Troy Nehls

The Preventing Trafficking of Minors Act of 2026 expands federal law to criminalize the patronizing or soliciting of minors for commercial sex acts, closing gaps in existing protections against child sexual exploitation. The bill amends federal law to make it illegal not only to coerce or entice minors into sex acts, but also to solicit, offer to patronize, or engage directly in commercial sex with anyone under 18, including paying for such acts. The law eliminates several defenses that previously protected some offenders, including claims of not knowing the victim's age and requirements to prove force or fraud when the victim is a minor. Penalties increase to a minimum of 10 years imprisonment, rising to 15 years if the victim is under 14 years old. The law takes effect 180 days after enactment and applies to crimes committed after that date.

This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration to modernize its electronic filing system for Form 337, which is used to report major repairs and alterations to aircraft. The FAA must improve digital submission capabilities and create secure application programming interfaces within 12 months to allow optional integration with third-party software platforms used by mechanics, repair stations, and aircraft owners. The bill includes strong privacy protections, requiring the FAA to limit data collection, prevent public disclosure of personal information about aircraft owners and mechanics, and prohibit using the information for commercial purposes. Using the electronic system would be entirely voluntary, and the bill explicitly prohibits imposing any new reporting requirements or compliance burdens beyond what already exists. The legislation emphasizes that the FAA should implement these improvements using existing technology platforms and cybersecurity standards without creating duplicate systems or adding regulatory costs.

The CODIS Access Modernization Act would allow qualified private forensic DNA laboratories to directly upload DNA profiles to the National DNA Index System (NDIS), a federal database used by law enforcement to match DNA evidence across cases. Currently, only publicly operated laboratories can upload directly to NDIS, forcing private labs to send their DNA profiles through public labs for entry, which causes delays of days to years. To be eligible, private laboratories must meet the same FBI quality standards and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation requirements as public labs, undergo external audits every two years, and comply with federal data security and privacy rules. The Justice Department and FBI must issue detailed regulations implementing the program within six months of the law's enactment. The bill's supporters argue that allowing private labs direct access would reduce DNA testing backlogs, speed up criminal investigations, help solve violent crimes faster, and ease the burden on overwhelmed public laboratories, while private labs would still be prohibited from searching or retrieving information from the database—only uploading their own DNA profiles.

The Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2026 strengthens federal oversight of rail safety, particularly for trains carrying hazardous materials like flammable liquids, explosives, and radioactive cargo. The bill requires railroads to implement speed limits (50 mph for general trains, 40 mph for high-hazard trains in urban areas), improve locomotive and brake inspections, equip trains with advanced defect detection systems, maintain minimum two-person crews on freight trains, and phase out older tank cars by the end of 2027 in favor of safer models. It also mandates that railroads share real-time cargo information with emergency responders, address blocked railroad crossings, and develop hazardous materials emergency response plans. The legislation authorizes approximately $27 million in federal grants for research and emergency preparedness programs, establishes new registration fees for hazardous materials shippers to fund training and equipment, creates a $10 million emergency assistance fund to reimburse communities for immediate response costs after transportation incidents, and requires the Department of Transportation to issue updated safety regulations and conduct comprehensive railroad audits within specified timeframes.

The Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act directs the Federal Aviation Administration to streamline and modernize its aircraft certification process to accelerate development of new aviation technologies, particularly in advanced air mobility like electric aircraft and urban air taxis. Within 180 days of enactment, the FAA must publish a public plan for improving its type certification process, including establishing standard timelines for major certification milestones and determining when industry consensus standards can be used instead of creating new FAA requirements. The bill requires the FAA to consult with aircraft manufacturers, airport operators, labor unions, and other stakeholders while developing these updates, and mandates annual reports to Congress on whether the FAA meets its new certification timelines. The legislation emphasizes that these timeline expectations do not create legal rights or allow for court challenges, and explicitly excludes complex safety issues from timeline requirements, ensuring that aviation safety remains the top priority while reducing unnecessary delays in approving innovative aircraft designs.

