Mark DeSaulnier

The Bots Research Act directs the Federal Trade Commission chairman to establish a task force within 90 days to study how automated accounts affect social media platforms, public discourse, and elections. The task force will include experts from government, academia, nonprofit organizations, and industry who specialize in automation technology, and will examine what qualifies as a bot, how widespread automated accounts are, how they are being used, and ways to combat harmful uses while protecting free speech rights. The task force must deliver a comprehensive report to Congress and relevant federal agencies within one year of its establishment that addresses these questions while considering technological innovation, constitutional protections, election security, and the need for responsive regulations. Task force members will serve without compensation or travel expense reimbursement, and the FTC will provide necessary staff support for the work. This legislation does not include specific funding amounts but requires the FTC to allocate existing resources to support the task force's operations.

The Employee and Retiree Access to Justice Act would prohibit pension and retirement plans from using mandatory arbitration clauses, class action waivers, and other provisions that limit workers' ability to sue over plan disputes. The bill makes predispute arbitration clauses completely unenforceable and only allows postdispute arbitration if participants receive written notice, have a 45-day waiting period, and voluntarily agree in writing without coercion or threat of losing benefits. The legislation also eliminates provisions that give plan administrators discretionary authority over benefit decisions, requiring courts to review such decisions from scratch rather than deferring to the administrator's judgment. The bill affects employers, plan sponsors, administrators, and current and retired workers covered by pension and retirement plans. The law would take effect immediately upon enactment and apply to any dispute arising after that date, though employers would have until one year after enactment to update their plan documents to comply.

The Better Transit for Riders Act directs the Federal Transit Administration to establish a task force within two years to develop recommendations on best practices for how transit agencies in cities should operate and coordinate with each other. The task force, composed of up to fifteen members with expertise in transit operations, governance, and related fields like municipal government, state transportation departments, transit unions, and community groups, will examine topics including how to allocate transit funding across different needs, establish fare integration across multiple transit providers in the same region, share infrastructure, and coordinate land use planning with transit services. The task force will prioritize improving rider experience, safety, service reliability, and long-term system sustainability while considering environmental impacts and vehicle miles traveled reduction. The task force will exist for an initial two-year period with a possible two-year extension, and must submit a final report to Congress and the public with its recommendations, or an initial report if the extension is exercised. No specific funding amount is specified in the legislation.

This bill establishes a Commission for Review and Correction of Historical Injustices tasked with identifying and reviewing cases where the federal government has discriminated against individuals or groups based on civil rights protections, the Rehabilitation Act, or military service. The commission will accept public submissions of discrimination cases and must review or decline submissions within 180 days, ultimately recommending legislative or executive actions to address validated instances of injustice. The eight-member commission will be composed of civil rights leaders, historians, and legal experts appointed by congressional leadership within 60 days of the bill's enactment, with a director and at least 11 staff members to support its work. The commission must hold meetings quarterly and submit reports to Congress every 90 days detailing reviewed cases and recommendations for alternatives to the pardon process, such as exoneration or other forms of forgiveness. The bill does not specify a funding amount or an end date for the commission's operations.

This bill would completely eliminate Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, a federal law that has protected online platforms and websites from legal liability for content posted by their users since 1996. Currently, Section 230 shields companies like social media platforms, search engines, and other websites from being sued over third-party posts while still allowing them to moderate offensive content. Repealing this protection would expose these platforms to lawsuits for user-generated content, potentially making them liable for defamation, harassment, and other claims. The bill would also make conforming changes to other federal laws that reference Section 230, such as laws related to obscenity, trademark, and financial crimes. The changes would take effect two years after the bill becomes law, giving platforms time to adjust their operations before the legal protections expire.

Patient Navigation Assistance ActThis bill requires state Medicaid programs to cover patient navigator services for enrollees. Patient navigator services are services that help link an individual with medical, social, logistical, financial, or other programs or services to address the individual's needs.

