The CHILE Act of 2026 establishes a new emergency assistance program for specialty crop farmers affected by adverse events such as economic crises or market disruptions. The Secretary of Agriculture will determine eligibility and calculate payments based on a farmer's prior sales of specialty crops multiplied by a payment factor determined by the Secretary. The program takes into account that specialty crops have higher values and input costs compared to other crops, and accommodates different types of farming business structures. Payment limits generally follow existing agricultural subsidy caps, though farmers deriving at least 75 percent of their income from farming activities can receive up to a minimum of $900,000 per crop year. Congress appropriates $5 billion for fiscal year 2027 to fund the program, with funds remaining available until spent.

The Protecting America's Herds Act establishes a grant program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help states and tribal communities prepare for and respond to New World screwworm outbreaks, a serious livestock pest. The grants will be awarded competitively to cooperative extension services, which are local agricultural education programs found in counties across the country, to fund activities like training personnel to identify and treat screwworm infections, conducting livestock inspections, educating farmers through workshops and demonstrations, and providing direct technical assistance to producers. Priority will be given to extension services in states and tribal communities at higher risk of screwworm introduction or spread, and the department will coordinate efforts with animal health officials, veterinarians, and agricultural research institutions. The bill authorizes such funding as necessary to carry out the program, though it does not specify an exact dollar amount or implementation timeline.

The Careworker Visa Act of 2026 creates a new "W" nonimmigrant visa category to allow up to 100,000 foreign workers annually to enter the United States temporarily as childcare providers, eldercare workers, and in-home personal support workers, with initial visas valid for three years and renewable for additional three-year periods. Employers—individuals, families, or small caregiving businesses with fewer than 25 employees—must sponsor workers through the Department of Homeland Security, obtain Labor Department certification that no U.S. workers are available, attest to paying prevailing wages, and undergo background checks and financial vetting. The bill allows spouses and unmarried children under 21 to accompany visa holders and permits certain careworkers already in the United States as of January 1, 2024, including undocumented immigrants and DACA recipients, to adjust to W status if they meet eligibility requirements and lack serious criminal convictions. Worker protections include prevailing wage requirements, a 90-day grace period to change jobs, Department of Labor investigation of wage theft complaints, and anti-retaliation provisions preventing employers from using immigration status as coercion. The Department of Homeland Security must submit annual reports to Congress beginning two years after enactment documenting petition statistics, visa issuance numbers, wage complaints, and recommendations for program improvements.

Public Lands Integrity ActThis bill generally prohibits provisions that result in the sale, disposal, or transfer of federal lands from being included in reconciliation legislation by requiring the provisions to be considered extraneous under the Senate's Byrd Rule. The Senate's Byrd Rule (named after it's principal author, Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia) prohibits the inclusion of matter in reconciliation legislation that is extraneous to a congressional committee's reconciliation directives in the associated congressional budget resolution. Reconciliation is an expedited method by which Congress may adopt changes in spending and revenue laws to achieve the budgetary goals reflected in a congressional budget resolution. Reconciliation bills are considered by Congress using expedited legislative procedures that prevent a filibuster and restrict amendments in the Senate.For additional information, see CRS Report R48640, The Senate’s Byrd Rule: Frequently Asked Questions.

Farmer to Farmer Education Act of 2026This bill expands the authority of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide technical assistance for farmer-to-farmer networks. USDA must use annual appropriations provided for Natural Resources Conservation Service conservation operations to implement this program.A farmer-to-farmer network means any affiliation or association of farmers that share information, technical assistance, or any other type of mutually beneficial support.Under the bill, USDA may enter into cooperative agreements with eligible entities to (1) provide assistance to farmer-to-farmer networks to build network capacity, connect farmers with mentors or group learning opportunities, and support goal setting; (2) increase technical assistance for farmers, ranchers, and forest owners who use different farming models, practices, and scales; (3) establish and steward the networks; and (4) establish reporting requirements for these activities.Those eligible for the program include nonprofit entities, farmer-to-farmer networks, tribal entities, local governments, institutions of higher education, and states. USDA must prioritize agreements with entities that seek to meet the specific needs of certain farmers, ranchers, and forest owners who are historically underserved or operating in high-poverty areas.The bill also provides for subawards to plan and conduct events, as well as to identify and develop innovative activities, in order to increase farmer access to farmer-to-farmer assistance.

