The Bycatch Reduction Act aims to minimize unwanted fish catches and seafloor damage in fishing operations across Alaska's Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska. The legislation requires fishing vessels to install seafloor detection systems and modified gear to reduce contact with the ocean bottom, mandates salmon excluder devices on pelagic trawl nets to prevent salmon bycatch, and establishes performance standards for trawling equipment with full compliance required within one to two years of enactment. The bill significantly increases public transparency by requiring fishery management councils to hold recorded votes, post meeting webcasts and transcripts online, and provide at least four weeks for public comment on major decisions. The law also establishes a research initiative to track salmon migration patterns through tagging studies and genetic analysis, creates an ecosystem monitoring program to understand how trawling affects marine habitats, and restricts imports of seafood caught by foreign vessels unless their fishing methods meet U.S. conservation standards. To support these changes, the legislation authorizes $10 million annually through 2031 for bycatch reduction engineering and establishes a Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund to help fishing industry participants purchase improved gear and technology.

# Summary of H.R. 9506 This bill requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to create a federal prize competition program focused on artificial intelligence research within one year of enactment. The program aims to accelerate AI development in the United States and address specific, measurable challenges across numerous priority areas, including microelectronics, algorithm design, AI safety, advanced manufacturing, border security, cybersecurity, and energy efficiency. The bill establishes a broad list of AI research priorities that will be reviewed and updated annually in consultation with industry, academic institutions, and civil society. It authorizes the Secretaries of Commerce and Transportation, along with the National Science Foundation Director, to establish related investment initiatives, with requirements that all research be conducted in the United States and leverage private and philanthropic partnerships when possible. Winners of competitions will be announced on Challenge.gov, with agencies required to report to Congress within 60 days of awarding prizes and submit biennial progress reports to relevant congressional committees. The legislation also requires the Comptroller General to conduct studies evaluating the effectiveness of the new prize program and existing federal prize competitions, with initial findings due within 18 months and a follow-up assessment at three years. The entire program is set to expire five years after enactment. No specific funding amount is designated in the bill text provided.

The Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2026, or FISH Act, targets illegal fishing operations worldwide by establishing a comprehensive U.S. government response to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The bill creates a publicly maintained list of foreign fishing vessels and their owners engaged in IUU fishing, which the Commerce Department will develop and update regularly, including vessel names, identification numbers, and the reasons they were listed. Foreign nationals who own or benefit from vessels on this IUU list will be barred from entering the United States and will have their existing visas revoked, though exceptions exist for humanitarian aid, law enforcement activities, and safety provisions. The legislation authorizes $10 million annually through fiscal year 2031 to implement the vessel list system, provides $2 million for a National Academies study on IUU fishing's economic impacts, extends National Sea Grant Program funding through 2032, and encourages the Coast Guard to increase boarding and inspection of suspected IUU fishing vessels. The bill also directs federal agencies to develop strategies for identifying seafood produced with forced labor, establish better data-sharing between agencies and states, and increase technical assistance to foreign nations to strengthen their fisheries management and combat IUU practices at their source.

This bill transfers administrative control of approximately 5,624 acres of land on Adak Island, Alaska from the Interior Department to the Navy Department. The Navy would be able to use this land for military purposes including testing explosives and weapons, training in aerial gunnery and electronic warfare, and equipment development. The bill removes the transferred land from the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and exempts it from all wildlife refuge protection laws. The transfer would take effect as soon as practicable after the bill is enacted, with no specific timeline or funding amount specified in the legislation.

The Polar Express Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of Transportation to study the feasibility of building a railroad that would connect Alaska to the continental North American rail network. The study must begin within 180 days of the bill's enactment and be completed within 2 years, with results reported to Congress. The Secretary has flexibility to determine the study's scope and methodology, and may consult with federal agencies, state and local governments, tribes, and other relevant stakeholders. Importantly, the bill does not authorize construction of the rail route or commit any federal funds toward building it—it is limited to investigating whether such a project would be feasible. This legislation affects Alaska and transportation stakeholders interested in expanding rail infrastructure to the state.

The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 establishes transparency and accountability measures for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve held by the federal government. The legislation requires the Treasury Secretary to publish quarterly public reports with details on Bitcoin holdings, transactions, and cryptographic verification that the government controls its digital assets, with these reports independently audited by third-party experts and overseen by the Government Accountability Office. Additionally, the bill amends the Exchange Stabilization Fund to include comprehensive Bitcoin transaction accounting in its regular congressional reports and annual operational disclosures. Together, these provisions create multiple layers of oversight designed to give Congress, auditors, and the public visibility into the government's Bitcoin holdings and activities.

