Bernie Sanders

The Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act of 2026 establishes new federal oversight requirements and funding restrictions for advanced artificial intelligence systems. The bill mandates that anyone discovering artificial superintelligence or AI systems with superintelligence precursor characteristics must report the discovery to the Secretary of Artificial Intelligence within 24 hours, creating a strict reporting timeline for potentially dangerous AI development. Federal funding is broadly prohibited for any activities that develop or distribute artificial superintelligence, though the Department of Artificial Intelligence is permitted to use federal funds for defensive cybersecurity research that involves superintelligence precursor AI systems. Together, these provisions create a framework combining mandatory disclosure obligations with targeted restrictions on how federal money can support advanced AI research.

The Stop Social Security Garnishment Act of 2026 would prohibit the federal government from seizing Social Security payments from people who default on federal student loans. Currently, the Department of Education can use administrative wage garnishment to collect unpaid student loans, including offsetting Social Security benefits. This bill would eliminate that authority specifically for Social Security payments, preventing the government from reducing someone's monthly Social Security check to recover defaulted student loan debt. The bill affects individuals receiving Social Security who have fallen behind on their federal student loans. The legislation contains no specific funding provisions or implementation timelines beyond its effective date upon enactment.

This bill would reduce the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours under federal labor law. The change would be implemented gradually over three years, starting at 38 hours per week 180 days after passage, then dropping to 36 hours in year two, 34 hours in year three, and finally 32 hours in year four. Employers would be required to pay overtime at 1.5 times an employee's regular rate for any hours worked beyond the threshold, and workers who are newly covered by these rules cannot have their total compensation or benefits reduced. The bill applies to employees covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act and affects both private employers and some government entities that must comply with federal wage and hour standards.

The Guaranteed Paid Vacation Act would require most employers to provide paid annual leave to their employees. Under the bill, employers must give workers at least one hour of paid leave for every 25 hours worked, capped at 80 hours per 12-month period, though employers can provide more if they choose. Employees can use this leave for any reason, can carry over up to 40 hours to the next year, and must be paid at their regular rate when taking it. The law applies to employers with at least one employee working 20 or more weeks per year, including private companies, government agencies, and public employers. The legislation takes effect 180 days after enactment, with special rules for collective bargaining agreements that delay implementation up to 18 months. The Labor Department can investigate violations and workers can sue employers for damages, back pay, and attorney fees if their paid leave rights are denied, with a two-year deadline for lawsuits (or three years for willful violations).

# Summary of S. 5284: Green New Deal for Public Housing Act This bill establishes comprehensive grant programs to modernize and decarbonize public housing across the United States. The legislation creates two main grant programs: one focused on workforce development for public housing residents and another for physical improvements to public housing properties, requiring all projects to transition to zero-carbon homes within 10 years. Eligible recipients include public housing agencies, Indian tribes, and tribal housing entities. The bill mandates that grant applicants conduct extensive community engagement, including two public comment periods and public hearings, before submitting applications. Residents must have opportunities to vote on how profits from energy generation are used. Projects must comply with prevailing wage requirements, hire apprentices for at least 20 percent of construction work, and reserve at least 40-90 percent of jobs for low-income individuals, with percentages increasing over time. Additionally, 20-50 percent of contract dollars must eventually go to resident-owned businesses. Eligible improvements include deep energy retrofits, building electrification, renewable energy installation, water quality upgrades, community facilities, internet infrastructure, electric vehicle charging, and climate resilience measures. The bill also strengthens the Section 3 program requiring local hiring preferences and protects residents from displacement through relocation assistance and housing provisions. The legislation appropriates unspecified sums necessary to address the existing public housing capital backlog for fiscal years 2027-2037, plus $1 billion for administrative costs. It includes provisions protecting labor rights, requiring American-made materials, and establishing resident councils with elected boards and monthly officer stipends.

