Todd Young

This bill designates genetic and biometric data systems as critical infrastructure and expands the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) responsibilities to protect them. The legislation requires CISA to oversee security management of genetic data systems, ensure adequate staffing, provide training to federal personnel on protecting biological data, and work with the biotechnology sector to develop security protocols. The bill also directs CISA to consult with biotechnology companies and other relevant agencies like the Department's Office of Biometric Identity Management, and to establish secure communication channels for industry partners to report security concerns and incidents. The legislation does not specify funding amounts or implementation timelines in the text provided. The bill affects federal agencies, private biotechnology companies, and any organizations that collect or maintain genetic sequence data and sensitive biometric information.

This bill amends federal tax law to establish rules for determining tax liability when a business or entity is placed in receivership by a court. The legislation allows federal courts overseeing receivership cases to determine the amount of unpaid federal taxes owed by the receivership estate, as long as those taxes haven't already been settled in a previous court or administrative proceeding. Receivers can request a tax determination by submitting a tax return and formal request to the IRS, and if the IRS doesn't examine the return or complete an examination within specified timeframes (60 and 180 days respectively), the receivership estate is discharged from that tax liability once the tax shown on the return is paid. The bill limits the IRS's ability to assert sovereign immunity in these cases and ensures that receivership courts can offset any claims the IRS makes against the estate with counterclaimns owed to the estate. For state receivership proceedings, the bill directs that federal tax questions be decided by federal district courts rather than state courts. The law applies to tax returns for which the assessment period is still open as of the bill's enactment and to all returns filed thereafter.

The Visionary Intersections Modernization Act would expand the types of road projects eligible for federal transportation funding by adding roundabout construction to the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program. Currently, this federal program provides flexible funding to states and local communities for various road improvements, but roundabouts are not explicitly listed as eligible projects. This bill would change that by amending federal law to specifically include roundabout construction, making it easier for communities to use federal transportation dollars to build or improve roundabouts at intersections. The legislation affects state departments of transportation and local governments that manage roadways and could benefit communities looking to improve traffic safety and flow. The bill does not specify new funding amounts or implementation timelines, but rather modifies existing program rules to broaden eligible project categories.

The EGG SAVE Act of 2026 provides a tax credit to egg hatchery businesses that purchase and install equipment to identify the sex of chicken embryos before they hatch. This technology allows hatcheries to separate male and female chicks earlier in the production process, potentially reducing waste and improving efficiency at commercial egg production facilities. The credit phases down over time, offering 50 percent of qualified equipment costs for installations in 2027, 40 percent in 2028, and 30 percent in 2029, with the credit expiring for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2029. The equipment must achieve at least 95 percent accuracy in sex determination and be installed at U.S.-based hatcheries to qualify. The bill effectively incentivizes adoption of this technology during a three-year window to help modernize the egg production industry.

This bill reauthorizes the federal regional innovation program, which supports economic development through technology and entrepreneurship initiatives. The legislation expands the program's goals to include improving access to capital for innovation-based businesses and broadens the definition of eligible organizations to include venture development organizations that provide direct financing, commercialization services, and entrepreneurial support. The bill modifies funding requirements, allowing the federal government to cover up to 90 percent of project costs in areas with significant economic needs, while requiring at least 10 percent local cost-sharing. It prioritizes outreach to rural communities, areas affected by trade disruption, economically distressed regions, and organizations collaborating with workforce development boards. The Secretary of Commerce must issue funding guidance within 90 days of enactment, and the bill authorizes $50 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

This bill aims to combat "chameleon carriers"—trucking companies that hide behind new identities to evade safety regulations, avoid penalties, or escape insurance consequences. The legislation requires the Government Accountability Office to study how many chameleon carriers operate on U.S. roadways, what methods they use to evade detection, and how many deaths and injuries they cause. It also directs the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to develop an advanced automation tool within one year to identify suspicious registration applications for trucking companies by detecting patterns like shared ownership, addresses, equipment, and insurance policies. The tool will flag concerning applications for human review but won't make final decisions automatically. The bill includes an appeals process allowing applicants to correct flagged applications within 30 days, and requires the Department of Transportation Inspector General to audit the tool's effectiveness within two years. The legislation addresses a longstanding enforcement gap that has allowed unsafe carriers to repeatedly reestablish operations under different names.

