institution’s capital requirements or stress capital buffer based on the results.) Specifically, the bill requires the board to issue a rule that establishes the models, assumptions, and methods used by the board to perform annual stress tests on certain nonbank financial companies and large bank holding companies. The board must also issue a rule determining the stress capital buffer requirement for certain companies that have at least two results from periodic stress tests. In addition, the board must disclose annually each scenario to be used in stress testing.Further, the board is prohibited from materially changing stress test methodologies outside of the rulemaking process. The board must also ensure that stress capital buffer requirements and risk-based capital requirements do not contain capital requirements for the same risks. The board is also prohibited from performing climate-related stress tests. The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of the stress tests every three years.

The Pakistan Freedom and Accountability Act directs the President to identify senior Pakistani government, military, and security officials responsible for human rights violations and undermining democracy, and authorizes sanctions against them within 180 days of the law's enactment. The bill responds to concerns about Pakistan's 2024 elections—which observers said were marred by electoral violence, restrictions on freedoms of expression and assembly, and alleged military interference—as well as recent Pakistani actions including constitutional amendments that increased political influence over the judiciary and expanded military detention powers. The President may impose sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against identified officials and entities they control, though exceptions exist for humanitarian aid, international obligations, and authorized U.S. intelligence activities. The legislation represents congressional support for democracy and human rights in Pakistan and calls on the State Department to strengthen engagement on these issues. The act expires on September 30, 2030.

The Peace Corps Modernization Act requires the Peace Corps to allocate at least 85 percent of its annual budget directly to volunteers and volunteer-related activities, with no more than 15 percent going to administrative overhead, and directs any savings to expand the number of deployed volunteers worldwide. The bill aligns Peace Corps operations with U.S. foreign policy priorities by requiring the Secretary of State to set country deployment priorities and mandates a specific expansion of Peace Corps programs to at least five Pacific Island nations, including Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. Additionally, the legislation establishes better coordination between Peace Corps operations and U.S. embassies, requires congressional notification before starting programs in new countries or ending programs entirely, and creates a streamlined pathway for returning Peace Corps volunteers to join the Foreign Service with enhanced consideration equivalent to veterans' hiring preferences. The bill sets a 90-day timeline for the State Department and Peace Corps to brief Congress on Pacific Island expansion plans and a 180-day deadline for the Foreign Service to establish the new application mechanism for former volunteers.

The Clear the ROADS Act directs the federal government to penalize states that fail to prevent people from blocking highways and roads in dangerous ways. Starting no later than October 1 following the Secretary of Transportation's issuance of implementing regulations, the federal government will withhold 10 percent of highway funding from any state that has not made "reasonable efforts" to prohibit reckless roadway obstructions that endanger public safety. The bill applies to obstructions on federal-aid highways by individuals not working for government agencies and requires the Transportation Secretary to issue detailed regulations within 180 days of the law's enactment to define what constitutes sufficient state compliance. This funding mechanism effectively creates financial pressure on states to enforce laws against dangerous road blockages, though the specific definition of "reasonable efforts" will be determined through federal regulation. The measure affects all states that receive federal highway funding and impacts both state enforcement policies and the funding they receive for transportation infrastructure.

This bill prohibits the State Department, its employees, and any individuals or organizations receiving State Department grants or contracts from censoring the free speech of U.S. citizens. The legislation defines censorship broadly to include directly suppressing speech or pressuring third parties like social media companies to moderate or remove content. It also bars the State Department from funding entities that publish advertising blacklists targeting citizens based on their speech or distribute censorship tools without adequate safeguards. The bill requires the Secretary of State to notify Congress and affected citizens within seven days of learning about potential censorship violations by department staff or funded entities, and mandates that appropriate corrective action be taken for past misconduct. No specific funding amount or implementation deadline is specified beyond the seven-day notification requirement.

Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Commission ActThis bill restructures the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and creates a five-member commission to manage the bureau. Currently, the CFPB is an autonomous bureau within the Federal Reserve System and is led by a director who is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.The bill removes the CFPB from the Federal Reserve System and reestablishes it as an independent agency.The commission established by this bill is composed of five members appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, with one member selected by the President to serve as chair of the commission. No more than three commissioners may be members of the same political party. The bill also sets forth provisions regarding terms, quorums, and vacancies. The bill specifies that the President may a remove a commissioner for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.The bill also revises the membership requirements of the Consumer Advisory Board. The board advises and consults with the CFPB regarding relevant consumer financial laws and provides information on emerging practices in the consumer financial products and services industry. Currently, at least six members must be appointed upon recommendation of the regional Federal Reserve Bank presidents. The bill removes this requirement and requires at least half of all members to have private sector experience.

This bill restructures the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Board of Directors by reducing its voting membership from five to four appointed members while maintaining the Comptroller of the Currency as an ex-officio member. The legislation removes the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection as a voting member and instead makes that position a non-voting observer to the board. Among the four appointed members, one must have state bank supervisory experience and another must have primary experience working with or supervising smaller banks with less than $10 billion in total assets. The bill also imposes new term limits, restricting board members to no more than two terms and capping total service at twelve years. These changes would affect how the FDIC, which insures bank deposits and regulates thousands of financial institutions, is governed and would potentially give more influence to those with experience in state-level and community banking oversight.