The Parity for Tribal Educators Act would extend federal retirement and savings benefits to employees working at tribally controlled schools. Specifically, teachers and staff at these schools would become eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension program and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), the same retirement benefits available to other federal employees. The Bureau of Indian Affairs would cover the government's required contributions to these programs. Employees would have the option to opt out of this coverage if they choose. The bill applies to schools operating under contracts or grants under existing federal Indian education laws.

The Patient Debt Relief Act imposes new financial assistance and debt collection standards on hospitals that participate in Medicare, effective January 1, 2028. Hospitals must establish publicly available charity care or financial assistance policies, determine patient eligibility within 30 days of treatment, and provide clear billing notices explaining assistance options and collection limits. The law prohibits hospitals from placing liens on homes or garnishing wages to collect medical debt, and restricts selling debt to collection agencies until after one year without payment—and only if the patient rejects a repayment plan capped at 4 percent of monthly income. For low-income patients earning up to 250 percent of the poverty line, hospitals cannot charge interest or sell their debt. The bill also creates a $100 million grant program for nonprofit organizations to identify and discharge medical debt for individuals whose medical bills exceed 5 percent of their income or whose household income doesn't exceed 400 percent of the poverty line. Hospitals that fail to comply face civil penalties up to $1 million, and the government will conduct annual audits and maintain a public reporting system for complaints starting in 2028.

The Feed Our Veterans Act would exempt military veterans from work requirements that apply to other participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. Currently, SNAP has rules requiring certain able-bodied adults without dependents to work or participate in work training programs to maintain their benefits, but this bill would create a specific exemption for veterans from those requirements. The legislation amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and would allow veterans to receive SNAP benefits without having to meet work obligations. The bill was introduced in February 2026 and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture, but the text provided does not specify any additional funding amounts or implementation timelines. This change would recognize veterans' service by providing them easier access to food assistance during periods when they may be transitioning to civilian employment or facing other challenges.

The Waste Heat to Wattage Act of 2026 expands the definition of renewable energy under federal farm policy to include waste energy recovery—the practice of capturing heat or pressure that would otherwise be lost from industrial, commercial, or residential processes and converting it to electricity. The bill amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to officially recognize waste heat-to-power and waste pressure-to-power systems as qualifying renewable energy sources. This change primarily affects agricultural operations, industrial facilities, and other businesses that generate waste heat and may want to participate in federal renewable energy programs or incentives. The legislation creates a clear legal framework for these systems but does not specify new funding amounts or implementation timelines in the provided text. By treating captured waste energy as renewable energy, the bill aims to encourage efficiency improvements and electricity generation across multiple economic sectors.

This bill directs the federal government's chief accountant, the Comptroller General, to study how federal, state, local, and tribal agencies use drones and counter-drone systems. Within one year of the bill becoming law, the Comptroller General must report to Congress on the number of drones these agencies operate, which drones come from foreign adversaries, how often drones are used and for what purposes, and what rules or privacy protections govern their use. The report must also include recommendations on whether laws need to change to help agencies better defend against threatening drones and whether the U.S. should improve its ability to manufacture and buy domestically-made drones. The bill essentially seeks to give Congress a comprehensive picture of drone use across government so it can make informed decisions about drone policy, security, and potential foreign threats.

The Strengthening Our Workforce Act creates a new "conditional lawful permanent residency" status for certain undocumented immigrants and others without legal status who are currently in the United States. To qualify, applicants must have been in the U.S. since January 1, 2024, worked at least 100 days in designated essential professions (ranging from healthcare and construction to food service and agriculture), and pass background checks. The conditional status lasts two years and comes with work authorization; applicants must maintain continuous U.S. presence and work at least 100 days per year in covered professions. After the two-year period, conditional residents automatically convert to full lawful permanent resident status unless they object, provided they pass another background check and pay required fees. The bill exempts applicants from immigration numeric caps and allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive certain grounds of inadmissibility for humanitarian reasons or family unity, though serious criminal offenses like felonies and multiple misdemeanors generally disqualify applicants.

The Keep Mobile Homes Affordable Act directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to investigate whether prices for pad sites (rental spaces) in manufactured home communities are being artificially inflated through market manipulation or price gouging. Within 270 days, HUD must report to Congress and the public with findings and recommendations, including analysis of how institutional investors affect seniors and low-income communities. The bill also requires HUD to monitor large-scale purchases of manufactured homes and pad sites across the country, and if any single buyer (including investment firms) has purchased more than 2,500 units in a market area since 2015, HUD must investigate whether that buyer engaged in price gouging, excessive rent increases, or failure to provide utilities—with results reported to Congress within one year of completing each investigation. This legislation aims to address affordability concerns in the manufactured housing sector, which serves lower-income Americans and seniors.

