SRES 621 designates the week of February 23-27, 2026, as "National Public Schools Week" to recognize the role of public schools in U.S. education. The resolution highlights public schools' importance in fostering inclusive learning environments and preparing students for civic and economic participation, citing that 87% of U.S. children attend public schools. It does not create new laws, funding, or policy changes - it is a symbolic gesture by the Senate without binding effect. The resolution aligns with broader efforts to support public education but focuses solely on commemoration.
This bill, titled the African American History Act of 2026, authorizes the Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture to use up to $4 million annually for five years to support African American history education programs. The funding can be used to create digital and print educational resources, provide teacher training and professional development, expand museum collections, and develop online content for educators, students, and families. The legislation also requires the museum director to submit annual reports to Congress and provide briefings to congressional committees on how the funds are being used. Additionally, the bill includes a sense of Congress statement encouraging the federal government to lead efforts in improving the teaching of African American and other minority group histories.
The Access to Consumer Energy Information Act requires electric and gas utilities to provide customers with easy access to their energy usage data and billing information in a standardized, machine-readable format. The bill directs the Department of Energy and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create guidelines ensuring consumers can securely share this data with third-party apps and services to help manage energy consumption and costs. Utilities must allow customers to install software on their energy meters and cannot discriminate against third-party developers seeking access to this data. The legislation also authorizes funding to help states implement these data-sharing programs and requires a report on using meter data for wholesale electricity market settlements.
This bill amends the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 to require the Treasury Secretary to testify annually before Congress about the Fund's operations. It also strengthens the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program by adjusting guarantee limits and extending the program's authorization period. Additionally, the bill expands capital assistance options for community development financial institutions and creates a new lending program specifically for Native community development financial institutions to support homeownership in Tribal and Native communities.
This bill, known as the TAP Promotion Act, would allow representatives from recognized veterans service organizations to join presentations that inform service members about benefits they can access after leaving the military. These presentations are part of the Transition Assistance Program, which helps veterans prepare for civilian life, and the law requires that they be standardized and approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs before being used. The bill also mandates that the presentations include information on how veterans service organizations can help with filing benefit claims, while prohibiting any effort to encourage members to join a specific organization. Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs must submit an annual report to Congress detailing which organizations participated in these sessions and how many service members attended.
This bill, known as the Direct File Act of 2026, would establish a government-run online platform for taxpayers to prepare and file their individual income tax returns for free. It requires the Treasury Department to create a user-friendly system that uses IRS data to simplify the process, offers customer support, and is available in multiple languages and on mobile devices. The legislation also prohibits the Treasury from entering into agreements that would limit its ability to provide these tax preparation and filing services. Additionally, the bill allows eligible states to integrate their state tax filing with the federal system and provides funding to states that meet certain standards for doing so.
HR 7740, the African American History Act of 2026, authorizes $4 million annually for the National Museum of African American History and Culture to develop educational resources and support teaching about African American history. The bill directs the museum to create digital and print materials, provide teacher training, and expand access to curriculum resources for K-12 and college classrooms. It requires annual reports to Congress on fund usage and expires in 2030. This program directly affects educators and students by enhancing classroom materials and professional development on African American history.
HRES 1084 designates February 28 as "HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day" to address the criminalization of people living with HIV. The resolution calls for ending state laws that impose harsh penalties or criminalize consensual acts based solely on HIV status - regardless of transmission risk, intent, or disclosure - and notes these laws disproportionately impact Black and brown communities, Black women, and transgender women. It urges education for law enforcement and communities, removal of outdated HIV criminalization laws, and increased support for HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care programs. The resolution does not create new laws but advocates for policy changes to align with current medical understanding and reduce stigma.
S 3914 establishes two new offices within the Supreme Court: an Office of Ethics Counsel to advise justices and their spouses on ethics matters (like financial disclosures, gifts, and conflicts of interest), and an Office of Investigative Counsel to review formal ethics complaints filed by top congressional leaders. The Ethics Counsel provides mandatory biannual training to justices and submits annual reports to Congress on ethics advice given. The Investigative Counsel handles complaints, conducts investigations within 60 days of filing, and submits findings to the Chief Justice (or senior associate justice if the Chief is the subject), with reports also shared with relevant congressional committees. This bill directly affects Supreme Court justices, their spouses, and dependents by creating formal processes for ethics guidance and oversight.
The American Homeownership Act restricts tax deductions for interest and depreciation on residential properties owned by institutional investment entities or "large owners" (defined as those holding 50+ single-family units). It creates exceptions for new construction, rehabilitation of uninhabitable properties, sales to individuals for primary residence, and properties serving affordable housing through tax credit programs. The bill also prohibits federal housing agencies from selling properties or providing mortgage loans to these large investors and allocates savings from these tax changes to fund affordable housing programs. These provisions aim to encourage homeownership by limiting tax benefits for large-scale rental property ownership while directing resources toward affordable housing development.
Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act or the ROTOR Act This bill addresses aviation safety by increasing requirements for aircraft tracking and communication using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and expanding oversight. As background, ADS-B for broadcasting (Out) and receiving (In) transmits information (e.g., location and weather information) between aircraft and air traffic control. Under the bill, aircraft must generally operate with ADS-B In equipment to provide the aircraft with location information of other aircraft and traffic advisories. Current law does not require this equipment. Current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations allow aircraft performing a sensitive government mission to be excepted from requirements for using ADS-B Out equipment. This bill limits which flights may be considered sensitive government missions (e.g., not training flights) and requires additional reporting and notifications for the exception. The Government Accountability Office must review the use of the ADS-B Out exception and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Transportation must annually audit FAA oversight of operations that use the exception. Further, the bill repeals a 2025 law that exempts certain military helicopters from the ADS-B Out requirements for the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. The bill also requires the OIG of the Army to audit the Army’s coordination with the FAA, the FAA to establish an office to coordinate airspace usage of military aircraft and review the safety of flight operations and routes around airports, and the FAA to enter into memoranda of understanding with military agencies for safety information sharing.
The Ceasefire Compliance Act of 2026 establishes requirements for Israel to comply with the October 10, 2025, ceasefire agreement, including allowing sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza, halting military operations in Gaza, preventing settler violence, and supporting Palestinian governance. The bill requires the US government to submit quarterly reports certifying Israel's compliance with these conditions, with potential restrictions on US defense sales to Israel if violations occur. If Israel fails to meet the requirements, the US would prohibit the sale, export, or transfer of US-origin defense articles for use in the West Bank or Gaza. The bill also creates an end-use monitoring group to track if US defense articles are being used in those areas, with a 5-year sunset provision. This legislation directly affects US-Israel defense relations and the flow of military assistance.
