Minnesota Congressional Bills

in committee · Minnesota · House Feb 10, 2026

HR 5221: PART Act

The PART Act requires new vehicles to have catalytic converters marked with a unique identification number that links directly to the vehicle's identification number, stored in a law enforcement-accessible database. It establishes a $7 million grant program to help repair shops, dealers, law enforcement, and fleet owners purchase equipment for marking converters with visible, durable identifiers (using die or pin stamping and high-visibility paint). The bill also mandates that businesses buying catalytic converters keep detailed seller records (including vehicle information) for two years and use traceable payments, banning cash or cryptocurrency transactions. Additionally, it creates new federal criminal penalties for stealing or trafficking in catalytic converters, with potential sentences of up to five years in prison.

James R. Baird (R) · 74 co-sponsors

in committee · Minnesota · House Feb 9, 2026

HRES 1047: Recognizing January 2026 as "National Mentoring Month".

HRES 1047 designates January 2026 as "National Mentoring Month" to highlight the importance of mentoring relationships for youth development. The resolution does not create new laws or allocate funding but encourages public awareness and support for existing mentoring programs that help young people build skills, confidence, and educational opportunities. It emphasizes mentoring's role in improving academic performance, career readiness, and mental health outcomes without imposing any new obligations on individuals or organizations.

Topics ✓ Education

Mary Gay Scanlon (D) · 28 co-sponsors

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Feb 9, 2026

S 2544: GUARD Act

The GUARD Act allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to use existing federal grant funds to investigate elder financial fraud (targeting elderly or disabled individuals), "pig butchering" scams (where victims are tricked into investing in fake crypto schemes), and general financial fraud. It requires agencies to hire specialized staff, use technology tools for tracking scams, and report annually on how funds were used and their impact on fraud statistics. The bill also mandates two key federal reports: one to Congress on scam trends and enforcement actions, and another detailing annual consumer losses and government spending on fraud prevention. These provisions aim to improve coordination between law enforcement, financial institutions, and federal agencies to combat evolving fraud schemes.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

in committee · Minnesota · House Feb 9, 2026

HR 7417: Women’s Heart Health Expansion Act of 2026

HR 7417 reauthorizes and expands the WISEWOMAN program to include heart health screenings and education for low-income women. The bill directs the CDC to award grants for blood pressure and cholesterol screenings, health education, and referrals for heart disease prevention, building on existing breast and cervical cancer services. It specifically targets low-income women who are already served by the WISEWOMAN program or meet new eligibility criteria set by the Secretary. The expansion is funded with $250 million over five fiscal years (2027-2031), with services to be provided by current WISEWOMAN grantees or approved alternative providers.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

Joyce Beatty (D) · 29 co-sponsors

in committee · Minnesota · House Feb 9, 2026

HR 7437: BASICS Act

This bill, known as the BASICS Act, creates a new $5.5 billion federal funding program over five years to repair and replace bridges in poor condition across the United States. The program prioritizes projects based on the cost of bridge rehabilitation in each state and guarantees a minimum funding allocation of $45 million per state annually. It also expands funding for regional transportation planning in rural areas and increases flexibility for local governments to select and manage transportation projects through enhanced consultation requirements. Additionally, the legislation removes local matching fund requirements for metropolitan planning activities and allows 100 percent federal funding for off-system bridge projects owned by local governments or tribes.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Feb 5, 2026

SRES 597: A resolution providing for the authority to initiate litigation for actions by the President and Department of Justice officials inconsistent with their duties under the laws of the United States.

SRES 597 is a Senate resolution authorizing the U.S. Senate to initiate or join a federal lawsuit against the Department of Justice for failing to fully comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act (Public Law 119-38), which required the complete release of all Epstein-related documents by December 19, 2025. The resolution directs the Senate Majority Leader to file the lawsuit to compel the DOJ to release unredacted documents meeting the Act's requirements, covering legal costs from Senate appropriations. This action follows the DOJ's release of only about 12,000 documents (less than 1% of files) by the deadline, along with misrepresentations about the volume and completeness of the release.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Feb 5, 2026