This bill establishes a new federal trust fund, financed by oil and gas companies, to compensate workers and their families for medical expenses related to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases caused by occupational or residential exposure to oil and gas operations. Oil companies with annual revenue exceeding $50 million must annually deposit an amount equal to the total compensation paid to their ten highest-earning employees into the fund by March 31st, with 10 percent penalties for underpayments. Eligible workers include those who have worked at or lived within 20 miles of an oil and gas extraction site for at least one year, and they can seek reimbursement for medical costs related to asthma, heat-related illness, and other respiratory or cardiovascular diseases the Labor Secretary determines are associated with methane, smog, and chemical exposures. The bill also requires the Secretary of Labor to establish a commission within 90 days to study and recommend improvements to health outcomes for oil and gas workers, with the commission delivering its recommendations to Congress within 18 months and the Secretary responding within 90 days thereafter.

The No More Narcos Act directs the Attorney General and Drug Enforcement Administration to create an educational campaign within one year that warns middle and high school students near the U.S.-Mexico border (within 100 miles) about the dangers of working with drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations. Additionally, the Secretary of Homeland Security must develop a national strategy to prevent cartels from recruiting minors in the United States for smuggling and trafficking activities. The bill funds these efforts through the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund, which allows seized criminal assets to be used to pay for the campaign and strategy implementation. The legislation targets minors in border communities and focuses on prevention through education and federal coordination across multiple agencies including the DEA, Department of Education, and Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The Stop COYOTES Act increases criminal penalties for offenses targeting children and traffickers who operate near schools and youth facilities. Specifically, it adds up to 10 additional years of consecutive prison time for anyone convicted of child-related crimes (including trafficking, kidnapping, and sexual offenses) committed within 1,000 feet of schools, colleges, playgrounds, youth centers, or public parks. The bill also significantly increases financial penalties for drug trafficking offenses involving fentanyl, with maximum fines rising to as high as $112.5 million for certain violations. Additionally, the legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security to share information collected by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection with state and local law enforcement agencies near the southern border regarding human smuggling, trafficking, drug trafficking, and organized crime activities, with detailed reports to Congress every 180 days. The bill targets criminal organizations and smugglers (colloquially known as "coyotes") involved in human trafficking and other border-related crimes.

The TRICARE Travel Improvement Act reduces the distance threshold at which the Department of Defense reimburses travel expenses for military personnel and their families seeking specialty medical care. Under current law, the military only covers travel costs when patients must travel more than 100 miles for specialty care; this bill lowers that requirement to 50 miles, making reimbursement available to more people who travel shorter distances. The bill specifically applies this new 50-mile threshold to military retirees and their dependents as well. This change would expand financial assistance to military families, particularly those in rural or underserved areas where specialty care may not be available locally, reducing out-of-pocket costs for medical travel. The bill was introduced in July 2025 and referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

The Downwinder Commemoration Act of 2025 directs the Secretaries of the Army, Air Force, and Interior to create and install three commemorative plaques honoring the Downwinder communities of New Mexico by July 2026. Downwinders are people who were exposed to radioactive fallout from the first atomic bomb test on July 16, 1945, and subsequently suffered serious health effects including cancer and infertility across multiple generations. The three plaques will be placed at publicly accessible locations at White Sands Missile Range, Holloman Air Force Base, and White Sands National Park. The bill requires these federal departments to work together on the plaque design and does not authorize new funding, though the departments will bear the costs. This legislation acknowledges the government's responsibility in documenting the harm experienced by these communities and ensures their story is preserved at significant historical sites.

Economic Opportunity for Border Communities ActThis bill requires the Department of Commerce to develop a national strategy for supporting economic opportunity in border communities. The goals of the strategy include increasing the number of jobs in border communities, strengthening U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing, reducing the costs of exports and imports, and increasing opportunities for workforce development.Border communities are municipalities located not more than 15 miles from a land port of entry.

