Chris Pappas

The American Homes First Act would redirect one billion dollars from State Department and related appropriations to fund the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps low-income households pay heating and cooling costs. The bill accomplishes this by blocking funding for the Board of Peace, a new international organization created by executive order, and transferring those savings to the Department of Health and Human Services instead. The transferred funds would be treated as fiscal year 2027 appropriations under the existing Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act. This legislation would primarily benefit low-income families struggling with energy bills, while eliminating support for the newly designated Board of Peace international organization.

The Consumer Fuel Costs Relief Act would eliminate federal excise taxes on motor and aviation fuels for approximately one year, from the date of enactment through September 30, 2027. This tax holiday would temporarily reduce the 18.4-cent-per-gallon federal tax on gasoline and similar taxes on diesel and aviation fuel. The bill aims to lower fuel prices for consumers and airlines, though it includes a congressional policy statement urging fuel producers and retailers to pass the tax savings directly to consumers rather than absorbing them as profits. To prevent the loss of highway funding, the Treasury Department would transfer money from the general fund to compensate the Highway Trust Fund and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund for the lost tax revenue. The bill also directs the Treasury Department, Federal Trade Commission, and Commodity Futures Trading Commission to monitor fuel markets and enforce the price reduction mandate, with authority to penalize companies that fail to pass savings to consumers.

H.R. 10588, the "Lowering Inflated Heating, Energy, and Air Conditioning Prices Act," modifies income eligibility rules for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in fiscal year 2027. The bill allows states to use their LIHEAP grants to provide energy assistance payments to households with incomes up to 75 percent of their state's median income, expanding eligibility beyond previous limits. This change affects low-income households struggling to pay heating and cooling bills, as well as state programs administering energy assistance. The legislation does not specify new funding amounts, but rather adjusts eligibility thresholds for existing LIHEAP grants to help more households access assistance during fiscal year 2027.

H.R. 9969, called Baby Brent's Bill, directs the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and regulate advertising and marketing practices for preterm infant formula. The bill requires the FTC to examine whether manufacturers are using unfair or deceptive advertising, particularly regarding health risks and differences between human milk-based fortifiers and bovine-based fortifiers, with the investigation to be completed within one year of enactment. The FTC must then issue regulations prohibiting deceptive advertising practices within eighteen months of submitting its report, with enforcement handled through existing FTC authority. The bill reflects congressional concern that one baby dies daily from necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious gastrointestinal condition affecting premature infants, and aims to ensure parents receive full information about infant feeding options and that families can pursue legal compensation if their preterm infants are harmed. The legislation affects manufacturers and importers of preterm infant formula, which includes any formula designed for infants born before 37 weeks of gestation or with low birth weight.

The Investing in State Energy Act of 2026 speeds up how quickly the federal government distributes money to states and tribes for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The bill requires the Department of Energy to release application guidance and publish funding allocations within 60 days of funds becoming available, and to distribute approved funds to states within 30 days of receiving completed applications. This affects states, Indian tribes, and other recipients of assistance through two major federal programs: the Weatherization Assistance Program and the State Energy Program. The legislation authorizes $500 million in existing funding for these programs plus an additional $100 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. By imposing these strict timelines, the bill aims to help states and communities implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects more quickly without delays in the federal funding process.

The Turn the Tide Act provides substantial federal funding from 2027 through 2030 to combat substance use disorders, mental health challenges, and opioid-related deaths through a range of prevention, treatment, and recovery programs. The bill appropriates hundreds of millions of dollars annually for overdose prevention, medication-assisted treatment, recovery housing, drug courts, and first responder training, with priority funding directed to states experiencing the highest drug overdose death rates. A key provision eliminates insurance barriers by prohibiting states from using prior authorization requirements to restrict Medicaid coverage of medication-assisted treatment, effective October 2026, or face loss of federal Medicaid reimbursement. The legislation also expands loan repayment assistance for substance use disorder treatment workers and establishes a demonstration project to test whether recovery housing services reduce hospitalizations and emergency department visits for people with opioid use disorder. Additionally, the bill creates a new grant program providing $10 million annually to support trauma response teams working with children and families affected by adverse childhood experiences.

