The PEER Support Act creates a new federal job classification for peer support specialists - individuals with lived experience in mental health or substance use recovery who provide support to others - by 2026. It establishes an Office of Recovery within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to lead training, certification, and career development for these specialists, including sharing best practices with states. The bill also requires a federal report analyzing state criminal background check laws for peer support specialists and recommending ways to reduce barriers to certification. This legislation directly affects peer support specialists, state certification programs, and federal agencies managing mental health services.
HR 7284, the ICE OUT Act, modifies legal protections for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents during law enforcement actions. It eliminates qualified immunity for agents accused of using excessive force violating the Fourth Amendment, meaning such claims can no longer be dismissed based on immunity. For other cases, agents can only claim immunity if their actions matched clearly established constitutional rights at the time of the incident. The bill requires courts to first determine if constitutional rights were violated before assessing whether those rights were "clearly established," shifting the legal standard in civil lawsuits against these agents. This directly affects ICE and CBP officers facing civil rights lawsuits related to enforcement activities.
This bill authorizes a new federal grant program to help communities address children's exposure to trauma. It provides $10 million annually (2026-2029) for grants to states, local governments, tribes, and community groups to establish "adverse childhood experiences response teams." These teams would coordinate services by creating trauma-informed protocols, building partnerships with mental health providers, training first responders, and improving access to care for affected children. The program focuses on cross-system collaboration between law enforcement, schools, health services, and social programs to support children exposed to trauma.
HR 117, the Fourth Amendment Restoration Act, requires U.S. government agencies to obtain a court-issued warrant before surveilling U.S. citizens for any purpose. It repeals the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and prohibits warrantless electronic surveillance, physical searches of citizens' property, or collection of phone records (pen/trap devices) targeting U.S. citizens. The bill also bans using information gathered under Executive Order 12333 or during surveillance of non-citizens against U.S. citizens in court proceedings. It applies directly to U.S. citizens by mandating judicial oversight for all surveillance activities involving them. Violations could result in fines up to $10,000 or up to five years in prison.
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes certain programs and activities that promote awareness of human trafficking and support victims. The bill also establishes a new program to support victims of trafficking. Specifically, this bill reauthorizes through FY2029 programs and activities at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promote awareness of trafficking and strengthen services for victims, including the National Human Trafficking Hotline and cybersecurity and public education campaigns; Department of Justice grants to support trafficking victims inside the United States, including amounts for housing assistance grants; and International Megan’s Law, which requires sex offenders to provide certain information about their intended travel outside of the United States, among other provisions. The bill also authorizes HHS to carry out a new program—the Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program—to help victims of trafficking integrate or reintegrate into society.
The Survivor Justice Tax Prevention Act amends the tax code to exclude non-punitive damages from income tax for survivors of sexual violence, including compensation for sexual acts or contact (like assault), in addition to existing exclusions for physical injuries. It removes the requirement for medical records to prove the damages relate to sexual acts or contact, allowing survivors to rely on court judgments or settlement agreements stating the damages are for such acts. The policy change applies to damages received after the law's enactment, with specific rules for existing cases, and mandates a public awareness campaign by the Treasury and Justice Department to inform survivors about this tax exclusion. This directly benefits survivors receiving civil damages in sexual violence cases by reducing their tax burden.
This bill would prohibit the detention of pregnant women, lactating women, and postpartum mothers (within one year of childbirth) in immigration custody, requiring their immediate release except in rare circumstances involving public safety threats. It bans the use of physical restraints on these individuals during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum recovery, with only extremely limited exceptions. The bill mandates that facilities provide comprehensive reproductive health care including prenatal care, labor and delivery services, postpartum care, and access to abortion services. It requires facilities to maintain medical records, obtain informed consent for medical procedures, and conduct weekly reviews of any detained individuals under exceptional circumstances. The bill also establishes reporting requirements for facilities and creates transparency through public reporting of detention practices.
S 3680, the *Eliminating Bias in Algorithmic Systems Act of 2026*, requires federal agencies using or funding complex algorithms (like AI systems) to establish civil rights offices focused on bias. These offices must monitor and address algorithmic bias related to protected characteristics (e.g., race, gender, disability) that affect government programs or economic opportunities. Agencies must submit biennial reports to Congress detailing bias risks, mitigation steps, stakeholder engagement, and recommendations, and join an interagency working group on algorithmic fairness. The bill directly affects covered federal agencies, not private companies or the general public.
This bill amends Washington, D.C.'s policing law to change rules for police vehicle pursuits. It removes previous restrictions on pursuits and requires officers to only pursue a suspect if they reasonably believe it won't create unacceptable risk to others or be futile, or if another method would be more effective. The bill also mandates a Department of Justice report within three years evaluating technology like PursuitAlert that alerts the public during police pursuits. These changes directly affect D.C. police officers making real-time decisions during vehicle chases. The law updates existing policy without altering other policing standards.
The Break the Cycle of Violence Act establishes federal grants to fund community-based violence intervention programs that aim to reduce gun violence through evidence-based strategies. It creates a National Community Violence Response Center to coordinate efforts and provide technical assistance, while directing funding to communities disproportionately affected by violence, particularly those with high homicide rates. The bill includes provisions for hospital-based violence intervention programs, trauma-informed services, and job training programs for opportunity youth (ages 16-25 not in education or employment) to address root causes of violence. Funding for these programs totals $300 million in 2026, increasing to $700 million annually through 2033 for the Department of Health and Human Services, plus $1.5 billion for job training programs through the Department of Labor.
