Public Lands, Parks, and National Heritage Areas
H.R. 5254
Purpose: Allows the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in certain buildings within Gateway Arch National Park while protecting park resources and values.
Key Provisions: Authorizes an agreement between the Secretary of the Interior and the Foundation; sets terms protecting park resources (limiting dates, times, and event frequency); ensures liability insurance and cost-recovery fees for wear and tear; permits standard National Park Service-sponsored events.
H.R. 6365 / S. 3313 (Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act)
Purpose: Facilitates the creation of an emergency exit on National Park Service land in Virginia near the Blue Ridge Parkway to ensure public safety during fire emergencies.
Key Provisions: Requires the Secretary of the Interior to issue a right-of-way near Milepost 9.6; mandates evaluation of alternatives (verifying existing trails cannot convert to roads), fire behavior analysis, and NEPA compliance reviews.
H.R. 6380 / S. 3715
Purpose: Establishes Chiricahua National Park in Arizona as a unit of the National Park System, preserving its natural and cultural resources while honoring Native American traditional lands.
Key Provisions: Designates the park with boundaries matching the former monument; mandates administration under NPS laws and Presidential Proclamations; requires consultation with Indian Tribes and provides tribal access to traditional cultural and religious sites.
S. 2498 (National Park System Long-Term Lease Investment Act)
Purpose: Provides flexibility and alignment for lessees who have invested heavily in National Park Units.
Key Provisions: Empowers the Secretary of the Interior to extend existing qualified leases without a competitive bidding process if in the park's best interest; requires lessees to have held the lease for at least 5 years and remain compliant; directs revisions to federal regulations within 90 days.
S. 2767 (Gateway Partnership Act)
Purpose: Authorizes the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host private events in designated Gateway Arch National Park buildings without compromising park integrity.
Key Provisions: Defines administrative terms for the Arch Visitor Center, Old Courthouse, and other structures; authorizes a formal agreement controlling event frequency, timing, and liability protection; permits cost-recovery maintenance fees.
S. 2801
Purpose: Assesses the suitability and feasibility of designating the Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire as a National Heritage Area.
Key Provisions: Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study in collaboration with local preservation groups, historical societies, and tourism offices.
S. 2887 (Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation Act)
Purpose: Designates Route 66 as a national historic trail to preserve its unique history while respecting surrounding property and energy rights.
Key Provisions: Adds alignments of U.S. Highway 66 existing between 1926 and 1985 (spanning ~2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica) to the National Trails System; mandates tribal consultation, prohibits buffer zones, bans eminent domain/condemnation by the Secretary, and protects existing energy development and utility rights.
S. 2933
Purpose: Honors West Virginia children and families impacted by childhood cancer.
Key Provisions: Redesignates a playground in the Grandview area of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve as the "Hearts of Gold Playground".
S. 3194
Purpose: Explores the designation of a national heritage area in California.
Key Provisions: Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating Monterey, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo counties (and adjacent heritage regions) as the Monterey Bay National Heritage Area.
S. 4238
Purpose: Establishes a formal framework for a Pennsylvania heritage region.
Key Provisions: Designates the Endless Mountains National Heritage Area (comprising Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming Counties) as a component of the National Heritage Area System; names the Endless Mountains Heritage Region, Inc. as the local coordinating entity with a 3-year window to submit a management plan.
S. 4399
Purpose: Provides land conveyances under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act while protecting cultural landmarks.
Key Provisions: Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey ~21,578 acres of federal land inside Denali National Park and Preserve to Doyon, Limited; excludes specific lake properties and the Geese House site from development to preserve cultural significance; adjusts park boundaries accordingly.
S. 4538
Purpose: Recognizes and preserves the historical significance of George Washington's 1753 diplomatic mission.
Key Provisions: Amends the National Trails System Act to mandate a feasibility study regarding the designation of Washington's Trail (1753) as a national historic trail.
Water Resources, Infrastructure, and Environmental Management
H.R. 5631 (Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act)
Purpose: Improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the geothermal permitting process, reducing delays and promoting best practices.
