Nuclear Energy Policy & Licensing Reforms
H.R. 3978: Nuclear REFUEL Act
Purpose: To amend the definition of a "production facility" under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to exclude equipment or devices capable of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel in a non-separative manner.
Key Provisions: It modifies Section 11 v. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. The bill specifically excludes any equipment or device capable of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel from being classified as a "production facility" if the recycling process does not separate plutonium from other transuranic elements.
H.R. 5549: Efficient Nuclear Licensing Hearings Act
Purpose: To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to establish more efficient and streamlined hearing procedures for nuclear facility construction applications.
Key Provisions: It amends Section 189 a. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to allow the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to issue construction permits, operating licenses, combined permits, or amendments without a hearing, provided a 30-day notice is published in the Federal Register and no affected party requests a hearing. It mandates that the NRC use informal adjudicatory procedures for any hearing conducted under this section. These updated hearing rules apply to all applications and proceedings pending on or after the date of enactment.
H.R. 9084: Department of Energy Nuclear Transparency Act
Purpose: To increase public transparency regarding the Department of Energy's (DOE) safety and agreement decisions for covered nuclear facilities.
Key Provisions: It applies to Hazard Category 1, 2, and 3 DOE nuclear facilities. The bill requires the Secretary of Energy to post a public announcement on the DOE website within 24 hours of altering any directive or safety standard. It mandates that the DOE publicly post any preliminary documented safety analysis or final documented safety analysis within 24 hours of issuance, excluding only commercially sensitive information. It also requires a public announcement within 24 hours of entering into any agreement to authorize a covered facility. Finally, the Secretary must submit an annual report detailing these authorization activities to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources by January 31 of each year.
H.R. 9612: American Enrichment Deployment Act
Purpose: To update the licensing procedures for uranium enrichment facilities to facilitate timely and safe deployment.
Key Provisions: It amends Section 193 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to permit "at-risk construction" of a uranium enrichment facility before a license is formally issued under sections 53 and 63, aligning its rules with other fuel cycle facilities. It directs the NRC to issue or revise carrying regulations within 180 days. The bill explicitly clarifies that this does not restrict the NRC's power to deny a license or regulate construction, nor does it affect any person's right to a hearing.
H.R. 9613: Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act
Purpose: To reform and focus the role, size, and terms of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS).
Key Provisions: It caps ACRS membership at a maximum of 15 members appointed by the Commission. Members are limited to serving a maximum of two 4-year terms, unless a compelling need for their continued service is formally determined. It instructs the ACRS to focus its activities on reactor design issues that are novel, safety-significant, and have not been previously acted on. Additionally, the ACRS may only perform reviews of license applications or amendments, or take other actions, if specifically requested by the Commission.
H.R. 9614: NRC Staff Pay Alignment Act
Purpose: To provide expanded compensation authority for certain career appointees within the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Key Provisions: It amends Section 161B of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. The bill authorizes the Chairman of the NRC to fix the annual pay of a career appointee up to 110 percent of the maximum annual rate of basic pay for Senior Executive Service (SES) positions within the Commission. This pay adjustment authority applies regardless of the appointment date and does not affect the certification of the Commission's performance appraisal system.
Environmental Regulation, Infrastructure, & Clean Energy
H.R. 1501: Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025
Purpose: To amend the FAST Act to include specific mineral production activities as covered projects eligible for expedited permitting.
Key Provisions: It amends Section 41001(6)(A) of the FAST Act by explicitly inserting "mining, mineral processing," before "or any other sector" in the definition of covered projects. It prohibits the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council from finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing its proposed rule from September 22, 2023, which sought to revise the mining sector's eligibility scope under the FAST Act.
H.R. 2140: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2025
Purpose: To extend the authorization of the diesel emissions reduction program under the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Key Provisions: It amends Section 797(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to strike the year "2024" and insert "2029", thereby reauthorizing the program through fiscal year 2029.
H.R. 3194: LOCOMOTIVES Act
Purpose: To amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit states from enacting or enforcing separate emissions standards on existing locomotives or locomotive engines.
Key Provisions: It amends Section 209(e)(1) of the Clean Air Act to bar states or local subdivisions from enforcing standards relating to emissions control on existing locomotives and locomotive engines engaged in commerce. The bill defines commerce in this context as encompassing all locomotives engaged in providing common carrier railroad transportation for compensation.
H.R. 9317: BUSES Act (Buses Utilizing Safety and Environmental Standards Act)
Purpose: To prohibit state and local governments from establishing engine idling restrictions on school buses and over-the-road buses for idling periods of less than 15 minutes.