S 3793: Predatory Lending Elimination Act

The Predatory Lending Elimination Act applies military lending protections to all consumers, not just military members, by setting strict interest rate limits on personal loans and credit cards. It prohibits lenders from charging excessive rates on most consumer credit (except residential mortgages, auto loans for vehicle purchases, and federal credit union loans) and bans exemptions that would weaken these caps. The law preserves stronger state consumer protections and allows state attorneys general to enforce violations within three years. It requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to issue rules within one year to implement these rate limits and ensure consistency with existing military lending standards.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Feb 5, 2026

S 3801: Combating Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Counterfeiting Act of 2026

The Combating Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Counterfeiting Act of 2026 strengthens U.S. laws against financial crimes by increasing penalties for bulk cash smuggling, clarifying how money laundering cases involving commingled funds can be prosecuted, and prohibiting money laundering through informal value transfer systems like hawalas. It expands the definition of money services businesses, creates new requirements for threat analysis of remittance systems used for illicit activities, and updates counterfeiting laws to better address modern financial crime methods. The bill affects financial institutions, money services businesses, and law enforcement agencies by providing clearer legal standards and new enforcement tools. It also updates wiretap authority for certain money laundering and counterfeiting offenses and expands the international money laundering statute to include tax evasion. The law aims to close loopholes that enable money laundering and terrorist financing while ensuring financial systems remain secure.

in committee · Minnesota · House Feb 5, 2026

HR 7347: Stop Inhumane Conditions in ICE Detention Act of 2026

HR 7347, the *Stop Inhumane Conditions in ICE Detention Act of 2026*, requires all facilities detaining noncitizens under U.S. immigration law - including contracted facilities - to implement real-time health reporting systems for medical, dental, and mental health conditions. It mandates anonymous, multilingual complaint systems for detainees with anti-retaliation protections, annual DHS audits of health conditions (including gender-specific care), and full-time health liaisons at each facility. The bill triggers contract reviews for facilities with three verified health complaints and requires quarterly public reports on conditions and complaints to Congress. These provisions directly affect ICE detention facilities, detainees, and DHS oversight processes, focusing on transparency and accountability in health care.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare ✓ Immigration

Yassamin Ansari (D) · 45 co-sponsors

in committee · Minnesota · House Feb 4, 2026

HRES 1038: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States must recommit to defend and uphold the rights and protections guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution to ensure that our democracy works for all of us, not just a powerful few.

HRES 1038 is a non-binding House resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the U.S. must reaffirm its commitment to the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantees of birthright citizenship, due process, and equal protection under the law. It calls on all federal branches to defend these rights against actions that threaten them, such as policies undermining birthright citizenship or restricting voting access. The resolution specifically urges Congress to oppose legislation or executive actions that weaken these constitutional protections and to work toward full equal protection for all people. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new law or impose legal requirements but emphasizes the importance of upholding these constitutional principles for democratic fairness.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Immigration

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Feb 4, 2026

S 3777: Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2026

The Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2026 would provide $20 billion annually (2027-2031) to improve public school facilities across the United States. The bill directs funds to states based on previous Title I funding allocations, requiring states to contribute 10% of the funds (with some exceptions) and develop plans for equitable distribution to school districts. Local educational agencies must prioritize schools with high numbers of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and funds can be used for construction, renovation, energy efficiency upgrades, removal of toxic substances, and making facilities accessible. The bill also establishes school infrastructure bonds to leverage private investment and includes specific provisions to repair foundations damaged by pyrrhotite.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

Jack Reed (D) · 20 co-sponsors

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Feb 4, 2026

S 3774: SCAM Act

The SCAM Act requires online platforms that accept payment for advertisements to verify advertiser identities (including government ID and business documentation) and implement systems to detect and remove scam ads within 72 hours of reporting. It mandates platforms to conduct investigations, remove verified fraudulent ads within 24 hours, and maintain active impersonation detection programs. The law directly affects major social media and digital advertising platforms by imposing new verification and monitoring obligations to prevent deceptive ads targeting consumers. Enforcement falls to the Federal Trade Commission, treating violations as unfair or deceptive practices under existing law.

Topics ✓ Technology

Minnesota Congressional Bills

Bill results