The Geese House Site Conveyance Act directs the federal government to transfer approximately 21,578 acres of land in the Denali National Park and Preserve to Doyon, Limited, an Alaska Native corporation, within one year of the bill's enactment. This land transfer fulfills a selection that Doyon, Limited made back in 1978 under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The bill imposes strict restrictions on how Doyon can use the land, prohibiting it from selling the land to anyone other than the U.S. government, mining or extracting minerals, or developing it in ways that would damage the cultural significance of the Geese House site. The Interior Department must also adjust the boundary of Denali National Park to exclude the conveyed land while maintaining public easement rights as required by existing law. No specific funding is mentioned in the legislation, as it primarily involves a land transfer rather than appropriating money.

The Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act requires the Federal Aviation Administration to acquire and install specialized position reference tools at contract air traffic control towers that currently lack modern situational awareness equipment within one year of the law's enactment. The bill also directs the FAA to install Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems or equivalent technology at these same towers and to establish training programs to ensure air traffic controllers can properly use this new equipment. Additionally, the legislation allows airports and control towers that independently purchased and installed similar systems before the FAA's installation to receive reimbursement or retroactive grant funding for those costs. The bill authorizes the FAA to use existing air navigation facilities funding to cover the costs of acquiring, installing, and operating these position reference tools at contract towers. This legislation primarily affects contract air traffic control towers operated by the FAA and their personnel, aiming to improve safety and efficiency in air traffic operations.

This bill amends federal fishery law to require the North Pacific Fishery Management Council—which oversees fishing in Alaska waters including the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and Arctic Ocean—to include at least one representative each from four specific fishing groups: non-industrial commercial fishers (owner-operated vessels under 160 feet), recreational and sport fishers, rural subsistence users, and urban subsistence users. Currently, the council's five Alaska-appointed voting members are not required to represent these distinct user groups, and the bill's sponsors argue this has led to underrepresentation of smaller-scale fishing interests compared to large industrial operations. The bill adds definitions of these four groups to federal law and requires Alaska's governor to indicate on council appointment lists which candidates represent each group. The changes take effect one year after the bill is enacted and apply to all future council appointments. No new funding is authorized in the legislation.

Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities ActThis bill expands support for public health veterinary services (e.g., disease surveillance or vaccination) in tribal communities to address zoonotic infectious diseases (i.e., diseases that spread between humans and animals).Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Indian Health Service (IHS), to expend funds for public health veterinary services to prevent and control zoonotic disease infection and transmission in IHS areas where the risk for disease occurrence in humans and wildlife is endemic.HHS may assign or deploy veterinary public health officers from the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps to IHS areas.Additionally, HHS must submit a biennial report to Congress on the use of funds, the assignment and deployment of veterinary public health officers from the USPHS Commissioned Corps, data related to the monitoring and disease surveillance of zoonotic diseases, and related services.The bill also includes the IHS as a coordinating agency in the National One Health Framework. (This framework addresses zoonotic diseases and advances public health preparedness in the United States.)The bill requires the Department of Agriculture to conduct a feasibility study on the delivery of oral rabies vaccines to wildlife reservoir species that are connected to the transmission of rabies to tribal members living in Arctic regions of the United States. The study must (1) evaluate the efficacy of the oral rabies vaccines, and (2) make recommendations to improve the delivery of these vaccines.

The Geo POWER Act directs the Department of Energy to establish a new Milestone-Based Geothermal Demonstration Program that will provide innovative financing to support geothermal electricity generation projects in regions and geologies across the United States that currently have little or no geothermal energy production. The program prioritizes projects in areas with untapped geothermal potential, including on or near tribal lands, and focuses on projects capable of generating at least 30 megawatts of electricity or demonstrating innovative drilling techniques that could enable commercial-scale geothermal development. The Energy Department must establish the program within 180 days and must fund projects from at least three different states and three different project sponsors, using milestone-based financing tied to technical and financial achievements to reduce investment risks. The legislation also aims to generate public data about new geothermal resources that will help attract future private investment in the industry. Congress authorizes whatever funding is necessary to carry out the program, though no specific dollar amount is specified in the bill.

The DATA Act of 2026 amends federal electricity regulations to exempt a new category of electric utilities called consumer-regulated electric utilities (CREUs) from most federal oversight. These are newly created, self-contained power systems that serve new electricity loads and are physically disconnected from the national power grid and existing utilities. The bill allows CREUs to generate, transmit, distribute, and sell electricity without federal regulation from agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, without complying with federal reliability standards, and without needing approval for mergers or rate changes. CREUs can use public rights-of-way for their facilities under the same terms as traditional utilities, though reviews are limited to restoration and storm-response planning. The exemptions end immediately if a CREU chooses to connect to the bulk power system, at which point it becomes subject to all applicable federal regulations.

