Tim Walberg

The Regional Great Lakes Partnership Act of 2026 designates the Great Lakes Commission as an official Regional Great Lakes Partnership under federal law. The Great Lakes Commission, which includes representatives from eight states around the Great Lakes (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania), will receive formal recognition to coordinate regional efforts related to the Great Lakes. This bill amends existing federal law to clarify the Commission's status and expand its authority to work across all the Great Lakes rather than individual lakes. The legislation does not specify new funding amounts or implementation timelines beyond the designation itself. The bill aims to strengthen the Commission's role in addressing regional Great Lakes issues and gives it clearer federal standing to carry out its mission.

The TEAM USA Act would limit international student athletes on college sports teams as a condition for institutions to receive federal financial aid. Specifically, colleges would be required to ensure that no more than 20 percent of student athletes on any varsity sports team are international students, or no more than one international student if a team has fewer than 10 players. Colleges would also have to annually report to the federal government and their athletic associations the percentage of international athletes on each team roster. The law would apply to colleges that participate in federal student aid programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act and would take effect starting with the 2029-2030 academic year. The bill's supporters argue the measure would preserve athletic scholarship and participation opportunities for American students by reducing reliance on international recruitment.

This bill would transfer management of the federal student loan program from the Department of Education to the Department of the Treasury. The legislation shifts responsibility for servicing all federal student loans, handling defaulted debt, and administering student aid eligibility policies to Treasury, including oversight of Pell Grants, Direct Loans, Federal Work-Study, and related programs. The bill requires the Education and Treasury Secretaries to jointly determine implementation dates for the transfers, with collections and default management moving first, followed by servicing of non-defaulted loans, then remaining student aid functions. The legislation includes safeguards such as a requirement that the OMB Director ensure no net increase in federal employees results from the reorganization and mandates certification of compliance to Congress on each effective date. Additionally, the bill would eliminate an existing exemption that allows student loans to avoid standard federal debt collection procedures.

Less Bureaucracy, Better Workforce Development ActThis bill transfers specified functions relating to education and workforce development programs from the Department of Education (ED) to the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA).Specifically, the bill transfers to the ETA all the functions and authorities exercised by ED before the bill's effective date related to ED's Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education. This office administers adult education and family literacy programs under Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and career and technical education programs under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. (On July 15, 2025, ED announced an interagency agreement with Labor for Labor to manage competitions, provide technical assistance, and integrate ED's programs with Labor's existing programs, while ED must maintain its statutory responsibilities and program oversight.)Additionally, the bill transfers to the ETA all personnel and appropriations related to the functions that are transferred under this bill.The bill outlines the authority of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) related to the functions that are transferred under this bill, including that OMB must ensure that this bill does not create a net increase in full-time equivalent employees at the ETA or ED. Further, OMB must certify compliance with the bill to specified congressional committees.The transfer of these functions does not affect any suits, proceedings, or applications for benefits, services, licenses, permits, certificates, or financial assistance that are pending on the date of this bill's enactment.

The AWARE Act directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics to begin collecting comprehensive data on how artificial intelligence is being used in American workplaces. The bill requires the Bureau to measure employer adoption of AI technologies, how workers use AI in their jobs, changes to workplace tasks and duties caused by AI, AI-related training activities, and effects on hiring, wages, and employment levels. Congress found that existing labor statistics programs were not designed to adequately track these AI-related workplace changes, creating important gaps in data that policymakers, educators, businesses, and workers need to understand and respond to technological shifts in the labor market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics must begin collecting this data no later than 18 months after the bill is enacted. This reporting requirement affects all employers and workers across industries and will provide essential information for workforce planning, training programs, and economic policy development.

The Aquatic Invasive Species Control and Prevention Act of 2026 strengthens federal efforts to prevent, manage, and eliminate invasive aquatic species by updating laws from 1990 and establishing new grant programs. The bill creates competitive grants for rapid response activities to combat invasive species, funds research into environmentally sound control technologies, and supports state management programs and ballast water management systems on ships. It restructures the federal task force to include regional representatives and nongovernmental organizations, requires updated management plans within two years, and mandates planning for watercraft inspection stations and monitoring systems. The legislation authorizes $5 million annually through 2031 for rapid response grants, plus additional funding of $20 million per year for state programs, $10 million per year for technology development, and $10-3 million per year for the general invasive species program. These efforts affect states, tribes, universities, nonprofits, and federal agencies working to protect native ecosystems and water resources from invasive species.

This resolution expresses support for the designation of a Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. It also recognizes the contribution of motorcycles to transportation.