The MERIT Act amends federal higher education accreditation standards to require colleges and universities to adopt admissions practices that do not give preferential treatment to applicants based on their family connections to alumni or donors. The bill defines preferential treatment as making an admissions decision where alumni or donor relationships serve as the deciding factor, while creating exceptions that allow institutions to consider demonstrated interest in the school and preserve religious schools' ability to use faith-based values in admissions decisions. The legislation requires the Secretary of Education to report to Congress every two years on compliance efforts, technical assistance, and monitoring, with reports made public. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Education to conduct a feasibility study within two years to explore whether the National Student Clearinghouse could collect and analyze institution-level data on how often colleges admit legacy and donor-affiliated applicants, while ensuring donor confidentiality and protecting personally identifiable information. This legislation affects all accredited colleges and universities and aims to increase transparency about how these institutions use alumni and donor connections in their admissions processes.

# Summary of S. 4943: Outcomes-Based Financing (OBF) for Students Act This bill creates a federal regulatory framework for outcomes-based financing products—alternative education financing tools where borrowers make periodic payments based on their post-graduation income rather than fixed monthly amounts. The legislation applies to both outcomes-based loans (which use traditional promissory notes with interest) and outcomes-based payment agreements (income-share arrangements without interest). The bill establishes consumer protections including affordability requirements that prevent borrowers from committing to pay more than 20 percent of their income, minimum income thresholds of at least 250 percent of the federal poverty line, and payment caps for lower-income borrowers. It sets limits on the maximum number of payments (240) and maximum duration (360 months) for these products. The legislation also provides tax benefits by excluding debt forgiveness from income, allowing interest deductions, and treating payments as educational assistance. The bill requires detailed disclosures to consumers, including comparison tables showing payment obligations under different income scenarios, payment calculation methods, maximum payment amounts, and completion mechanisms. It prohibits aggressive debt collection practices like wage assignments and acceleration of payments during delinquency (except after 180 days), and provides discharge protections for borrowers who become permanently disabled or deceased. The legislation preempts most state laws that would otherwise regulate these products, though states can impose their own limits if they specifically reference the bill. It becomes effective upon enactment, with federal agencies given 180-270 days to issue implementing regulations and guidance.

The End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2026 authorizes the U.S. government to provide foreign assistance to combat tuberculosis globally through prevention, diagnosis, and treatment programs. The legislation sets ambitious goals for the period 2027-2030, including reducing TB incidence by 80 percent and mortality by 90 percent from 2015 levels, diagnosing and treating 90 percent of TB cases, and providing preventive treatment to 30 million individuals worldwide. The bill prioritizes support for countries with the highest TB burden, innovative diagnostic tools, treatment of drug-resistant TB strains, healthcare worker training, and coordination with international partners and the private sector. The legislation requires annual reports to Congress through 2032 detailing the number of individuals diagnosed and treated, spending breakdowns by country and project site, and progress toward the stated goals. The bill's provisions automatically expire on January 1, 2033, unless Congress takes action to extend them.

The Web of Biological Data Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a centralized online platform that serves as a single access point for researchers to find and use biological data, particularly datasets funded by the federal government. The system will support advanced research methods like artificial intelligence by organizing data with quality metrics, ensuring it works across different databases, and implementing security protections appropriate to each data type. The Secretary must award a grant to a National Laboratory within 180 days to build this platform, submit an implementation plan within one year, test an initial version within two years, and have a fully expanded system ready within five years. The bill authorizes $30 million over three years for research and development, $310 million over three years for the initial phase, and $80 million per year for two additional years to operate the system. The legislation also establishes an advisory board with representatives from industry, academia, national laboratories, and federal agencies to oversee the platform's development and ensure it remains user-friendly while protecting sensitive data and preventing access by adversarial nations.

