The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act directs federal funds to public housing agencies and tribal entities to rehabilitate, modernize, and electrify the nation's public housing stock into zero-carbon homes within ten years. The bill establishes grant programs that require recipients to conduct deep energy retrofits, install renewable energy systems, upgrade water quality infrastructure, and provide high-speed internet access to residents. In exchange for these funds, agencies must commit to maintaining their total number of housing units, ensuring displaced residents can return to their original projects, and adhering to strict labor standards that prioritize hiring low-income individuals and supporting resident-owned businesses. Additionally, the legislation strengthens tenant participation by mandating the formation of elected resident councils in larger developments and providing stipends for volunteer officers who help manage community operations.
The STRONG GRID Act of 2026 directs state regulators to develop rules for connecting microgrids and for measuring the value of investments in grid resilience, while exempting military installations from these new standards. To support these efforts, the bill creates a new grant program that provides up to $500 million over five years to help states deploy microgrids, with priority given to projects in rural areas, low-income communities, and those that improve energy reliability or cybersecurity. Additionally, the Department of Energy will offer technical assistance to utilities and regulators and launch a $200 million pilot program to fund innovative microgrid projects that test new technologies and management systems.
The Online Sellers' Bill of Rights Act of 2026 aims to protect third-party businesses using major online marketplaces by requiring these platforms to provide greater transparency and due process. Under the bill, the Federal Trade Commission must create rules that limit how long platforms can hold inventory or freeze funds, mandate written notice within 72 hours for any restrictions, and ensure sellers receive at least 30 days' warning before significant policy changes. The law also establishes a presumption of innocence, placing the burden of proof on the platform to demonstrate a violation rather than on the seller, and allows for specific appeals processes. Enforcement is handled through the FTC, which can pursue violations as unfair competition, while state attorneys general and individual sellers retain the right to file civil lawsuits for damages.
The Addictive Design Act of 2026 aims to protect youth under 18 from potential mental health risks associated with artificial intelligence chatbots by banning specific features designed to create emotional attachments. To support this goal, the bill establishes a government task force to study these impacts and provides funding for research and educational outreach to parents and teachers. The legislation also mandates that companies offering AI chatbots to minors must use age verification technology and delete user data within 24 hours. Companies that fail to comply with the ban on addictive design features or data privacy requirements face civil penalties of up to $10 million or $5,000 per violation, respectively.
This bill creates a new administrative account for the Railroad Retirement Board to manage funds specifically for its operations and technology upgrades. It establishes strict limits on how much money can be moved into this account between 2027 and 2031, based on a percentage of benefits paid or investment trust amounts, while also setting aside millions of dollars annually for modernizing outdated computer systems. Additionally, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office to produce reports reviewing the Board's efforts to update its legacy IT systems and consult with various stakeholders, including railroads and unions.
The Health and Location Data Protection Act of 2026 prohibits data brokers from buying, selling, or sharing personal location and health information, while allowing exceptions for authorized disclosures, HIPAA-compliant activities, and newsworthy public interest reporting. The Federal Trade Commission is tasked with defining specific data categories and enforcing these rules, with penalties including civil fines up to 15 percent of a company's revenue and the ability for the FTC, state attorneys general, and private individuals to sue for violations. This legislation applies to entities that trade data collected from others rather than directly from individuals, and it preempts only state laws that require the disclosure of data this bill forbids.
This bill creates the American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund by imposing an excise tax on large artificial intelligence companies, requiring them to transfer 50% of their equity to a new government trust. The legislation defines "applicable AI companies" as those with over $200 million in annual revenue from AI data centers, computing infrastructure, services, or advanced robotics. A newly established Independent Commission for Democratic AI would manage the fund's assets and use its voting rights to influence corporate governance, aiming to ensure the technology benefits the public. Additionally, the bill mandates that these companies undergo structural separation to operate solely in AI-related activities and prohibits the fund from using its resources to bail out any struggling firms.
The No Robot Bosses Act prevents employers from relying predominantly on automated systems to make hiring, firing, or other employment decisions, while also requiring these systems to be transparent about how they evaluate workers. Companies using such technology must disclose how the system works, train their staff on potential biases, and allow employees to opt out of having their applications or management handled by algorithms. The bill mandates that developers and employers conduct detailed pre-deployment evaluations and annual impact assessments to ensure these tools do not discriminate or harm workers' rights. A new Fairness and Transparency Office within the Department of Labor will oversee compliance, investigate violations, and enforce penalties that include substantial fines and protections against retaliation for whistleblowers.
The Stop Spying Bosses Act establishes new federal rules to limit how employers collect, use, and share employee data, primarily affecting businesses with at least 11 workers and their employees. It prohibits employers from gathering sensitive information such as biometric scans, off-duty activities, or political views unless the data is strictly necessary for specific job functions like ensuring safety or administering benefits. The law requires employers to clearly disclose what data they collect and how it influences decisions about hiring, firing, or promotions, while also granting workers the right to access and correct their own records. To enforce these standards, the bill creates a new Worker Protection and Technology Division within the Department of Labor, which will investigate violations and provide whistleblower protections against retaliation. Additionally, the legislation invalidates pre-dispute arbitration agreements that would stop workers from joining class-action lawsuits regarding privacy violations.
The Fraudulent Artificial Intelligence Regulations (FAIR) Elections Act of 2026 prohibits individuals from knowingly distributing false AI-generated media about federal elections or election officials if the intent is to impede voting or harass officials, while allowing news organizations to report on such content as long as they clearly label it as false. The bill also restricts states from removing voters from official registration lists unless the data comes from government sources approved by the Attorney General and updated at least monthly. Additionally, it bars the federal government from comparing its own databases with state or local records to determine voter eligibility and establishes a private right of action for citizens to sue if the government violates this rule. To further ensure accuracy, the Act requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on the impact of using federal databases like SAVE for voter removals and submit its findings to Congress within 180 days.