# A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026 H.R. 8210 overhauls federal workforce development programs to emphasize employer partnerships, skills-based hiring, and measurable outcomes. The bill restructures how states organize and fund training initiatives through "one-stop" career centers and creates new grant programs for community colleges, youth apprenticeships, and reentry services for formerly incarcerated individuals. States must use real-time labor market data to track economic conditions, evaluate occupational licensing barriers, and prioritize funding for evidence-based programs, while training providers face stricter eligibility requirements and performance standards tied to credential attainment, job placement, and median earnings. Implementation begins in the first full program year after enactment, with the Department of Labor issuing regulations within 12 months to guide states and local workforce areas through the transition.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to create regional management plans for controlling double-crested cormorants within six months of enactment. The plans, developed with regional flyway councils, will establish permitted hunting methods, time periods, and who can legally take cormorants—including state and tribal agencies, hunters, and private lake and pond managers. The frameworks must maintain sustainable cormorant populations while addressing harms to fisheries, vegetation, other bird species, water quality, and endangered species, with particular consideration of impacts to human health and safety. The bill requires population surveys every five years starting five years after enactment and mandates the management plans be updated every five years based on survey results. No specific funding is allocated in the text, but the Secretary of the Interior and Regional Flyway Councils are tasked with developing and overseeing these management efforts in coordination with state and tribal fish and game agencies.

FAFSA Verification Efficiency ActThis bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to verify the Social Security number (SSN) and citizenship status of any individual who is required to provide information to ED for federal student aid. Currently, ED must work with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify the SSN of a student who is applying for federal student aid. This bill expands the requirement so that ED must work with the SSA to verify the SSN and citizenship status of any individual who is required to provide information to ED on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, including contributors. A contributor refers to anyone (the student, the student’s spouse, the student's biological or adoptive parent, or a parent’s spouse) who is required to provide information on the FAFSA form.

Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act of 2026 or the FAIR Act of 2026This bill establishes more stringent requirements for the federal government with respect to civil asset forfeiture. Civil asset forfeiture generally refers to the seizure and forfeiture of property in connection with federal crimes.Specifically, the bill makes various changes to the general rules governing civil forfeiture proceedings. Among the changes, the bill generally requires the government to notify interested parties within 7 days (currently, 60 days) of a seizure,requires an indigent property owner to be represented by counsel regardless of whether the owner requests counsel,requires the government to meet a higher evidentiary standard in order to prove that seized property is connected to a crime, andexpands the factors courts must consider in determining whether a forfeiture of property is constitutionally excessive.Additionally, the bill eliminates statutory authority for equitable sharing (i.e., sharing of federally forfeited assets with state, local, or tribal law enforcement agencies that participate in law enforcement efforts resulting in a forfeiture). It directs forfeiture proceeds to be deposited into the general fund of the Treasury instead of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Assets Forfeiture Fund.The bill requires a prompt probable cause hearing following the seizure of money involved in a structuring offense (i.e., structuring currency transactions to evade currency reporting requirements).Finally, the bill requires the annual report on deposits to the DOJ Assets Forfeiture Fund to specify total deposits from each type of forfeiture.

This bill designates the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Michigan Center, Michigan, as the Captain Herbert Elfring Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic or the Captain Herbert Elfring VA Clinic.

This bill strengthens privacy protections for children and teenagers (ages 12-16) by expanding what personal information companies must protect online, now including persistent identifiers, biometric data, geolocation information, and audio files collected through websites, apps, and mobile applications. The legislation restricts targeted advertising to minors, requires companies to delete personal information upon request, and grants both parents and teens new rights to access, review, and challenge data that companies collect about them. Large social media companies face stricter rules on data sharing with service providers, and all operators must maintain reasonable security practices and notify users if data is transferred to foreign countries deemed security risks. The bill also protects families from losing service simply because they request data deletion, and directs the Federal Trade Commission to study streamlined parental consent options across multiple services and publish annual enforcement reports to Congress detailing investigations and complaints related to the law.

The POW Priority Care Act of 2025 amends federal law to give former prisoners of war the highest priority status for receiving hospital care and medical services through the Department of Veterans Affairs. This means former POWs will be prioritized ahead of other veterans when accessing VA healthcare and extended care services. The bill applies retroactively, covering former POWs regardless of when they were discharged from service. No new funding amounts or implementation timelines are specified in the legislation—the changes are administrative, affecting how the VA prioritizes enrollment and care. The bill was introduced in September 2025 and referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Equal Campus Access Act of 2025This bill prohibits funding made available under the Higher Education Act of 1965 from being provided to any public institution of higher education (IHE) that denies certain campus rights to religious student organizations. Specifically, the bill prohibits a public IHE from receiving these funds if it denies a religious student organization any right, benefit, or privilege that is otherwise afforded to other student organizations at the IHE because of the religious student organization's beliefs, practices, speech, leadership standards, or standards of conduct.

America the Beautiful Motorcycle Fairness ActThis bill allows an additional motorcycle, including passengers, to accompany a motorcyclist with an America the Beautiful Annual Pass when visiting federal recreational lands and waters. In 2024, the Department of the Interior limited the pass coverage to one motorcycle per pass rather than two. The bill specifies that the pass must cover the entrance fee and standard amenity recreation fee for the passholder and any passengers on the motorcycle along with one additional motorcycle with its passengers.The bill also codifies current Interior policy that the pass covers the fees for a passholder and any accompanying passengers in a noncommercial vehicle.

Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking ActThis bill requires the Department of Labor to provide training and education to its employees on how to effectively assist law enforcement in detecting human trafficking.The bill directs Labor to determine which employees should receive the training and education based on their official duties. Further, it requires the training and education to include information that is appropriate for the employees' location or environment; that reflects current trends and best practices for the location or environment; and that is relevant to detecting human trafficking, identifying suspected victims, and referring potential cases to the Department of Justice and other appropriate authorities.

The Brownfields Broadband Deployment Act exempts broadband and communications projects built entirely on brownfield sites (contaminated or underutilized industrial land) from two major federal environmental review requirements: the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The bill allows telecommunications companies and broadband providers to deploy or upgrade communications facilities on brownfield sites without conducting lengthy environmental assessments or historical preservation reviews that would normally be required for federal projects. This exemption applies only to projects that need Federal Communications Commission approval or fall under its jurisdiction and are located entirely within brownfield boundaries. The legislation aims to streamline broadband deployment to underserved areas by reducing regulatory delays and costs, though it contains no new funding provisions or specific timelines beyond expediting the permitting process itself.

This resolution expresses support for the designation of a Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. It also recognizes the contribution of motorcycles to transportation.

Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act of 2025This bill expands the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in providing services to injured federal workers under the federal workers' compensation program.Specifically, under the program, nurse practitioners and physician assistants acting within the scope of their practice may (1) prescribe or recommend treatment for injured federal workers; (2) certify the nature of an injury and probable extent of disability; (3) provide prescribed treatment for injured federal workers; and (4) participate, with a physician designated by the Department of Labor, in a mandatory workers' compensation examination of an injured worker. In general, only physicians may fulfill these roles under current law.

Proper Leadership to Align Networks for Broadband Act or the PLAN for Broadband ActThis bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to develop and implement a national strategy to improve the coordination and management of federal broadband programs to meet the goal of providing high-speed, affordable broadband internet access services to all individuals in the United States. The strategy must also address barriers, costs, and administrative burdens for state, local, and tribal governments participating in these programs.The NTIA must also develop and publish for public comment a plan for the implementation of the national strategy. Among other requirements, the implementation plan must (1) describe the roles and responsibilities of relevant agencies and interagency mechanisms, and (2) provide a plan for holding agencies accountable for objectives identified in the strategy.The NTIA must submit the strategy and implementation plan to Congress and must periodically brief Congress on implementation progress.Finally, the Government Accountability Office must submit a report to Congress that assesses the efficacy of the strategy and implementation plan and makes recommendations for improving them.

Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act or the PROTECT Kids ActThis bill requires public elementary and middle schools, as a condition of receiving certain federal funds for elementary and secondary education, to obtain parental consent before changing a student's gender on school forms or changing a student's sex-based accommodations.Specifically, an elementary school or a school consisting of only grades 5-8 must obtain parental consent before changing a minor student's (1) gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form; or (2) sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms.

This bill would make it easier for small businesses and self-employed individuals to band together to offer health insurance through association health plans. The legislation amends federal employment law to treat qualifying groups or associations of employers as single employers for the purpose of sponsoring group health plans, even if the businesses are in different industries. To qualify, an association must have at least 51 employees when all member businesses are counted together, must have existed for at least two years for purposes other than providing health coverage, and must meet governance requirements including having a board that is at least 75 percent composed of participating employers. The bill would benefit small business owners and self-employed individuals by potentially giving them access to larger risk pools and lower health insurance costs similar to what large employers can offer their workers. Self-employed individuals who work at least 10 hours per week in their business would be treated as both an employer and employee for participation purposes. The legislation includes consumer protections that prevent associations from discriminating based on health status or pre-existing conditions, and requires that plans follow the same health insurance rules that apply to traditional employer plans. The bill was reported out of committee in December 2025 and is awaiting floor consideration, with no specific funding provisions or implementation timeline included in the current text.

Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2025This bill limits the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with regard to regulating emissions standards for new motor vehicles. Specifically, the EPA is prohibited from prescribing a regulation related to new motor vehicle emissions standards that (1) mandates the use of any specific technology, or (2) results in limited availability of new motor vehicles based on the type of new motor vehicle engine.

H.R. 1587, the Protecting International Pipelines for Energy Security Act, would prohibit the President from canceling permits for oil, natural gas, or electric transmission pipelines that cross U.S. international borders unless Congress specifically approves the revocation. The bill applies to permits issued under various executive orders dating back decades and covers the entire pipeline, with particular focus on the portion that actually crosses the border. This legislation would essentially lock in existing cross-border energy infrastructure permits and remove a key tool presidents have historically used to cancel projects like the Keystone XL pipeline. The bill contains no funding provisions or implementation timeline and was introduced in February 2025 by House members from Michigan and Wisconsin, with referral to the Transportation, Energy, and Natural Resources committees.