Audit the Pentagon ActThis bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to reduce spending for any department, agency, or other DOD element that DOD determines has not achieved an unqualified opinion on its full financial statements for the calendar year ending during that fiscal year. (An unqualified opinion or clean audit means an auditor has determined the financial statements are presented fairly and provide a true view of an entity’s financial position.)Specifically, the amount available to such department, agency, or element for the fiscal year when the determination is made must be reduced by 2%. Amounts unavailable to such department, agency, or element must be applied on a pro rata basis against each program, project, and activity.DOD must deposit such unavailable amounts in the general fund of the Department of the Treasury for purposes of deficit reduction.

Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act of 2026This bill requires health warnings on labels and in advertisements for food and beverages that are sweetened, processed, or contain a high level of certain nutrients of concern, and it prohibits specifically advertising such products to children. It also expands research and outreach on proper nutrition.The bill requires various Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings on labels for (1) sugar-sweetened beverages, (2) food and beverages with non-sugar sweeteners, and (3) ultra-processed food and beverages. These warnings must contain specified information regarding the risks of developing certain health conditions (e.g., diabetes); warnings for sweetened food and beverages must specifically say that these products are not recommended for children. If a food or beverage contains a nutrient of concern (e.g., added sugar, saturated fat, or sodium) at a level that poses health risks, its label must indicate that the product is high in the relevant nutrient.Additionally, the bill prohibits marketing or advertising these products to children under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which is primarily enforced by the FDA. Further, marketing or advertising these products to children, or without including the required warnings, is considered an unfair or deceptive trade practice that is subject to action by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The bill specifically restores the FTC's statutory authority to regulate advertising targeting children. (This authority was limited in 1980.)Finally, the bill expands research on nutrition science and requires a public education campaign about nutrition and exercise.

This bill creates an "American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund" to capture public value from artificial intelligence companies and distribute benefits to all Americans. The legislation imposes an excise tax on large AI companies with over $200 million in annual revenue from AI-related activities, requiring them to surrender 50 percent of their equity to a newly created federal fund. The equity would be managed by a seven-member Independent Commission for Democratic AI, with commissioners appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, representing labor, fund management, AI expertise, privacy, and national security interests. Annually, the fund would distribute approximately 5 percent of its assets as direct payments to American citizens to support healthcare, education, housing, and environmental needs. Additionally, the bill requires large AI companies to structurally separate their AI operations from other businesses within 90 days and imposes stricter rules preventing AI companies from relocating offshore to avoid the tax. The legislation takes effect 90 days after enactment and establishes significant reporting and penalty provisions for non-compliance.

To place reasonable limits on contributions to Super PACs which make independent expenditures.

The Abolish Super PACs Act would amend federal election law to place contribution limits on Super PACs, which are political committees that make independent expenditures in elections. Currently, Super PACs can accept unlimited contributions from individuals and corporations, but this bill would impose the same contribution caps that apply to regular political action committees. The legislation argues that unrestricted Super PAC funding since 2010 has increased corruption risks and created the appearance of corruption, citing data showing that in 2024 alone, more than $4.48 billion was spent through Super PACs and that the top one percent of donors contributed 96.94 percent of all Super PAC funds. The bill would take effect in the first calendar year after enactment and applies to any independent expenditure committee making $5,000 or more in such expenditures annually. The measure reflects concerns about foreign interference in elections and the influence of wealthy donors on campaigns, though it may face constitutional challenges based on Supreme Court precedent regarding campaign finance limitations.

The Restoring Overtime Pay Act of 2026 would increase the salary threshold that employers must pay exempt employees (executives, administrators, and professionals) to avoid giving them overtime pay. The bill sets an initial minimum salary of $45,000 per year, which would increase to $55,000 in 2027, $65,000 in 2028, and $75,000 in 2029. Starting in 2030, the threshold would automatically adjust every year based on the 55th percentile of weekly earnings for full-time salaried workers, as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Additionally, the bill limits the amount of non-executive work that exempt employees can perform, requiring at least 20 percent of their time be spent on exempt duties. The law would take effect approximately three months after enactment, affecting millions of workers across the country and potentially increasing labor costs for employers.