Key Provisions: Establishes a Geothermal Ombudsman and a Permitting Task Force within the Bureau of Land Management within 60 days of enactment; authorizes cross-office personnel assignments, specialized retention allowances, and annual reports to Congress.
H.R. 7250 / S. 3635
Purpose: Extends authorization timelines for the Fort Peck Reservation rural water system.
Key Provisions: Amends the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000 by pushing back sunset and reauthorization dates from 2026 to 2028.
H.R. 7831 / S. 5039 (License to Drill Act)
Purpose: Increases the fee collection period for oil and gas drilling applications and allocates revenue toward administrative improvements.
Key Provisions: Amends the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 191(d)) to extend application fee collection deadlines from 2026 to 2037; mandates that all collected fees from fiscal years 2027 through 2037 transfer directly to the BLM Permit Processing Improvement Fund.
S. 1257
Purpose: Expands funding avenues for historical reclamation projects.
Key Provisions: Amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to permit funds to rehabilitate, reconstruct, or replace dams originally developed and operated under the Carey Act.
S. 3573
Purpose: Provides scheduling flexibility for regional water infrastructure milestones.
Key Provisions: Amends the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act to allow extensions for completing the Regional Water System when the Pueblos, U.S. government, State, City, and County mutually agree it is necessary.
S. 3617
Purpose: Supports the operational maintenance of Arizona water delivery assets.
Key Provisions: Establishes legislative definitions for key infrastructure terms, including the Central Arizona Project (CAP), the Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD), the C.C. Cragin Dam and Reservoir, and associated capital costs.
S. 3732
Purpose: Improves water availability and storage management across Reclamation States.
Key Provisions: Reauthorizes small storage programs (grant eligibility for projects storing 200 to 30,000 acre-feet); authorizes grants for natural water retention and release projects with a 90% federal cost-share cap; appropriates $20,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2033.
S. 3738
Purpose: Boosts water recycling, conservation, and sustainability efforts.
Key Provisions: Reauthorizes the large-scale water recycling and reuse program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; establishes a Water Conveyance Improvement Program to fund projects benefiting low-income communities; appropriates $450,000,000 for grants from fiscal years 2028 through 2032.
S. 4041 (Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act of 2026)
Purpose: Provides flexibility and expanded resources for watershed management and drought/wildfire mitigation.
Key Provisions: Expands Indian tribe definitions to include tribes with ancestral lands in the watershed; prioritizes applicants facing severe drought or wildfire threats; extends first-phase grants by up to 2 years; authorizes $40,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
S. 4368
Purpose: Clarifies water rights, usage terms, and cooperative resource management in Southern California.
Key Provisions: Defines technical water management terms (such as domestic water, groundwater, imported water, and diversion mechanisms) within the Indio Subbasin; formalizes operational agreements involving the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) and the Desert Water Agency (DWA).
S. 4410
Purpose: Restructures financial terms for federal mineral leasing.
Key Provisions: Amends the Mineral Leasing Act to mandate that coal lease bonus payments be paid in 10 equal annual installments, with the initial installment due at the time of bid submission.
S. 4417
Purpose: Makes technical corrections to an established Native American water settlement.
Key Provisions: Updates definitions in the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act, clarifies the use of the Pechanga Water Quality Account to address Wolf Valley Basin water quality issues, and authorizes executive agreement amendments.
S. 4890 (Protecting Indian Water Rights Settlements Act of 2026)
Purpose: Secures reliable, long-term funding streams for tribal water rights settlements and ongoing maintenance obligations.
Key Provisions: Establishes two subaccounts within the Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund: an Operations, Maintenance, Repair, and Ongoing Obligations Subaccount ($45 million annually from 2026 to 2035) and a New and Continuing Settlements Subaccount ($250 million annually from 2026 to 2035).
Education, Labor, and Social Policy
S. 2511 (College Transparency Act)
Purpose: Promotes transparency, accountability, and data-driven decision-making in higher education.
Key Provisions: Directs the National Center for Education Statistics to develop a secure, privacy-protected postsecondary student data system tracking student-level and program-specific metrics; establishes an advisory committee and enforces strict federal data minimization practices.
