The Kids Online Safety Act (S 1748) requires major social media platforms, online video games, and other "covered platforms" to implement specific safety features for minors (under 17). These features include default privacy settings that limit harmful design features like infinite scrolling and auto-play, parental controls for managing minors' accounts, and restrictions on advertising illegal products to minors. The bill also mandates annual transparency reports about how platforms are used by minors and requires platforms to provide clear notices about their content algorithms. It creates a Kids Online Safety Council to advise Congress on online safety issues for children. The law applies to platforms with more than 10 million monthly users in the U.S. and takes effect 18 months after enactment.
This Senate resolution reaffirms U.S. policy to support a peaceful democratic transition in Venezuela through free and fair elections. It urges the interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez to immediately organize transparent presidential elections and calls for the unconditional release of all political prisoners. The document also declares that any harm inflicted on individuals seeking public office would be presumed to have the approval of senior Venezuelan officials and could lead to U.S. accountability actions.
This bill prevents the Secretary of Education from moving specific offices and their functions to other federal agencies or contracting them out. It directly affects the Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Postsecondary Education, Office of Indian Education, and Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. The law blocks agreements that would allow these offices to share projects, use equipment, or transfer funds to other agencies, while also stopping internal transfers of these functions to other parts of the department before outsourcing them. The only exceptions are contracts or agreements that were already active on February 1, 2025, or renewals that keep the same terms.
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of benefits paid or investment trust amounts, while also setting aside millions of dollars annually for modernizing outdated computer systems.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 College Transparency Act establishes a federal data system to collect and analyze student-level information about college enrollment, costs, completion rates, and post-graduation outcomes. The National Center for Education Statistics must develop this system within 4 years, collecting data on student demographics, program of study, financial aid, and earnings while prohibiting sensitive information like health data or citizenship status. The system will provide public, aggregated data through an online tool that allows students and families to compare institutions and make informed education decisions. The bill repeals a previous prohibition on such a data system and amends requirements for colleges to submit data, aiming to reduce reporting burdens while improving transparency. It includes privacy protections, an advisory committee with diverse representation, and prohibits using the data for federal rankings or to limit student services.
The NO PROFIT Act prohibits social media platforms from selling or offering prioritized access to posts made by government officials, their family members, or federal agencies. This law aims to prevent unfair advantages in financial markets by banning the early access to material information that could influence investment decisions. Under the bill, it is also illegal for individuals to trade stocks, commodities, or futures while in possession of such non-public information obtained through these exclusive channels. Violations by social media companies can result in civil penalties equal to the revenue earned from the prohibited access, while financial regulators are tasked with creating specific rules to enforce these provisions within 180 days.
The RECOVER PII Act expands identity protection coverage for individuals affected by federal agency data breaches, extending the duration of protection for the remainder of their lives and increasing the minimum insurance amount to $5 million. Additionally, the bill allows federal agencies to use appropriated funds to reimburse employees or their contractors for up to 100 percent of the costs associated with privacy-enhancing services, such as software or hardware designed to mitigate data risks. These provisions aim to provide long-term financial support and resources to victims of data breaches while ensuring that reimbursement claims are supported by necessary documentation.
The Smart Data Center Policy Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to study how building data centers near military bases, airports, rail hubs, or industrial zones affects local industries. This research will evaluate construction costs, impacts on energy and water systems, which areas have the necessary infrastructure to support these facilities, and potential federal incentives for their development. The study must be completed within 180 days of the bill's enactment, with results reported to specific congressional committees. The legislation does not authorize new construction or funding but focuses on gathering information to guide future policy decisions regarding data center placement.
The RECOVER PII Act expands identity protection coverage for individuals affected by federal data breaches, extending the duration of such coverage to the remainder of their lives and increasing insurance limits to at least $5 million. It also allows federal agencies to use appropriated funds to fully reimburse employees or contractors for costs associated with privacy-enhancing services, such as software or hardware that reduces personal data risks. These changes aim to provide long-term security support and financial assistance to victims of government data incidents without specifying which agencies or individuals are directly impacted.
This bill, titled the Permanent CBDC Ban Act, aims to permanently prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency. It achieves this by amending the Federal Reserve Act to remove the specific legal authority that allows the Reserve to create such a digital currency. The legislation directly affects the Federal Reserve by stripping away its power to launch a digital version of the dollar. By deleting the relevant subsection of the law, the bill ensures that the Reserve cannot issue a CBDC in the future.
The Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2026 establishes a three-year pilot program to provide grants to eligible veterans for starting or acquiring small businesses, franchises, or other qualifying enterprises. To receive funding, veterans must complete approved entrepreneurship training and submit a business plan that is reviewed and approved by an advisor before any money is disbursed. Grants are distributed in monthly installments over up to 12 months, contingent on the veteran meeting specific milestones outlined in their approved business plan. The program is limited to 250 recipients and requires geographic diversity among applicants, with a final report due two years after the program begins to assess its effectiveness.
This bill, titled the Restoring Accountability in Appropriations Act, modifies the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to allow private citizens and specific congressional leaders to sue the federal government if budget funds are improperly withheld. It grants individuals who are negatively affected by these withholdings the right to file civil lawsuits in federal court to force the release of the money. Additionally, the legislation empowers designated House leaders to request reports from the Comptroller General and, if those reports confirm violations, to introduce resolutions that mandate the House initiate or join these lawsuits. The bill also establishes a special, expedited process within the House of Representatives to quickly pass these litigation resolutions without standard debate or committee delays.