The No Cashing In Act would require former members of Congress to file annual financial disclosure reports for ten years after leaving office or for as long as they receive a congressional pension, whichever period is longer. The bill also establishes financial penalties by reducing the pensions of former members who receive income from lobbying work, with the penalty amount equal to any money they earned from substantial lobbying entities during the previous year. A substantial lobbying entity is defined as a company that employs more than three lobbyists or spends more than ten thousand dollars annually on lobbying activities. This legislation is designed to increase transparency about former lawmakers' financial activities and discourage them from immediately taking lucrative lobbying positions after leaving Congress. The bill was introduced in June 2026 and referred to the House Administration Committee and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee for review.

The SAFEGUARD Veterans Act of 2026 strengthens protections for veterans seeking VA benefits by making it a federal crime for anyone to charge unauthorized fees for helping veterans file benefit claims, with penalties including fines, imprisonment up to one year, and bans from representing veterans for one to ten years depending on repeat violations. The bill requires the VA to maintain an online searchable database of accredited representatives and those who are suspended or excluded, and mandates that the VA provide veterans with notices and warnings about legitimate representatives and the risks of predatory practices when they file claims. The legislation also requires the VA to create a new accreditation system with high uptime standards that allows agents to certify their qualifications and enables veterans to file complaints about violations. Additionally, the bill amends communications law to restrict the use of automated calling equipment to contact federal agencies, and requires the VA to ask claimants whether they were charged for assistance in filing claims. The VA General Counsel must initiate rulemaking within 90 days, and the department must submit a report to Congress within 180 days on how to improve its recognition procedures for agents and attorneys.

This bill reauthorizes the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program, which provides federal funding for projects that promote walking, biking, and other non-motorized transportation methods. The legislation extends the program through fiscal year 2031 by authorizing $250 million annually from the Highway Trust Fund for each year during that five-year period. The funding will be distributed and managed under existing federal transportation law, with money remaining available until spent and unable to be transferred to other programs. The bill affects states, cities, and local transportation agencies that develop active transportation projects like bike lanes and pedestrian pathways. This reauthorization ensures continued federal support for infrastructure improvements that encourage alternatives to car travel.

This bill requires freight trains crossing from Mexico into the United States to stop at the southern border for a crew change and mandatory safety inspections. After these stops, only U.S. citizens or legally authorized immigrants can operate the trains on American soil, and those operators must be based in the United States rather than Mexico. The legislation affects railroad carriers that operate freight trains across the U.S.-Mexico border by imposing new operational requirements and crew composition rules. The bill does not specify funding amounts or implementation timelines, instead directing the Secretary of Transportation to establish and enforce these requirements through existing regulatory authority.

The Rural Child Care Access Act would authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to child care facilities in small towns and rural areas with fewer than 50,000 residents to pay for infrastructure projects like building, upgrading, or modifying child care facilities. Eligible projects must directly support improved child care services, training and development of child care providers, recruitment and retention of providers, or community engagement, with individual grants capped at $4 million. The bill would provide $250 million annually in funding for fiscal years 2027 through 2029, and requires the Secretary to issue program guidance within 120 days of enactment, ensure grants are distributed equitably across regions, and report to Congress every two years on project progress and community impacts. The legislation also directs the department to conduct ongoing research on the construction and renovation needs of child care facilities nationwide.

The CLEAN Act would convert the Office of Congressional Ethics from a temporary institution into permanent law. Currently, the Office operates under House Resolution 895 from the 110th Congress, but this bill would make its structure and authority lasting. The legislation establishes specific rules for the office's board, including limiting members to serve no more than four two-year terms, requiring any board vacancies to be filled within 60 days, and ensuring that individuals under review have the right to legal representation without facing negative consequences for exercising that right. The bill also clarifies that the Office operates as a standing committee of the House and that the separate Committee on Ethics will handle referrals from the Office. This bill would primarily affect House members and staff by providing a permanent ethics oversight body, though it does not allocate specific funding amounts or establish particular timelines beyond the 60-day vacancy-filling requirement.