This bill would expand the tax code to allow homeowners to deduct interest payments on loans used to purchase recreational vehicles, including campers and trailers designed for temporary living. Currently, the tax code allows interest deductions for certain vehicle loans, but recreational vehicles are generally excluded. The legislation amends the Internal Revenue Code to include trailers, campers, and similar vehicles designed for camping or seasonal use, as long as they are motor vehicles or can be towed by one. The change would apply to any vehicle loans taken out after December 31, 2025. This would primarily benefit individuals who finance recreational vehicles through loans, allowing them to claim a tax deduction on the interest portion of their payments.

The Modern, Clean, and Safe Trucks Act of 2026 would repeal the 12-percent federal excise tax on heavy trucks, tractors, and trailers. According to the bill's findings, this tax currently adds thousands of dollars to vehicle prices, ranging from $7,000 for trailers to as much as $50,000 for advanced technology trucks, and discourages fleet owners from replacing older, less environmentally friendly vehicles with newer, cleaner models. The bill argues that eliminating this tax would accelerate the adoption of modern trucks with improved safety and environmental features, particularly electric and alternative-fuel vehicles that currently face higher upfront costs. The legislation would affect truck manufacturers, dealers, fleet owners, and the trucking industry, though it does not specify replacement funding mechanisms for the Highway Trust Fund, which currently relies on excise tax revenues. The repeal would take effect on the date the law is enacted.

The Government Bailout Prevention Act would prohibit the federal government from using taxpayer money to help state and local governments or school districts that are in financial trouble. Specifically, the bill blocks the Treasury Department, Federal Reserve, and other federal agencies from purchasing bonds, providing loans, guaranteeing debt, or offering any other financial assistance to states, cities, counties, or school districts that have defaulted on their debts, filed for bankruptcy, or are at risk of doing so since January 1, 2026. The prohibition does not apply to federal disaster relief or regular grant programs that are already authorized by Congress. The bill affects state governments, municipalities, counties, school districts, and other local government entities, essentially forcing them to manage their own financial crises without federal bailouts. No specific funding or timeline is included in the legislation beyond the January 1, 2026 trigger date for when these restrictions would apply.

The Protecting Charitable Giving Act would increase criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of donor information from charitable organizations. Currently, IRS employees or other individuals who illegally reveal the names and addresses of donors to tax-exempt charitable organizations and social welfare groups face penalties of up to $5,000, but this bill would raise that to between $10,000 and $250,000 per violation. The legislation also expands where such cases can be prosecuted by allowing lawsuits in any federal court district where an affected donor or the charity itself is located, not just where the violation occurred. Additionally, the bill requires the Treasury Inspector General to audit any unauthorized disclosures of donor information and issue public reports with recommendations to prevent future leaks. The changes take effect immediately upon enactment with no specific funding allocated.

The WAGES Act of 2026 creates financial incentives to expand registered apprenticeship programs in high-demand industries like construction, manufacturing, healthcare, and information technology. The bill establishes a 50% employment tax credit for employers who hire and train qualified apprentices, allowing businesses to claim up to $5,000 per apprentice in qualified wages per quarter plus apprenticeship program expenses ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 per quarter, with the credit being refundable if it exceeds employment taxes owed. The legislation also permits employers to give tax-free awards up to $1,500 (or $5,000 for qualified plan awards) to apprentices as part of their training programs. These provisions take effect for wages paid and expenses incurred after the bill's enactment, and include administrative measures such as extending IRS assessment periods to six years and waiving penalties for late employment tax deposits when employers reasonably anticipated claiming the credit. The bill aims to address workforce shortages while promoting economic mobility for workers pursuing careers without four-year degrees.

The CREATE AI Act establishes the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource, a new initiative that will provide U.S. researchers, educators, and students with shared access to computing power, data, software, and educational materials for artificial intelligence research and development. The National Science Foundation will oversee the NAIRR through a Program Management Office that must be created within one year of the law's enactment and will coordinate resources from government agencies, state governments, and private organizations. Eligible users include researchers and students at universities, nonprofit institutions, government agencies, small businesses that have received federal funding, and federally funded research centers, though access will be denied to individuals employed by certain foreign governments. The program can charge fees for access on a sliding scale basis, with a free tier guaranteed, and may retain collected fees to support ongoing operations. The legislation requires compliance with federal research security standards and encourages the use of open-source software in the NAIRR's administration and development.