Erin Houchin

The 16 & Up Social Media Act would prohibit social media platforms from allowing children under age 16 to create or maintain accounts. The bill defines covered platforms as publicly available websites and apps that enable user profiles, facilitate sharing of user-generated content, use design features to increase engagement (such as infinite scrolling, notifications, or recommendation algorithms), and use personal information for advertising or recommendations. Platforms would have 60 days after enactment to identify underage users, 180 days to notify them, and 30 days after notification to terminate their accounts and delete their personal data, though users would have 90 days to download a copy of their data. The legislation includes a 60-day appeals process allowing users to challenge age determinations, and enforcement would be handled by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general as violations of unfair or deceptive practices. The bill would take effect one year after enactment and would not preempt state laws that provide greater protections to minors or laws related to contracts, torts, or product liability.

The GUARDIAN Act would require social media platforms and similar online services to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting or using personal data from children under age 16. The law applies to "covered platforms"—publicly available websites, apps, and services that allow searchable user profiles, facilitate user-generated content sharing, use design features to boost engagement (such as infinite scrolling or notifications), and use personal data for advertising or recommendations. Platforms would need to provide parents with clear notice of data practices and allow them to withdraw consent at any time, which would require the platform to delete the child's account and data within 10 days. The bill includes a narrow exception allowing platforms to temporarily process data solely to verify a user's age. The Federal Trade Commission would enforce the law as an unfair or deceptive practice, and state attorneys general could also bring legal actions on behalf of residents. The legislation would take effect 18 months after enactment and would preempt conflicting state laws, though states could still enforce stronger child privacy protections under their own laws.

The New IDEA Act modifies the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to clarify and expand how certain learning disabilities are defined and diagnosed. The bill adds more specific language around disabilities including developmental language disorder, autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia, providing detailed descriptions of how these conditions manifest. The legislation also requires school districts to ensure that students from low-income families and those with limited English proficiency receive equal access to accommodations and services provided under the law. The bill contains no explicit funding authorizations or implementation timelines in the text provided, focusing instead on definitional and access clarifications that affect students with disabilities, their families, and local school systems responsible for identifying and serving them.

Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement ActThis bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a workforce development strategy to address the need for cybersecurity professionals in rural hospitals.Among other topics, the strategy must consider (1) partnerships between rural hospitals, hospitals that are not rural hospitals, educational institutions, and private nonprofit or for-profit entities; and (2) the development of a cybersecurity curriculum for use in rural educational institutions. HHS must annually brief Congress on the strategy and any programs or initiatives established thereunder.Additionally, HHS must disseminate free materials that rural hospitals may use to train staff about cybersecurity.

The Outcomes-Based Financing for Students Act creates a new framework for education financing where borrowers make payments based on their future income rather than fixed loan amounts. The bill provides tax benefits to OBF providers by allowing them to exclude the return of principal from taxable income, while establishing comprehensive consumer protections including a cap on monthly payments at twenty percent of income, an eight percent interest rate ceiling for low-income borrowers, and mandatory disclosures at multiple stages of the lending process. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau must issue disclosure rules within 270 days and regulations governing credit reporting, while strict advertising requirements prohibit lenders from promoting specific terms unless they actually offer those arrangements. The legislation also preempts most state consumer protection laws for OBF products, though states retain the ability to enforce their own specific regulations for income-share agreements. These protections apply to education-related financing and are designed to ensure borrowers understand the terms, don't exceed debt levels of twenty percent of expected income, and receive $0 payments when earnings fall below poverty thresholds.

The ON TIME Act (Outreach Now: Timely Intervention for Mental Health Emergencies Act) requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that a suicide prevention coordinator is available at each VA medical center, including during hours when the facility is normally closed, to provide suicide prevention planning services when needed. The bill affects all VA medical centers nationwide and the veterans they serve who may need mental health crisis support outside regular business hours. The legislation specifically prohibits the VA from hiring additional full-time staff positions to meet this requirement, meaning the department must fulfill the mandate using existing personnel or alternative staffing arrangements. This bill addresses a gap in suicide prevention services for veterans by guaranteeing access to specialized coordinators around the clock rather than only during standard operating hours.

