The Servicemember Civilian Transition Support Act creates a new senior official within the Department of Defense to oversee programs helping military members move from active duty to civilian life or reserve components. This designated official, who must have extensive experience with veterans' services, will serve as the department's chief transition officer and advise top defense leaders on related policies. Their duties include reviewing existing assistance programs, coordinating with other federal agencies, and working with state and local governments to improve support services for transitioning service members and their families. The bill also requires the Secretary of Defense to brief Congress within 90 days on the appointment and implementation of this new role.
The New Pathways Act requires the Bureau of Prisons to provide returning federal prisoners with essential identification and documents before their release. For U.S. citizens, the bill mandates that the agency issue a photo ID card and secure necessary proof of citizenship and a Social Security card, even if the prisoner lacks the paperwork to obtain them themselves. Noncitizens eligible for work and residence will receive assistance in getting their immigration status documents and employment authorization. Additionally, the act ensures that individuals released directly from prison without prior custody receive help from the Probation System to create a plan for their reentry into society.
The PEAT Act of 2026 amends federal regulations to clarify how certain biologic drugs are classified for approval purposes. Specifically, it prevents the Food and Drug Administration from denying approval to a biologic product simply because it contains a protein that does not have a clinical effect. This change ensures that the presence of inactive proteins does not automatically disqualify a drug from being treated as a biological product. The legislation directly impacts pharmaceutical companies developing complex biologics and the regulatory review process for these medicines. By removing this specific barrier, the bill aims to streamline the path to market for drugs that include non-active protein components.
The Reward Work Act prohibits companies from buying back their own stock on public exchanges while requiring at least one-third of corporate board members to be elected by employees. Under this bill, corporations would need to hold one-employee-one-vote elections to select these worker representatives, with the Securities and Exchange Commission tasked with creating rules to ensure fair and democratic processes. The legislation specifically targets publicly traded companies and their boards of directors, aiming to increase worker influence in corporate governance through direct election mechanisms.
The Honor Our Commitment Act of 2026 prevents the government from detaining or deporting specific Vietnamese nationals who entered the United States on or before July 12, 1995, and have lived there continuously. This protection applies to individuals with existing deportation orders, though it does not cover those who pose a security threat or face extradition. The Department of Homeland Security must grant these individuals work authorization and notify them of their rights within 60 days of the law taking effect. Finally, the bill allows people harmed by violations of these rules to seek legal relief in federal court.
HR 8603, the Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act of 2026, prohibits physicians from performing abortions that involve dismembering an unborn child and extracting it piece by piece or crushed from the uterus. The law allows exceptions only when the procedure is necessary to save the mother's life, while explicitly permitting other abortion methods for reasons such as rape or incest. It imposes criminal penalties of up to two years in prison or fines on physicians who violate the ban and creates a civil lawsuit system where women or parents of minors can seek monetary damages and attorney fees against providers. The bill also defines an 'unborn child' as a human organism from fertilization until birth and clarifies that the woman undergoing the procedure cannot be prosecuted or held financially liable.
The FAIR Labels Act of 2026 establishes new labeling requirements for cell-cultivated protein products and plant-based alternatives designed to look like meat or poultry. It mandates that labels for these products prominently display the terms "cell-cultivated" or "plant-based alternative protein product" and include clear disclaimers stating the items are not derived from live animals or birds. Additionally, the bill updates regulatory oversight by requiring the USDA and FDA to revise their agreement, assigning the USDA primary responsibility for regulating cell-cultivated meat and poultry while the FDA oversees production safety and facility compliance. The legislation also directs these agencies to create common standards of identity for these products within 180 days of enactment.
This bill authorizes Congress to award three Congressional Gold Medals to President Donald Trump, the United States Secret Service, and local law enforcement partners. The legislation recognizes these individuals and groups for their roles in preventing recent political violence and protecting the President during specific incidents in Butler, West Palm Beach, and Washington, DC. It directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the medals, with designated copies intended for public display, the Secret Service Museum, and the National Law Enforcement Museum. Additionally, the bill allows the Secretary of the Treasury to strike bronze duplicates for sale to cover the production costs of the gold medals.
This bill, titled the No Capital Gains Tax on Family Farms Act, would allow farmers to sell their land to immediate family members without paying capital gains tax on the profit. To qualify, the property must have been used as a farm for at least two years within the eight years prior to the sale, and the buyer must be a spouse, lineal descendant, or their spouse. If the new owner keeps the farm for ten years, the property's tax basis will be adjusted upward to reflect its fair market value at the time of the sale. The law applies to sales occurring after its enactment and requires the IRS to issue regulations to guide its implementation.
The Save America's Family Forests Act of 2026 provides tax incentives to encourage landowners to replant trees after natural disasters. It increases the standard tax deduction for general reforestation projects from $10,000 to $30,000 and adds a new, separate deduction of up to $1 million for costs incurred to replant timber damaged by federally declared disasters. These financial benefits are designed to help families and businesses recover from events like wildfires or storms by allowing them to write off replanting expenses on their tax returns. The bill also includes rules to prevent abuse, such as requiring that any property benefiting from these deductions be held for at least ten years before being sold. Additionally, the law mandates that these dollar amounts be adjusted annually for inflation to maintain their value over time.
The Puppy Protection Act of 2026 amends the Animal Welfare Act to impose stricter housing and care standards on dog dealers. It requires dealers to provide dogs with solid flooring, sufficient indoor space based on size, and temperature control between 45 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The bill also mandates daily nutritious food, unrestricted outdoor exercise for most dogs over 12 weeks, and at least 30 minutes of daily social interaction with humans. Additionally, it establishes specific rules for breeding, such as limiting the number of litters a female dog can produce and requiring health screenings before breeding. These new requirements must be implemented through final regulations issued by the Secretary within 18 months of the law's enactment.
This bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to restrict how background information is shared with landlords when screening potential tenants. It directly affects individuals with criminal records by prohibiting consumer reporting agencies from including specific data in reports used for rental housing decisions. Key provisions ban the inclusion of arrest records, juvenile adjudications, expunged convictions, and cases resolved through diversion programs, while also preventing the reporting of convictions that have been completed or where the individual is currently on probation or parole. Additionally, the legislation requires landlords who deny housing based on these reports to provide applicants with the specific reasons for the denial within three days. Finally, the bill prevents states from setting their own time limits for how long certain types of criminal information can be excluded from these reports.
