This bill establishes minimum salary ($45,000 annually for full-time) and wage ($30/hour for part-time) standards for paraprofessionals and education support staff in public schools. It authorizes $25 billion in federal funding for fiscal year 2026 with annual increases tied to inflation or 2%, to help states meet these requirements. States must submit implementation plans to ensure full-time staff meet the minimum salary and part-time staff meet the minimum wage within four years, with 98% of funds going directly to local school districts. The legislation directly affects school support staff, school districts, and state education agencies across the country.
This bill amends the tax code to deny corporations a tax deduction for excessive executive bonuses paid to certain high-level employees. It expands the definition of "covered individual" to include more executives (such as those who performed services after 2024 or were top earners before 2025) and requires companies to meet specific SEC filing criteria. The change applies to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, making large bonuses non-deductible for affected corporations. The policy directly impacts publicly traded companies that pay significant compensation to covered executives.
S 199 would create special tax rules for "qualified residents of Taiwan" with income from U.S. sources. It would lower tax rates on interest, dividends, and royalties from 30% to 10% (15% for some dividends), provide tax relief for certain wages paid to Taiwan residents working in the U.S., and exempt income from entertainment or athletic activities up to $30,000. The bill establishes specific requirements for entities to qualify for these benefits, including ownership and income criteria. It also creates a process for the U.S. to negotiate a formal tax agreement with Taiwan to further address double taxation concerns.
This bill creates a new $1,250 tax credit for first-time parents, doubling to $2,500 for joint filers. It directly affects parents who haven't claimed this credit before and have either: (1) a child born or adopted in the current year, or (2) a non-custodial parent with a child born/adopted the previous year. The credit applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, and is added as a new section (36C) to the tax code. It does not change existing child tax credits or other provisions.
The Lower Your Taxes Act expands tax credits for low and middle-income households, primarily affecting workers and families with children. It significantly increases the Earned Income Tax Credit, raising the maximum credit percentage from 34% to 68% and increasing the earned income threshold from $6,330 to $19,000. The bill also establishes a new refundable child tax credit with monthly advance payments of $300 for children under 6 and $350 for children 6-17, with income limits. For high-income earners, it changes capital gains tax rates, and for corporations, it increases tax rates from 21% to 28%.
S 2595, the "Saving the Department of Energy's Workforce Act," prohibits the Department of Energy (DOE) from implementing layoffs or involuntary staff separations until after full-year funding for fiscal year 2026 is secured. It directly affects DOE employees in competitive service, excepted service, and senior management positions, preventing reductions in force except for documented misconduct, poor performance, or delinquency. The bill mandates a hiring freeze on layoffs through FY2026 appropriations, adding this restriction to existing personnel laws without altering other disciplinary authority. This provision aims to stabilize the DOE workforce during budget negotiations.
The STEM RESTART Act creates a new federal grant program to help mid-career workers (unemployed or underemployed, particularly from rural areas) return to STEM careers through "returnship" programs. It provides funding for small businesses (50-499 employees) to receive $100,000-$1 million annually and medium businesses (500-9,999 employees) to receive $500,000-$5 million annually to develop these programs. The grants require programs to last at least 10 weeks, provide above-entry-level compensation and benefits, and lead to full-time employment with career advancement opportunities. Businesses must report annually on participant demographics and employment outcomes, with the Secretary required to publish best practices based on these reports. The bill authorizes $50 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2030 to fund these initiatives.
This is a non-binding resolution (HRES 206), not a legislative bill. It expresses the House's support for preserving the "stepped-up basis" tax provision (Section 1014 of the Internal Revenue Code), which allows heirs to reset the tax cost basis of inherited assets like farmland or business equipment to their current market value. The resolution cites that 98% of farms and 19% of businesses are family-owned, noting that eliminating this provision could increase taxes for 66% of midsized farms. It specifically urges opposition to new taxes on family farms and small businesses but does not change any tax law or policy.
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Agriculture
This bill creates a tax exclusion allowing eligible law enforcement officers to exclude up to $100,000 of their ordinary income from taxable income each year. To qualify, officers must have worked full-time as law enforcement for at least 5 cumulative years and earn up to $100,000 annually. It covers police, corrections officers, probation/parole officers, sheriffs, deputies, and school resource officers. The exclusion applies to the first $100,000 of ordinary income earned during a taxable year. The provision takes effect after the bill's enactment.
This bill (HR 3515) amends the tax code to exclude certain military bonuses from taxable income. It directly affects active-duty members of the uniformed services who receive bonuses under Chapter 5 of Title 37, U.S. Code. The key provision replaces a general tax exclusion with a specific one for these military bonuses, removing them from gross income calculations. The change takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.