This bill amends federal child nutrition laws to strengthen protections for children with food allergies by requiring comprehensive training for school and nutrition program staff. The training must cover how to prevent, recognize, and respond to food allergic reactions, including administering epinephrine for severe reactions like anaphylaxis, as well as best practices for communicating allergen information and avoiding cross-contact in food preparation. The bill also requires the government to develop and distribute nutrition education materials specifically for pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children with food allergies who participate in the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) nutrition assistance program. All training and materials must be provided in multiple languages and accessible formats for people with disabilities. The bill authorizes one million dollars annually from 2027 through 2031 for the training program and one million dollars for 2027 to develop the WIC nutrition materials, and extends the training requirements to additional child nutrition programs including summer meal programs and child care food programs.

H.R. 10203, the Improving Access to Higher Education Act, establishes multiple programs and requirements to expand educational opportunities for students with disabilities at colleges and universities. The bill creates competitive grant programs for institutions to train faculty and staff in accessibility practices, develop universal design principles, and create inclusive higher education programs specifically for students with intellectual disabilities, with grants ranging up to $300,000 per institution (or $500,000 for consortia) over five years. It requires all colleges and universities to establish an Office of Accessibility to support students with disabilities and creates an independent commission to develop guidelines ensuring equal access to digital educational materials and technologies, with guidelines to be reviewed every five years. The bill also establishes a National Technical Assistance Center funded at $10 million and a National Coordinating Center to help institutions implement and evaluate these inclusive programs while maintaining a database of disability services available nationwide. All grantees must evaluate their efforts and share findings with other institutions, with the Department of Education required to report on program performance at designated intervals.

Cancer Care Planning and Communications Act This bill provides for Medicare coverage and payment of cancer care planning and coordination services for individuals who are diagnosed with or treated for cancer, including the development of treatment plans, follow-up care, and any necessary revisions.

This bill creates a federal grant program to help states and local governments develop and implement "value capture" policies, which are mechanisms that reinvest increased property values created by public transportation investments back into transit systems and affordable housing. The legislation requires applicants to demonstrate how grant funds will increase transit ridership and capacity while reducing vehicle miles traveled, greenhouse gas emissions, and congestion. Recipients must maintain their existing funding levels for transit and affordable housing programs and comply with prevailing wage requirements for construction work. The Transportation Secretary is required to develop voluntary national standards for value capture policies within two years of enactment and publish a report on successful state and local examples within 15 months. Grantees must evaluate their results within three years to show whether the funding achieved its intended goals of boosting public transportation usage and reducing emissions.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the United States federal government, individual states, Indian tribes, and territories to work together to guarantee all people within the United States receive a high-quality education. The amendment would affect students of all ages across the country by establishing education as a constitutionally protected right enforceable through federal and state action. Congress would be granted authority to pass laws implementing and enforcing this educational guarantee. The proposed amendment would need to be ratified by legislatures in three-fourths of the states within seven years of submission to become part of the Constitution. The resolution contains no specific funding amounts or implementation timelines beyond the seven-year ratification deadline.

This bill protects workers in the offshore oil and gas industry who report safety violations, unsafe conditions, or other concerns related to federal regulations governing offshore energy activities. Covered employees cannot be fired or punished by their employers for reporting violations, refusing unsafe work, testifying before Congress, or participating in investigations related to offshore oil and gas operations. Workers who believe they have been retaliated against can file complaints with the Department of Labor within 180 days, triggering a 90-day investigation process. If retaliation is found, employers must reinstate employees with back pay, remove negative employment records, and pay damages and attorney fees. The bill requires offshore oil and gas employers to post notices explaining employee rights and provide annual training to workers about these protections.

The Consumer Health Claim Assistance Act would establish a new government program within the Department of Labor to help workers and retirees navigate denied health insurance claims and understand their rights under employer-sponsored health plans. The program, which must be created by January 1, 2027, would receive and resolve complaints about denied benefits, assist people in filing appeals, provide training to Labor Department staff, and make referrals to enforcement agencies when plans violate federal law. The legislation affects workers with employer health insurance plans and creates funding for the program through new filing fees on employers, with plans paying between $250 and $1,000 annually based on their size, and at least half of collected fees going to support the assistance program. The Labor Department must file annual reports to Congress detailing the number of complaints received, people assisted, and money recovered for participants.