H.R. 8401 would change the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow certain sea otter–related products from Alaska to be traded. Specifically, it would permit the transport, buying, selling, and offering to buy or sell pelts from northern sea otters in the Southcentral and Southeast Alaska stocks when the otters are taken for subsistence purposes under existing law, and it would allow the transport, buying, selling, and exporting of handicrafts, garments, and art made from those pelts. The bill would apply regardless of whether the products are traditional or contemporary or whether they have been altered significantly. It affects Alaska residents and other parties involved in handling and selling those products, while keeping the underlying subsistence taking requirements intact. The bill was introduced in the House on April 21, 2026, and it has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

The Protect Future Dividends Act would amend the federal tax code to exclude payments from state sovereign wealth funds from taxable income. The bill specifically targets permanent funds established by states and funded through state revenue, where the principal is invested and periodic payments are distributed to residents based primarily on where they live. This change would affect individuals who receive distributions from qualifying state funds, such as Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend, making those payments tax-free at the federal level. The legislation has no specified federal funding attached, as it reduces federal tax revenue rather than allocating new spending. The tax exclusion would apply to any payments received after the bill is enacted into law.

The Fishing Vessel Financing Improvement Act of 2026 expands federal loan programs to help fishing industry operators purchase and refinance vessels. The bill, introduced by Representatives Begich and Larsen, modifies the Maritime Administration's direct lending authority under the Department of Transportation to include used fishing vessels and allows larger loan guarantees of up to 87.5 percent of a vessel's cost. The legislation also creates a two-year window allowing newer fishing vessels (those built after January 1, 2021 and longer than 79 feet) to qualify for loan guarantees without requiring reconstruction, and adds a safeguard ensuring that any guaranteed loans align with fishery conservation laws. The bill primarily affects commercial fishing operators seeking financing and directs the Maritime Administration to use appropriated funds for these guaranteed loans, with the exact funding amounts to be determined through future appropriations legislation.

The Bycatch Reduction and Research Act of 2026 directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to expand research and data collection efforts focused on reducing unwanted fish catch and protecting marine habitats in Alaskan fisheries, particularly in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska. The legislation establishes several key initiatives: it reconstitutes an Alaska Salmon Research Task Force to oversee research on salmon migration patterns and genetic sampling to better predict and avoid salmon bycatch; it requires ecosystem studies on how trawl fishing gear affects marine habitats and species; and it funds construction of a flume tank facility where fishing gear can be tested for effectiveness in reducing bycatch. The bill also streamlines approval processes for electronic monitoring systems and experimental fishing permits, with plans to integrate electronic monitoring data into fishery management decisions more efficiently. To help fishermen implement these improvements, the legislation creates a Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to provide grants for purchasing or modifying fishing gear and technology, and authorizes $4 million annually from 2027 through 2031 for the existing Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program. NOAA must complete research reports and ecosystem analyses within three years of enactment and provide regular updates to Congress on progress.

Airport Regulatory Relief Act of 2025This bill reduces the requirements for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow a state to use its state highway standards, instead of federal standards, for airfield pavement projects at certain smaller commercial aviation airports. The bill also requires the FAA to act within a certain time period.Under current law, airports are generally required to meet FAA standards for Airport Improvement Program-funded construction. For certain nonprimary commercial service airports (i.e., airports that have 2,500 to 10,000 passenger boardings annually) that serve aircraft that do not exceed 60,000 pounds gross weight, the FAA must instead use the state highway standards. A state must request the use of the state standards, and the FAA must determine that their use (1) will not negatively affect safety, and (2) will not result in a shorter life for the pavement.Under the bill, the FAA must use state highway standards for airfield pavement projects at these airports if (1) the state provides notice to the FAA that nonprimary airports intend to use the state standards, and (2) the FAA determines that the state standards will not negatively affect safety.The bill also requires the FAA to make a safety determination within six months of a state providing notice. The FAA may extend the time period by six months if the six months is insufficient to make the determination. For each six-month extension, the FAA must notify the state and provide a justification for the extension.