This bill prohibits U.S. universities and their faculty, staff, and students from selling or transferring intellectual property rights from their research to governments of certain foreign nations, including Russia, China, Iran, countries engaged in armed conflict with the U.S., state sponsors of terrorism, and any other nations the Secretary of State determines pose a national security threat. The legislation applies to all types of intellectual property—including patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and data—developed at American universities. Universities that violate the ban face civil penalties of up to $500,000 per violation, or up to $5 million if the research relates to critical energy or defense issues and endangers national security; additionally, any funds received from prohibited transfers must be seized and returned to the government. The Attorney General and Secretary of State are responsible for enforcing the law, and the Secretary of State has final authority to make all key determinations about which nations are prohibited and whether violations threaten national security, with limited ability for court review.

This bill eliminates two existing federal transportation programs—the Carbon Reduction Program and the PROTECT Program (which focuses on climate resilience)—and redirects their funding to create a new National Bridge Program. The new program distributes federal bridge funding to states primarily based on the total deck area of bridges on federal highways, with 75 percent allocated by overall bridge deck area and 25 percent allocated to bridges in poor condition. All states are eligible to use the funds for replacing, rehabilitating, preserving, and constructing bridges on federal highways, and states have the flexibility to also use these funds for bridges not on federal highways. The bill uses the National Bridge Inventory as of December 31, 2024, as the baseline for calculating how much funding each state receives, ensuring a consistent formula for distribution.

This bill restricts airlines from transporting adult roosters as cargo on flights between states or to foreign countries, with narrow exceptions for legitimate commercial agriculture. The legislation targets concerns that shipping roosters by air facilitates illegal cockfighting operations and creates aviation safety and biosecurity risks, including potential disease transmission and animal stress during flight. The bill exempts commercial farms with at least $350,000 in annual agricultural income, which must provide documentation certifying their status before transporting roosters. The Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration will enforce the ban, with violations subject to civil penalties, and the restrictions take effect 180 days after the bill becomes law. The bill does not require specific new funding and allows states to impose even stricter protections on animal air transport if they choose.

The Public Charge Clarification Act of 2026 redefines immigration law to make it harder for immigrants to enter or stay in the United States by changing how officials determine if someone is likely to become dependent on government benefits. The bill specifies that immigrants who receive certain public benefits—including food stamps, housing assistance, Medicaid, and cash assistance—for more than 12 months within any three-year period are considered a "public charge" and therefore inadmissible. The legislation expands the types of benefits counted, requires the Department of Homeland Security to publish a comprehensive list of covered benefits within 180 days, and strengthens "sponsor affidavits" (financial guarantees) by requiring sponsors to prove they can support the immigrant and all household members at 125 percent of the federal poverty line. The bill also allows officials to require immigrants deemed likely to become a public charge to post a $10,000 bond forfeitable if they use covered benefits within 10 years, though refugees, asylees, and military personnel are exempt. These changes take effect 180 days after enactment and apply to all pending and future visa and admission applications.

The Consolidated Interim Storage Facility Restriction Act of 2025 prohibits the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from licensing private companies to store spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste at off-site facilities, commonly called consolidated interim storage facilities. The bill would void any licenses the NRC has already issued for such private storage operations and restrict future storage to facilities at operating nuclear power plants or federally owned facilities only. Long-term disposal of nuclear waste would also be limited to federally owned repositories. The legislation responds to a legal dispute where different federal appeals courts disagreed over whether the NRC has authority to approve these private storage sites, with supporters arguing the transportation and storage of radioactive materials at private facilities poses public health and safety risks that require strict congressional oversight. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment with no specified funding requirements.

The Passenger Rail Liability Adjustment Act of 2025 delays when a scheduled increase to passenger rail liability caps takes effect. Currently, federal law automatically adjusts liability caps for rail companies each year based on inflation, but this bill pushes back any adjustment that would occur in 2026 by an additional 90 days after the required notice is issued. The legislation affects passenger rail operators and affects how much compensation passengers can receive in case of accidents or injuries. The bill does not specify funding amounts, as it simply adjusts timing rather than appropriating money. This delay gives rail companies and related industries more time to prepare for the new liability requirements before they become effective.

Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act of 2025This bill raises the mandatory retirement age for pilots engaged in commercial aviation operations from 65 to 67 years of age. This age standard does not apply to commercial operations that take place in (1) the territorial airspace of a foreign country that prohibits such operations, or (2) international airspace where such operations are not in compliance with the Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.The bill specifies that a pilot who is over 65 years of age on the date of the bill's enactment may return to service in commercial aviation operations until 67 years of age.The Federal Aviation Administration must also submit a report to Congress on further increasing the age limitation for pilots engaged in commercial aviation operations.