The Early Childhood Mental Health Support Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to identify and review evidence-based mental health interventions, curricula, and staff training programs that can be used in Head Start and Early Head Start programs serving low-income young children. The bill requires the department to complete an initial review within two years, focusing on interventions that improve children's social-emotional development, address trauma, and support staff wellness, while also ensuring approaches work across different racial, ethnic, and geographic populations. Once effective interventions are identified, the bill authorizes the department to award grants to Head Start agencies to implement these programs and to establish up to five university-based training centers to prepare staff to deliver them. The legislation includes an evaluation component to measure whether the interventions achieve their intended outcomes and generate long-term cost savings, with evaluations updated every five years. The bill authorizes $100 million in federal funding over fiscal years 2027 through 2036 to support implementation, evaluation, and training activities.

H.R. 8607, the Equitable Transit Oriented Development Support Act, amends federal transportation financing law to help Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) support affordable housing and development projects near public transit in low-income communities. The bill modifies the existing TIFIA federal credit program to allow CDFIs to qualify for federal loans, establishes a dedicated CDFI Transit-Oriented Development account, and sets aside 10% of funding specifically for CDFI projects. Under the program, CDFIs can lend up to 80% of project costs to developers, with loan repayment beginning within 5 years and maturing within 30 years at rates covering only administrative costs, while CDFIs are capped at spending 2% of federal assistance on administrative expenses. The legislation includes annual reporting requirements and oversight provisions to ensure funds are properly managed and deployed to support equitable development near transit that expands affordable housing and economic opportunity in underserved areas.

This bill requires all federal law enforcement agencies to establish and enforce requirements for safely storing and securing service firearms when officers are not carrying them. Agencies must provide officers with necessary equipment such as smart locks, trigger locks, safes, or gun lock boxes to meet these storage standards, and officers can face discipline for failing to comply with the requirements. The bill also mandates that agencies report any lost or stolen service firearms to state and local law enforcement as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and FBI, and requires training and written materials for officers about safe storage practices and the risks of keeping firearms at home. The legislation applies to all civilian and military federal law enforcement officers and anyone assisting them in law enforcement duties, and it authorizes whatever funding is necessary to implement these provisions.

This bill authorizes increased federal funding for early childhood special education programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act over five fiscal years. It specifically targets Section 619, which provides grants for preschool programs serving children ages three to five with disabilities, and Part C, which supports early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. The bill responds to significant erosion in per-child funding over the past three decades, with Part C funding declining from $3,902 per child in 1999 to $1,324 in 2023, and Section 619 funding dropping from $1,883 per child in 1992 to $849 in 2023. The legislation provides escalating appropriations from 2027 through 2031, with Section 619 funding growing from $503 million to $1.22 billion and Part C funding increasing from $932 million to $1.72 billion by 2031. These investments aim to restore adequate funding levels to help infants, toddlers, and preschool children with disabilities receive quality services that can improve their developmental outcomes.

Protection and Advocacy for Student Success ActThis bill directs the Department of Education to award grants for protection and advocacy systems to protect and advocate the rights of students with disabilities.

This bill requires states that receive federal education funding to establish minimum concussion safety standards for school athletic programs by 2031. States must mandate that local school districts develop concussion management plans, including staff training on concussion recognition and prevention, posting of concussion information at schools, and designation of personnel to oversee student injuries. The law requires students suspected of having concussions to be immediately removed from athletic activities and prohibits their return until a health care professional provides written clearance. Schools must also support academic recovery by providing accommodations such as cognitive rest periods and gradual reintroduction of coursework. States that fail to comply face federal funding reductions of 5 percent initially and 10 percent in subsequent years.