The Humane Accountability Act requires the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services to provide Congress detailed reports on immigration detentions and conditions at federal detention facilities. Within 30 days, DHS must report on all detentions by Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement since January 21, 2025, including detainee names and nationalities, as well as any enforcement actions at sensitive locations like schools and hospitals. Within 60 days, the agencies must jointly submit a comprehensive report documenting assaults, sexual abuse, deaths, medical emergencies, and complaints filed by detainees or their families while in custody. The bill also requires Congress to receive 60 days' advance notice before the government uses non-traditional detention facilities—such as military bases, locations on tribal lands, or facilities outside the continental U.S.—and demands detailed information about compliance standards, costs, and care provisions. Finally, the Government Accountability Office must review these reports within 90 days and recommend improvements to oversight mechanisms and detainee tracking systems.

Expanding Regional Airports ActThis bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a grant program for general aviation and nonprimary commercial service airports to improve passenger and flight capacity.Grants may be used for (1) activities that improve passenger and flight capacity at the airport, including the expansion of passenger and property screening facilities, runway lengthening, construction of hangars and associated infrastructure, and improving passenger facilities; and (2) costs incurred to comply with certain operational and security requirements.DOT must provide 3 to 10 grants per fiscal year to eligible airports (i.e., general aviation or nonprimary commercial service airports that serve a community with a population of at least 75,000).

H.R. 2903 designates approximately 370 miles of river segments throughout New Mexico's Gila River system—including 27 creeks and river sections such as the West Fork, Middle Fork, East Fork, Sapillo Creek, Turkey Creek, and Whitewater Creek—as protected components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Most segments are classified as "wild rivers," with some designated as "recreational" or "scenic" rivers, and administrative responsibility is shared between the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture depending on current federal land management. The designated areas are withdrawn from mining, drilling, and federal land sales, though the bill protects existing water rights, grazing permits, and mining operations outside river boundaries. Additionally, the bill transfers approximately 440 acres from Forest Service to National Park Service management to adjust the boundaries of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and Gila National Forest. The bill does not specify new funding allocations or implementation timelines.

The Boost the Middle Class Act would significantly expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a tax benefit for lower and middle-income working families. The bill roughly doubles the maximum credit amounts that eligible workers can claim and increases the income thresholds at which the credit phases out, meaning more people would qualify and receive larger refunds. The changes would take effect for tax returns filed in 2026 and beyond (for 2025 tax year income). The legislation also updates inflation-adjustment calculations to begin from 2025 going forward, allowing the credit to keep pace with rising costs. While the bill text doesn't specify total cost, expanding the EITC would increase federal spending on tax credits for working families, potentially benefiting millions of workers earning modest incomes.

This bill increases tax incentives for businesses that hire veterans by expanding the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, a federal program that allows employers to reduce their taxes when hiring workers from certain target groups. Specifically, the legislation raises the credit for hiring qualified veterans from 40 percent to 50 percent of first-year wages, and increases the maximum wage amount that qualifies for the credit from $24,000 to $36,000 per veteran employee. The changes apply to veterans who begin employment after the bill becomes law, making it more financially attractive for employers to hire military veterans. The bill also adjusts the credit percentages downward to 25 percent for veterans who don't meet the program's minimum employment period requirements. Overall, the measure aims to encourage private sector job creation for veterans by making hiring them more economically beneficial for employers.

This bill provides a one-year tax credit to individual taxpayers for 2025 equal to 10 percent of their federal income tax liability. The credit is refundable, meaning eligible taxpayers can receive money back from the government even if they owe no taxes. However, the benefit phases out for higher-income individuals—it does not apply to single filers with modified adjusted gross income exceeding $100,000 or joint filers exceeding $200,000. The bill takes effect for the 2025 tax year only and includes technical amendments to update the Internal Revenue Code to accommodate the new credit. There is no specific funding amount stated in the legislation, as the credit's cost depends on how many eligible taxpayers claim it and their individual tax situations.

Honor Farmer Contracts ActThis bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to unfreeze funding for agreements and contracts and prohibits USDA from closing certain offices and service centers without notifying Congress in advance.Specifically, USDA must (1) unfreeze funding for, and implement, all agreements and contracts entered into by USDA prior to the bill's enactment; and (2) pay all related past due amounts owed by USDA as rapidly as possible.Further, the bill prohibits USDA from canceling a signed agreement or contract with a farmer or an entity providing assistance to farmers (unless the farmer or entity is not in compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract).Finally, the bill prohibits USDA from closing Farm Service Agency county offices, Natural Resources Conservation Service field offices, or Rural Development Service Centers without providing written notice and a justification to Congress at least 60 days before the closure.