H.J. Res. 111 is a Congressional Review Act resolution that would reject a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rule establishing a "Barred Owl Management Strategy" that was issued in September 2024. If passed, the resolution would nullify the rule and prevent it from taking effect. The rule addresses management strategies for barred owls, which are believed to prey on the threatened northern spotted owl. The resolution was introduced by a bipartisan group of House members and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress can use this fast-track process to disapprove federal agency rules within a specified timeframe, and if both chambers pass the resolution and the President signs it (or Congress overrides a veto), the rule is effectively canceled.

Rapid Expulsion of Migrant Offenders who Violate and Evade Act or the REMOVE ActThis bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to complete removal proceedings in immigration court not later than 15 days after commencement. Further, after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement files with an immigration court a notice to appear that has been served to an individual, DOJ must commence removal proceedings as promptly as possible.

This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration to establish a pilot program testing the use of nonlethal drones equipped with devices like sound emitters, cameras, and nonlethal weapons to help law enforcement respond to active shooter situations. The program, which must begin within two months of enactment, will develop training protocols, safety guidelines, and validation processes for these deescalation drones while explicitly maintaining the existing ban on armed, lethal drones. The FAA will partner with existing drone test ranges and law enforcement agencies from federal, state, and local levels to evaluate whether nonlethal drones can safely increase the distance between officers and shooters during active incidents. Within three months of concluding the pilot program, the FAA must report findings to Congress and then initiate a formal rulemaking process to establish approval procedures for law enforcement and manufacturers to operate these devices. All drones used must be manufactured in the United States.

Supersonic Aviation Modernization ActThis bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow civil aircraft to operate at speeds above Mach 1 (i.e., supersonic) over land in the United States under certain conditions. Specifically, the FAA must issue or revise regulations to allow for the operation of civil aircraft at speeds greater than Mach 1 in the national airspace system without a special authorization, so long as no sonic boom reaches the ground in the United States.The FAA must also issue a final rule to establish noise standards that prohibit civil aircraft operating at speeds greater than Mach 1 from exceeding takeoff and landing noise levels required for subsonic aircraft (i.e., aircraft that operate at speeds that do not exceed Mach 1). As part of the rule, the FAA must specify a process to periodically review and update the noise standards to reflect future advances in aircraft noise reduction technology and regulatory changes.Current regulations prohibit civil aircraft from operating above Mach 1 speeds over land in the United States without a special flight authorization issued by the FAA.

The Justice for Angel Families Act expands crime victim compensation programs to include "angel families"—immediate family members of people killed by unlawfully present immigrants or members of international drug trafficking organizations. The bill amends existing victim compensation laws to allow states to use federal crime victim grants to compensate these families for funeral expenses, lost wages from emotional distress, and mental health counseling. Additionally, the legislation creates a new Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office within the Department of Homeland Security to provide support services to crime victims and families affected by crimes committed by deportable or unlawfully present aliens, including a dedicated hotline and case tracking information. The office must submit annual reports to Congress detailing victim demographics, crime locations and types, and whether offenders committed multiple crimes. No specific funding amount is specified in the legislation, though implementation must begin within one year of enactment.

Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement ActThis bill makes changes to federal criminal laws related to various offenses, particularly sexual abuse offenses against minors.The bill revises the federal kidnapping statute by specifying that obtaining a victim by defrauding or deceiving a third party constitutes the offense of kidnapping. Additionally, for a kidnapping offense that involves a victim who has not attained the age of 16, the bill specifies that it is not a defense that the victim consented to the conduct of the offender, unless the offender establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that the offender reasonably believed that the victim had attained the age of 16.The bill also revises statutes related to sexual abuse offenses against minors to specify the following:that crossing international lines with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a child who has not attained the age of 12 constitutes aggravated sexual abuse (currently, the statute only references crossing state lines),that the offense of sexual abuse of a minor also includes knowingly causing the intentional touching of any person by a person who has not attained the age of 16, andthat attempting to commit abusive sexual contact is also a crime that is subject to the same penalty as the completed offense.

