This bill authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to support internationally educated health care professionals who want to work in the United States. Grant recipients, which must be consortiums of at least two organizations like hospitals, colleges, nonprofits, or government agencies, can use funding for both system-wide improvements such as mentoring networks and employer education, and individual support like licensing assistance, English language training, and career counseling. At least 20 percent of grant funds must go toward system-level projects, with no more than 10 percent used for administrative costs, and grant recipients must supplement rather than replace existing funding for health care workforce development. The bill prioritizes grants that serve rural communities or areas with health care workforce shortages, requires annual reporting on program outcomes, and authorizes unspecified funding levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. The Secretary must begin awarding grants within one year of the bill's enactment and must consult with the Secretaries of Labor and Education before doing so.

This bill establishes new accountability measures for federal student aid programs by requiring colleges to ensure that career training and degree programs actually prepare students for employment or licensure. Institutions must verify that programs qualifying graduates for licensed professions meet licensure requirements in students' home states and the states where the college markets itself, and distance education programs must be authorized in each state where they enroll students. The bill creates a "debt-to-earnings" system where programs are penalized if student loan payments exceed 20 percent of discretionary earnings or 8 percent of total earnings for two of any three consecutive years, automatically triggering student warnings and loss of federal funding eligibility for three years. The Department of Education must annually calculate and publish these performance metrics using earnings data from the IRS and Social Security and notify institutions of failures within 45 days. These requirements apply across all types of institutions receiving federal student aid, including proprietary schools, vocational institutions, and traditional colleges, with no special exemptions for particular professions.

The Federal Jobs for STARs Act of 2026 aims to open federal employment opportunities to workers with job skills gained through non-traditional routes, such as apprenticeships, military service, bootcamps, community college, or on-the-job training, who do not have a bachelor's degree. The bill requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to prohibit federal agencies from requiring a bachelor's degree for positions unless that specific degree is genuinely necessary for the job, and to establish alternative qualification pathways that recognize non-degree-based skills and experience. The legislation also directs federal agencies to create a dedicated hiring path on USAJobs.gov where these workers can search for positions suited to their qualifications. Additionally, the bill requires a feasibility study due within 180 days to examine what resources would be needed to offer STAR employees training programs, scholarships, and tuition assistance to pursue further education while employed in the federal government. This affects federal hiring practices across all executive branch agencies and potentially expands the talent pool available for federal employment.

This resolution condemns racist rhetoric that has been directed at Indian and Chinese Americans, particularly language amplified by the President in April 2026 that used derogatory terms to describe immigrants from these countries and suggested they are undermining American society. The resolution reaffirms that immigrants from all backgrounds, including Indian and Chinese Americans, make vital contributions to the U.S. economy, culture, and security, and calls on all elected officials to stop using language that promotes racial or ethnic division. The measure documents a surge in anti-Asian hate speech online since the 2024 presidential election, with anti-South Asian slur usage rising approximately 75 percent between November 2024 and January 2025 across social media platforms. As a House resolution, this legislation serves as an expression of the chamber's position rather than binding law, and it does not include funding or specific implementation timelines. The resolution was introduced by members of Congress in May 2026 and referred to the Judiciary Committee.

The Hate Crimes Commission Act of 2026 establishes a 10-member federal commission to investigate factors contributing to hate crimes in the United States and recommend prevention strategies. The commission will examine issues including the role of social media and technology, law enforcement policies to reduce hate crimes, underreporting problems, barriers to participation in the federal crime reporting system, and the prevalence of online hate incidents. Commission members will be appointed within 60 days from congressional leadership, the Attorney General, and representatives from law enforcement and civil rights organizations, with the group holding its first meeting within 90 days of full membership. The commission must complete its investigation and submit a report to Congress and the President within one year of full appointment, after which it will dissolve 90 days later. Additionally, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to audit FBI hate crime data collection methods within one year and report recommendations for improving data accuracy and identifying anomalies such as agencies consistently reporting zero hate crimes.

The Disaster Declaration Transparency Act of 2026 allows Congress to override a presidential decision to deny a major disaster declaration requested by a state governor. Under current law, the President has sole authority to approve or reject such requests, but this bill creates a new process: if the President refuses a disaster declaration that contradicts the Federal Emergency Management Agency's recommendation or deviates from established precedent, the President must notify Congress within 24 hours with a written explanation. Either chamber of Congress can then introduce a joint resolution within 14 days to force the disaster declaration, which follows expedited procedures designed to bypass normal committee delays and reach a floor vote quickly. In the House, the resolution receives only four hours of debate and cannot be amended, while the Senate limits debate to ten hours and waives the filibuster rule. The bill affects state governors and disaster victims by giving Congress a legislative check on presidential disaster decisions, though it requires passage by both chambers and would likely still be subject to presidential veto.

