The Revitalizing America’s Schoolyards Act of 2026 establishes a grant program, administered by the Department of Education, to help public elementary and secondary schools transform their outdoor spaces into "revitalized schoolyards." These new outdoor environments are designed to strengthen local ecological systems, provide hands-on learning opportunities, and promote nature play and social interaction for students and the community. Eligible entities, including local schools and partner non-profits, can apply for planning grants to design these spaces and then implementation grants to build them, with priority given to schools serving a high percentage of low-income students or those vulnerable to extreme heat or flooding. The bill requires a 20% non-federal match for implementation grants, which can be waived for high-need or tribal schools, and also directs the Secretary to maintain a clearinghouse of outdoor learning resources.
The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act places xylazine - a veterinary sedative increasingly found in illicit drug mixtures - into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, subjecting it to federal regulation as a controlled substance. It specifically allows veterinary use without requiring registration of the ultimate user (e.g., pet owners or veterinarians) if xylazine is dispensed by a registered veterinarian or pharmacy with a vet prescription and used for animals owned by the user, under their care, or in authorized animal programs. The bill provides a one-year delay for labeling and packaging requirements and a 60-day delay for registration and recordkeeping for veterinary use to ease implementation. Additionally, it adds xylazine to the Arcos tracking system for controlled substances and mandates two congressional reports on illicit use prevalence within 18 months and 4 years of enactment.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2025 or the GLRI Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which carries out programs and projects to protect and restore the Great Lakes.
The ALERT Act (HR 7613) requires the Federal Aviation Administration to improve aviation safety through several key measures. It mandates the evaluation and potential implementation of enhanced collision avoidance systems (ACAS-Xa) for commercial aircraft and ACAS-Xr for rotorcraft, with specific deadlines for rulemaking and installation. The bill establishes committees to develop recommendations for safety technology requirements, requires safety risk assessments for air traffic controllers, and addresses operational procedures at high-traffic airports like Ronald Reagan Washington National. These provisions affect air carriers, air traffic controllers, rotorcraft operators, and Department of Defense aircraft operations. The act aims to enhance situational awareness and reduce midair collision risks through technology upgrades and improved safety protocols.
This bill, the Public Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Reauthorization Act of 2026, extends an existing federal program. It reauthorizes the Public Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Program, which provides loan repayment assistance to professionals in public health and bio-preparedness fields. The key provision updates the program's funding authorization period. Specifically, it changes the authorization from fiscal years 2023 through 2025 to fiscal years 2027 through 2031, allowing the program to continue supporting this workforce.
This bill establishes a 17-member Commission on Presidential Capacity to Discharge the Powers and Duties of the Office. This commission, composed primarily of medical professionals and former high-ranking executive officials, would be activated by a concurrent resolution of Congress. Its duty would be to conduct a medical examination of the President to determine if they are mentally or physically unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office due to conditions such as illness, disability, or substance use. Following the examination, the commission would report its findings and a declaration on the President's capacity to Congress and the Vice President, with any refusal by the President to undergo examination taken into consideration.
The Alex Gate Safety Act of 2025 requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish safety standards for "covered gates" (including automatic/vehicular gates and gates over 48 inches wide or 84 inches tall) within one year of enactment, referencing existing ASTM and ANSI safety standards. It mandates a public education campaign by the CPSC within two years to inform manufacturers, installers, building officials, and consumers about gate safety risks and prevention methods. The CPSC must also report to Congress within three years on actions taken through the education campaign. The bill directly affects gate manufacturers, installers, retailers, building officials, and consumers using these gates.
The RECOUP Act of 2026 requires the Department of Homeland Security to pay local first responders for their time and resources when they assist federal immigration agents. Under this bill, agencies that help enforce immigration laws can submit detailed requests for reimbursement, which must include information about the number of officers involved, the duration of the response, and their pay rates. The law also mandates that the government protect the personal details of these responders and prohibits releasing that information without a court order. Funding for these payments would come from existing budgets allocated to immigration enforcement agencies, allowing the money to be used until January 2029.
This bill seeks to block a specific rule issued by the Department of Education that affects the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. If passed, it would prevent the rule from taking effect, meaning the proposed changes to federal student loans would not be implemented. The measure uses a legislative process known as a joint resolution of disapproval to override agency regulations. It directly impacts students, families, and institutions that rely on federal student loans by stopping the Department of Education from enforcing the new policy.
This resolution supports the National Day of Silence, an annual event that highlights anti-LGBTQI+ bullying and discrimination in K-12 schools. It calls on communities to demand equal educational opportunities and civil rights protections for all students, with particular focus on LGBTQI+ young people. The bill does not create new laws or regulations but instead expresses official congressional support for awareness efforts and encourages local educational agencies to adopt policies prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics.
The Power for the People Act of 2026 requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create a special approval process for data centers, which are defined as facilities using more than 50 megawatts of electricity. Under this system, data centers must offset their energy consumption by bringing their own clean power sources to the grid or agreeing to flexible power usage that can be reduced when needed. The bill also directs states to establish separate electricity rates for data centers so these facilities pay their full share of grid upgrade costs rather than spreading those expenses across all customers. Additionally, the legislation mandates that data center construction use prevailing wages and registered apprenticeship programs, while requiring greater transparency in how data center energy demands are forecasted and approved.
The Federal Benefits Repatriation Verification Act of 2026 restricts noncitizens receiving federal benefits from sending more than $1,000 in monetary assets to foreign accounts or individuals within any 12-month period. To enforce this limit, the bill requires noncitizen recipients to annually certify their compliance and mandates that financial institutions, including banks and cryptocurrency exchanges, check a new Treasury database before processing transfers. If a noncitizen exceeds the limit or fails to provide certification, they become ineligible for programs such as Social Security, SNAP, and Medicaid, while financial institutions face civil penalties for non-compliance. The legislation also directs the Treasury to create a secure database to track these transactions and share data with benefit agencies to verify eligibility in real time.