The SERVE Act would extend Veterans Affairs benefits to former military members who were discharged solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. These individuals would become eligible for hospital and medical care, mental health counseling through Vet Centers, burial in national cemeteries, educational assistance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and VA-backed housing loans. The bill applies to those who received entry-level separations or discharges under honorable or other-than-honorable conditions related to sexual orientation or gender identity. The VA Secretary would be required to conduct outreach to inform eligible individuals and veteran service organizations about these new benefits, and must report to Congress within 15 months on how many people accessed the benefits and their demographic information.

This bill modifies the formula that determines how the federal government distributes highway funding to states. Specifically, it guarantees that every state will receive at least 0.5 percent of the total available highway apportionment, amending the existing distribution rules under federal highway law. The legislation affects all 50 states and the District of Columbia by establishing a minimum funding floor in the highway grant allocation process. The bill was introduced in April 2026 and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure but contains no specific dollar amounts or implementation timelines in the text provided. This change would ensure that smaller states receive a baseline level of highway funding regardless of population or other apportionment factors.

The Lower Grocery Prices Act prohibits retailers and food sellers from using algorithms and automated systems to set individualized prices based on personal information about consumers, a practice known as surveillance-based price setting. The bill affects grocery stores, food companies, and agricultural commodity sellers who currently use data-driven pricing strategies. The law allows some limited exceptions, such as transparent loyalty programs that customers voluntarily join, group discounts for seniors or veterans with clear eligibility rules, and price differences based on actual delivery costs, provided all these practices are publicly disclosed and uniformly applied. The Federal Trade Commission will enforce the law and can impose penalties, while consumers can sue companies for violations and potentially recover up to three times the damages if the violation was willful, along with attorney's fees. States' attorneys general can also bring enforcement actions on behalf of residents.

The Protein for Every Plate Act of 2026 modifies federal food assistance programs to boost the availability of animal protein in emergency food aid. Specifically, the bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to add $200 million annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 dedicated solely to purchasing animal protein products that will be distributed through the Emergency Food Assistance Act program. This increased funding affects low-income Americans and food-insecure households who rely on federal food assistance, supplementing the existing commodity purchases with additional meat, poultry, fish, or dairy products. The legislation is a temporary measure set to expire after fiscal year 2027 unless Congress extends it, making it a two-year pilot program to address nutritional needs in disadvantaged communities.

The Veterans Benefits Information Protection Act would amend federal telecommunications law to restrict how automated calling equipment can be used to contact government agency phone numbers. Specifically, the bill prohibits anyone from using automated calling systems to repeatedly call federal departments or agencies and exchange information through those calls, unless the person making the call is the same person the information relates to. This means third parties, including scammers and telemarketing companies, would be barred from using robocalls and automated systems to contact federal agencies on behalf of someone else. The legislation targets a specific problem affecting veterans and others who receive benefits, where bad actors use automated calls to attempt to access sensitive personal information tied to government benefit accounts. No specific funding is allocated in the bill, as it primarily updates existing telecommunications regulations enforced by the Federal Communications Commission.

The U.S.-Greece Defense Cooperation Advancement Act authorizes the President to provide military training and education assistance to Greece for five years. The program focuses on training Greek military leaders, improving understanding between the two nations, building stronger partnerships between U.S. and Greek armed forces, and enhancing their ability to work together in joint military operations. The legislation also emphasizes professional military education, civilian control of the military, and human rights protections. Congress would allocate $1.8 million annually from fiscal year 2027 through 2031 to fund these military training and education initiatives, benefiting Greek military personnel and strengthening the defense relationship between the two countries.

