The Tick-Borne Livestock Disease Research Prioritization Act directs the Department of Agriculture to provide research and extension grants aimed at addressing emerging tick-borne diseases in livestock, such as anaplasmosis and babesiosis. These funds are specifically allocated for developing vaccines, treatments, and improved surveillance methods to combat threats posed by invasive species like the Asian longhorned tick. Additionally, the bill supports educational programs designed to help veterinarians, state agriculture departments, and producers better recognize and prevent these diseases. By enhancing diagnostic capabilities and providing practical guidance, the legislation seeks to protect herd health and reduce economic losses for beef and dairy producers.
The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 establishes new rules to protect student athletes and regulate college sports broadcasting by amending existing federal laws. It requires colleges and athletic associations to allow athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness without losing eligibility, while mandating that athletes disclose agreements worth more than $600 annually. The bill also introduces stricter health and safety standards, including independent medical authority for return-to-play decisions and expanded medical coverage for injuries sustained during competition. Additionally, it creates a new commission to study the future of college athletics and modifies broadcasting laws to ensure local market access for games and prevent large conferences from merging in ways that reduce the number of participating schools.
The RISE Act amends the Higher Education Act to improve support for college students with disabilities. It requires institutions to accept multiple forms of documentation (like high school IEPs or 504 plans) to verify disability status and mandates transparent, accessible processes for determining accommodation eligibility. Colleges must also report specific disability-related data to federal databases, including the number of students receiving accommodations and degree completions. Additionally, the bill authorizes $10 million annually (2027-2031) for a national center providing technical support to students with disabilities, without altering existing ADA definitions or rights.
The Kids Online Safety Act (S 1748) requires major social media platforms, online video games, and other "covered platforms" to implement specific safety features for minors (under 17). These features include default privacy settings that limit harmful design features like infinite scrolling and auto-play, parental controls for managing minors' accounts, and restrictions on advertising illegal products to minors. The bill also mandates annual transparency reports about how platforms are used by minors and requires platforms to provide clear notices about their content algorithms. It creates a Kids Online Safety Council to advise Congress on online safety issues for children. The law applies to platforms with more than 10 million monthly users in the U.S. and takes effect 18 months after enactment.
This resolution expresses support for designating February as Serbian American Heritage Month to honor the history and contributions of the Serbian American community. It recognizes that approximately one million Americans of Serbian ancestry have served in various fields, including the military, science, business, and the arts, while highlighting specific historical events like Operation Halyard. The measure urges the public to observe this month with ceremonies and educational programs that celebrate Serbian heritage and the enduring friendship between the United States and Serbia.
This bill, titled the Permanent CBDC Ban Act, aims to permanently prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency. It achieves this by amending the Federal Reserve Act to remove the specific legal authority that allows the Reserve to create such a digital currency. The legislation directly affects the Federal Reserve by stripping away its power to launch a digital version of the dollar. By deleting the relevant subsection of the law, the bill ensures that the Reserve cannot issue a CBDC in the future.
The Great American Healthcare Act introduces several changes to the U.S. healthcare system, primarily focusing on expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and increasing price transparency for medical services. Under the HSA provisions, individuals can contribute more money to these accounts, use funds for healthy food and fitness expenses, and roll over unused balances to family members or specific political accounts. The bill also allows employers to satisfy certain coverage mandates by contributing directly to employees' HSAs. To make healthcare costs clearer, the legislation requires hospitals, laboratories, and imaging centers to publicly post their standard charges and negotiated rates in a uniform format. Additionally, the bill mandates that health plans provide detailed itemized bills and explanations of benefits to patients within 45 days of a claim request. Finally, the act expands the ability of pharmacists and nurses to dispense certain low-risk prescription drugs without a doctor's direct supervision and repeals a specific rule regarding Federal Reserve earnings on balances.
The Read for Reentry Act of 2026 directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on library services within state and federal prisons. This report will examine who currently has access to these services, how they are funded, and the demographic characteristics of incarcerated individuals who use them. The study will also analyze specific outcomes related to recidivism, parole compliance, workforce placement, and disciplinary infractions for those released from facilities offering library programs. Ultimately, the bill aims to gather data to inform Congress about the current state and impact of prison libraries.
This bill requires the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct periodic assessments of federally funded programs managed by state and local governments to identify risks of waste, fraud, and abuse. The report will analyze specific administrative practices that create vulnerabilities and evaluate which current strategies effectively reduce these risks. It also aims to recommend improvements for federal tools and enrollment processes to better protect public funds. Ultimately, the legislation seeks to enhance oversight by providing Congress with a clear picture of where federal money administered by states is most susceptible to misuse.
This bill designates the Route 66 National Historic Trail under the National Trails System Act, covering all alignments of U.S. Highway 66 from 1926 to 1985 (approximately 2,400 miles from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California). It requires the Secretary of the Interior to administer the trail while respecting its unique character and consulting with affected Native American tribes. Key provisions limit federal land acquisition to no more than 1/4 mile on either side of the trail, prohibit eminent domain, clarify the trail is not part of the National Park System, and ensure existing energy development and transportation activities remain unaffected. The designation does not require new permits or alter current easement authorities for existing infrastructure.
This bill authorizes the National Park Service (through the Secretary of the Interior) to enter agreements with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation for hosting private events in designated park buildings (like the Arch Visitor Center and Old Courthouse). The agreement must include strict terms: limiting event frequency, requiring liability insurance, ensuring events align with park purposes, and preventing disruption to public access or park integrity. The Foundation must pay fees covering all costs of wear and tear from events, including administrative expenses. The bill does not restrict the National Park Service from hosting its own events or issuing permits to others.
Gateway Partnership Act This bill authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to enter into a one-time agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events at the Gateway Arch National Park and its buildings for a period of up to five years. The NPS manages the park, located in St. Louis, Missouri, and its buildings, such as the Arch Visitor Center and the Old Courthouse. The bill outlines the terms and conditions that must be included in the agreement. The bill also requires private events hosted at the park or its buildings to be consistent with the park's purposes and compatible with NPS programs. Such events may not (1) degrade the integrity, appearance, or purposes of the park; or (2) take place during times or in locations that prevent or disrupt public use or access to the park or its buildings. The NPS must charge a fee to cover the cost of wear and tear resulting from the private events. The NPS may recover all costs incurred as a result of the private events, including maintenance, utilities, administrative expenses, security, and personnel costs. The bill terminates the NPS's authority to enter and carry out an agreement with the foundation seven years after the enactment of this bill.