The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 establishes a nationwide program providing free breakfast and lunch to all students in participating schools, with the federal government setting reimbursement rates of $3.28 per breakfast and matching rates for lunches, adjusted annually for inflation. The bill expands free meal benefits to children in afterschool care programs and to incarcerated juveniles in eligible detention facilities, while prohibiting schools from collecting meal debt or shaming students unable to pay. The legislation eliminates restrictions on what schools can charge families who do not qualify for free meals and replaces the previous poverty measurement system with a new "economically disadvantaged" identification method using federal survey templates or direct certification data, which schools must implement within 180 days. The bill also expands eligible meal providers to include private organizations offering nonresidential child care outside school hours. Federal guidance on reimbursement procedures for meals provided to incarcerated juveniles must be established within one year of enactment, though for-profit detention centers are excluded from the program.

The Protecting America's Workers Act strengthens workplace safety enforcement and employee protections under OSHA by expanding whistleblower safeguards, establishing clearer procedures for safety violations, and increasing penalties for non-compliance. The bill broadens protections for workers who report safety violations or refuse unsafe work, creates a detailed administrative complaint process requiring Labor Department investigation within 90 days, and mandates comprehensive remedies including reinstatement, back pay, and damages when violations occur. It also requires OSHA citations to include specific violation classifications, increases daily penalties to $7,000 for uncorrected serious violations, and allows interest to accrue on contested penalties. The law takes effect 90 days after enactment for most provisions, though states with existing occupational safety plans have up to 12 months (extendable to 24 months) to update their standards, and states without approved plans have 36 months to comply.

To reduce the price of prescription drugs in the United States by more than 50 percent by adopting Most Favored Nation drug pricing so that the American people pay no more for prescription drugs than Europeans or Canadians.

The Home Team Act of 2026 aims to prevent professional sports franchises from relocating away from their home communities by requiring owners to give local entities a chance to purchase the team before it can move or be eliminated. If a franchise owner wants to relocate, move across state lines, or shut down a team, they must first offer to sell it at fair market value to local governments, nonprofits, community cooperatives, or local businesses in that order of priority, with the appraisal deducting any public subsidies previously given for stadium construction. The legislation applies to major sports leagues including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, WNBA, and NWSL, and prohibits these leagues from banning public or community ownership of franchises. Franchise owners who violate the law face daily fines of thirty thousand dollars, and local governments or states can sue in federal court for additional relief. The bill does not affect existing labor agreements or collective bargaining rights.

Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium ActThis bill prohibits building or upgrading artificial intelligence (AI) data centers until laws regulating AI and AI data centers are enacted. It also restricts the export of AI-related computing hardware to countries without similar laws in effect.Specifically, no AI data center may be constructed or upgraded until laws are enacted (1) subjecting AI products to prerelease federal review and approval for safety and effectiveness, and (2) ensuring that AI-related economic gains benefit workers and the people of the United States (including by preventing AI-related job loss). Further, with respect to AI data centers built or upgraded after the moratorium ends, these laws must ensuresuch centers do not increase consumers’ utility bills and do not harm the environment;affected communities are empowered to approve or reject construction or upgrades;such centers create union jobs subject to labor standards; andno government subsidy is provided for the construction, upgrade, or operation of such centers.Under the bill, the term AI data center includes collocated structures and equipment under common ownership or control used for AI development or operation that meet certain power and design specifications.Additionally, the Department of Commerce must prohibit the export, reexport, or in-country transfer of specified computing hardware for AI-related use to any country that does not have comparable laws or regulations in effect.Finally, the Department of Energy must periodically report on AI data centers’ funding sources, energy and water use, and labor.