The Green New Deal for Public Schools Act directs over $700 billion in federal funding to public schools, prioritizing those serving the most vulnerable communities based on CDC social vulnerability rankings. The legislation establishes a new Office of Sustainable Schools and authorizes grants for "healthy green retrofits" that convert school buildings into zero-carbon facilities with clean air, water, and energy systems, while also providing funds to hire additional educators, mental health professionals, and support staff. Additionally, the bill mandates increased federal funding for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and creates a climate resiliency program that allows schools to function as community centers during natural disasters. All grant recipients must adhere to strict labor standards, including prevailing wage requirements, Buy American provisions, and local hiring goals that prioritize residents of the surrounding community.
The Head Start Expansion and Improvement Act of 2026 broadens eligibility for early childhood education services by including recipients of various public assistance programs, such as food stamps and Medicaid, in the definition of qualifying families. The bill authorizes $36 billion annually from fiscal years 2027 through 2032 to support these expanded operations and creates a separate grant program providing $1 billion per year until 2030 for agencies to repair or upgrade aging facilities with safety hazards. Additionally, the legislation establishes a loan forgiveness program that cancels federal student loans for childcare workers who complete three years of full-time service in Head Start or Early Head Start programs. Finally, it authorizes $6.8 billion annually through 2032 to provide salary supplements to Head Start employees, with funding allocated based on local wage gaps and cost-of-living factors.
The Healthy Access for Learning Act requires schools receiving federal education funds to provide students with at least 60 minutes of physical activity time each day. This new requirement includes designated recess periods and physical education classes, aiming to address rising rates of childhood obesity and improve academic performance. The bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to mandate these activity periods while allowing local school districts to determine the specific methods used to meet the goal. By integrating regular exercise into the school day, the legislation seeks to support student health and learning without reducing instructional time.
The Know What's on the Tray Act of 2026 requires schools participating in federal lunch and breakfast programs to publish detailed information about their food offerings online at least seven days before serving them. This disclosure must include the specific name of each item, a list of all ingredients, the manufacturer or producer, the production location, and whether the food is locally sourced or made on a family farm. Schools must update this information immediately if their menu changes, and the Department of Agriculture will issue rules to help schools comply within 180 days of the bill's passage. The requirements take effect starting with the first school year that begins at least 18 months after the law is enacted.
The Healthy Commissaries, Healthy Families Act directs the Defense Commissary Agency to create a program that makes healthier food options more available, visible, and affordable at military grocery stores across the United States. To achieve this, the bill requires the agency to appoint a dedicated Healthy Foods director and mandates that the Secretary of Defense work with the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Agriculture to develop a detailed plan within 180 days. This plan must outline strategies for sourcing food from local farmers, sharing best practices among government agencies, and promoting nutrition education for military families. Additionally, the law requires the agency to publish online resources identifying nearby farms and markets for each commissary and to submit annual reports to Congress on progress and challenges. The specific requirements established by this legislation are set to expire on December 31, 2030.
The Safe Baby Formula Act of 2026 directs the Department of Health and Human Services to study the health effects of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead in infant formula within one year of passing. Following this study, the agency must set specific safety limits for these toxic metals in formula products within 90 days. When establishing these limits, the law requires the department to consider how easy it is to meet the standards, its ability to enforce rules on imported goods, and the potential impact on food security. This legislation directly affects infant formula manufacturers and regulators by mandating the creation of evidence-based safety standards for heavy metals.
The Patients Deserve Price Tags Act requires hospitals, clinical diagnostic laboratories, imaging services providers, and ambulatory surgical centers to publicly disclose detailed pricing information for healthcare services in machine-readable formats. This includes standard charges, discounted cash prices, payer-specific negotiated rates, and other relevant pricing data that consumers can easily access and compare. The law applies to all facilities that provide services to Medicare beneficiaries, with implementation dates starting in 2026 for hospitals and 2027 for other providers. Non-compliant facilities face daily civil monetary penalties ranging from $300 to $10,000 per day, depending on facility size and duration of non-compliance.
HR 4541, the EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025, extends the funding period for the Young Women’s Breast Health Education and Awareness program. It amends the Public Health Service Act to update the program’s expiration date from 2026 to 2031. The bill directly affects young women aged 15-25 by ensuring continued access to breast health education and awareness resources. The key provision is a simple extension of the existing program’s authorization period, without altering its scope or requirements. This is a procedural reauthorization to maintain current services through 2031.
This House resolution acknowledges the progress made by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 in promoting independent living and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. It highlights ongoing challenges such as high unemployment rates, systemic barriers in workplaces, and unequal access to healthcare and technology. The bill calls on various federal agencies, including the Department of Labor and the Department of Transportation, to work together to remove these obstacles and expand opportunities for full community participation. By urging bipartisan cooperation, the resolution aims to strengthen support systems and ensure that individuals with disabilities can thrive in their homes, workplaces, and society at large.
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Charleston, South Carolina, should proceed with hosting the 2027 annual meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly. The bill cites Charleston's existing facilities as suitable for the event and notes that hosting the convention in South Carolina honors the legacy of late Senator Lindsey Olin Graham. It also highlights that the United States has not hosted this specific assembly since 2005. The measure does not change any laws or allocate funding but serves as a formal statement of support for the planned event.
The SHIELD Our Elections Act introduces new legal tools to protect election integrity by allowing individuals to file civil lawsuits against those who harass or intimidate voters at polling places. It extends the time limit for prosecuting election-related crimes to nine years and establishes strict rules preventing the seizure of ballots and voting equipment until all legal challenges are resolved. Additionally, the bill creates a federal grant program to help states implement systems that track and notify voters about the status of their mail-in and absentee ballots. These provisions aim to provide clearer legal recourse for election interference, ensure longer accountability periods for offenders, and increase transparency in the ballot counting process.
The Right to IVF Act of 2026 establishes federal protections to ensure individuals can access assisted reproductive technology and intrauterine insemination without state-imposed restrictions, while also mandating that health insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits program cover these services. The bill defines these procedures broadly to include treatments like egg and embryo freezing and requires coverage regardless of whether a patient has been diagnosed with infertility. It further directs the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide fertility preservation and reproductive assistance to uniformed service members and veterans, including funding for egg or sperm retrieval and storage. Additionally, the legislation grants federal courts the authority to challenge and block any state laws that limit access to these reproductive treatments or discriminate against providers and patients based on protected characteristics.
