This bill expands tax-advantaged financing options for small businesses and farmers by updating the rules for qualified small issue bonds. It allows these bonds to fund the creation of intangible property like software, alongside traditional manufacturing, and raises the borrowing limits for eligible projects from $10 million to $30 million. Additionally, the legislation increases the maximum loan amount for first-time farmers from $450,000 to $1 million and adjusts the calculation for farm size eligibility to use an average rather than a median. These changes are designed to provide more accessible funding for a broader range of agricultural and manufacturing initiatives while including automatic inflation adjustments for future years.
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The VICTIM Act of 2026 establishes a federal grant program to help state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies improve their clearance rates for homicides and firearm-related violent crimes. Funds awarded by the Attorney General can be used to hire and train investigators, upgrade forensic technology, implement evidence-based investigative strategies, and provide support services for victims and their families. The legislation also mandates regular reporting on investigation outcomes and requires the Justice Department to conduct audits to prevent misuse of funds, with specific provisions ensuring that at least 5% of the money goes to rural and Tribal agencies.
The Data Infrastructure Risk Reduction Act directs the Department of Homeland Security to identify data centers that should be classified as critical infrastructure within 180 days of enactment. This directive requires the agency to evaluate the security of power and water supplies connected to these facilities and assess the potential impact of their locations near residential communities. Following this assessment, the Department must submit a strategy to Congress outlining how to defend these sites from breaches and protect nearby neighborhoods. The law applies to federal agencies responsible for cybersecurity and infrastructure security, specifically focusing on data centers as defined by existing energy legislation.
The Shared Autonomous Mobility Act of 2026 establishes a new federal grant program to help transit agencies and private partners deploy buses equipped with advanced automated driving systems. This legislation defines these vehicles as those with Level 3, 4, or 5 automation capabilities and authorizes $100 million in funding over two years, with a requirement that at least 15% of the money supports projects in rural areas. The bill also mandates the creation of dedicated testing facilities specifically for these autonomous buses and allows various federal transportation grants to be used for purchasing the necessary software and system updates. Additionally, it updates existing definitions to ensure that funding can cover the acquisition and licensing of automated driving software alongside traditional vehicle equipment.
This bill proposes to reject a specific rule issued by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection that would have removed previous restrictions on how consumer reports are used. If passed, the measure would prevent the bureau from withdrawing the older regulations that limit permissible purposes for furnishing, using, and obtaining consumer reports. The primary effect is to maintain the existing legal framework governing fair credit reporting rather than allowing the new changes to take effect. This action directly impacts financial institutions and other entities that rely on consumer credit data for their operations.
This bill establishes a pilot program to help local governments in large urban areas create better maps for urban flooding, which occurs when heavy rain overwhelms drainage systems in built-up areas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide grants to eligible cities and stormwater authorities to develop easy-to-understand digital tools that show specific flood risks for individual buildings and factor in climate trends. Funding is available for up to 12 locations over several years, with a preference for communities that are highly vulnerable to flooding or sea-level rise, and recipients must share their results and lessons learned online with the public.
The Workforce Transparency Act of 2026 establishes a voluntary federal framework for companies developing artificial intelligence systems to share aggregated, privacy-protected data about how their tools are used in the workplace. Participating providers and enterprise customers can submit statistical information regarding task usage, geographic distribution, and trends over time to the Department of Labor without revealing individual identities, trade secrets, or proprietary code. The Department of Labor will maintain a public database of this data and issue annual reports to Congress to support evidence-based workforce and economic policymaking. The legislation explicitly prohibits federal agencies from penalizing companies that choose not to participate and ensures that all shared data remains exempt from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
This bill prohibits U.S. universities from receiving federal research and development funding for five years if they previously accepted money from specific foreign governments for projects involving artificial intelligence, biotechnology, or quantum information science. The law targets institutions of higher education and restricts them from getting awards related to national security or military applications if they took funds from countries like China, Russia, Iran, or others listed in the text. It defines a "foreign source" broadly to include not only the listed governments but also their subsidiaries, agents, and entities with significant ownership ties to those governments. By banning these specific types of funding, the legislation aims to prevent potential security risks associated with foreign involvement in sensitive technological research.
The Maritime Cybersecurity Act requires owners and operators of covered maritime facilities to annually report on the software and hardware they use, specifically focusing on equipment connected to the internet or manufactured by foreign entities of concern. Under this bill, the Secretary of Transportation must conduct assessments of these systems to identify security weaknesses, even if doing so violates existing contracts or requires bypassing consent from facility owners. The legislation mandates that facilities generally cannot use unassessed foreign technology unless the Secretary grants a waiver based on a determination that the commercial benefits outweigh the low national security risks. Additionally, the Act establishes a process for the government to share sensitive cybersecurity findings with relevant federal partners while keeping the specific details confidential from the public.
This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration to equip specific contract air traffic control towers with advanced situational awareness tools within one year of enactment. It mandates the installation of Airborne Position Reference Tools at towers lacking these systems and ensures that towers without Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems receive necessary equipment and maintenance support. The legislation also updates funding rules to cover the costs of acquiring and operating these new tools and establishes training programs to help controllers effectively use the technology. Additionally, the bill provides financial reimbursement to airports that have already purchased similar systems before the federal government installs them.