The Baby Food Safety Act of 2026 establishes new federal safety standards for infant and toddler foods by requiring the FDA to set mandatory limits on four toxic elements—lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic—with proposed limits for lead and arsenic due by December 2026 and final limits within 18 months thereafter. Food manufacturers must implement control programs, conduct quarterly testing of final products using accredited laboratories, and maintain detailed records for at least two years, with compliance enforcement beginning two years after the bill's enactment. The legislation defines infant and toddler foods as any products marketed for children up to 24 months old (excluding infant formula) and designates baby food products that exceed the established contaminant limits or fail to meet manufacturer compliance requirements as adulterated and unsafe for sale. The bill also expands the FDA's authority to mandate recalls of contaminated baby food products, strengthening the agency's enforcement tools. These requirements apply to all manufacturers of infant and toddler foods and fruit and vegetable purees sold in the United States.

Medicare Expansion and Lowering Costs Now ActThis bill establishes a Medicare buy-in option for certain qualifying individuals and makes a series of other changes relating to health care costs. It also repeals the health provisions that were enacted under what is commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.Specifically, the bill allows individuals aged 50 to 64 to enroll in Medicare if such individuals would otherwise qualify for Medicare at the age of 65. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must determine enrollment periods and set premiums for the buy-in option established under the bill, in accordance with specified requirements. The CMS must also award grants to states and nonprofit organizations for outreach and enrollment activities relating to the buy-in option.Additionally, the bill repeals the health provisions that were enacted under what is commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Among other provisions, the act required individuals who are eligible for Medicaid as part of the Medicaid expansion population to engage in community service, work, or other activities in order to qualify for Medicaid. (For more information about these and other health provisions in the act, see CRS Report R48633.)The bill also (1) establishes a supplemental option under Medicare to cover cost-sharing for beneficiaries; (2) establishes an individual market reinsurance program relating to coverage of high-cost individuals, as specified; and (3) expands eligibility for the premium tax credit.

This bill modifies the federal oversight structure governing Puerto Rico's finances by allowing the Oversight Board—which currently manages the island's fiscal and economic matters—to be terminated if Puerto Rico's legislature passes legislation establishing a successor entity to replace it. The bill also enables the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority or another locally designated entity to take over representation duties in bankruptcy cases once this transition occurs, while requiring the new representative to retain existing Oversight Board staff unless specified otherwise. The changes preserve existing legal requirements, maintain the validity of previously certified fiscal plans, and keep federal court jurisdiction intact during the transition. In essence, the legislation gives Puerto Rico greater control over its own economic governance by providing a path to replace federal oversight with local leadership, though the specifics depend on what replacement structure Puerto Rico chooses to establish.

The Kids Need Lunch Act would make school lunches free for all children enrolled in schools participating in the federal lunch program, eliminating current income-based eligibility requirements. The federal government would reimburse schools at a rate of $4.86 per lunch (adjusted annually for inflation), ensuring schools receive adequate funding to serve all students without charge. Additionally, the bill would create a one-time reimbursement program to pay off existing school meal debt accumulated by families, with the federal government covering all back payments owed to schools within 180 days of the law's enactment. Schools would also be prohibited from collecting unpaid lunch charges going forward. The legislation takes effect one year after enactment, giving schools time to prepare for universal free lunch service. While no specific total funding amount is stated, the bill authorizes "such sums as are necessary" to cover the program's costs.

The First Home Affordability Act creates a new refundable tax credit worth up to $25,000 (or $12,500 for married filers filing separately) to help first-time homebuyers purchase their primary residences. The credit equals 10% of the home's purchase price and is distributed over five years, though teachers, childcare workers, and first responders can claim the full amount in a single year. The credit applies only to homes purchased with federally-backed mortgages, phases out for buyers earning more than 150% of their area's median income and homes priced above 110% of local median prices, and must be repaid if the home is sold within five years. Buyers can transfer their credit directly to their mortgage lender, who will provide it as a down payment or cash payment and receive IRS reimbursement for the transferred credits. The bill applies to homes purchased after enactment and treats certain credit-claiming errors as correctable mistakes rather than serious tax violations.