This bill designates white South Africans who face persecution based on their race, ethnicity, or ancestry as Priority 2 refugees of special humanitarian concern, making them eligible for expedited resettlement in the United States. The law also extends refugee eligibility to their spouses, children, and parents. Applications can be processed in South Africa or a third country, and applicants cannot be denied based on politically motivated arrests or detentions related to their race or ethnicity. Individuals admitted under this category are exempted from regular refugee numerical caps and can apply even if they qualify for other immigration categories. The bill requires the State Department and Department of Homeland Security to submit detailed reports to Congress every 90 days beginning within 180 days of enactment, tracking application numbers, processing times for various stages, and denial reasons—with these reports made publicly available online.

Trucker Bathroom Access ActThis bill expands access to restroom facilities for certain commercial truck drivers, including drayage truck operators.Drayage truck operator means the driver of any in-use on-road vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of greater than 33,000 pounds operating on or transgressing through port or intermodal rail yard property for the purpose of loading, unloading, or transporting cargo, including containerized, bulk, or break-bulk goods.Specifically, the bill requires certain retailers, warehouses, and other establishments to give commercial truck drivers access to existing restroom facilities when they are loading or delivering cargo, or waiting to load or transport cargo.Further, operators of marine terminals, including port authorities, must provide drayage truck operators with (1) access to existing restrooms, (2) additional restrooms if necessary, and (3) parking while accessing such restrooms.

American Tank Car Modernization Act of 2025This bill establishes new Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) pilot and grant programs to outfit tank railcars with onboard sensors capable of delivering real-time safety-related condition data while a train is in motion.Specifically, the FRA must establish a grant program for freight railcar owners or operators to purchase and install (1) onboard freight railcar telematics systems (for wirelessly communicating a railcar's location and health), or (2) onboard freight railcar gateway devices (for collecting and exchanging data between railcar devices, including monitoring and telematics systems).In selecting grant recipients, the FRA must prioritize installation of these systems or devices in newly built tank railcars and by the type of load carried, starting with tank cars in TIH/PIH (toxic or poison inhalation hazard) service.In addition, the FRA must establish a pilot program toassist freight railcar owners and manufacturers in the development of onboard sensor technologies in order to add visibility to the safety of freight railcars, andencourage development of freight railcar onboard sensors that communicate to the freight railcar onboard gateway devices to offer future capabilities of real-time visibility (e.g., wheel and wheel bearing temperature).

The Stop CARB Act would eliminate California's authority to set its own vehicle emission standards and prevent other states from adopting California's standards under federal clean air law. Currently, California has a special waiver that allows it to establish stricter vehicle emission rules than federal standards, and other states can choose to follow California's standards instead of federal ones; this bill would repeal both of those provisions. The legislation also blocks states and local governments from setting their own emission standards for nonroad engines and vehicles, such as construction equipment, farm equipment, and locomotives. The bill does not include specific funding or implementation timelines beyond taking effect upon enactment. This would represent a significant shift in environmental regulation, centralizing emission standards under federal authority rather than allowing California and other states to pursue stricter pollution controls.

Save Our Shrimpers ActThis bill prohibits federal funds from being made available to international financial institutions (e.g., the International Monetary Fund) for financing activities related to foreign shrimp farms. The bill also requires an annual report on compliance by U.S. leadership of international financial institutions with policies to oppose financing for certain commodities or minerals.Specifically, the bill requires the Department of the Treasury to condition any provision of federal funds to an international financial institution on the requirement that the funds not be used to finance any activity related to shrimp farming, shrimp processing, or the export of shrimp in any foreign country.Under current law, Treasury must instruct U.S. leadership of international financial institutions to oppose providing financial assistance for the production or extraction of any commodity or mineral for export if (1) the commodity or mineral is in surplus on world markets, and (2) the export of such commodity or mineral will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of a competing commodity or mineral (or of the same or a similar commodity or mineral). This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to investigate and annually report to Congress on the extent to which U.S. leadership at these institutions have carried out Treasury's instructions.

This resolution censures Representative Al Green.

The CARGO Act of 2025 would prohibit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from funding any animal research conducted outside the United States. The bill responds to concerns that between 2011 and 2021, the NIH provided approximately $2.2 billion to foreign organizations for animal research projects, but lacks the ability to inspect these overseas facilities or enforce animal welfare standards, relying instead on self-reporting from foreign organizations. The legislation affects researchers, universities, and medical institutions that currently receive NIH funding for international animal studies and would require them to relocate such research to the U.S. or lose federal funding. The bill establishes no new funding appropriations but would effectively redirect existing NIH research dollars away from overseas projects. The measure was introduced in February 2025 with bipartisan sponsorship and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.