The Build American Efficiency Act allows the Department of Housing and Urban Development to accept a specific industry standard, known as the Make It American Process Standard, as valid proof that construction materials meet domestic content requirements. This change directly affects recipients of federal housing funds by providing an additional, recognized method to certify that their projects comply with Buy America rules. The bill does not force anyone to use this new standard, nor does it ban the use of other existing certification methods, but it does give the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development the option to accept similar standards if they offer a clear way to verify domestic content.
The Military Readiness Permitting Efficiency Act of 2026 allows the Department of Defense to enter into agreements with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to speed up environmental reviews for priority military projects. Under these agreements, the military can provide direct funding to hire additional staff for these agencies if they lack the necessary personnel or funds to complete reviews within a specific timeframe. This process applies to environmental assessments required by laws such as the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The bill aims to reduce delays in military construction and operations by ensuring these reviews are completed promptly when national defense interests are at stake.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2027 This bill provides FY2027 appropriations for the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies. The bill provides appropriations to USDA for agricultural programs, including the Office of the Secretary, Executive Operations, the Economic Research Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Agricultural Research Service, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Agricultural Marketing Service, and the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The bill also provides appropriations to USDA for farm production and conservation programs, including the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, the Farm Service Agency, the Risk Management Agency, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The bill provides appropriations to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund and the Commodity Credit Corporation Fund. For USDA rural development programs, the bill includes appropriations for Salaries and Expenses, the Rural Housing Service, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service. The bill provides appropriations to the Food and Nutrition Service for Child Nutrition Programs; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); the Commodity Assistance Program; and Nutrition Programs Administration. The bill provides appropriations to the Foreign Agricultural Service for (1) Food for Peace Title II Grants, and (2) McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program Grants. The bill also provides appropriations for the Food and Drug Administration, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Farm Credit Administration. Additionally, the bill sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts. It also includes provisions that address the regulation of animal food, liability for donations of pet-related products, and payments for the construction of the Arkansas Valley Conduit.
This resolution expresses support for designating June 5, 2026, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day and June 2026 as National Gun Violence Awareness Month. The bill calls on the public to wear orange on the designated day to honor victims and promote awareness of gun safety. It highlights statistics on gun-related deaths and injuries to underscore the need for community discussions on making neighborhoods safer.
The Encouraging Public Offerings Act of 2026 expands the ability of companies to discuss potential stock sales with investors before officially registering the offering. It allows all issuers, not just emerging growth companies, to use confidential "testing the waters" communications and submit draft registration statements for private review by the Securities and Exchange Commission. These draft submissions must be made at least 15 days before a public road show or the requested filing date, after which the documents become public. The bill also requires the Commission to report to Congress before implementing any additional rules for non-emerging growth companies regarding these new submission processes.
The Protecting American Consumers Act establishes a minimum funding level for the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection to ensure it has sufficient resources to operate. Specifically, the bill mandates that the federal government must transfer at least 12 percent of the Federal Reserve System's total operating expenses to the Bureau each fiscal year. This provision directly affects the Bureau's budget and its ability to enforce financial regulations on lenders and other entities that impact consumers. By setting a fixed floor for funding, the legislation aims to prevent the Bureau's budget from being reduced below this threshold in future years.
HRES 518 is a procedural resolution that sets the rules for the House of Representatives to consider H.R. 2913, a bill authorizing U.S. support for Ukraine. It waives all objections to the bill’s consideration, limits debate to one hour equally divided between committee leaders, and requires the House to transmit the bill to the Senate within one week of passage. This resolution does not change the content of the Ukraine support bill but streamlines its legislative process.
This resolution proposes to officially designate June as "Family Month" to highlight the importance of the traditional nuclear family. It also calls for the House of Representatives to stop recognizing Pride Month, which it argues has replaced the celebration of family values. The bill is sponsored by a group of representatives who believe that strengthening traditional marriage is essential for societal stability and population growth.
This bill, known as the Preventing International Surrogacy Exploitation Act, aims to stop foreign nationals from using U.S. surrogate mothers for commercial surrogacy arrangements. It would make any surrogacy contract void and unenforceable if the intended parents are foreign citizens or permanent residents, with a specific exception for married couples where at least one partner is a U.S. citizen or resident. Additionally, the law prohibits surrogacy brokers from facilitating these agreements and imposes criminal penalties, including fines and up to 10 years in prison, for those who knowingly or recklessly assist in such contracts. Children born through these invalid agreements would have their custody determined by the state where the surrogate lives, focusing on the child's best interests rather than the contract. Finally, the bill prevents foreign parents from using their U.S.-born children to gain immigration benefits or rights under U.S. immigration laws.
The Protecting Kids from Creeps Act prohibits surrogacy agencies, their employees, and sex offenders from participating in surrogacy agreements, directly affecting fertility clinics, staff, and individuals required to register as sex offenders. The bill mandates severe criminal penalties, including fines and prison sentences of at least 10 to 20 years, for knowingly or recklessly facilitating such agreements, while also stripping convicted agencies of their tax-exempt status and eligibility for federal grants. Any surrogacy agreement formed in violation of these rules is declared legally void and unenforceable, meaning it cannot be used to establish parental rights. In cases where a child is born from an illegal agreement, custody decisions will be made solely based on the best interests of the child under the laws of the state where the surrogate lives, ignoring any prior contracts. Additionally, the Attorney General can pursue civil penalties equal to the compensation received or offered for prohibited conduct.
This bill creates new grounds for deporting non-citizens who are members of or associated with criminal gangs. It defines a "criminal gang" as a group of five or more people whose primary purpose is committing serious crimes like drug offenses, violence, trafficking, or weapons violations. The Secretary of Homeland Security can designate groups as criminal gangs after consultation with the Attorney General, and these designations make gang members ineligible for asylum, temporary protected status, parole, and other immigration benefits. The bill also establishes procedures for reviewing and revoking these designations, with limited judicial review options.
The Modern, Clean, and Safe Trucks Act of 2026 repeals the 12 percent federal excise tax on new heavy trucks, tractors, and trailers. By removing this tax, the bill aims to lower the purchase price of these vehicles and encourage the replacement of older, less efficient models with newer, cleaner technology. The legislation directly affects truck manufacturers, dealerships, and fleet operators by eliminating a specific line item in the Internal Revenue Code that currently applies to the first retail sale of these items. Additionally, the act includes technical amendments to related tax sections to ensure consistency after the main tax is removed.