This bill prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from hiring private contractors to conduct skip tracing, surveillance, or location verification activities for civil immigration enforcement purposes. The legislation requires DHS to immediately terminate any existing contracts that involve these activities and to modify other contracts to remove such provisions. The bill also bans the use of federal funds to pay private companies on a per-person or bonus basis for locating immigrants subject to detention orders, with a narrow exception for publicly available data analytics tools used for administrative purposes. Within 30 days of enactment, the DHS Inspector General must audit all departmental contracts to ensure compliance with these new restrictions. The bill effectively prevents private companies from profiting directly from tracking down undocumented immigrants for civil enforcement actions.

The Kids Before Cuts Act prohibits the federal government from withholding funds for three major assistance programs—Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Child Care Development Fund, and the Social Services Block Grant—unless Congress explicitly approves such action through new legislation. The bill was introduced in response to the Trump administration's announced freeze of $10 billion in federal funds for social services and child care in January 2025, which would have affected approximately 100,000 families and over 152,000 children, particularly in Illinois. The legislation reinforces Congress's constitutional "power of the purse" by preventing executive branch officials from unilaterally redirecting or freezing funds that lawmakers have already allocated for these programs. The bill applies to all states receiving these federal funds and would require any future funding freezes to receive explicit congressional authorization rather than relying on executive discretion.

H.R. 6980, the "No Occupation of Venezuela Act of 2026," prohibits the federal government from spending any money to support U.S. military occupation or control of Venezuela or its territory and resources. The bill applies broadly to any federal funds that might be used to assert American possession, supervision, jurisdiction, or sovereignty over Venezuela, including deploying U.S. Armed Forces there. However, the law includes narrow exceptions: the President can still acquire Venezuelan property for diplomatic or consular purposes with the Venezuelan government's approval, can use U.S. property already owned in Venezuela for diplomatic missions, and can spend money on emergency humanitarian aid. The bill is sponsored by Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi and Joaquin Castro and has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees for consideration.

The Investing in American Workers Act creates a new tax credit for employers who provide worker training programs to their lower-paid employees. Employers can claim a credit equal to 20 percent of qualifying training expenses that exceed their average spending from the previous three years, as long as the training leads to recognized credentials like industry certificates, apprenticeship completion, licenses, or degrees. The law covers training through apprenticeship programs, community colleges, career and technical schools, labor organizations, and employer-sponsored programs. Small businesses with less than $5 million in annual revenue can choose to apply their credit against their payroll taxes instead of income taxes, with a maximum payroll tax credit of $250,000 per year. The tax credit applies to training for non-highly compensated employees (those earning below 60 percent of a specified threshold) and does not include incidental costs like meals or transportation. The bill takes effect for tax years beginning after its enactment and directs the Labor and Treasury Departments to issue guidance within one year.

The SAFE LiDAR Act restricts the use of light detection and ranging technology from foreign adversary countries—primarily China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea—citing national security concerns about espionage risks and supply chain vulnerability. The bill prohibits most U.S. businesses from purchasing or using this foreign-made LiDAR technology within three years of passage, with stricter immediate bans for federal government agencies and critical infrastructure operators like utilities and transportation systems. The legislation also blocks new joint ventures and licensing agreements between U.S. companies and foreign adversary LiDAR manufacturers, though the Secretary of Commerce can grant case-by-case exemptions for national interest or hardship reasons and must establish a task force to manage the transition. Existing international arrangements can continue to be fulfilled during the transition period. The Secretary of Commerce is required to report annually to Congress on enforcement actions, approved waivers, emerging security threats, and any efforts by adversaries to circumvent these restrictions.

H.R. 6528, the Tracking and Restricting Adversarial Circumvention of Embargoes Act of 2025, requires the U.S. intelligence community to investigate and report on trade between China and Iran that may violate U.S. sanctions. Specifically, the Director of National Intelligence must submit a report within 180 days examining Chinese purchases of Iranian oil since 2020 and identify how China might be using shell companies and transshipment points to avoid sanctions, as well as assess Chinese financial support for Iran's ballistic missile program. The report goes to Congress and the Treasury Department, which then has an additional six months to determine whether China is engaging in sanctionable activities and report back to Congress. This legislation targets senior members of both parties concerned about potential sanctions circumvention and aims to close loopholes that could undermine U.S. efforts to restrict trade with Iran.