National Fossil Act of 2026This bill designates the Mammut americanum (the American Mastodon) fossil as the national fossil mammal and the Tyrannosaurus rex fossil as the national fossil dinosaur.

This resolution provides for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 8646) making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 7726) to amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to withhold funds from noncompliant States under such Act; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 7892) to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require to the Secretary of Education to use an identity fraud detection system to review each FAFSA to determine whether the FAFSA presents a reasonable suspicion of identity fraud; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8872) to amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to target funds to low-income families, strengthen program integrity guardrails for State expenditure of funds, require measurement of improper payments, and establish goals for eliminating fraud and improper payments under the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families, and for other purposes.

The Campus Lifeline Act of 2026 strengthens youth suicide prevention efforts by amending federal public health law to expand school-based mental health initiatives. The bill requires federal suicide prevention programs to support student-led groups on college campuses, such as athletic teams and mental health clubs, that educate peers about mental health and help recognize warning signs of suicide or substance abuse. It also directs the federal government to increase awareness of the 988 suicide prevention hotline through public outreach campaigns and by encouraging states and colleges to include the hotline number on newly issued student identification cards. The legislation requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a coordinated awareness plan in consultation with the Education Department, Transportation Department, and other relevant federal agencies. The bill directly affects college students and institutions of higher education by giving them resources and incentives to strengthen mental health support networks on campus.

This resolution appoints six House Republicans to various standing committees in March 2026. The resolution assigns Nick LaLota to Homeland Security, David Valadao to Agriculture, Wesley Downing to Natural Resources, Rudy Yakym to Transportation and Infrastructure, Rich McCormick to Oversight and Government Reform, and Max Miller to Foreign Affairs. These committee assignments determine which lawmakers will participate in drafting legislation and conducting oversight in their respective policy areas. The resolution includes specific ranking instructions for LaLota and Yakym within their committees. This is a routine administrative action that does not involve funding or establish timelines beyond the immediate committee appointments.

This resolution provides for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 8029) making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 1128) expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5103) to establish a program to Beautify the District of Columbia and establish the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 7084) to amend title 46, United States Code, with respect to the types of vessels that may enter or operate in navigable waters of the United States or transfer cargo in any port or place under the jurisdiction of the United States, and for other purposes; and for other purposes.

Student Protection and Success Act This bill establishes certain consequences for institutions of higher education (IHEs) that have low student loan repayment rates or high student loan balances among their students.Specifically, the bill makes an IHE ineligible for federal student financial aid programs for three fiscal years if only 15% or less of its students are able to start repaying the principal of their loans by specified deadlines.Additionally, the bill creates a grant program through which the Department of Education must award grants to eligible IHEs (i.e., IHEs with a student loan repayment rate above 25%) that have a strong record of supporting low- and moderate-income students. The bill funds the grants by requiring IHEs with certain nonrepayment loan balances to make risk-sharing payments. Grants may be used to increase college access and success for the students using investments and practices such as awarding additional need-based financial aid, enhancing academic and student support services, and establishing or expanding accelerated learning opportunities.The bill also requires the National Center for Education Statistics to collect information on student service expenditures, student service resources, and recruitment and marketing expenditures.

