The Guidelines for Use, Access, and Responsible Disclosure of Financial Data Act strengthens privacy protections for consumers by amending the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to require financial institutions to limit data collection to what is necessary, provide clearer privacy notices, and offer new rights for customers to access or delete their personal information. Key provisions include requiring explicit opt-in consent for sensitive data like biometric information, restricting how third parties can use consumer login credentials, and mandating that institutions disclose how they use artificial intelligence in processing financial data. The bill also establishes a right for former customers to request deletion of their data within 45 days and requires regulators to consider the impact of rules on smaller financial institutions with $15 billion or less in assets.
This bill establishes a grant program to help vulnerable mothers and babies in areas with high climate-related health risks, such as extreme heat and air pollution. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award up to $105 million over four years to community groups, healthcare providers, and local organizations for initiatives that provide cooling resources, health education, and support services. The program prioritizes areas with high rates of maternal and infant health disparities and requires grantees to address racial and ethnic inequities. Additionally, the bill creates a research consortium at the National Institutes of Health to study climate impacts on birth outcomes and funds training programs for health profession schools to better prepare providers for these risks.
The ACCESS Act of 2026 aims to improve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for public accommodations, affecting individuals with disabilities, business owners, and website/app developers. It directs the Department of Justice to create an education program on accessibility strategies for property and website owners. A key provision requires individuals to provide written notice of an architectural or technological access barrier and a 60-day period for the owner to address it before a civil lawsuit can be filed. Additionally, the bill mandates a study on various website accessibility standards and directs the Judicial Conference to develop a model mediation program for architectural barrier claims.
The Reform Immigration Through Biometrics Act requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit several reports to Congress within 180 days of the bill's enactment. These reports must detail the status, impact, and effectiveness of the existing integrated biometric entry and exit data system. Specifically, the reports will cover the system's effects on legitimate travel, counterterrorism efforts, and identifying individuals who overstay their visas, while ensuring minimal disruption to travel. It also mandates an assessment of how the system matches biometric information for individuals departing the United States against previously collected data, including privacy protections for U.S. citizens regarding facial recognition. Additionally, the bill requires an evaluation of biographic data sharing with the Canadian Border Services Agency.
This bill reauthorizes the First Responder Network Authority (FRNA) through September 30, 2037, extending its operations beyond the previous 15-year sunset. It places the FRNA under the oversight of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), requiring NTIA approval for key decisions and actions. The bill establishes new requirements for the FRNA board composition (including at least five public safety professionals) and creates an Associate Administrator position to manage operations and serve as a liaison with NTIA. These changes strengthen oversight of FirstNet, the nationwide public safety broadband network used by police, firefighters, and emergency medical services across the country.
The Emergency Reporting Act (HR 5200) requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to improve how it tracks and reports communication outages during major disasters. Specifically, it mandates annual public hearings about events where the Disaster Information Reporting System was activated for 7+ days, followed by FCC reports within 120 days detailing outage durations for broadband, mobile services, and 911 call disruptions. These reports must include affected user numbers, infrastructure impacts, and recommendations to strengthen network resilience. The law directly affects FCC operations and emergency communications providers, aiming to enhance data transparency for public safety agencies without altering existing service provider regulations.
This bill mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security grant temporary protected status (TPS) to Haitian nationals already residing in the United States. It requires the designation to begin on August 3, 2025, and last for 18 months, allowing eligible individuals to legally stay and work during that period. The bill directly affects Haitian nationals in the U.S. who qualify under TPS criteria, providing them temporary relief from deportation. The key provision is the mandatory 18-month TPS period with a specific start date, overriding other legal provisions that might otherwise prevent such a designation.
HR 1343, the Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act, requires the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to create a plan tracking the processing of Form 299 applications. These applications authorize communications facilities (like cell towers) on public lands managed by the Interior Department or Agriculture Department. The plan must detail how the government will track acceptance, processing, and disposal of these forms, improve transparency for applicants, and address implementation barriers. This procedural bill affects broadband providers and applicants seeking land access for communications infrastructure, without changing land use policies.
Equal Representation Act This bill requires that the statement sent by the President to Congress after the decennial census indicating the number of persons in each state exclude noncitizens. (This statement is the basis for reapportionment of U.S. Representatives.) The bill also requires any questionnaire used in the decennial census to include a checkbox or other similar option for respondents to indicate whether the respondent and each household member is (1) a U.S. citizen, (2) a U.S. national but not a citizen, (3) a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) lawfully residing in the United States, or (4) a non-U.S. national unlawfully residing in the United States. The Department of Commerce must make public the number of persons in each state, disaggregated by each of these four categories.
This resolution expresses the Senate's view on the 2019 Ukraine whistleblower complaint and the subsequent impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. It condemns the handling of the complaint, citing alleged concealment of bias information and procedural failures, and calls for the Department of Justice to investigate and potentially prosecute individuals involved in its handling. The resolution further declares that the 2019 impeachment of President Trump by the House of Representatives lacks legitimacy, asserting it was based on a flawed complaint and did not meet the legal standard for impeachment. Finally, it commends the Director of National Intelligence for declassifying relevant materials.
This House Resolution recognizes the efforts and public safety contributions of linemen and the important role they play in maintaining the nation's energy infrastructure. It expresses support for designating April 18, 2026, as "National Lineman Appreciation Day" and acknowledges linemen as first responders.
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that stable housing is a fundamental human right that keeps families together, regardless of immigration status. It condemns a past administration's proposal to ban mixed-immigration status families from receiving prorated federal housing assistance and calls on the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to withdraw any such rule. The resolution also urges Congress to increase funding for federal housing programs and calls for a Government Accountability Office report on the impact of such proposals on family separation and homelessness.