This bill would double the annual cap on H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers from 65,000 to 130,000, making it easier for U.S. employers to hire international talent in fields like technology and engineering. The legislation also changes how companies are classified as "H-1B dependent" by raising the thresholds that trigger certain hiring requirements—essentially reducing restrictions on companies that rely heavily on these visa workers. Additionally, the bill establishes a new grant program called the Promoting American Ingenuity Grant Program that would provide $25 million per year from 2026 through 2030 to states for improving science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education at elementary, secondary, and higher education levels. The bill is designed to address both immediate labor shortages in high-skilled industries and long-term workforce development by investing in STEM education to build the domestic talent pipeline.

The Brand USA Restoration Act would appropriate $80 million to the Travel Promotion Fund for fiscal year 2026 to reverse funding cuts made by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The Travel Promotion Fund supports Brand USA, the nation's official tourism marketing organization that promotes international travel to the United States. This legislation directly affects tourism promotion efforts and the travel and hospitality industries that benefit from increased international visitors. The bill addresses a straightforward funding restoration with no complex timelines or conditions mentioned beyond the fiscal year 2026 appropriation.

The SAFE Taps Act directs the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a federal grant program to help local governments, water systems, and Native American tribes replace lead service lines, galvanized steel and iron pipes, and aging drinking water mains. The bill addresses a major public health threat, as the EPA estimates approximately 9.2 million lead service lines currently deliver drinking water to homes, schools, and childcare facilities across the country, and federal regulations now require their replacement within 10 years. The legislation recognizes that existing loan-based funding programs are insufficient, particularly for financially struggling communities that lack the resources to take on additional debt. Eligible expenses include replacing contaminated pipes, planning replacement projects, and developing inventories of lead service lines. All workers on these projects must be paid prevailing wages as determined by the Department of Labor, ensuring projects support local employment standards.

The DISRUPT Act requires the executive branch to develop a comprehensive strategy to counter the growing military, diplomatic, and economic cooperation between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea—four nations identified as the foremost adversaries of the United States. Within 60 days of passage, the State Department, Defense Department, Treasury Department, and Commerce Department must each establish task forces with subject matter experts to assess how this adversary alignment affects their operations and recommend organizational changes. Additionally, the Director of National Intelligence must submit a classified report within 60 days analyzing the current nature and future trajectory of cooperation among these four countries and the resulting risks to U.S. security interests, while the Secretaries of State and Defense must deliver a detailed strategic plan within 180 days outlining how the United States will disrupt this cooperation, strengthen alliances, improve economic sanctions enforcement, boost military deterrence in priority regions, and address intelligence vulnerabilities. The bill contains no specific funding authorization but directs significant interagency coordination and strategic planning to counter what Congress views as an unprecedented alignment of U.S. adversaries.

This resolution recognizes the religious and historical significance of Diwali.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service at 1300 East Northwest Highway in Palatine, Illinois, as the "Bernie Bluestein Post Office Building".

H.R. 5434 directs the federal government to dedicate resources specifically to support LGBTQ+ youth using the 988 Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline. The bill addresses research showing that LGBTQ+ youth attempt suicide at four times the rate of their peers and that nearly half of high school students who considered suicide identified as LGBTQ+. The legislation requires the Health and Human Services Secretary to maintain and expand specialized services—accessed through the "Press 3" option on the hotline—that provide trained counselors equipped to address LGBTQ+-specific challenges and needs. The bill mandates that at least 9 percent of annual appropriations to the 988 hotline be reserved specifically for these LGBTQ+ youth services. Since launching specialized LGBTQ+ services, the 988 hotline has received over 1.5 million calls, texts, and chats from this population, averaging 2,200 daily contacts as of May 2025.

The Bringing Benefits Back Act of 2025 seeks to undo portions of a previous reconciliation law (Public Law 119-21) by repealing specific sections related to tax and spending policies. The bill would restore laws to their previous state before those repealed provisions took effect, essentially rolling back changes made under the earlier reconciliation act. The legislation affects people and programs governed by the tax and social benefit provisions that were modified in that earlier law, though the exact details of which benefits or taxes are involved are not specified in the bill's summary text. The bill has been referred to the House Committees on Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Agriculture for review. No specific funding amounts or implementation timeline are included in the legislation itself.