This bill extends federal funding for sport fish restoration and recreational boating safety through 2031, directly benefiting anglers, boaters, and conservation organizations. It updates the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act by changing the funding period from 2026 to 2031 and modifies how multistate conservation grants are distributed. The key provision ensures each state receives the greater of 0.0375 percent of total appropriations or $200,000 for conservation projects, replacing the previous $1.2 million cap. These changes aim to provide more predictable and flexible funding for fisheries management and water safety initiatives across the United States.
This bill, titled the Ensuring Better Interest Treatment and Deductibility Act, would change how businesses calculate the limit on interest expenses they can deduct on their taxes. It directly affects corporations and other businesses that pay interest on loans by modifying the rules for determining adjusted taxable income. The key provision removes a specific clause from the tax code that currently limits how much interest can be deducted based on a company's earnings, effectively allowing more interest to be treated as a deductible business expense. These changes would apply to tax years starting after December 31, 2025, meaning businesses would need to adjust their financial planning for future tax filings.
This bill, titled the Fair Treatment of Religious Organizations Act of 2026, establishes rules for how religious organizations are treated under federal tax law and financial assistance programs. It directs the IRS to determine whether an organization's purpose is religious without considering its specific beliefs about marriage, sexuality, or gender identity, even if those beliefs conflict with current laws. The legislation also prohibits federal agencies from discriminating against religious employers that receive federal funding if those employers hire staff based on their religious standards. These protections apply to religious corporations, associations, educational institutions, and societies, ensuring they can maintain employment practices aligned with their faith when receiving government support.
This bill requires fertilizer manufacturers and wholesalers to report weekly prices and quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and fertilizer products to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The reporting must distinguish between domestic and foreign sources while exempting agricultural cooperatives and non-manufacturer retailers from mandatory requirements, though they may voluntarily provide data. The Secretary of Agriculture will make this information publicly available on a weekly basis through a dashboard that aggregates data to protect confidential business details. A separate retail survey program will supplement manufacturer reports with regional price estimates, and the Secretary must review reporting requirements every two years to ensure they remain accurate. The legislation explicitly states that these reporting requirements do not override existing antitrust laws.
This bill would change federal law to give the executive branch more control over how United States Attorneys manage their offices. It directly affects the Department of Justice and the federal prosecutors who work under these attorneys. The key change removes a court rule that currently limits how long a U.S. Attorney can serve after being appointed, and it deletes a provision that restricts the executive branch from overseeing these offices. By making these adjustments to Title 28 of the U.S. Code, the legislation aims to restore what the bill describes as constitutional authority for the executive branch to supervise these legal offices.
Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE America Act This bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote, and requires photo identification to vote, in federal elections. Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship, a valid U.S. passport, or a valid government-issued photo identification card that shows the applicant's place of birth was in the United States. Further, the bill (1) requires states to accept and process a voter registration application in the event of a name discrepancy in the applicant's documentation, as long as the applicant provides additional documentation; and (2) requires states to establish an alternative process to demonstrate U.S. citizenship. Within 30 days of the bill's enactment, each state must take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote, which shall include establishing a program to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens using information supplied by certain sources. Further, each state must submit its complete official list of eligible voters to the Department of Homeland Security for comparison with the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system, which is used to verify immigration status. Individuals who are identified as noncitizens must be given the opportunity to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. Additionally, states must remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters. The bill (1) provides for a private right of action for certain violations, and (2) establishes criminal penalties for certain offenses. The bill prohibits a state or local election official from providing a ballot for a federal election to an individual who does not present valid physical photo identification. An individual who does not present the required identification must be permitted to cast a provisional ballot. However, an election official may not determine that the individual is eligible under state law to vote in the election unless, not later than three days after casting the provisional ballot, the individual presents (1) the identification required, or (2) an affidavit attesting that the individual does not possess the identification because of a religious objection to being photographed. Further, an election official may not allow for voting methods other than in-person voting unless the individual submits the ballot with (1) a copy of their photo identification, or (2) the last four digits of their Social Security number with an affidavit attesting that the individual is unable to obtain a copy of a valid photo identification after making reasonable efforts to obtain a copy. This prohibition shall not apply to overseas military voters or individuals provided the right to vote other than in person under the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act. State and local government officials must provide, to the extent practicable, public access to a digital imaging device for the purpose of allowing individuals to use the device at no cost to make a copy of their valid photo identification.
HR 3420, the Words Matter Act of 2025, updates federal law to replace the terms "mentally retarded" and "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" across numerous statutes. It amends over 20 provisions in laws governing healthcare (like the Social Security Act and Indian Health Care Improvement Act), disability services, criminal justice, and federal programs to use more respectful and current terminology. The bill specifically targets definitions in areas such as medical care for families, nursing home regulations, legal sentencing, and grant programs, ensuring consistent language for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The legislation explicitly states this terminology change is purely linguistic and does not alter eligibility, coverage, or rights for affected individuals.
Love Lives On Act of 2025 This bill extends entitlement for various benefit programs and services for surviving spouses of deceased members of the Armed Forces or veterans. The bill provides that the remarriage of a surviving spouse must not bar the furnishing of dependency and indemnity compensation or special pension benefits to such spouse. Additionally, the Department of Defense may not terminate the payment of an annuity for a surviving spouse under the Survivor Benefit Plan solely because the surviving spouse remarries. The bill also expands the definition of a dependent under TRICARE to include a remarried widow or widower whose subsequent marriage has ended due to death, divorce, or annulment.
This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, signed by major technology companies on March 4, 2026, represents sound national policy for protecting electricity customers as data centers expand. The bill highlights concerns that data centers are consuming a growing share of national electricity and that traditional utility regulations often require all ratepayers to pay for infrastructure built to serve these large industrial users. The resolution supports the pledge's requirement that companies negotiating data center agreements pay for generation and delivery infrastructure regardless of whether they use the electricity, aiming to prevent households and small businesses from subsidizing private energy costs. It also encourages relevant federal agencies to help implement these commitments and invites additional technology companies to voluntarily adopt similar protections for ratepayers.
This resolution formally recognizes the 100th anniversary of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI), a trade organization founded in 1926. The bill commends SAAMI for developing industry standards that ensure firearms and ammunition are safe, reliable, and interchangeable. It acknowledges the organization's work in coordinating with government bodies, international standards groups, and industry stakeholders to maintain consistent safety practices. This measure is a ceremonial resolution that does not change any laws or regulations but serves to honor SAAMI's century of leadership in the firearms industry.
This bill establishes a comprehensive federal framework for consumer data privacy and security, creating a uniform set of rules that would preempt most state privacy laws. It requires businesses that collect personal data to obtain consent from individuals before gathering or processing their information, with stricter requirements for sensitive data like health records and financial details. Covered entities must provide clear privacy policies, allow individuals to access, correct, or delete their data, and implement security programs to protect information from unauthorized access. The Federal Trade Commission would enforce these rules and has authority to impose civil penalties on violators, while also receiving additional funding to carry out enforcement duties.
This bill, the 287(g) Cooperation Act of 2026, requires state and local law enforcement agencies to sign a formal agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to remain eligible for federal Community Oriented Policing Services grants. The law mandates that agencies must have this written memorandum of agreement in place within 180 days of the bill's enactment, or they will be ineligible to receive funding for the program. The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security must establish procedures to verify that agencies have completed this agreement before approving any grant awards. The changes apply to grant applications starting with fiscal year 2027 and all subsequent years.
