The EBOLA Act directs the President to rejoin the World Health Organization within 30 days and immediately collaborate with the agency to address the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central and Eastern Africa. This legislation authorizes funding to cover the financial obligations required to restore U.S. membership and to support global response efforts aimed at preventing the virus from spreading internationally. The bill is based on the finding that infectious disease outbreaks pose significant threats to national security and public health, and that participation in the WHO is essential for effective disease monitoring and coordination.
This bill creates a federal grant program to help states and tribal governments improve their licensing systems for firearms dealers. To qualify for funding, a state or tribe must already require dealers to hold a license, pass an application process, renew their license every three years, and submit to inspections. If a dealer breaks the rules, the state must be able to suspend or revoke their license and impose fines or criminal charges. The Attorney General will award up to $2.5 million per year in competitive grants to eligible applicants who submit plans for developing or improving these programs. Recipients must report annually on the number of inspections, violations, and licenses issued, renewed, or revoked, while the Attorney General will provide a public report on all grants awarded and denied.
The Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2026 authorizes $350 million over five years to provide grants to nonprofit organizations for covering travel and practical support costs associated with accessing abortion services. These funds can be used for round-trip transportation, lodging, meals, childcare, translation services, and other logistical needs, but they explicitly cannot pay for the abortion procedure itself. The legislation prioritizes grants for groups serving people in states with abortion bans or those traveling across state lines and requires that recipients do not discourage individuals from seeking abortions. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to prevent federal agencies from cooperating with anti-abortion legal proceedings and mandates annual reporting to Congress without revealing individual identities.
The SAFER Health Act of 2026 strengthens privacy protections for individuals by prohibiting healthcare providers and related entities from disclosing information about abortions or pregnancy losses in legal proceedings without the individual's explicit consent. This rule applies to all types of legal cases, including civil, criminal, and administrative matters, with specific exceptions for defending against professional liability claims or investigating physical harm caused to the individual. The bill also requires health IT systems to separate this sensitive data from other records and mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services update existing regulations to enforce these privacy standards. Additionally, the law preempts any conflicting state laws that offer less privacy protection for this specific type of medical information.
The Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act aims to combat unpaid wages by strengthening penalties, improving worker protections, and funding community enforcement efforts. It directly affects employers who may underpay workers and employees who face wage theft, particularly low-wage workers, immigrants, and minorities. Key provisions require employers to provide detailed pay stubs and final payments within 14 days of termination, while also granting workers the right to full compensation as agreed in employment contracts. The bill increases civil fines and criminal penalties for violations, extends the time limit for filing wage claims, and establishes a grant program to support partnerships between the Department of Labor and community organizations.
The Green Ribbon Act of 2026 establishes a new program to recognize schools and non-formal learning institutions that meet specific goals for environmental literacy, emission reductions, and positive impacts on student and staff health. Under this act, the Department of Education will award grants to states and provide $10,000 honoraria to schools that demonstrate high performance in these three areas, while also creating a similar award program for museums, libraries, and other cultural institutions. The legislation creates a new office within the Department of Education to oversee technical assistance and training for sustainable school infrastructure, ensuring that under-resourced schools receive at least 40 percent of grant funding. Additionally, the bill requires the Department to update its award criteria within six months to align with health standards from the EPA and CDC and mandates annual reports on the program's progress and impact.
The Investing in State Energy Act of 2026 requires the federal government to provide application guidance and publish funding allocations for state energy programs within 60 days of funds becoming available. Additionally, the bill mandates that financial assistance payments be sent to states and tribes within 30 days after they submit complete conservation plans. This legislation also increases funding for state energy initiatives by adding $100 million for each of the fiscal years from 2027 through 2031. These changes aim to streamline the process for states and tribes to receive and utilize federal energy conservation funds more quickly.
The Risk-based Oversight for Integrity Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study and potentially reform how it oversees the organic food industry. This study will examine whether inspections and regulations should be adjusted based on the risk that a farm or business might violate organic standards, considering factors like the size of the operation and its past compliance record. If the study finds it beneficial, the Act allows the Secretary to create new rules that could reduce inspection burdens for low-risk entities while focusing more resources on high-risk ones. Additionally, the legislation permits the use of virtual inspections for some domestic operations, provided that on-site checks still occur at least once every three years. The proposed changes aim to maintain strong organic integrity while improving efficiency within the national organic program.
The Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance Act of 2026 creates a competitive grant program to help organizations transport materials removed during wildfire risk reduction projects on National Forest System lands. Eligible recipients include for-profit companies, nonprofits, state and local governments, Indian Tribes, and universities, with funding available from fiscal years 2027 through 2031. Grants can cover costs for transporting wood and biomass, maintaining transport equipment, and workforce training, but cannot be used for construction or buying timber. The program prioritizes projects in high-risk wildfire areas and offers higher funding percentages to Indian Tribes compared to other applicants.
The Medicare Cost Cap Act of 2026 establishes a $5,000 annual limit on out-of-pocket costs for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries starting in 2028, after which Medicare will cover 100% of additional covered expenses. This protection applies to all individuals enrolled in Medicare Part A or Part B and includes tracking mechanisms to notify patients and providers once the cap is reached. The bill also modifies eligibility rules for low-income assistance programs, aligning income thresholds between Medicare Savings Programs and Medicaid and expanding data sharing to streamline enrollment for qualifying beneficiaries.
The Right to Vote Act establishes federal protections ensuring that citizens can vote in elections for federal office without undue burdens or substantial impairments. It prohibits governments from making voting more difficult unless they can prove that such restrictions are the least restrictive way to achieve an important government interest. The bill creates a specific legal pathway for voters to challenge voting rules in court, requiring officials to provide strong evidence justifying any limitations on the voting process. Additionally, it mandates that courts handle these cases quickly and allows for the recovery of attorney fees for successful plaintiffs. These measures apply to all U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia for elections occurring on or after September 1, 2026.
The Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act prohibits states and their officials from restricting or penalizing health care providers who offer reproductive health services that are legal in the state where they are performed. This includes banning laws that stop doctors, nurses, pharmacists, or their staff from providing abortion, contraception, or other reproductive care, as well as preventing the denial of professional liability insurance based on these services. The bill establishes a private right of action allowing providers to sue in federal court to challenge such restrictions and mandates that the federal government cannot use funds to support legal cases against providers acting within state law. Additionally, the legislation appropriates $80 million in grants to support legal defense funds for providers facing lawsuits and to improve physical and cybersecurity measures at health care facilities.
