The AG2PI Act of 2026 extends the funding authorization for the Genome to Phenome Initiative from 2023 to 2031. This legislative change directly impacts the National Institute of Food and Agriculture by allowing it to continue supporting research that links genetic information to observable traits in plants and animals. By updating the expiration date in the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, the bill ensures the program can operate for an additional six years without interruption. The measure does not alter the scope of the research or add new funding amounts, but simply reauthorizes the existing framework.
The Better Jobs through Evidence and Innovation Act creates a new competitive grant program to fund workforce development projects that have proven effective in improving employment and earnings outcomes. It directs federal funding to states, local boards, and community organizations to support innovative programs that address labor market needs, with a specific focus on helping individuals facing barriers to employment and serving rural areas. The bill establishes a tiered system requiring grantees to provide rigorous evaluations, such as randomized controlled trials, to demonstrate that their programs generate sustained positive results before they can receive larger expansion grants. Additionally, the legislation mandates that at least 50 percent of the available funds be reserved for expanding programs with high levels of evidence, while reserving up to 10 percent for technical assistance and research.
This bill expands existing rules to prevent foreign nationals from influencing U.S. elections by tightening restrictions on domestic businesses that are owned or controlled by foreign interests. It requires companies with significant foreign ownership or control to file a sworn certification confirming they are not foreign entities before making any political contributions or spending money on election activities. Additionally, the law prohibits recipients of these funds from using them for further political spending unless they receive and verify the original certification, while also clarifying that these rules apply to state and local ballot measures as well as corporate political committees.
The Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026 establishes comprehensive standards for the treatment, care, and placement of noncitizen children in immigration custody, primarily affecting the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services. Key provisions include a prohibition on separating children from their parents or guardians unless there is clear and convincing evidence of an imminent threat, alongside requirements for rapid family reunification and the elimination of family detention facilities. The bill mandates that children be housed in state-licensed facilities that provide trauma-informed care, adequate medical and educational services, and access to legal representation, while also phasing out large congregate care settings in favor of family-based placements. Furthermore, it creates an independent Office of the Ombudsperson to monitor compliance, investigates age assessments that ban invasive medical procedures, and enforces strict data privacy rules to prevent information from custody cases from being used in immigration removal proceedings.
This bill expands federal election laws to prevent foreign nationals from influencing U.S. elections by tightening restrictions on domestic companies with significant foreign ownership or control. It requires businesses that are at least 50% owned by foreign individuals, or those with specific foreign influence, to file a sworn certification proving they are not foreign-controlled before making any political donations or spending money on election activities. Additionally, the law clarifies that these rules apply to state and local ballot initiatives and mandates that corporate political action funds certify their managers and board members are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The legislation also prohibits recipients of funds from these businesses from using the money for further political contributions unless they receive and verify the required compliance certification.
The Preventing Forced Abortions Act of 2026 prohibits federal courts from enforcing any part of a surrogacy agreement that forces a surrogate mother to have an abortion. Instead, the law mandates that courts must uphold the financial compensation promised to the surrogate, even if the contract includes penalties or reduced payments for refusing an abortion. This legislation grants federal district courts specific authority to hear civil cases involving surrogacy contracts and defines key terms such as "abortion" and "surrogate mother" to clarify the scope of the protections.
The Expand the Behavioral Health Workforce Now Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to states within 12 months of enactment. This guidance will outline strategies to improve the education, training, recruitment, and retention of mental health and substance use disorder care providers participating in Medicaid and CHIP programs. A specific focus of these strategies is to enhance the capacity of the workforce in rural and underserved areas. The act also specifies that the guidance should explore how states can use existing federal waivers and authorities to achieve these workforce goals.
This bill creates a federal grant program to help mental health professionals work across state lines by supporting interstate agreements that allow licenses to be recognized in multiple states. The funding, totaling $4 million annually from 2026 to 2029, will go to state licensing boards and compact commissions to encourage counselors to practice in areas with these new agreements and to maintain the administrative systems that make them work. By simplifying the licensing process, the legislation aims to expand the availability of mental health services in states that have joined these mutual recognition programs.
This bill requires the Secretary of Defense to report on how quickly military members receive their electronic health records when leaving active duty. The report must cover a one-year period and include data on average wait times, the longest delays experienced, and reasons for any hold-ups. Following this report, the Defense Secretary must create new standards to ensure these records are delivered within a reasonable timeframe, a period to be determined based on the findings and feedback from service members and veterans. The legislation directly affects transitioning servicemembers by aiming to improve the timeliness of their medical record transfers.
This bill, known as the Reducing Military Health Care Wait Times Act, requires the Department of Defense to publish specific data on military medical wait times on its website. It directly affects service members, veterans, and their families by making information about appointment scheduling and referral speeds publicly available. The law mandates that the annual TRICARE Program Evaluation Report include the average number of days between booking and receiving an appointment, as well as the percentage of referrals processed within one business day. Additionally, it updates existing federal code to ensure these core performance metrics are consistently reported alongside other required data.
This bill directs the Director of the Defense Health Agency to submit a report to Congress on whether it is feasible to create a pilot fellowship program for behavioral neurology. The proposed program would train two medical doctors each year to treat service members and veterans with traumatic brain injuries, focusing on the connection between behavior and brain trauma. To qualify, fellows must hold a medical degree and have completed a residency in neurology or psychiatry, though board certification is not required to participate. The report must evaluate potential locations for the program and confirm that it meets specific requirements, including accreditation and the ability for fellows to pursue future board certification.
The Citizenship Act of 2026 redefines the term "invader" to include individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States or those seeking entry specifically for the purpose of giving birth. Under this legislation, children born in the U.S. to these designated invaders would not be entitled to birthright citizenship if their mothers were not lawfully admitted or if the parents do not meet specific residency requirements. The bill also explicitly excludes children born through commercial surrogacy contracts involving nationals of certain countries from acquiring citizenship. Additionally, the act declares that courts cannot review the President's or Congress's determination that an invasion is occurring.
