This bill extends the authority under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for an additional 18 months, setting the expiration date to October 20, 2027. The provision allows federal intelligence agencies to collect certain communications from non-U.S. persons located outside the United States without individual warrants, primarily for foreign intelligence purposes. By amending existing laws from 2008, the bill updates the expiration timeline for these surveillance powers rather than creating new authorities. The change directly affects intelligence agencies' ability to conduct ongoing foreign intelligence collection activities under current legal frameworks.
The Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026 prohibits individuals and organizations from filing lawsuits or seeking damages against energy companies for alleged harms caused by climate change or greenhouse gas emissions. This legislation declares that regulating emissions is exclusively a federal responsibility and voids any state laws that attempt to hold energy businesses liable for past or future environmental damage. Consequently, the bill bars courts from hearing these cases and requires any pending lawsuits of this nature to be immediately dismissed. By defining "climate suits" broadly to include claims based on marketing or warnings, the law aims to prevent states from imposing financial penalties on the energy sector.
This bill requires the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to review new drug applications from companies based in China to determine if they are affiliated with the Chinese government, Communist Party, or military. If an application comes from such an affiliated entity, the FDA will deny approval for the drug, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection will refuse entry and destroy any imported drugs from these sponsors. The law also allows for a process where affected companies can prove they are no longer affiliated or sell their drug rights to a non-affiliated company within 180 days to avoid having their products blocked. Additionally, the bill authorizes $5 million in funding to carry out these review and enforcement activities.
The Safer Prisons Act of 2026 increases the maximum prison sentence and fine for individuals convicted of assaulting correctional officers at the Bureau of Prisons. This change specifically targets attacks on federal prison staff by doubling the potential punishment compared to similar assaults on other law enforcement officers. The bill amends existing federal law to ensure that violence against these specific officers carries a heavier penalty.
The ENDS Chinese Vapes Act of 2026 increases civil penalties for individuals or companies that smuggle unauthorized electronic nicotine delivery systems, such as vapes, into the United States. Under this bill, fines are calculated based on the number of devices and the severity of the violation, ranging from $500 for negligence to $5,000 for fraud per unit. The law also allows for higher penalties if the shipment involved transshipment through a third country or if the violator has committed similar offenses within the last three years. These changes apply to any entity attempting to bring unapproved vaping products into the country after the bill is enacted.
The JOAN Act streamlines the approval process for natural gas projects by designating the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as the sole lead agency for environmental reviews and establishing strict deadlines for all involved federal and state agencies to complete their permitting steps. To speed up legal challenges, the bill creates a single, exclusive court process for lawsuits against these projects, which must be resolved within 180 days and limits the ability of courts to issue long-term injunctions or order new evidence gathering. Additionally, the legislation allows project sponsors to continue construction on unaffected parts of a project while legal disputes are ongoing and requires agencies to accept data gathered through remote surveys like aerial photography.
This bill requires federal agencies to submit proposed regulations affecting power generation for review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) before finalizing them. It directly affects agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) when they develop rules related to power plants or grid operations. The key mechanism mandates that if FERC’s Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) identifies a risk of insufficient power supply, the Commission must notify relevant agencies and require them to submit their regulations for review. FERC can then comment on reliability impacts and recommend modifications to avoid disruptions, with agencies needing to address these comments before finalizing rules.
The ALERT Act (HR 7613) requires the Federal Aviation Administration to improve aviation safety through several key measures. It mandates the evaluation and potential implementation of enhanced collision avoidance systems (ACAS-Xa) for commercial aircraft and ACAS-Xr for rotorcraft, with specific deadlines for rulemaking and installation. The bill establishes committees to develop recommendations for safety technology requirements, requires safety risk assessments for air traffic controllers, and addresses operational procedures at high-traffic airports like Ronald Reagan Washington National. These provisions affect air carriers, air traffic controllers, rotorcraft operators, and Department of Defense aircraft operations. The act aims to enhance situational awareness and reduce midair collision risks through technology upgrades and improved safety protocols.
This resolution expresses support for designating April 2026 as "Second Chance Month" to raise awareness about barriers faced by people with criminal records. The bill does not create new laws or change existing policies but serves as a symbolic gesture to highlight challenges in employment, housing, and education for formerly incarcerated individuals. It calls on communities, employers, and organizations to promote awareness of these obstacles and encourage efforts to help people reintegrate into society. The resolution honors the bipartisan First Step Act of 2018 and the Second Chance Act of 2007, which provide reentry services to incarcerated individuals.
The HBCU Research Capacity Act establishes a Federal Clearinghouse within the Department of Education, in coordination with several other federal agencies, to provide Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with comprehensive information on federal grant opportunities. This Clearinghouse will identify grants supporting research and development and institutional capacity building at HBCUs, while also sharing best practices for securing federal funding. The Department of Education will notify HBCUs and Congress about the Clearinghouse and offer quarterly updates to participating institutions. Additionally, several federal agencies, including Defense, Energy, and the National Science Foundation, are mandated to review their grant programs to align with the Clearinghouse's recommendations and report any identified funding gaps to Congress annually.
The SAFEGUARDS Act of 2025 ensures that revenue from the 9/11 Security Fee (paid by airline passengers) is used exclusively for aviation security, ending its diversion to other government purposes by 2027. It creates two dedicated funds: the Aviation Security Capital Fund (receiving $250 million annually through 2025, then $500 million annually starting in 2026) for general security improvements, and the Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund (receiving $250 million annually starting in 2026) specifically for security screening technology like baggage scanners and exit lanes. The bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to collect sufficient fees to fund these amounts and allows retroactive grants for security technology projects implemented since 2023. This directly affects TSA operations, airports, and passenger fees, with no new taxes or fees imposed.
This resolution requires Members of Congress who must reimburse the Treasury for payments related to sexual harassment or discrimination claims to publicly disclose the details of those reimbursements in the House chamber. It mandates that the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights report these cases to the Clerk, who will then read the Member's name, the reimbursement amount, and related information aloud during a House session. Members who fail to comply within 30 days face restrictions on committee assignments and leadership duties, while former Members are barred from entering the House building until they complete reimbursement and undergo the public disclosure process. The measure also establishes that failures to comply with these requirements can be investigated separately by the House Ethics Committee.
