The Public Lands Accountability Act requires the Bureau of Land Management to conduct full environmental impact statements for any hyperscale data centers built on public lands, prohibiting the use of categorical exclusions that would normally allow for faster approval. The bill defines these facilities as large commercial sites with a peak power load of at least 50 megawatts and mandates that their environmental reviews include specific analyses of water consumption, cooling system usage, and long-term effects on regional water supplies and drought resilience. Additionally, the legislation requires applicants to submit detailed workforce plans outlining expected construction and permanent job numbers, local hiring rates, and whether workers will receive prevailing wages.
The Paul Whelan Hostage Compensation and Reintegration Act requires the Secretary of State to provide a one-time financial payment to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who have been unlawfully detained abroad, as well as to the next of kin if the detainee has died. The compensation amount is calculated by multiplying the average daily wage index by the number of days the individual was wrongfully held. Eligibility is generally restricted for those who entered countries with the highest level of travel advisories, though exceptions exist for official government travel, journalists, or cases involving compelling humanitarian circumstances. The bill also caps attorney fees at 5 percent of the award, exempts the payment from taxes and means-tested benefit calculations, and authorizes funding from the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund to support the program.
The Combat Veterans Retirement Restoration Act allows military retirees with combat-related disabilities to receive both their full retired pay and veterans' disability compensation simultaneously, removing the current requirement to offset one benefit against the other. For career retirees with at least 20 years of service, the bill permits them to keep their standard retirement pay while also collecting disability compensation. Retirees with fewer than 20 years of service would receive the lesser amount between their actual combat-related retirement pay plus disability compensation or a hypothetical calculation based on 20 years of service plus disability compensation. The legislation authorizes $9.4 billion in appropriations to fund these changes, which are set to take effect for payments beginning in January 2027.
The Firefighter PFAS Injury Compensation Act of 2026 establishes a no-fault compensation program to provide financial awards to firefighters who have served for at least two years and developed specific health conditions linked to exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Eligible claimants, including deceased firefighters' estates or heirs, can receive base payments of $250,000 for cancer diagnoses or $50,000 for other covered illnesses, with amounts adjusted by a multiplier based on the firefighter's years of service. The program is funded through a new PFAS Trust Fed, which receives revenue from two new excise taxes: a 10 percent tax on the sale of products containing PFAS and a 10 percent tax on payments made in PFAS-related litigation settlements or court orders that do not involve personal injury claims.
The Somaliland Travel and Investment Act directs the Secretary of State to evaluate two specific measures aimed at improving access for U.S. citizens and businesses in Somaliland. The bill proposes establishing a representative office in Hargeisa and separating travel advisory warnings for Somaliland from those currently applied to Somalia. These provisions are intended to facilitate smoother travel and investment opportunities by providing more tailored guidance and local support.
The SMARTER Act would fundamentally restructure U.S. immigration law by eliminating the Diversity Visa Program, removing per-country caps on immigrant visas, and replacing the current family-sponsored preference system with a points-based selection process for employment-based immigrants. It establishes a new Skilled Migration and Recruitment of Talent Board within the Department of Commerce to annually determine visa quotas based on industrial labor needs, economic data, and wage growth goals. Under the proposed points system, applicants would earn credits for age, education level, English proficiency, salary offers, and extraordinary achievements, with ties broken by educational attainment and language test rankings. Additionally, the bill creates a "gold card" visa program that grants permanent residency to individuals who pay a $1 million fee or corporations that pay $2 million on their behalf, while also directing the use of artificial intelligence to identify visa overstays.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Grand Ronde Land Transfer Act of 2026 transfers approximately 18,628 acres of federal land from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of the Interior to be held in trust for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon. This action expands the Grand Ronde Reservation and subjects the new lands to laws governing tribal trust property, while requiring a formal survey within two years to establish precise boundaries. The bill prohibits the use of the transferred land for casino or other regulated gaming activities and maintains federal restrictions on the export of unprocessed logs. Additionally, it requires the tribe to maintain public access for hunting, fishing, and recreation, though they may restrict entry for safety or management reasons.
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to replace an existing plaque at the Lincoln Memorial with a new one that commemorates Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. The legislation requires that the design and placement of the new plaque follow the rules set by the Commemorative Works Act. It also authorizes the use of federal funds for the removal of the old plaque and the installation of the new one, while allowing the agency to accept private contributions to help cover these costs without needing additional congressional approval.
The Debt-Free College Act of 2026 establishes a state-federal partnership that provides federal grants to states to cover the unmet financial need of eligible students attending in-state public colleges, effectively making tuition debt-free for those who qualify. To participate, states must commit to capping tuition increases at inflation levels, maintaining their current level of funding for higher education, and implementing student success programs that support low-income and underserved populations. The bill also creates a separate five-year grant program for specific minority-serving institutions and tribal colleges to help them cover student costs, while simultaneously expanding federal financial aid eligibility to include "Dreamer students" who entered the United States as minors under certain conditions.
The Textile Waste Reduction Act directs the Environmental Protection Agency to create a National Textile Circularity Strategy aimed at reducing textile waste and promoting the repair, reuse, and recycling of clothing and fabrics. To support this effort, the bill establishes an Interagency Working Group that coordinates activities across multiple federal departments, including Energy, State, and Commerce-related agencies. Additionally, it creates an Advisory Board composed of industry experts, academics, government officials, and non-governmental organizations to provide ongoing guidance on policy development. The Administrator is required to publish data on textile waste disposal and identify available federal funding opportunities to help states, local governments, and tribal nations implement these circularity initiatives.
