The Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026 makes the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system permanent and mandatory for all employers in the United States, including those who hire, recruit, or refer individuals for jobs. The bill requires employers to use the system within a phased timeline based on company size, ranging from six months for large businesses with 10,000 or more employees to 18 months for smaller businesses with fewer than 20 employees, while exempting agricultural labor verification until 18 months after enactment. Key provisions include increased civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance, the ability for the government to debar repeat violators from federal contracts, and a requirement that states sharing driver's license data with the system remain eligible for certain federal funding. Additionally, the act establishes a self-check feature for individuals to verify their own status, expands data sharing between federal and state agencies to prevent fraud, and creates a good-faith defense for employers who rely on the system's results.
The Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2026 prevents the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from finalizing or enforcing a specific proposed rule regarding heat injury prevention in workplaces. This legislation directly affects the Department of Labor and businesses by blocking the implementation of detailed requirements such as mandatory rest breaks and written safety plans. The bill argues that these specific rules are too burdensome and fail to account for unique industry and geographic conditions. By stopping this rule, the act leaves the proposed heat safety standards in a suspended state without changing existing regulations.
The Safeguarding Honest Speech Act of 2026 prohibits federal agencies from using taxpayer money to enforce rules that require employees or contractors to use a person's preferred pronouns if they conflict with that person's biological sex or to use names other than legal names. The bill defines sex strictly based on biological characteristics, such as the reproductive system used for fertilization, to determine these requirements. It also establishes a process where affected workers can file complaints, receive a formal response within 30 days, and sue their agency for violations if the response is unsatisfactory. If a worker wins a lawsuit, the court can order the agency to stop the practice, pay damages up to $100,000, and cover legal fees.
The Davis-Bacon Repeal Act would eliminate federal wage requirements that currently mandate contractors on government-funded construction projects pay workers at least the prevailing local wage rate. By repealing the relevant section of the U.S. Code, the bill removes the legal basis for these minimum wage standards on future contracts. The law includes a transition period that protects existing contracts and those with outstanding bids for 30 days after enactment, ensuring no immediate disruption to ongoing projects. This change would directly affect construction firms and workers involved in federally funded building work by removing the obligation to adhere to specific local wage floors.
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 bill amends Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to clarify that protections against sex discrimination do not extend to gender identity. It directly affects employers, employees, and individuals involved in workplace discrimination claims by explicitly excluding gender identity from the definition of sex-based discrimination. The key provision is a rule of construction that interprets existing federal law in a specific way, rather than creating new protections or restrictions. This change would limit the scope of federal sex discrimination claims to biological sex rather than including gender identity as a protected category.
HR 1095, the Restoring Military Focus Act, eliminates two specific diversity-related positions within the Department of Defense (DoD): the Chief Diversity Officer (repealing Section 147 of Title 10, U.S. Code) and the Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion (repealing Section 913 of the 2021 defense bill). The bill prohibits using federal funds to create any new position "substantially similar" to these roles. This directly affects DoD leadership and staffing by removing existing diversity-focused roles and preventing their replacement. The key mechanism is a federal funding ban on establishing comparable positions, aiming to refocus DoD resources on military operations.
Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act of 2025 This bill eliminates the Optional Practical Training Program or any successor program, unless Congress expressly authorizes such a program. (The program provides an F-1 student visa holder temporary employment authorization before or after completion of the student's studies, or both.)
This bill requires all commercial driver's license (CDL) tests - including knowledge tests, entry-level training exams, and third-party provider assessments - to be administered exclusively in English. It also mandates that new CDL applicants must hold a regular driver's license for at least one year prior to receiving a CDL, affecting most first-time commercial drivers. The Secretary of Transportation can revoke a state's authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs or commercial learner's permits (CLPs) if the state fails to comply with these requirements. These provisions directly impact new CDL applicants, particularly non-English speakers and those without prior driving experience.
HJRES 23 is a congressional resolution disapproving a specific rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The rule in question would have extended the automatic period allowing certain immigrants to continue working while renewing their employment authorization documents. This resolution, if passed, would cancel that DHS rule, meaning the extension period would not apply to immigrants renewing their work permits. It directly affects non-citizens in the U.S. who are waiting for their work permit renewals to be processed.