S. 3010 (21st Century Dyslexia Act)
Purpose: Clarifies definitions and expands educational support services for students with dyslexia under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Key Provisions: Formally defines dyslexia as an unexpected reading difficulty rooted in phonological processing; requires local educational agencies to guarantee equal access to accommodations and services, explicitly protecting low-income, low-socioeconomic-status, and limited-English-proficient children.
S. 3333 (Emergency Savings Enhancement Act of 2025)
Purpose: Makes it easier for working individuals to build up financial cushions for unexpected emergencies.
Key Provisions: Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to update eligible participant definitions and double the annual contribution limit for pension-linked emergency savings accounts from $2,500 to $5,000 (effective for taxable years after December 31, 2026).
S. 3589
Purpose: Ensures students with disabilities and their families have the data and institutional backing necessary to succeed in higher education.
Key Provisions: Updates definitions under the Higher Education Act of 1965; requires colleges to adopt transparent, explicit policies for establishing accommodation eligibility; authorizes $10,000,000 total for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for the National Center for Information and Technical Support for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities; mandates institutional disability data reporting.
S. 4097 (State-Based Education Loan Awareness Act)
Purpose: Protects student borrowers from predatory lending practices and aligns state-level loan programs with federal standards.
Key Provisions: Exempts qualifying state-based education loan programs (non-federal loans offered by state agencies or nonprofits) from certain preferred lender rules; requires interest rates and fees to be at least as favorable as Direct PLUS loans and ensures students receive federal loan counseling first.
S. 4334 (Blind Americans Return to Work Act of 2026)
Purpose: Promotes employment opportunities and workplace re-entry for blind individuals while preserving a financial safety net.
Key Provisions: Establishes a 20-year Social Security Administration demonstration project modifying disability benefits under Title II for blind individuals; waives standard termination penalties tied to substantial gainful activity, applying a gradual $1-for-$2 reduction threshold for earnings above a specific limit.
S. 4336 (Restoring Rights of Medical Residents Act)
Purpose: Promotes fair economic competition and market practices within medical training placement programs.
Key Provisions: Repeals Section 207 of the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004, thereby removing the specialized antitrust exemption previously applicable to graduate medical resident matching programs.
S. 4965
Purpose: Modernizes legacy benefit processing systems and optimizes administrative operations for the Railroad Retirement Board.
Key Provisions: Creates a dedicated Railroad Retirement Board Administrative Account and a Railroad Retirement Technology Fund; places structured percentage caps on annual funding transfers (e.g., 1.25% for 2027–2031); mandates a comprehensive GAO modernization report.
S. 5038
Purpose: Protects the structural autonomy and jurisdiction of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSEERS).
Key Provisions: Prohibits the Secretary of Education from transferring OSEERS functions, contracts, or agreements to the Department of Health and Human Services (excluding arrangements in effect prior to February 1, 2025).
S. 5046
Purpose: Maintains internal control over core offices within the Department of Education by barring executive consolidation into other federal departments.
Key Provisions: Bars the Secretary of Education from shifting research, program management, or operational duties to external agencies; explicitly shields OSEERS, the Office of Postsecondary Education, the Office of Indian Education, and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (grandfathering pre-existing February 1, 2025 agreements).
Healthcare, Privacy, and Consumer Protection
S. 3097 (Health Information Privacy Reform Act)
Purpose: Strengthens privacy, security, and breach notification standards for consumer health data.
Key Provisions: Directs HHS and the FTC to establish harmonized privacy rules for entities processing "applicable health information"; extends civil enforcement penalties under HIPAA and the HITECH Act framework to cover regulated tech entities and data handlers; sets strict guidelines for individual access rights and authorizations.
S. 4301 (For the Fans Act)
Purpose: Improves consumer access to professional sports broadcasts and protects local fans from restrictive viewing practices.
Key Provisions: Defines "league streamers"; prohibits sports league streaming services from enforcing geographic or general blackouts on live games; requires leagues to provide local fans free access to local team games at standard broadcast quality; empowers the FTC and state attorneys general to enforce penalties.
S. 4323
Purpose: Lowers out-of-pocket prescription expenses for Medicare beneficiaries by expanding access to affordable alternatives.
