The Ballots by Election Day Act would amend federal election law to require that absentee and mail-in ballots for federal offices be received by election officials no later than the time polls close on Election Day. This provision directly affects voters who use mail or absentee voting methods, as it prohibits states from counting ballots that arrive after this deadline. An exception is included for uniformed service members and overseas citizens, whose ballots may still be accepted after Election Day if state laws allow it. The new rules would apply to federal elections held in 2027 and any subsequent years.
The Native Language Educators in Classrooms Act amends the Head Start Act to create distinct staffing qualification standards for Indian Head Start and Indian Early Head Start programs, separating them from the requirements applied to other center-based programs. Under this bill, teachers and teaching assistants in these specific tribal programs are permitted to be hired if they hold a child development associate credential, an early childhood education certificate from a college or university (including Tribal institutions), or a state-issued certificate that meets minimum standards. Alternatively, staff members may be hired with proof of enrollment in an approved education program, provided they complete the necessary coursework and earn their credential within two years of starting employment.
This legislation directs the United States Postal Service to create unique ZIP Codes for 75 specific communities located across multiple states. The bill requires the Postal Service to finalize these designations within one year after the law is enacted. Communities affected by this requirement include towns and neighborhoods in states such as California, Colorado, Florida, and others. Ultimately, the measure ensures that each listed location has its own distinct postal code for mailing purposes.
This bill establishes a 7-year pilot program allowing local, state, or Tribal governments to cover the Postal Service's costs for ZIP Code boundary changes or realignments, preventing denials based solely on cost. If the Postal Service denies a request due to cost, it must notify the requester, provide a cost estimate, and give 30 days to propose a cost-sharing agreement - accepting the agreement if it covers the cost. The program requires annual reports to Congress on requests, denials, and agreements, plus reports to individual members of Congress upon request. The bill directly affects local governments and Tribal entities seeking ZIP Code adjustments, with the Postal Service required to reconsider cost-based denials through this mechanism.
This bill, the GOOD Act (Guidance Out Of Darkness Act), requires federal agencies to publish all their non-binding guidance documents - such as memos, bulletins, letters, and blog posts - on a single, publicly accessible government website. It applies to all federal agencies and mandates that existing guidance be posted within 180 days of the law's enactment, with new guidance published immediately upon issuance. Agencies must also maintain rescinded guidance documents online with clear labels indicating they are no longer in effect. The law does not apply to documents already exempt from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
This bill allows Congress to disapprove multiple federal regulations issued near the end of a presidential term in a single resolution, rather than requiring separate resolutions for each rule. It specifically applies to regulations submitted during the final year of a president's term, streamlining the congressional review process under existing rules. This change directly affects federal agencies that issue such "midnight rules" and Congress when considering disapproval resolutions. The key mechanism enables a single joint resolution to list and invalidate multiple rules at once, as specified in the bill's provisions.
HR 7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act, restricts Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing certain investments like stocks in publicly traded companies. It requires 7-14 days' advance public notice before selling any such investment, including the sale date, description, and number of shares. Exceptions apply for work-related transactions (e.g., employer compensation) and reinvesting dividends. Violations trigger a fee of $2,000 or 10% of the investment’s value (whichever is greater), plus any net gain, paid from personal funds - not congressional allowances or campaign donations. The bill aims to prevent conflicts of interest by increasing transparency around congressional financial dealings.
This bill establishes a federal task force led by the Secretary of Labor to coordinate with state agencies and financial institutions for identifying and recovering pandemic unemployment payments that were improperly issued or are currently held in banks and unclaimed property accounts. The task force is responsible for developing model processes, legal guidance, and standardized procedures to help states determine if payments were fraudulent and to return those funds to the federal government efficiently. Additionally, the legislation extends the statute of limitations for criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement actions related to fraud in these specific unemployment programs to ten years from the date of the violation. The Secretary of Labor is also required to reimburse states for administrative costs incurred while coordinating with the task force to recover these funds.
The Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026 establishes uniform legal protections for chaplains across the Army, Navy, and Air Force to ensure they can perform their religious duties without interference or retaliation. The bill explicitly prohibits military members from assigning chaplains tasks that conflict with their sincerely held religious beliefs or the tenets of their endorsing organizations, making such violations subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It also creates new leadership positions, including Deputy Chiefs of Chaplains for each service branch, who will hold general officer ranks and serve as principal advisors on religious support matters. Additionally, the legislation requires commanding officers to provide necessary facilities and transportation to assist chaplains in carrying out their spiritual care responsibilities.
The Defense Community Infrastructure Program Tribal Eligibility Act of 2026 amends federal law to include Indian Tribes as eligible recipients for infrastructure funding alongside local governments. This change directly affects tribal communities located near military installations by allowing them to apply for and receive financial support for essential community projects. The bill modifies the definition of eligible entities within the Department of Defense's infrastructure program, ensuring that tribal governments are explicitly recognized under the same terms as other local jurisdictions.
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 bill, known as the State-Based Education Loan Awareness Act, clarifies that state-run student loan programs are not subject to certain federal rules about preferred lender arrangements. It directly affects state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other entities that offer private student loans without federal government backing. The legislation defines these state programs by requiring that they offer interest rates and fees at least as favorable as federal Direct PLUS loans and that borrowers are informed about federal loan options before taking out private loans. By making this exclusion explicit, the bill ensures state programs operate under different regulatory requirements than federally backed lending arrangements.