Key Provisions: It amends Section 110(a) of the Clean Air Act to prevent state implementation plans from enforcing bus engine idling restrictions if the engine idles for less than 15 minutes. It bars citizen civil suits against bus owners or operators for idling violations under 15 minutes. Furthermore, it prohibits state or local bounty-based enforcement programs that provide monetary compensation to private individuals for reporting bus idling violations, requiring any such active programs to terminate within 180 days of enactment.
H.R. 9615: BRACE Act (Battery Recycling for America’s Competitive Economy Act)
Purpose: To support the recycling and recovery of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.
Key Provisions: The bill defines a lithium-ion battery as a battery that stores and releases energy through the movement of lithium ions between two electrodes. It mandates that destination facilities storing lithium-ion batteries prior to recycling must comply with specific federal universal waste regulations under Part 273 of Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations. It also makes technical updates to the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act to reflect these regulations.
Public Lands, Cultural Preservation, & Regional Projects
H.R. 10128: To codify Department of the Interior Secretary’s Order 3434
Purpose: To codify and give the full force and effect of law to Department of the Interior Secretary’s Order 3434.
Key Provisions: The bill statutorily codifies Secretary’s Order 3434, dated June 25, 2025, which focuses on strengthening and improving coordination with gateway communities.
H.R. 10136: Crossett Experimental Forest Act of 2026
Purpose: To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Crossett Experimental Forest to the State of Arkansas.
Key Provisions: It directs the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Chief of the Forest Service, to convey all federal right, title, and interest in the Crossett Experimental Forest and the R.R. Reynolds Research Natural Area to the State of Arkansas upon a written request submitted within 180 days of enactment. The conveyance must be made by quitclaim deed without monetary consideration, but Arkansas must pay all associated administrative and survey costs. As a condition, Arkansas must designate the land as the "Crossett State Forest" and manage it for forest research, education, and demonstration purposes in coordination with the University of Arkansas system. If the State fails to manage the forest accordingly, the land may revert to the United States. The conveyance is explicitly exempted from major federal action review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and from National Historic Preservation Act reviews.
H.R. 5470: Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation Act
Purpose: To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the historic Route 66 corridor as a National Historic Trail.
Key Provisions: The bill designates approximately 2,400 miles of U.S. Highway 66 alignments in existence between 1926 and 1985 (spanning from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California) as the Route 66 National Historic Trail. It directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, to administer the trail in a manner that respects and maintains its idiosyncratic nature. The Secretary must conduct active and timely consultation with affected Indian Tribes before undertaking trail activities with substantial direct impacts. It restricts federal land acquisition to consent-only outside federal boundaries, prohibits the use of eminent domain or condemnation, and prevents the creation of buffer zones. It also explicitly prevents the trail designation from blocking energy development, transmission infrastructure, or altering easement granting authorities.
H.R. 642: Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act of 2025
Purpose: To designate a 34-mile portion of the Myakka River in Sarasota County, Florida, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Key Provisions: It designates 34 miles of the Myakka River, classifying them into scenic (approximately 18.1 miles), wild (approximately 14.4 miles), and recreational (approximately 1.5 miles) segments. The Secretary of the Interior is directed to partner with the Myakka River Management Coordinating Council to coordinate administration. The bill authorizes cooperative agreements with state agencies and local jurisdictions, while clarifying that such agreements do not make the river a unit of the National Park System. Federal land acquisition is strictly limited to donations or owner-consent only, and land condemnation is explicitly prohibited.
H.R. 6788: Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act
Purpose: To release specified public lands in Montana from Wilderness Study Area (WSA) designations to improve local land management and sportsmen opportunities.
Key Provisions: It releases approximately 81,000 acres of the Middle Fork Judith WSA, 11,380 acres of the Hoodoo Mountain WSA, and 11,580 acres of the Wales Creek WSA from statutory WSA restrictions. Following their release, these lands are to be managed under current resource management plans developed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. The release is intended to provide for enhanced sportsmen backcountry opportunities, improved public access, and the execution of wildlife habitat and wildfire mitigation projects.
H.R. 9269: Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act
Purpose: To extend the federal authorization of the African American Civil Rights Network.
Key Provisions: It amends Title 54 of the United States Code to extend the network's authorization to 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act (extending it from the previous 7-year statutory sunset).
H.R. 9779: Hands Off Our Boca Chica Beach Act of 2026
Purpose: To designate Boca Chica Beach in Texas and establish congressional notification protocols for domestic geographic naming proposals.
Key Provisions: The bill formally designates Boca Chica Beach in Cameron County, Texas, as "Boca Chica Beach" for all federal maps, records, and laws. It also establishes a mandatory protocol requiring the Domestic Names Committee of the Board on Geographic Names to notify representing Members of Congress whenever a geographic naming proposal affecting their area is received and input is solicited.
