This bill, titled the Working Americans' Tax Cut Act, proposes two main tax changes: it would create an alternative maximum tax rate of 25.5% for individuals earning less than 175% of a cost-of-living exemption (approximately $46,000 for single filers), and it would impose a progressive surcharge on high-income taxpayers earning over $1 million. The alternative tax would cap the total tax liability for low- and middle-income earners at 25.5% of their income above a basic living threshold, while the surcharge would add 5%, 10%, and 12% taxes on income brackets above $1 million, $2 million, and $5 million respectively. Both provisions would apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, and include inflation adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index.
The Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act (S 836) extends COPPA protections to teens aged 13-17 by requiring websites, apps, and online services to obtain verifiable consent from parents for children or from teens themselves before collecting or using their personal information for purposes beyond the service. It defines "personal information" broadly to include biometric data, voice recordings, persistent identifiers, and geolocation information, and prohibits using such information for individual-specific advertising without consent. The bill mandates clear notice about data practices and gives children and teens rights to access, correct, and delete their personal information. Additionally, it requires the FTC to conduct studies on mobile app oversight and the GAO to study teen privacy in financial technology products.
HCONRES 78 is a symbolic resolution designating March 10, 2026, as "Abortion Provider Appreciation Day" to honor abortion providers and staff. It recognizes their work amid rising violence, clinic closures, and abortion restrictions following the Dobbs decision, citing threats and challenges faced by providers. The resolution expresses congressional support for providers' safety and access to abortion care, condemning policies that restrict access. It does not create new laws or alter existing policies - it solely affirms Congress’s stance through a symbolic gesture. This is a procedural resolution focused on recognition, not policy change.
This bill, titled the Agricultural Management Assistance Act of 2026, amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to expand education and risk management support for agricultural producers and crop insurance providers. It requires the inclusion of language translation services in educational programs and adds specific conservation practices like soil health improvements, sustainable water sources, and agroforestry to the list of eligible activities. The legislation also increases funding limits, raising the five-year payment cap to $200,000 and authorizing $20 million annually to support these expanded assistance programs.
This bill, known as the Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act, would change federal labor rules to require overtime pay and minimum wage protections for certain babysitters who currently do not receive these benefits. It specifically targets casual babysitting jobs that are irregular or intermittent and not performed by individuals whose primary occupation is babysitting. The law would also clarify that trained medical professionals like nurses and home health aides remain exempt from these new requirements, ensuring the changes apply only to casual domestic caregivers. By amending the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the bill aims to extend wage protections to a specific group of home care workers while maintaining existing exemptions for professional medical staff.
This bill, titled the Take Back Our Hospitals Act of 2026, would prohibit Medicare from paying hospitals and skilled nursing facilities owned or controlled by private equity funds, real estate investment trusts, or corporations owned by private equity funds. The law defines ownership control as holding 10 percent or more of voting securities and includes provisions for a three-year transition period for existing facilities before the ban takes full effect. Facilities found in violation would face penalties, and the owning firms would be held jointly and severally liable for those penalties. The measure aims to restrict investment by specific financial entities in healthcare facilities that receive Medicare funding.
This bill, known as the Patient Safety and Whistleblower Protections Act, would protect health care providers who raise concerns about patient safety or quality of care from retaliation by their employers. It prohibits health care facilities from taking adverse actions against practitioners who report issues to supervisors, state authorities, government officials, patient safety organizations, or the media after a 90-day waiting period. The law includes a rebuttable presumption that any negative employment action within 180 days of raising a concern is retaliation, and it nullifies contractual clauses that would prevent providers from speaking about patient safety issues.
This bill, titled the Working Americans' Tax Cut Act, proposes two main tax changes: it creates an alternative maximum tax rate of 25.5% for low- and middle-income individuals earning less than 175% of a cost-of-living exemption, and it imposes a progressive surcharge on high-income individuals earning over $1 million. The low-income provision calculates taxes based on income above a living expense threshold that adjusts annually with inflation, while the high-income surcharge applies rates of 5%, 10%, and 12% to income brackets above $1 million, $2 million, and $5 million respectively. Both provisions use modified adjusted gross income as the base for calculations and apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. The bill would directly affect individual taxpayers by altering how their income is taxed under the Internal Revenue Code.
This bill provides temporary funding to ensure Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees continue receiving standard pay and benefits during a potential government funding gap between February 14, 2026, and when regular fiscal year 2026 appropriations are enacted. It directly affects TSA employees who might otherwise face pay interruptions if Congress fails to pass a full-year budget by that date. The bill authorizes using Treasury funds for standard pay, allowances, and benefits during this interim period, with these costs later charged to the appropriate future appropriations. The funding expires automatically on September 30, 2026, or when regular appropriations are passed, whichever occurs first.
This bill reorganizes AmeriCorps by converting it from a government corporation into a new executive department called the AmeriCorps Administration. It creates an advisory board with seven members appointed by various officials, including the President and congressional leaders, to guide policy and program oversight. The legislation increases financial benefits for participants, doubling educational awards to twice the average in-state tuition and raising living allowances to 175-210 percent of the federal minimum wage. It also establishes a new National Service Foundation to accept private donations and gifts for the program, and sets a goal of serving one million participants annually by 2036.
This bill expands the TRICARE program to cover wigs for service members with traction alopecia, a hair loss condition caused by tight hairstyles. It also adds traction alopecia to the list of covered conditions for wig provision and requires the Secretary of Defense to issue grooming standards and training materials by September 30, 2026. These regulations aim to inform military personnel about health risks associated with tightly gathered hairstyles, dyes, and chemical hair products. The changes directly affect active duty service members enrolled in TRICARE who experience hair loss from styling practices.
This bill, known as the Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act, would change federal labor rules to require overtime pay and minimum wage protections for certain babysitters. It specifically targets casual babysitting work that is irregular or intermittent, while excluding trained medical professionals like nurses and home health aides from these changes. The law would also allow babysitters to perform up to 20% of their work time on unrelated household tasks without losing their protected status. These amendments would apply to workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 who provide custodial care for infants or children in private homes.
