The Patients Before Monopolies Act prohibits companies from owning both pharmacy benefit managers and insurance businesses or pharmacies to eliminate conflicts of interest. It requires existing violators to sell off their pharmacy operations within one year and grants the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice the power to block new mergers that would recreate these combined ownership structures. The bill also allows private citizens and state officials to sue for violations, seeking penalties like disgorgement of profits and treble damages if the law is broken.
The Bereaved Parents Rights Act requires hospitals and birth centers to inform parents of stillborn fetuses or miscarriages about their options for burial, cremation, or hospital disposal. This notification must occur within six hours of the event or the parent's discharge, using a standardized form provided by the federal government. If a parent chooses to arrange burial or cremation within 72 hours, the facility must follow the state's existing rules for handling fetal deaths. The law also allows parents to file a civil lawsuit in federal court if a hospital fails to comply with these notification and disposition requirements.
The Supporting Newborn Parents Act of 2026 creates a new tax credit of $2,000 for each child born to a taxpayer during the tax year. To receive this credit, parents must have earned income, with the maximum amount limited to 20% of their earnings, and the benefit phases out as family income rises. The bill allows parents to request an advance payment of the credit shortly after a child's birth by providing their information when applying for a Social Security number. Additionally, the legislation requires the Treasury to establish an online portal to help parents understand how to make elections regarding advance payments and estimated income figures.
This bill requires the Department of Defense to review and eventually ban contracts with retailers that use payment processing systems from specific countries deemed a national security risk, such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Effective January 1, 2027, the Defense Department will be prohibited from entering into agreements for payment equipment or services if those tools rely on technology developed, owned, or controlled by entities in these nations. The law defines covered systems broadly to include hardware, software, and firmware linked to these countries, aiming to prevent potential foreign access to sensitive military financial data. Retailers wishing to continue working with the Department of Defense must replace their payment processing infrastructure with systems that do not involve these restricted technologies.
The Critical Mineral and Extraction Tax Parity Act expands a federal tax credit for advanced manufacturing to include eleven new critical minerals, such as boron, copper, and uranium, while also adding specific rules for phosphate. It allows companies that extract ore in the United States to claim these credits for the extraction costs themselves, provided they certify that the ore is refined into a qualifying mineral and sold to an unrelated buyer. Additionally, the bill removes a previous penalty that reduced tax credit amounts for metallurgical coal, ensuring these materials receive the same financial support as other critical minerals. These changes are designed to encourage domestic production and processing of essential raw materials and will take effect for minerals produced and sold after December 31, 2025.
This bill, known as the Bulletproof Law Enforcement Vehicles Act, directs the Department of Homeland Security to allow funding for upgrading law enforcement vehicles with security features like bulletproof windows. By amending an existing law, it expands the types of vehicle enhancements that can be financed with current federal assistance programs. The change specifically authorizes the use of these funds for protective upgrades without creating new budgetary requirements. Law enforcement agencies that receive federal financial assistance would be the primary beneficiaries of this expanded eligibility.
This resolution expresses support for police officers and other law enforcement personnel. The resolution further recognizes law enforcement officers across the United States in the pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities; the need to ensure that such officers have the equipment, training, and resources necessary to protect their health and safety while they are protecting the public; and the law enforcement community for acts of sacrifice and heroism. The resolution expresses condolences and appreciation to the loved ones of each law enforcement officer who has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
The Criminal History Access Act expands the types of government entities that can receive criminal history records from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for official use. It specifically allows the FBI to share these records with the United States Sentencing Commission, State sentencing commissions, Indian tribes, and State peace officer standards and training agencies. These State agencies are defined as those with statutory authority to set standards for law enforcement hiring, training, and ethical conduct. The bill also broadens the definition of "State" for these purposes to include U.S. territories, and requires the Attorney General to update regulations to reflect these changes within 180 days.
This bill increases loan limits for small manufacturers under two federal programs. It defines "small manufacturer" as a business primarily in U.S. manufacturing sectors (31-33) with all facilities in the U.S. The bill raises the maximum Small Business Administration 7(a) loan limit for these manufacturers from $3.75 million to $7.5 million (capping at $10 million), and doubles the export loan limit from $5 million to $10 million. These changes directly affect qualifying U.S.-based manufacturing businesses seeking federal loan support for operations or exports. The policy modifies specific loan caps without altering other program requirements.
This bill would amend federal law to strengthen penalties for organized retail crime by expanding definitions of theft to include digital goods, gift cards, and setting a $5,000 aggregate value threshold for charges over a 12-month period. It would establish a new "Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center" under Homeland Security to coordinate Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement efforts against cross-jurisdictional theft groups. The Center would share information with retailers, transportation companies, and law enforcement agencies, track crime trends, and produce annual reports on organized retail crime. This legislation directly affects retailers, supply chain businesses, and law enforcement agencies, while targeting organized crime groups responsible for a 93% increase in larceny incidents and rising safety concerns for retail employees. The bill aims to address significant financial losses and supply chain disruptions noted in the National Retail Federation's 2023 data.
The ABLE Tomorrow Act expands and strengthens the ABLE program, which allows people with disabilities to save money in tax-advantaged accounts without risking their eligibility for essential government benefits like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income. Key changes include removing limits on transferring funds from 529 college savings plans into ABLE accounts and creating exceptions to annual contribution caps for specific lump-sum payments. The bill also permits employers to contribute directly to an employee's ABLE account as part of a retirement plan and requires various federal agencies to inform beneficiaries about these savings opportunities. Additionally, the legislation authorizes $50 million in grants over five years to help states and tribes promote ABLE accounts and increase participation among eligible individuals.
This bill clarifies that individuals are legally permitted to use direct deposit to make contributions to ABLE accounts, which are savings plans designed to help people with disabilities save for qualified expenses. By explicitly stating that no existing law prohibits this method of payment, the legislation removes potential confusion or barriers for donors and financial institutions. The change does not alter the core rules of ABLE programs but simply confirms a practical way for people to fund these accounts.