S. 675: Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Act
Purpose: To contribute federal funds and lend historic artifacts to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota.
Key Provisions: It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide up to $50,000,000 in grants to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation. To receive the grant, the Foundation must certify it has raised a minimum of $100,000,000 in matching funds from North Dakota or non-federal sources. These grant funds are prohibited from being used for the maintenance or operations of the Library. The bill also authorizes the Secretary to enter into agreements to loan relevant historic, artistic, or natural museum artifacts from agencies like the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the library without monetary consideration.
Education, Academic Policy, & Student Support
H.R. 10220: SIMPLE Act (Streamlining Income-driven, Manageable Payments on Loans for Education Act)
Purpose: To establish notification and automatic enrollment procedures for student loan borrowers who are delinquent on loans or rehabilitating defaulted loans.
Key Provisions: It authorizes the Secretary of Education to obtain tax return information from the IRS (under Section 6103(l)(13) of the IRC) to automatically determine a delinquent borrower's income and family size, with an option for the borrower to opt-out. The bill requires the Secretary to notify borrowers who are at least 31 days delinquent about eligible repayment plans and estimated monthly payments. For borrowers who reach 75 days of delinquency and have not selected a plan, the Secretary is directed to automatically enroll them in the income-driven repayment (IDR) plan with the lowest monthly payment (or most favorable terms if tied), provided their current payment is higher than the IDR plan. It also implements similar automatic IDR plan enrollment for borrowers rehabilitating defaulted loans, notifying them after their 6th rehabilitation payment and enrolling them after their 9th payment. These automatic enrollment provisions take effect on July 1, 2028, for award year 2028–2029 and beyond.
H.R. 4795: Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026
Purpose: To prohibit higher education institutions participating in nonexpressive commercial boycotts of Israel from receiving certain federal funds, and to require academic program certifications.
Key Provisions: It renders institutions of higher education ineligible for Higher Education Act funds if they participate in "nonexpressive commercial boycotts" (commercial actions like refusals to deal intended to limit commercial relations without a valid business reason) of Israel or entities regulated under its laws. To maintain Title VI funding eligibility, institutions must submit an annual certification by July 31 stating they permit students and faculty to participate in academic, cultural, and study abroad programs in major strategic partners like Israel in the same manner as other foreign countries, and vice versa. Non-compliance with this certification deadline makes an institution ineligible for Title VI funds in the following fiscal year.
Constitutional Proposals, Floor Rules, & Commemorative Resolutions
H.J. Res. 1: Proposing a Constitutional amendment to require that the Supreme Court of the United States be composed of nine justices
Purpose: To propose a constitutional amendment requiring that the Supreme Court of the United States be composed of exactly nine justices.
Key Provisions: It proposes a constitutional article stating that the Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine justices, consisting of one chief justice and eight associate justices. The amendment becomes valid once ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures within seven years of submission.
H. Res. 1499: Floor Rules Resolution
Purpose: To establish rules for the floor consideration and debate of multiple high-priority bills and resolutions.
Key Provisions: It sets rules for H.R. 1501 (mineral projects under the FAST Act), providing for 1 hour of debate and 1 motion to recommit. It sets rules for H.R. 9436 (extending North Atlantic right whale regulations), providing for 1 hour of debate and 1 motion to recommit. It sets rules for H. Res. 1490 (denouncing socialism), providing for 1 hour of debate. It sets rules for H.R. 4795 (prohibiting boycotts of Israel), providing for 1 hour of debate and 1 motion to recommit. It also extends floor debate on motions to suspend the rules for H.J. Res. 1 (Supreme Court composition) to 1 hour.
H. Res. 1507: Honoring the life and legacy of Dolly Parton
Purpose: To formally honor the life, career, and extensive philanthropy of Dolly Parton following her passing on August 25, 2026.
Key Provisions: It expresses the House's condolences to Dolly Parton's family and the people of Tennessee. It outlines her historic music career, including Grand Ole Opry appearances and iconic songs like "Jolene" and "9 to 5". It celebrates her immense philanthropic legacy through the Dollywood Foundation, the Buddy Program, and the Imagination Library, which has distributed over 100 million books. It highlights her extensive contributions to health care (establishing the Dolly Parton Center for Women’s Services), pediatric medical research at Vanderbilt, wildlife conservation with the American Eagle Foundation, and disaster recovery (including the My People Fund for the 2016 Smoky Mountain wildfires and $2 million in aid following Hurricane Helene in 2024). It recognizes her major awards, including her induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame (1999) and receipt of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy (2022).