This bill directs the Department of Defense to conduct a comprehensive assessment of open-architecture command and control systems for unmanned aircraft, specifically analyzing frameworks used by Ukraine and Israel to improve interoperability and resilience. The evaluation will examine technical designs, cybersecurity measures against electronic warfare, and the ability of these systems to adapt quickly at the tactical level without requiring constant software updates. To guide this process, the Secretary of Defense must establish an independent advisory panel of experts to review findings and recommend a new, flexible system that avoids reliance on specific foreign vendors or prohibited foreign entities. The resulting report will outline a phased implementation plan and set strict cybersecurity standards, including regular penetration testing and a living process to update security rules as threats evolve. Additionally, the bill requires sharing relevant findings with the Federal Aviation Administration to support the integration of military and civil drone operations in shared airspace.
This bill creates a federal grant program to help states and tribal governments improve their licensing systems for firearms dealers. To qualify for funding, a state or tribe must already require dealers to hold a license, pass an application process, renew their license every three years, and submit to inspections. If a dealer breaks the rules, the state must be able to suspend or revoke their license and impose fines or criminal charges. The Attorney General will award up to $2.5 million per year in competitive grants to eligible applicants who submit plans for developing or improving these programs. Recipients must report annually on the number of inspections, violations, and licenses issued, renewed, or revoked, while the Attorney General will provide a public report on all grants awarded and denied.
The Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act aims to combat unpaid wages by strengthening penalties, improving worker protections, and funding community enforcement efforts. It directly affects employers who may underpay workers and employees who face wage theft, particularly low-wage workers, immigrants, and minorities. Key provisions require employers to provide detailed pay stubs and final payments within 14 days of termination, while also granting workers the right to full compensation as agreed in employment contracts. The bill increases civil fines and criminal penalties for violations, extends the time limit for filing wage claims, and establishes a grant program to support partnerships between the Department of Labor and community organizations.
The Milk From Family Dairies Act of 2026 establishes a new Dairy Market Stabilization Program to regulate milk production and pricing for commercial dairy producers across the United States. This program sets a variable floor price for milk based on production costs and limits how much milk each producer can sell without paying a fee, while redistributing those fees as dividends to producers who stay within their limits. The bill creates regional boards with producer representation to oversee these rules and includes a five-year referendum to determine if the program should continue. Additionally, the legislation suspends existing federal dairy insurance programs, increases import fees and lowers dairy import quotas, and provides funding for infrastructure and training aimed at supporting small-scale and family dairies.
The Risk-based Oversight for Integrity Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study and potentially reform how it oversees the organic food industry. This study will examine whether inspections and regulations should be adjusted based on the risk that a farm or business might violate organic standards, considering factors like the size of the operation and its past compliance record. If the study finds it beneficial, the Act allows the Secretary to create new rules that could reduce inspection burdens for low-risk entities while focusing more resources on high-risk ones. Additionally, the legislation permits the use of virtual inspections for some domestic operations, provided that on-site checks still occur at least once every three years. The proposed changes aim to maintain strong organic integrity while improving efficiency within the national organic program.
The SABER Act of 2026 expands the allowable uses of the Ukraine Support Fund to include purchases of defense articles and services aimed at responding to and recovering from Russian aggression. This change directly affects the Government of Ukraine by permitting it to use these funds for a broader range of military and recovery needs beyond previously specified categories. The bill achieves this by amending an existing section of the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act to add new permissible expenditures.
The Countering Russian Trafficking Act authorizes the President to impose sanctions on Russian government officials, religious organizations, private adoption agencies, and other entities involved in the forced transfer and indoctrination of Ukrainian children. This legislation designates these individuals and groups as participants in transnational criminal activity and requires the President to apply existing financial blocking measures to their assets within 180 days. The bill also mandates that an interim list of sanctioned persons be submitted to Congress within 120 days and establishes a process for congressional committees to request specific determinations on whether foreign entities meet the criteria for sanctions.
The Federal Workforce Reproductive Rights Protection Act prevents federal agencies from relocating headquarters or major operations to states with laws restricting or banning abortion, while also barring the use of funds to build or lease facilities in those locations. To support federal employees who need to access reproductive health care, the bill allows workers to decline transfers to restrictive states, grants up to 21 days of paid leave for travel to obtain such services, and provides reimbursement for travel costs without requiring disclosure of the specific medical procedure. Additionally, the legislation prohibits government agencies from investigating an employee's use of abortion services when reviewing security clearances or making personnel decisions and protects workers from retaliation if they exercise these new rights.
The Support our Firefighters Act establishes a new paid rest and recuperation leave program for federal wildland firefighters working for the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior. Under this law, these employees would receive paid time off immediately after completing a qualifying fire incident, with specific rules requiring a minimum number of rest days following periods of deployment. The bill also allows for the transfer of up to $5 million in funding from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of the Interior to help sustain salary increases for these workers. Additionally, the legislation updates existing overtime rules to remove specific year limits, ensuring that wildland firefighters can work extended hours without hitting caps in future years.
This bill, titled the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, halts the construction and upgrading of large-scale artificial intelligence data centers until specific federal laws are passed. It defines these facilities as sites with high power capacity or advanced cooling systems used for developing AI models. The moratorium remains in effect until new legislation ensures federal safety reviews for AI products, mandates that economic benefits reach workers rather than just wealthy owners, prevents increases in utility bills, avoids environmental harm, requires community approval, bans government subsidies, and guarantees union jobs with strong labor standards. Additionally, the bill restricts the export of computing hardware, such as semiconductors and networking equipment, to countries that do not adopt these same protective laws for AI development.
The Right to Vote Act establishes legal protections against government actions that make it more difficult for citizens to vote in federal elections. It prohibits any rule or practice that diminishes voting ability unless the government proves it is the least restrictive way to achieve an important interest, and it similarly blocks substantial impairments unless they significantly further a specific government goal. The bill creates a new legal pathway for voters to challenge these restrictions in federal court, requiring judges to expedite these cases and shifting the burden of proof to the government to justify any voting barriers. These protections apply to all U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia for elections occurring on or after September 1, 2026.
The Public Service Accountability Act restricts Members of Congress, the President, Vice President, and various federal officials from owning or trading specific financial investments, including commodities and derivatives. To comply, these individuals must divest existing holdings within 180 days of the law's enactment or 90 days after becoming covered officials, while also excluding certain assets like widely held funds, government bonds, and small business interests. The bill establishes penalties for violations, including fines equal to 10% of the investment value and the disgorgement of profits, which cannot be paid using campaign funds or official allowances. Additionally, the law requires ethics offices to issue certificates of divestiture and publish details of any fines assessed on their public websites.