Science of Reading Act of 2026This bill revises the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant program to prioritize literacy instruction that is aligned to the science of reading.Under the bill, science of reading is defined as an interdisciplinary body of evidence-based research about reading and issues related to reading and writing that (1) identifies instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing as essential components to skilled reading; (2) demonstrates the importance of background knowledge, oral language, the connection between reading and writing, and strong writing instruction; (3) explains why some students have difficulty with reading and writing; and (4) does not use a three-cueing model. Three-cueing model means an instructional approach or model that (1) uses meaning drawn from context, pictures, or syntax as the primary basis for teaching word recognition; or (2) teaches visual memory as the primary basis for word recognition.Current law authorizes competitive CLSD grants to state educational agencies (SEAs) and, through them, competitive subgrants to local educational agencies for the development and implementation of a comprehensive literacy instruction plan, professional development, and other activities. Eligible early childhood education programs may also receive subgrants for early literacy services.The bill (1) specifies that comprehensive literacy instruction for CLSD grants does not include the use of a three-cueing model, and (2) requires the Department of Education and SEAs to prioritize awarding CLSD grants and subgrants for evidence-based activities that are aligned to the science of reading.

The POINTS Act establishes a federal grant program to help states, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations develop and expand services for people struggling with gambling addiction. Eligible recipients can use grant funds for activities including training healthcare providers to screen for and treat gambling addiction, public awareness campaigns, counseling and treatment services (both in-person and telehealth), and helplines. The bill prioritizes funding for programs serving populations disproportionately affected by gambling addiction—including youth, Native Americans, veterans, and military members—as well as programs operating in rural areas with limited healthcare access. Funding is tied to federal gambling tax receipts, with fiscal year 2027 authorized at 33 percent of gambling excise taxes collected on the 2025 calendar year, and subsequent years adjusted for inflation through 2032. The Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services must report to Congress annually on program effectiveness, beginning by December 29, 2027.

The Dalilah Law prohibits states from issuing commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) to individuals unless they are U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or holders of specific work visas (E, H-2a, or H-2b visa categories). The bill requires states to recertify all current CDL holders within 180 days of enactment to verify their citizenship or visa status, and mandates that individuals be proficient in English and pass all licensing exams in English. Anyone caught operating a commercial motor vehicle without proper authorization faces permanent disqualification. States that fail to comply with the recertification requirements, revoke ineligible licenses, verify applicant status, or administer exams only in English will lose all federal transportation and infrastructure funding—a broad financial penalty designed to enforce compliance. This bill directly affects truck drivers and commercial operators across the country, as well as state transportation agencies responsible for issuing and managing these licenses.

This resolution provides for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 4593) to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to revise the definition of showerhead; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5184) to prohibit the Secretary of Energy from enforcing energy efficiency standards applicable to manufactured housing, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6938) making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.

This House resolution appoints Representative Knott to serve on the House Committee on Ethics. The Committee on Ethics is responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct by House members and staff, enforcing ethics rules, and providing guidance on ethical standards. This appointment affects the composition of the committee and gives Representative Knott a role in overseeing congressional ethics matters. The resolution is a simple administrative action that takes effect immediately upon passage and does not involve any funding or specific timelines.

This bill would convert Executive Order 14243 into federal law, requiring government agencies to share information more effectively to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. The executive order, originally issued in December 2025, directs federal agencies to break down "information silos"—isolated data systems that prevent different agencies from accessing shared information. By codifying the executive order, Congress would make these data-sharing requirements permanent and binding, rather than allowing them to be reversed by a future president. The legislation affects all federal agencies and would apply to how they coordinate on identifying and preventing wasteful or fraudulent spending. No specific funding amount or timeline is included in the bill text; its implementation would rely on existing agency budgets and resources.

H.R. 6750 would convert Executive Order 14388 into permanent federal law, making its provisions binding regardless of future administrations. The executive order focuses on improving the design and functionality of government services and infrastructure across the nation. By codifying the order, Congress would ensure that the design improvement requirements cannot be reversed by a future president without legislative action. The bill was introduced in December 2025 and referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. While the summary provided does not specify particular funding amounts or implementation timelines, the legislation would affect all federal agencies responsible for designing and delivering government services and programs.