This bill directs the EPA to allow diesel vehicle manufacturers to disable engine power reduction and shutdown functions that are triggered by emissions control system failures when temperatures drop to zero degrees Celsius or below. The bill also permits manufacturers to exempt diesel vehicles that operate primarily in far northern regions (above 59 degrees north latitude) or in areas with prolonged freezing conditions from diesel exhaust fluid system requirements entirely. Congress argues these changes are necessary because emissions control systems often fail in extreme cold, creating safety risks for people in remote areas who depend on reliable transportation for emergency services and critical operations. The EPA must issue revised regulations within 180 days of the bill's enactment. The bill emphasizes that these cold-weather exemptions do not waive overall emissions standards under the Clean Air Act — they only apply when temperatures are extremely low or for vehicles in high-latitude regions where diesel exhaust fluid systems are impractical to maintain year-round.

H.R. 6251 would allow Americans to import polar bear trophies from sport hunts in Canada that were legally harvested before polar bears were listed as threatened species. Specifically, the bill permits the import of polar bear parts (excluding internal organs) if they were taken before February 18, 1997, or before May 15, 2008, depending on the polar bear population involved. The bill amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act to direct the Interior Secretary to issue import permits for these trophies without applying certain environmental protections and regulatory restrictions that currently apply to new polar bear imports. The legislation affects trophy hunters and hunting organizations seeking to bring back polar bear hunting trophies obtained years ago. No new funding or specific timeline requirements are included in the bill beyond requiring the Secretary to issue permits "expeditiously" after a 30-day review period.

Archie Cavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Amendment ActThis bill states that nothing in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA) prohibits possessing, selling, bartering, purchasing, shipping, or transporting any authentic Alaska Native handicraft, clothing, or art on the basis that it contains a nonedible migratory bird part, so long as the bird was not taken in a wasteful or illegal manner. (The MBTA implements four international treaties that the United States entered into with Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia. The MBTA prohibits the taking of protected migratory bird species without prior authorization.)The bill directs the Department of State to work with the Department of the Interior to enter into appropriate bilateral procedures with countries that are parties to the treaties under the MBTA to clarify the treatment of Alaska Native handicraft containing nonedible migratory bird parts from the species of migratory birds listed in those treaties. Further, Interior must modify any regulations implementing the MBTA to implement this bill.

This joint resolution opens public land for oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Specifically, the joint resolution nullifies the record of decision (ROD) issued by the Bureau of Land Management on December 9, 2024, for the program that leases, develops, produces, and transports oil and gas in and from the Coastal Plain program area within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.The 2024 ROD that is being nullified by this resolution replaced the 2020 ROD that made all of the approximately 1.6 million acres of the program area available for oil and gas leasing. The 2024 ROD made approximately 1.2 million acres unavailable for leasing or exploration in order to protect and conserve resources and certain uses in these areas. However, the 2024 ROD requires the statutory minimum of 400,000 acres to be made available for oil and gas leasing in a specified lease sale, subject to certain stipulations and operating procedures. Under current law, those acres must be located in the areas with the highest potential for the discovery of hydrocarbons.

Alaska’s Right To Ivory Sales and Tradition Act or the ARTIST ActThis bill prohibits states from imposing bans on marine mammal products produced by Alaska Natives.Specifically, states may not prohibit the importation, sale, transfer, trade, barter, or possession of marine mammal ivory, marine mammal bone, or baleen legally produced by an Alaska Native as an authentic Alaska Native article of handicrafts and clothing.

This joint resolution nullifies the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) titled National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Record of Decision and issued on April 25, 2022. BLM's plan provides for the management of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, which is an approximately 23-million-acre area on Alaska’s North Slope. The 2022 plan replaced the 2020 plan and closed approximately 48% of the reserve to oil and gas leasing in order to protect certain surface resources and uses, such as protecting wildlife and providing subsistence for communities. Thus, the joint resolution removes the protections provided under the 2022 plan and reverts to the 2020 plan.

Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025This bill extends by 25 years the reservation of certain public lands for military use and the withdrawal of such lands from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws (e.g., mining laws). Specifically, the bill extends the withdrawal and reservation of the Fort Greely and Fort Wainwright Training Ranges in Alaska and the McGregor Range at Fort Bliss in New Mexico until November 6, 2051. It also extends the withdrawal and reservation of Fort Irwin military land in California until December 31, 2051.The bill also makes technical changes to the land descriptions of the McGregor Range and Fort Irwin lands.

This joint resolution nullifies the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) relating to the Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for Alaska’s Central Yukon planning area and issued on November 12, 2024. By way of background, an RMP guides the management of lands administered by the BLM. This Central Yukon RMP modified the prior RMP for the area, including by designating 21 areas of critical environmental concern or research natural areas, encompassing approximately 3,611,000 acres.