The El Salvador TPS Act of 2026 requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to individuals from El Salvador. This designation would remain in effect until a date 18 months after September 9, 2026. The bill directly affects eligible residents of El Salvador by providing them with legal protection and work authorization during this specified period.
The 9-8-8 Call Center Improvement Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to new or existing crisis call centers that serve regional or local communities. These funds are intended to help centers purchase or upgrade technology, train staff, improve daily operations, and hire additional personnel. The bill authorizes $441 million in appropriations for fiscal year 2027 to support these efforts, with the money remaining available until it is fully spent.
The Better Pay for American Workers Act would raise the federal minimum wage to $15.00 per hour starting in 2027, increasing it to $17.50 in 2028 and $20.00 in 2029. Beginning in 2030, the law requires the Department of Labor to adjust the wage annually based on changes in the median hourly wage for all employees. This mechanism ensures that the minimum wage grows with overall wage trends, while always remaining at least as high as the previous year's rate.
The JARED Act requires individuals who act on behalf of the federal government in foreign political activities without a formal employment contract to obtain security clearances and file annual financial disclosure forms with the Office of Government Ethics. These uncontracted representatives are prohibited from negotiating agreements or accepting deals that directly benefit themselves, their families, or associated organizations from the foreign governments they engage with. The Office of Government Ethics must publish quarterly public reports detailing these disclosures and any violations found. Penalties for non-compliance include removal from the role, loss of security clearance, civil lawsuits, and potential imprisonment for knowingly engaging in prohibited financial negotiations.
The No Pardon Paydays Act of 2026 requires the Pardon Attorney to submit a detailed written analysis to Congress within 30 days of any presidential pardon. This report must include the recipient's full criminal history and an assessment of their risk for reoffending or posing a danger to communities. Additionally, the bill restricts pardoned individuals from making political contributions exceeding $1,000 to committees supporting the President or entities advocating for their reelection. The Federal Election Commission would enforce these contribution limits and could refer violations for criminal prosecution.
The Government Travel Transparency Act requires the Comptroller General to submit quarterly reports to Congress and publish them online regarding how specific high-ranking federal officials use government-owned or operated aircraft. These reports must identify any instances where these officials used planes for political activities or Federal elections, as well as personal travel that was less cost-effective than other transportation options. The analysis relies on data from the General Services Administration but is prohibited from disclosing the exact location of an official at a specific time.
The 9-8-8 Crisis Response Act expands federal funding for mental health crisis response and broadens Medicaid coverage to include regional lifeline call centers and crisis stabilization facilities. The bill increases the annual budget for the Mental Health Crisis Response Partnership Pilot Program from $10 million to $100 million for fiscal years 2027 through 2029. It also allows states to use Medicaid funds to pay for these new services, with the federal government covering 85 percent of the costs. To qualify, crisis stabilization facilities must provide 24-hour care without rejecting patients based on their ability to pay or other factors, and they must maintain an average patient stay of less than 150 hours.
The Telecommunications GAP Act requires the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress within 180 days of enactment. This report must evaluate the overall effectiveness of the Federal Communications Commission's Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative, with specific attention to its performance during the January 2025 California wildfires. The legislation directs an analysis of any failures in network coverage, roaming, or provider coordination under these emergency rules. Additionally, the report is required to include recommendations for improving the initiative, which applies to facilities-based mobile wireless providers.
The Congressional Pension Accountability Act would strip former members of Congress of their pension eligibility if they are expelled from office or resign following an ethics committee finding of substantial misconduct. This measure directly affects current and future legislators by making their congressional service non-creditable for retirement benefits under both the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System. While affected individuals would receive a refund of their personal contributions, they would forfeit any government-matched funds in their Thrift Savings Plans and would not be required to repay pension benefits already received before the forfeiture took effect. A presidential pardon or commutation of sentence would not restore these lost benefits, and the law applies only to misconduct occurring after its enactment.
The 9-8-8 Implementation Act of 2026 expands federal funding and mandates insurance coverage for behavioral health crisis services, directly affecting individuals experiencing mental health or substance use emergencies as well as the providers who serve them. The bill authorizes grants to upgrade local lifeline call centers, build new crisis stabilization facilities, and train a larger workforce of behavioral health professionals. It requires Medicare, Medicaid, private group health plans, TRICARE, and other federal insurance programs to cover crisis response services with financial terms no more restrictive than standard medical care. Additionally, the legislation establishes a federal panel to develop training protocols for 9-1-1 dispatchers to better connect callers to appropriate crisis care rather than law enforcement responses.
The Partnerships for Better Health Act directs the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Agriculture to establish a grant program that funds local coalitions to integrate chronic disease prevention, management, and social support services. Eligible lead entities, such as community health centers, nonprofit hospitals, and food banks, must partner with clinical, nutritional, and public health organizations to deliver coordinated care, nutrition education, and "Food is Medicine" programs. Grant priority is given to communities facing high chronic disease prevalence, food insecurity, or persistent poverty, while recipients are required to serve populations with incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line. The bill authorizes $15 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 and mandates that grantees use evidence-based models and report on specific health, social, and utilization outcomes.
The Fairness for Farm Workers Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to end the long-standing exemption that allows agricultural workers to be denied overtime pay. The bill introduces a phased schedule requiring employers to pay farm workers time-and-a-half for hours worked beyond a set threshold, which gradually decreases from 55 hours in 2027 to the standard 40 hours by 2030. Small farms with 25 or fewer employees are given a three-year delay, reaching full compliance by 2033. Additionally, the legislation removes several other exemptions that currently allow agricultural employers to bypass federal wage and hour protections.