H.R. 7919 would create a temporary gasoline tax “holiday” by setting the federal gasoline excise tax rate to zero on gasoline sold, entered, or removed after the bill is enacted and before October 1, 2026. It also stops the “Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund” financing rate from applying during that same period. To keep transportation and cleanup trust funds from losing revenue, the Treasury would transfer money from the general fund to the Highway Trust Fund and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund in amounts equal to the taxes that would otherwise be credited to them. The bill directs that the tax savings should be passed on to consumers and authorizes Treasury to use its enforcement powers to make sure prices reflect the reduction, with penalties intended for companies that do not pass the savings through.

Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2026 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2026This bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosures of campaign expenditures, and requiring additional disclosures regarding certain political advertisements.Specifically, the bill expands existing foreign money prohibitions to include disbursements for paid web-based or digital communications and federal judicial nomination communications. It also prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to campaigns related to ballot initiatives and referenda.The Government Accountability Office must, for each four-year election cycle, study and report on the incidence of illicit foreign money in federal elections.Next, the bill makes it unlawful to establish or use a corporation, company, or other entity with the intent to conceal an election contribution or donation by a foreign national. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.Covered organizations (e.g., corporations, labor organizations, and political organizations) must, within 24 hours, file reports with the Federal Election Commission to disclose campaign expenditures of more than $10,000 during an election cycle.The bill also requires organizations to provide additional disclosures regarding political advertisements, including the donors who contributed the most money to that organization in the last year.

The Respect for Local Communities Act would require the Department of Homeland Security to obtain local approval and public input before building, expanding, or operating any new immigration detention or processing facility. Specifically, the federal government must publish a 30-day public notice in the Federal Register describing the project, conduct an economic and engineering review, and then secure a signed agreement from the local mayor or county executive plus a majority of the local legislature before proceeding. The bill also requires federal agencies to submit a report to six congressional committees at least 30 days before beginning construction or operations. The legislation aims to give communities a say in whether they will host immigration detention facilities, which can strain local resources and raise environmental concerns, while ensuring Congress has advance warning of such projects.

Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act This bill expands coverage of telehealth services under Medicare. Specifically, the bill permanently (1) removes geographic restrictions on originating sites (i.e., the location of the beneficiary), (2) allows the home of the beneficiary to serve as the originating site for all services, (3) allows federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner), and (4) expands coverage to include audio-only services for evaluation and management and behavioral health services.

The PUBLIC SAFETY Act redirects federal funding from immigration enforcement to local law enforcement programs. Specifically, it redirects funds previously allocated to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and instead directs them to the COPS Hiring Program (which helps local police departments hire officers) and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (which supports state and local criminal justice efforts). The bill appropriates $45 billion to the Byrne JAG Program through fiscal year 2029 and extends COPS grant funding through September 2030. The bill also waives certain matching fund requirements for small police departments and tribal law enforcement agencies that employ fewer than 175 officers, making it easier for rural and tribal communities to access these grants. This legislation would affect local law enforcement agencies nationwide and redirect resources from federal immigration priorities to community-level public safety initiatives.

This bill expands the federal Weatherization Assistance Program to specifically support active duty and reserve military households in improving home energy efficiency. The legislation allocates $2.1 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030 dedicated exclusively to helping military families with weatherization improvements like insulation, heating system upgrades, and other energy-saving home modifications. Additionally, the bill authorizes up to 6 percent of general weatherization program funding (approximately $21 million annually) for program enhancements and innovation efforts. The overall authorization for the weatherization program is set at $350 million per year for the same five-year period. This targeted approach recognizes military families' unique service and aims to reduce their home energy costs while supporting broader energy conservation goals.

H.R. 7043 extends the transmission facilitation program that was created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Specifically, the bill shifts the program's authorization period from 2022-2026 to 2026-2031, effectively extending it by five additional years. The transmission facilitation program helps finance and support the development of electric transmission infrastructure—the system that moves power across the country. This extension ensures the program can continue supporting projects that improve the nation's electrical grid during the 2026-2031 timeframe. The bill was introduced on January 13, 2026, by Representatives Chris Pappas and Gregorio Sablan and was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.