The SAFE BOTs Act requires chatbot providers to protect minors by clearly disclosing that chatbots are artificial intelligence systems, not real people, and cannot provide professional advice. Chatbot providers must display these disclosures in age-appropriate language when minors first use the service and whenever they ask if the chatbot is artificial intelligence; they must also provide suicide hotline resources if minors mention suicidal thoughts. The law also requires providers to implement safeguards such as recommending breaks after three continuous hours of use and establishing policies to prevent minors from accessing sexual content, gambling, or illegal substances through chatbots. The requirements take effect one year after enactment and will be enforced by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, who can pursue civil penalties against violators. Additionally, the bill directs the National Institutes of Health to conduct a four-year study on how chatbots affect minors' mental health, including impacts on anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.

The RESET Act would ban social media platforms from allowing anyone under age 16 to create or maintain accounts. The bill requires platforms to identify and terminate existing accounts of minors within 180 days of the law's enactment, with platforms having 30 days after notifying users to actually delete the accounts. When accounts are terminated, platforms must immediately delete all personal data collected from minors, though users have 90 days to request a copy of their data in readable and portable formats before it is permanently erased. Enforcement would be handled by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, who can pursue violations as unfair or deceptive practices under existing FTC authority. The law would take effect one year after enactment and applies to "covered platforms" as defined in the TAKE IT DOWN Act, though the legislation does not specify which platforms would be affected or include any dedicated funding mechanism.

21st Century Dyslexia Act This bill addresses the education of children with disabilities, with a particular focus on children with dyslexia. Currently, dyslexia is listed as one of the disabilities under the definition of specific learning disability in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This bill instead removes dyslexia from the definition of specific learning disability and establishes a stand-alone definition for dyslexia within the IDEA. Specifically, the bill defines dyslexia for purposes of the IDEA as an unexpected difficulty in reading for an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader, most commonly caused by a difficulty in the phonological processing (the appreciation of the individual sounds of spoken language), which affects the ability of an individual to speak, read, and spell. Additionally, the bill requires a local educational agency or other agency, in determining eligibility for or providing an accommodation or service under the IDEA, to provide equal access to (1) children from low-income families, (2) children from families with low socioeconomic status, and (3) children who are limited English proficient.

H.Res. 790 designates October 10, 2025, as "American Girls in Sports Day" to recognize the contributions of female athletes to American sports history and celebrate the positive impact of athletic participation on girls' physical health and confidence. The resolution references Title IX, the 1972 law that expanded educational opportunities for women in sports, and calls on sports-governing bodies to protect what it describes as "biological women and girls" in athletic competition. The resolution does not provide any funding or create new programs—it is a symbolic measure expressing the House's recognition of girls in sports. The bill specifically mentions concerns about transgender athletes competing in women's sports and cites statistics about alleged displacement of women from athletic titles and opportunities. This is a non-binding resolution intended to make a statement rather than enact enforceable policy changes.

This bill nullifies part of the final rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder and published on February 2, 2024.The rule incorporated into regulations certain flexibilities for opioid treatment that were initially implemented during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The bill nullifies these flexibilities, including (1) expanded flexibility for patients in their first or second month of treatment to receive take-home doses of methadone, (2) flexibility to use telehealth examinations to admit patients for treatment involving buprenorphine or methadone, and (3) expanded access to evidence-based practices such as splitting doses for certain patients. Pursuant to a statutory requirement, the rule also allowed patients to be admitted to an opioid treatment program without having to show at least a one-year history of opioid misuse. The bill nullifies these provisions of the rule.

H.R. 5630 requires states to provide more detailed information when applying for federal substance abuse prevention and treatment block grants. Specifically, states would need to report on the types of medications they use for medication-assisted treatment (like methadone or buprenorphine), their programs to prevent misuse of these medications, data on any documented misuse incidents, and their drug screening protocols. The bill affects state health departments and substance abuse treatment programs that receive these federal grants. No new funding is created by this bill; it simply adds reporting requirements to existing grant applications. The legislation aims to give the federal government better visibility into how states are managing medication-assisted treatment programs and addressing potential misuse of these drugs.