Congressional Digest — January–February 2026: 24 Bills That Moved Past Committee
Digest time. January and February 2026 saw 24 bills clear committee, including 8 signed into law. Below: every one of them, translated out of legalese, with the complete neutral analysis linked on each.
Signed into law
HJRES 142 — Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025. This joint resolution, now public law, nullifies a 2025 District of Columbia law that had separated DC's tax code from certain federal tax changes. The nullification means DC must again follow the federal tax provisions from H.R.
S 222 — Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025. This law changes the National School Lunch Program to allow schools to serve whole milk (3.25% fat) and reduced-fat (2%) milk, in addition to the low-fat and fat-free milk currently permitted.
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025
HR 224 — Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act. This law excludes military service-connected disability compensation from being counted as income when determining whether a veteran qualifies for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) housing assistance.
Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act
S 269 — Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act. This law permanently allows the U.S. Treasury Department to access Social Security Administration death records to help prevent and recover improper payments made to deceased individuals.
Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
S 3424 — Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2025. This law makes several administrative changes to the U.S. bankruptcy system, including raising the fee paid to Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees from $60 to $120 per case, extending quarterly fees paid to U.S.
Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2025
S 3705 — Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act. This act requires the Architect of the Capitol to create a time capsule to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, bury it at the Capitol Visitor Center by July 4, 2026, and seal it until July 4, 2276, when it will be presented to Congress.
Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act
HR 6938 — Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026. This law provides fiscal year 2026 appropriations for several federal departments and agencies across three areas: commerce, justice, and science; energy and water development; and interior and environment.
HR 7148 — Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026. This law provides full-year FY2026 appropriations for the Department of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, State Department, and other agencies, while funding the Department of Homeland Security at FY2025 levels through February 13, 2026.
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026
Passed the House
HR 260 — No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act. This bill requires the State Department to create and carry out a strategy to discourage foreign countries and organizations from financially or materially supporting the Taliban, including by leveraging U.S. foreign assistance.
No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act
HR 837 — To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona. This bill directs the U.S. Forest Service to transfer approximately 232.9 acres of National Forest System land in Arizona's Tonto National Forest to Gila County, Arizona, at no cost to the federal government.
HR 1458 — VETS Opportunity Act of 2025. The VETS Opportunity Act of 2025 makes several changes to how the Department of Veterans Affairs administers education benefits for veterans and service members.
HR 2988 — Protecting Prudent Investment of Retirement Savings Act. This bill changes the rules for people who manage employer-sponsored retirement plans (fiduciaries), requiring them to make investment decisions based primarily on financial factors affecting risk and return.
Protecting Prudent Investment of Retirement Savings Act
HR 3123 — Ernest Peltz Accrued Veterans Benefits Act. This bill establishes a process for the Department of Veterans Affairs to distribute pension payments that were approved before a veteran's death but not yet paid out. It sets a priority order for who receives those unpaid funds and requires eligible claimants to apply within one year of the veteran's death.
Ernest Peltz Accrued Veterans Benefits Act
HR 3190 — BRAVE Burma Act. The BRAVE Burma Act extends and expands U.S. sanctions on Burma through December 23, 2032, and requires the President to appoint a Senate-confirmed Special Envoy for Burma with ambassador-level rank.
HR 3390 — Bringing the Discount Window into the 21st Century Act. This bill requires the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors to review its discount window lending program, which provides loans to banks to support their stability and liquidity, and to develop a plan to fix any identified problems.
Bringing the Discount Window into the 21st Century Act
HR 3496 — Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Access Act. This bill would expand the Small Business Administration's microloan program to include businesses and eligible nonprofit childcare centers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The program provides loans of up to $50,000 to small businesses.
Northern Mariana Islands Small Business Access Act
HR 3617 — Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act. This bill requires the Department of Energy to identify and secure supplies of critical energy resources whose supply chains are vulnerable to disruption. DOE would conduct ongoing assessments of supply chain vulnerabilities, domestic production capacity, and foreign adversaries' influence over energy resource markets.
Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act
HR 3679 — Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act. This bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop or identify resources to help small businesses navigate concerns related to artificial intelligence use.
Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act
HR 3682 — Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act of 2025. This bill requires the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) to first consider whether alternative regulatory actions could address financial stability risks before designating a nonbank financial company for Federal Reserve supervision and stricter prudential standards.
Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act of 2025
HR 6732 — Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment Act. The CSAFE Act of 2025 creates a new federal crime for forcing a minor to perform acts such as animal crushing, self-harm, obscene speech, sexually explicit conduct, or degrading nonsexual conduct. Violations, including attempts or conspiracies, are punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both.
Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment Act
HR 7296 — SAVE America Act. The SAVE America Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act) would require people to show documentary proof of U.S. citizenship — such as a passport or birth certificate — when registering to vote in federal elections, and would require photo identification to cast a ballot.
Passed the Senate
S 320 — National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025. This bill reauthorizes the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) through FY2028 and expands the activities that four federal agencies must carry out under the program.
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025
S 1626 — National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025. This bill reauthorizes and updates the National Landslide Preparedness Act, extending its programs through 2030 and increasing authorized funding levels for landslide research, early warning systems, and related activities.
National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
S 1837 — DEFIANCE Act of 2025. The DEFIANCE Act of 2025 expands civil legal remedies for victims of nonconsensual sharing of intimate images and creates a new federal civil action covering AI-generated or digitally fabricated intimate images (deepfakes) shared without consent.
That is the complete record for January and February 2026. Every linked page has the full neutral breakdown — stated purpose, who is affected, the arguments on both sides, and the recorded votes. Follow the bills you care about and NewsClear will track what happens next.
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