This resolution asks the Senate to recognize April 2026 as the 'Month of the Military Child' to honor the over 1.6 million children connected to the military. It encourages the public to observe this month with ceremonies and activities that show appreciation for these families. The bill does not create any new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic gesture to acknowledge the contributions of military children.
The PHS ACCESS Act allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to send Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers to work with Urban Indian organizations to support health department functions. It also changes how these officers are appointed by giving the Secretary more flexibility to grant service credit based on specific needs rather than requiring it automatically. Under the new rules, the Secretary must create clear criteria that prioritize appointees serving in rural areas, regions with workforce shortages, locations with limited healthcare access, or those working with Indian tribes and Urban Indian organizations. Additionally, these criteria will be regularly reviewed to ensure they match current workforce demands.
This bill establishes a comprehensive research and development framework to advance next-generation geothermal technologies, specifically targeting enhanced geothermal systems, closed-loop systems, and supercritical geothermal energy. It directs the Department of Energy to create a new research program that awards milestone-based grants for deep drilling projects and establishes a center of excellence to coordinate efforts across universities, national laboratories, and private partners. Key provisions include updating federal data repositories to standardize subsurface information, commissioning deep exploration boreholes to map heat and rock properties, and funding innovations in drilling equipment, power generation efficiency, and water usage. The legislation also mandates periodic reports on the commercialization barriers of these technologies and authorizes $5 million annually through 2031 to support these initiatives.
The Protect Moms From Domestic Violence Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services to fund research and grants aimed at understanding how violence and trauma affect the health of pregnant and postpartum individuals. This legislation authorizes $15 million over three years to support state, local, and community organizations in developing culturally relevant programs that address issues like domestic violence, sexual assault, and mental health among birthing persons. Additionally, the bill requires the government to publish guidelines for healthcare providers on routinely screening for intimate partner violence and implementing trauma-informed care plans. The law specifically prioritizes initiatives that serve diverse communities, including Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and LGBTQIA2S+ populations, as well as adolescent mothers.
This bill extends the deadline for certain regulations protecting the North Atlantic right whale from 2028 to 2035. It directly affects the National Marine Fisheries Service and other agencies responsible for enforcing these conservation rules. The key provision amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 to update the expiration date in the relevant section of federal law. This change ensures that existing protective measures for the whale species remain in effect for an additional seven years.
This bill establishes a framework to protect American-owned closed-source AI models from unauthorized extraction by foreign entities, particularly those from China and Russia. It requires the Secretary of State to conduct assessments identifying which foreign entities are conducting model extraction attacks or facilitating them through fraudulent account networks, then publish a public list of these actors for up to five years. The legislation authorizes the President to impose economic sanctions on identified entities and their affiliates, while also creating mechanisms for industry coordination and sharing information about threats. Importantly, the bill distinguishes between legitimate AI research conducted under contractual terms and unauthorized extraction attempts that bypass access controls or violate usage agreements.
HR 6624, the Biological Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2025, requires export licenses for digital files representing human- or AI-designed synthetic DNA or RNA sequences when sent to foreign entities linked to countries designated as national security concerns (like China). It directly affects biotechnology companies and researchers exporting such digital sequence data, mandating licenses for these specific exports within one year of the law's enactment. The key mechanism is a new license requirement under export controls, targeting digital files that could reveal sensitive biotechnology research. This policy change aims to prevent foreign adversaries from accessing U.S. biotech intellectual property through synthetic biology data exports.
The DATA Act of 2026 creates a new category of electric utilities called consumer-regulated electric utilities (CREUs) that can operate independently from the traditional public utility system. These CREUs must be physically isolated from the main power grid and serve only customers who receive electricity exclusively from them, allowing them to own and operate their own generation, storage, and distribution facilities. The bill exempts these independent utilities from most federal regulations, including oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy, as well as restrictions on rates and corporate structure. CREUs can only lose this exemption if they choose to connect to the main power grid, at which point they would become subject to standard federal utility regulations. The legislation also clarifies that CREUs may use public rights-of-way for their facilities but only face limited review focused on safety and restoration.
The FISH Act of 2025 establishes a public "IUU vessel list" of foreign fishing vessels, fleets, and their beneficial owners engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing or fishing involving forced labor. It prohibits listed vessels from accessing U.S. ports, using U.S. port services, or having their seafood imported into the United States. The bill requires the Secretary of Commerce to develop procedures for adding vessels to the list based on clear evidence, including information from international organizations or U.S. authorities. It also authorizes sanctions against entities involved in IUU fishing or forced labor practices in the fishing industry, aiming to prevent seafood from illegal fishing operations from entering U.S. commerce.
The Parents Over Platforms Act requires app stores and developers to verify user ages and restrict access to adult-only content for minors. App stores must ask users to declare their age and allow parents to block specific applications, while developers are prohibited from showing personalized ads to minors and must prevent them from accessing age-gated features. The law grants the Federal Trade Commission authority to enforce these rules and includes a preemption clause that stops states from passing their own conflicting regulations. Developers are solely responsible for identifying which of their apps require age restrictions, and the bill includes protections for companies acting in good faith when technical limitations prevent perfect age verification. These measures will take effect two years after the legislation is enacted.
The Blind Americans Return to Work Act of 2026 establishes a 20-year demonstration project to help blind individuals who receive Social Security disability benefits return to the workforce. Under this program, the usual rules that reduce or stop benefits when a recipient earns money are modified to allow them to keep working while still receiving financial support. Specifically, the bill removes the requirement that earnings must be low enough to qualify for disability benefits and limits how much a person's monthly payment decreases based on their income and work-related expenses. Additionally, the project prevents benefits from ending solely because of earnings and waives certain standard compliance rules to facilitate the trial. After the initial 120-month period, participants have the option to exit the demonstration project if they choose.
The Federal Mechanical Insulation Act of 2026 amends existing federal energy conservation laws to formally recognize mechanical insulation as an energy efficiency measure in government buildings. This legislation defines mechanical insulation as materials used in mechanical systems that meet specific engineering standards and reduce energy loss. Under the new requirements, federal facilities must identify these insulation measures during their comprehensive energy and water assessments. The bill applies specifically to the management and reporting of energy usage within federal properties.