Key Provisions: Amends Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require Medicare Part D sponsors and Medicare Advantage (MA-PD) plans to include lower-cost generic drugs and biosimilar biological products on their formularies; restricts access limits and sets structured specialty tier cost-sharing criteria.
S. 4332 (Medication Competition Act)
Purpose: Increases market transparency and promotes generic and interchangeable drug competition in the biological products sector.
Key Provisions: Amends the Public Health Service Act to mandate that the Secretary of Health and Human Services publish and maintain precise timelines detailing exclusivity periods and expiration dates for interchangeable biological products and reference products.
S. 4351
Purpose: Prohibits deceptive energy market manipulation and submission of fraudulent price metrics.
Key Provisions: Amends the Federal Power Act and the Natural Gas Act; grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) explicit power to permanently or conditionally suspend individuals or entities from energy trading or transmission services for market violations; outlaws filing false information designed to fraudulently impact private-sector price reporting agencies.
National Security, Law Enforcement, and Oversight
S.J.Res. 181
Purpose: Restricts unauthorized U.S. military involvement in hostilities with Iran.
Key Provisions: Directs the President to withdraw U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran absent a formal declaration of war or specific statutory authorization; includes narrow operational exceptions for defending against direct attacks on U.S. personnel/facilities, gathering intelligence, and assisting Israel or partner nations.
S. 4309
Purpose: Explores the utility of advanced nonlethal public safety tools while establishing rigorous operational safeguards.
Key Provisions: Establishes a federal pilot program reviewing nonlethal deescalation drones for active shooter response; upholds bans on weaponized drones; mandates rigorous training, safety protocols, interagency partnerships, domestic manufacturing requirements (U.S.-built), and an eventual post-pilot report and rulemaking process.
S. 4311
Purpose: Empowers federal regulators to secure monetary relief and restitution for victims of unlawful business practices.
Key Provisions: Amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to explicitly codify equitable remedies—allowing the FTC to seek consumer restitution, contract rescission, reformations, and unjust enrichment disgorgement; establishes a 10-year statute of limitations for these actions.
S. 4338 (Pedophile Financial Accountability Act)
Purpose: Investigates potential compliance failures by major financial institutions regarding illicit networks.
Key Provisions: Requires FinCEN to investigate whether financial institutions violated Bank Secrecy Act provisions during transactions tied to Jeffrey Epstein (focusing on delayed suspicious activity reports, missing due diligence, and large cash transfers); mandates a congressional report within 100 days and referrals to the Attorney General for willful violations.
S. 4339 (Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence Act of 2026)
Purpose: Strengthens federal firearms restrictions to enhance public safety.
Key Provisions: Requires licensed dealers to take physical possession of firearms before transfers; caps handgun purchases at one per 30-day window; outlaws undetectable "ghost guns"; defines high-capacity semi-automatic rifles/pistols exceeding 15 rounds as assault weapons; implements domestic violence relinquishment and safe storage rules.
S. 4350 (Southeast New England Program Act)
Purpose: Restores and protects coastal watersheds across southeast New England.
Key Provisions: Establishes the Southeast New England Program within the EPA to award competitive grants (capped at 75% federal cost-share) targeting pollution, habitat restoration, stormwater runoff, and ecosystem resilience; authorizes $30 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Regulatory Disapproval Resolutions
S.J.Res. 199
Purpose: Uses the Congressional Review Act to reject federal regulatory shifts affecting family child care assistance.
Key Provisions: Disapproves and voids the Department of Health and Human Services rule titled "Restoring Flexibility in the Child Care and Development Fund" (CCDF), stripping the rule of any legal force or effect.
S.J.Res. 203
Purpose: Rejects federal regulatory preemption impacting consumer banking rights.
Key Provisions: Disapproves and nullifies the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency rule regarding "Preemption Determination: State Interest-on-Escrow Laws," rendering the rule void.
Congressional Operations
S.Res. 817
Purpose: Streamlines and accelerates the legislative confirmation process for presidential appointees.
Key Provisions: Authorizes the en bloc consideration in Executive Session of 86 pending executive nominations, grouping diplomats, international organization representatives, agency officials, district court judges, and board members together for efficient review.