The UBER Act establishes new federal requirements for ride-sharing and shared-transportation companies to receive government contracts. To qualify, every driver must be at least 21 years old, hold a valid license from a single state, pass a road test, and demonstrate sufficient English proficiency to communicate with the public and read traffic signs, with an exception for drivers who use American Sign Language. Companies that fail to certify that all their drivers meet these standards will be banned from federal contracts for five years.
The SAFE KIDS Act would void surrogacy contracts between U.S. surrogates and foreign nationals from designated "foreign entities of concern" (nations listed under 10 U.S.C. §4872(f)(2)), except for married couples where at least one prospective parent is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. It prohibits surrogacy brokers from facilitating such contracts, imposing fines or up to one year in prison for knowingly arranging these agreements. If a contract is voided, custody decisions for the child would be determined by state courts based solely on the child’s best interests, disregarding the invalid agreement. The bill aims to address what Congress identifies as a national security threat involving exploitation of U.S. surrogacy laws and potential human trafficking.
The AI OVERWATCH Act requires U.S. exporters to obtain a license for sending certain high-performance integrated circuits (defined by specific technical specifications like processing power or bandwidth) to countries designated as "concerns," including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Before approving such licenses, the Commerce Department must submit detailed certifications to Congress, including assurances the export won’t support military/intelligence capabilities of the recipient country and won’t harm U.S. semiconductor availability or AI leadership. The bill also creates an exemption for U.S. companies meeting strict security and ownership standards ("trusted United States persons") to export these chips to non-target countries without a license. Additionally, it mandates a national security strategy assessing how such exports affect U.S. AI competitiveness, particularly regarding China’s semiconductor production and capabilities.
HR 7156, the SCAM Act, would expand grounds for revoking U.S. citizenship (denaturalization) for naturalized citizens who commit specific offenses within 10 years of becoming citizens. It targets individuals convicted of defrauding federal, state, or local governments (e.g., $10,000+ in public benefit fraud), affiliating with foreign terrorist organizations, or committing aggravated felonies or espionage. If convicted in these categories, the government could automatically revoke citizenship retroactively (as if it never existed) based on evidence that the person lacked good moral character or loyalty to the U.S. at the time of naturalization. This bill directly affects naturalized citizens who commit these offenses within a decade of gaining citizenship, with revocation triggering immediate deportability.
The PORCUPINE Act amends the Arms Export Control Act to include Taiwan alongside New Zealand and Israel in specific certification and reporting requirements related to U.S. arms exports. This legislative change ensures Taiwan is treated similarly to these allied nations in certain foreign policy contexts involving defense article transfers. The bill also directs the Secretary of State to assess the feasibility of creating an expedited licensing process for military equipment transfers from designated allies to Taiwan within 90 days. Additionally, the act requires biennial reports on the implementation of these amendments and includes a provision stating that the legislation does not alter existing U.S. policy toward Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act. The entire measure is set to expire seven years after its enactment.
The McCarran-Ferguson Restoration Act eliminates the Federal Insurance Office and creates a "United States Insurance Representative" within the Treasury Department to coordinate federal insurance policy and represent the U.S. internationally. This position would determine when state insurance regulations might be preempted by international agreements, while maintaining state authority over most insurance matters including health, long-term care, and crop insurance. The bill requires the Representative to consult with states, publish notices, and allow a 30-day period before any preemption takes effect. This legislation aims to streamline international insurance regulatory coordination while preserving state-level oversight of insurance regulation.
HR 7145 defines "essential health systems" as hospitals serving large numbers of Medicaid and low-income patients, specifically targeting non-Federal, nonprofit, or government-run hospitals that meet one of three criteria for at least two of the past three years (e.g., high Medicaid patient percentage, high uncompensated care, or top 16th percentile in state rankings for low-income care). The bill requires MACPAC to annually publish an "essential health system index" ranking qualifying hospitals nationally, by state, and within local areas, using data from Medicare reporting. Hospitals designated as essential health systems receive a five-year designation, renewable if they maintain eligibility. This framework aims to identify facilities providing critical community care for vulnerable populations through standardized metrics.
This bill requires U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement officers and agents to follow a new department-wide policy on use of force. It mandates that officers use only objectively reasonable force, prioritize de-escalation, ban chokeholds and carotid restraints, and complete regular training. The policy also requires DHS components to establish internal review teams to analyze incidents and report detailed data every six months - including incidents causing injury, death, or involving deadly force - to the public via the DHS website. Additionally, DHS must brief Congress and inform the public within 24 hours of any incident resulting in hospitalization or death.
HRES 1004 is a symbolic House resolution honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy by celebrating diversity and condemning hate. It specifically calls for the House to celebrate his 97th birthday on January 19, 2026, and to condemn harassment, discrimination, or prejudice targeting Black Americans, Indigenous people, Jewish, Asian-American/Pacific Islander, Muslim, Hispanic/Latino communities, and LGBTQ+ individuals. The resolution affirms Dr. King’s teachings on unity and equality but does not create new laws or impose obligations on any entity. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no legal effect and directly affects no individuals or groups.
This bill declares that the constitutional right to life applies to all human beings from the moment of conception, including fertilization. It states that Congress intends to implement this right under its powers in Article I and the 14th Amendment. The bill explicitly clarifies it does not require prosecuting women for pregnancy outcomes, ban in vitro fertilization, or restrict birth control methods. It defines "human person" to include individuals at all life stages starting at conception.
The Jumpstart Savings Act creates a new tax-advantaged savings program for state-run accounts that help individuals save for career-specific training and expenses. It directly affects workers, apprentices, and students pursuing certified trades or occupations by allowing tax-free contributions to accounts covering costs like community college tuition, apprenticeship fees, certification exams, trade tools, and business startup expenses. The bill enables rollovers from existing 529 college savings plans into these accounts and requires states to administer the programs with reporting rules similar to current 529 plans. The program will apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, and is designed to support career advancement in regulated fields.
HR 7089, the PARK Act, prohibits national parks and wildlife refuges from waiving entrance fees to honor the birthday of a sitting U.S. President, unless that birthday falls on a federal holiday. This policy directly affects all national park units and wildlife refuges that charge entrance fees under federal law. The key provision bans fee waivers specifically for presidential birthdays, maintaining standard fees except when the birthday aligns with a designated federal holiday like Independence Day. The bill makes no changes to other fee waivers or park operations, focusing solely on this specific exception.