This bill establishes federal grant programs to build cleaner transportation systems while supporting workers transitioning away from fossil fuel industries. The legislation creates funding for "low carbon corridors" that integrate public transit, rail, electric vehicle infrastructure, and bike/pedestrian paths in eligible communities, along with a value capture program to help states and localities finance transit-oriented development and affordable housing through tax increment financing districts lasting up to 30 years. To support the economic transition, the bill creates Department of Labor grants helping communities with high fossil fuel employment develop worker transition plans, including apprenticeships and job training in renewable energy and electric vehicle sectors. Finally, it establishes a National Employment Corps within the Department of Labor that guarantees jobs—paying at least $15 per hour indexed for inflation—to workers who cannot be placed through transition programs, with benefits, training, and wraparound services like childcare. While specific funding amounts are not detailed in these section summaries, the bill affects states, local governments, tribes, metropolitan planning organizations, and fossil fuel-dependent workers nationwide.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2121 Meridian Park Boulevard in Concord, California, as the "Carl Jefferson Post Office Building".

H.R. 6435 establishes new federal oversight requirements for major transportation construction projects costing $2.5 billion or more. Recipients of federal funding for these "megaprojects" must submit comprehensive risk management plans before construction begins, identifying potential cost overruns, delays, and quality issues, and must maintain financial reserves to address unforeseen problems. The bill requires each megaproject to establish an independent peer review group of at least five experts (including a project manager) who meet annually to assess the project's scope, schedule, and budget, with findings publicly reported to Congress and the Department of Transportation. Additionally, projects must publicly disclose the names and credentials of supervising engineers and peer review reports on their websites within 90 days of submission. The legislation also directs the Transportation Research Board to study megaproject management practices in the U.S. and abroad and recommend improvements to federal oversight by 2028. These requirements apply to projects authorized for construction one year after the bill's enactment, with no specific federal funding amount allocated in the text.

The School Food Modernization Act provides federal support to improve school meal facilities and train food service workers. The bill establishes a $300 million loan guarantee program to help schools and school districts finance infrastructure improvements and equipment purchases needed to serve healthier meals, with the federal government guaranteeing up to 80 percent of qualified loans. Additionally, it authorizes $35 million annually from 2026 through 2031 in competitive grants to states for purchasing food service equipment, and $10 million yearly during the same period to support training programs for school food service personnel through nonprofits, colleges, and career technical schools. Schools serving disadvantaged areas or facing significant infrastructure needs receive priority for both loans and grants. The bill also requires the Department of Agriculture to study how states use administrative funds for nutrition training and to report back to Congress within 18 months with recommendations for improving school nutrition programs nationwide.

The Metropolitan Planning Enhancement Act requires transportation agencies at both metropolitan and statewide levels to increase transparency and accountability when selecting which projects to fund. Under this bill, agencies must use publicly available, standardized criteria to rank transportation projects and clearly explain their selections to the public. If an agency chooses to fund a lower-ranked project ahead of a higher-ranked one, it must provide a public explanation for that decision, such as geographic balance considerations or benefits to economically distressed areas. The bill applies to highway and transit planning processes across the country and aims to help the public better understand how federal transportation dollars are allocated by their local and state governments. No specific funding amounts or implementation timelines are designated in the legislation.

The CEO Accountability and Responsibility Act adjusts federal income tax rates for publicly traded corporations based on the pay ratio between their highest-paid employee and median worker compensation. Companies with wider pay gaps face higher tax rates—ranging from a 0.5 percentage point increase for ratios between 100-to-1 and 150-to-1, up to a 3 percentage point increase for ratios exceeding 400-to-1. The bill also includes a penalty that increases these tax adjustments by 50 percent if a company cuts U.S. jobs by more than 10 percent while simultaneously increasing contracted or foreign workers. Additionally, the legislation gives federal contracting preference to companies with pay ratios below 50-to-1. The tax changes take effect for tax years beginning after the bill's enactment, with companies required to report compensation data annually to the Internal Revenue Service.