This bill directs the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library to commission and install a statue of Shirley Chisholm in a permanent public location within the United States Capitol. The legislation requires the committee to secure the statue within two years of enactment and authorizes the Architect of the Capitol to handle related contracts on the committee's behalf. Funding is authorized to cover the costs of obtaining and placing the statue, with appropriated funds remaining available until used. This measure directly affects the Capitol's art collection and honors Shirley Chisholm through physical representation in the legislative building.
The Save Struggling Hospitals Act adjusts Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals in low-wage areas to help them remain financially viable. It directly affects hospitals located in regions where the average hospital wages fall below the 25th percentile nationally. The bill increases the area wage index for these struggling hospitals by half the difference between their current index and the 25th percentile threshold, starting with discharges on or after October 1, 2019. These adjustments are designed to be budget neutral, meaning the increased payments to low-wage hospitals are offset by reductions elsewhere without decreasing payments to hospitals in the top 75th percentile or reducing any hospital's payment by more than 5 percent from the previous year.
This bill, the Bankruptcy Venue Reform Act, aims to reduce forum shopping by restricting where companies and individuals can file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It directly affects businesses and individuals seeking bankruptcy protection by requiring cases to be filed in districts where the entity has maintained its principal place of business or principal assets for at least 180 days prior to filing, rather than allowing filings in any district with a legal connection. The law also prevents last-minute changes to an entity's location or ownership for the purpose of establishing venue and places the burden of proof on the filer to demonstrate proper venue. Additionally, the bill clarifies that cash and cash equivalents do not count as principal assets and allows government attorneys to appear in bankruptcy courts without meeting local rules about local counsel.
This bill, the Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2026, expands the Department of Veterans Affairs' existing precision medicine initiative to specifically include research on repetitive low-level blast exposure, dementia, and other brain and mental health conditions affecting veterans. It requires the VA and Department of Defense to establish a data-sharing partnership within one year to combine relevant military health data for research purposes. The legislation mandates specific research studies on blast exposure impacts, including assessments of clinical interventions, implementation studies of proven treatments, and quality improvement efforts to enhance diagnosis and care. Additionally, the bill directs the VA to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to validate brain health biomarkers and authorizes $5 million annually through fiscal year 2030 to fund these expanded research efforts.
This bill requires large AI companies and organizations to disclose detailed information about their foundation models, including training data sources, model performance, and potential risks, before and during the model's use. The Federal Trade Commission will create specific rules outlining what information must be submitted to the agency and made publicly available, with exemptions for fully open-source models and special provisions for small businesses. Covered entities are defined as AI providers with over 10 million monthly users, significant computing power usage, or models that could pose security or safety risks, while the FTC will enforce compliance as unfair business practices.
This bill, titled the Fair Treatment of Religious Organizations Act of 2026, establishes rules for how religious organizations are treated under federal tax law and financial assistance programs. It directs the IRS to determine whether an organization's purpose is religious without considering its specific beliefs about marriage, sexuality, or gender identity, even if those beliefs conflict with current laws. The legislation also prohibits federal agencies from discriminating against religious employers that receive federal funding if those employers hire staff based on their religious standards. These protections apply to religious corporations, associations, educational institutions, and societies, ensuring they can maintain employment practices aligned with their faith when receiving government support.
The STOP Suicide Act establishes a new grant program to fund stabilization services for individuals experiencing acute suicidal thoughts. These grants will be awarded competitively to eligible entities such as community health centers, crisis centers, schools, and tribal organizations to support evidence-based interventions that reduce immediate suicide risk. The program authorizes up to $30 million annually from 2027 to 2031 and requires recipients to submit plans for sustaining services after grant funding ends. Grants may support outpatient care, virtual services, and peer support in the least restrictive settings appropriate for each individual's needs.
This resolution recognizes the importance of fully funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The resolution also (1) cautions that Americans are at greater risk each day DHS is subject to a lapse in appropriations, and (2) expresses gratitude to DHS employees for their commitment to protect the United States.
HRES 971 is a non-binding resolution condemning China's economic and military actions against Japan following Japanese officials' comments about Taiwan. It specifically addresses China's travel advisory (causing $1.2 billion in tourism losses), a ban on Japanese seafood imports, and military drills near Japanese territory. The resolution reaffirms U.S. support for the U.S.-Japan alliance under their mutual security treaty and calls on China to cease coercion. It emphasizes U.S. commitment to upholding a "free and open Indo-Pacific" based on international law. This resolution directly affects Japan's economy and security, with no new legal obligations but serving as a formal U.S. policy statement.
The SHADOW Act creates a new State Department Coordinator to lead U.S. efforts against hybrid warfare threats from China and Russia, particularly in Europe. The Coordinator will assess threats like cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns, coordinate with NATO allies and partners (including Japan and Australia), and help protect critical infrastructure sectors. The bill requires the Coordinator to submit a strategy within 60 days and annual reports for three years detailing threat assessments and coordination progress. It also mandates a specific report within 180 days identifying Chinese entities supporting Russia’s defense industry.
This bill authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to Marine Corps veteran John W. Ripley for his acts of valor on April 2, 1972, during the Vietnam War. It specifically overrides standard time limits for Medal of Honor awards (under 10 U.S. Code sections 8298(a) and 8300) that would otherwise prevent the award for actions occurring decades earlier. Ripley had previously received the Navy Cross for the same actions. The bill directly affects Ripley’s eligibility for the highest military honor, bypassing standard procedural barriers.
The Parkway Safety and Reinvestment Act authorizes speed safety cameras on National Park System highways (managed by the Interior Secretary) to automatically capture speeding violations. It allows the National Park Service to issue citations and fines for these violations, with all collected revenue required to fund repairs, maintenance, and camera upkeep on the specific park roads where violations occurred. The bill mandates that camera use complies with state traffic laws where the park highway is located. This directly affects drivers using National Park roads and requires the Park Service to reinvest enforcement revenue into maintaining those same park infrastructure systems.
