The Home Team Act of 2026 aims to keep professional sports franchises in their home communities by requiring teams to offer local governments, community cooperatives, nonprofits, and local residents a fair chance to buy the team before relocating or closing. The bill prohibits sports leagues from banning public or community ownership of franchises and mandates that any relocation offer local entities a fair market value purchase opportunity. It also establishes a Treasury Department appraisal team to determine fair franchise prices while deducting any public stadium subsidies from that value. The law applies to major leagues including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, WNBA, and NWSL, and includes penalties for owners who violate the purchase opportunity requirements.
This bill requires group health plans and health insurers that cover obstetrical services to also cover infertility and iatrogenic infertility treatments, including procedures like in vitro fertilization and egg freezing. It defines infertility as the inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected intercourse or after standard medical treatment, and iatrogenic infertility as fertility damage caused by medical procedures such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The legislation establishes coverage standards that cannot be more restrictive than those applied to other medical benefits, prohibits penalties against providers for offering these services, and requires annual compliance reporting to the federal government.
This bill, titled the Fair Treatment of Religious Organizations Act of 2026, establishes rules for how religious organizations are treated under federal tax law and financial assistance programs. It directs the IRS to determine whether an organization's purpose is religious without considering its specific beliefs about marriage, sexuality, or gender identity, even if those beliefs conflict with current laws. The legislation also prohibits federal agencies from discriminating against religious employers that receive federal funding if those employers hire staff based on their religious standards. These protections apply to religious corporations, associations, educational institutions, and societies, ensuring they can maintain employment practices aligned with their faith when receiving government support.
This bill proposes restricting Medicare and Social Security benefits to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, excluding undocumented immigrants and other non-citizens from receiving these programs. It would also expand the Social Security payroll tax to cover wages paid to certain individuals currently exempt from such taxes. The changes would take effect for months beginning after the bill's enactment, directly affecting eligibility for federal retirement and healthcare benefits.
This resolution recognizes the importance of fully funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The resolution also (1) cautions that Americans are at greater risk each day DHS is subject to a lapse in appropriations, and (2) expresses gratitude to DHS employees for their commitment to protect the United States.
HRES 971 is a non-binding resolution condemning China's economic and military actions against Japan following Japanese officials' comments about Taiwan. It specifically addresses China's travel advisory (causing $1.2 billion in tourism losses), a ban on Japanese seafood imports, and military drills near Japanese territory. The resolution reaffirms U.S. support for the U.S.-Japan alliance under their mutual security treaty and calls on China to cease coercion. It emphasizes U.S. commitment to upholding a "free and open Indo-Pacific" based on international law. This resolution directly affects Japan's economy and security, with no new legal obligations but serving as a formal U.S. policy statement.
HR 7675, the Securing Partner Supply Chains Act, establishes a 3-year U.S. initiative to help allied and partner countries strengthen their screening of foreign investments for national security risks. The initiative, led by the Secretary of State, will provide technical assistance, training, and advisory services to partner countries - defined as those with U.S. trade or defense agreements - to improve their ability to assess risks to critical infrastructure, sensitive technology, and supply chains. It requires annual reports to Congress detailing the assistance provided, partner countries' progress, and emerging security risks. The bill does not directly affect U.S. citizens or businesses but focuses on building international capacity to address shared security concerns through cooperation.
HR 7653, the Biodefense Diplomacy Enhancement Act, requires the U.S. Secretary of State to develop two new strategies to strengthen international cooperation on biodefense, biosecurity, and biotechnology. The bill mandates a NATO Biodefense Strategy to improve alliance coordination on biological threat response and a broader International Cooperation Strategy to enhance partnerships with U.S. allies and major non-NATO partners on export controls for dual-use biotech items and adherence to safety standards. These strategies must identify gaps in current efforts, recommend improvements, and assess coordination with U.S. agencies, with reports due to Congress within 270 days of enactment. The bill directly affects U.S. diplomatic engagement with NATO and allied nations on biological threat preparedness, focusing on policy development, capabilities, and enforcement of the Biological Weapons Convention.
The SHADOW Act creates a new State Department Coordinator to lead U.S. efforts against hybrid warfare threats from China and Russia, particularly in Europe. The Coordinator will assess threats like cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns, coordinate with NATO allies and partners (including Japan and Australia), and help protect critical infrastructure sectors. The bill requires the Coordinator to submit a strategy within 60 days and annual reports for three years detailing threat assessments and coordination progress. It also mandates a specific report within 180 days identifying Chinese entities supporting Russia’s defense industry.
This bill requires the State Department to create a strategy within 180 days of enactment to address risks posed by certain Chinese entities to U.S. interests through European academic institutions. The strategy must identify, evaluate, and mitigate relationships between covered European institutions (universities/research centers in Europe) and specific Chinese entities of concern - such as those linked to military-civil fusion, defense industries, Confucius Institutes, or activities involving Uyghur detention. It mandates a country-by-country assessment of these entities’ scale and activities, evaluation of security threats to the U.S. and allies, and recommendations for diplomatic engagement. The plan must be submitted unclassified to congressional foreign affairs committees, with a classified annex permitted.
This bill amends the Americans with Disabilities Act to require a 30-day notice period before lawsuits can be filed over inaccessible public accommodations. It mandates that individuals denied access due to architectural barriers must first provide businesses with specific written notice identifying the exact barrier. Businesses then have 30 days to either provide a written plan for removal or make substantial progress on fixing the barrier. This directly affects disabled individuals seeking access and businesses operating public spaces like restaurants or stores. The change delays legal action until after this notice-and-cure period, aiming to encourage voluntary compliance before litigation.
HR 6194, the Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2025, prevents U.S. persons (individuals or businesses) from facing civil lawsuits in U.S. courts related to complying with U.S. sanctions or export controls. It blocks the enforcement of foreign court judgments or arbitral awards where the claim arose from actions taken to comply with U.S. sanctions, or where foreign courts based jurisdiction on those sanctions. The law requires federal or state courts to dismiss such cases and applies broadly to all U.S. sanctions, not just those targeting Russia. Exceptions include lawsuits related to terrorism, torture, or contractual disputes resolved under U.S. courts or arbitration.
