Congressional Digest — Mid-July 2026 Check-In: 19 Bills and Counting
Mid-month check-in. The first half of July 2026 has already put 19 bills past committee, including 2 signed into law, and the month is not done. Here is everything so far, in plain language, full breakdowns linked.
Signed into law
HR 6644 — 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is the most comprehensive federal housing bill in decades, aimed at increasing housing supply and lowering costs — largely by easing federal regulatory and environmental-review barriers, encouraging states and cities to loosen restrictive zoning, speeding permitt…
21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
On the president's desk
S 629 — Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025. This bill revises two federal programs—the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)—to expand which farmers and forest landowners qualify for disaster relief payments and to increase the size and flexibility of advance cost-sharing payments available b…
Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025
Passed the House
HR 1181 — Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act. This bill prohibits payment card networks from assigning merchant category codes that separately identify firearms retailers, distinguishing them from general-merchandise or sporting-goods retailers.
Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
HR 3074 — Common Cents Act. The Common Cents Act would end routine U.S. production of the penny, with the Treasury Department only minting pennies to meet collector needs. All cash transactions, including retail purchases, other cash transfers, and cash wage payments, would be rounded to the nearest five cents.
HR 3106 — Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2025. This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to design and run an exercise simulating a terrorist attack occurring during an extreme cold weather event, such as a polar vortex. The exercise must examine how critical infrastructure could be affected and how public and private entities can coordinate responses.
Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2025
HR 4288 — To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in San Jose, California, as the "Corporal Patrick D. Tillman VA Clinic". This bill officially renames the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in San Jose, California, after Corporal Patrick D. Tillman, also known as Pat Tillman.
HR 4647 — Captain Paul W. Bud Bucha VA Medical Center Act of 2025. This bill officially renames the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in West Haven, Connecticut, to the Captain Paul W. 'Bud' Bucha VA Medical Center in honor of Captain Paul W. 'Bud' Bucha.
Captain Paul W. Bud Bucha VA Medical Center Act of 2025
HR 6556 — Failing Bank Acquisition Fairness Act. This bill tightens the rules under which federal regulators can waive deposit concentration limits when a failing bank is acquired.
Failing Bank Acquisition Fairness Act
HR 7574 — ELO Realignment and Strategic Engagement Reform Act of 2026. This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to create and submit to Congress a reorganization plan for its Engagement, Liaison, and Outreach Office, which manages intelligence-sharing relationships with domestic and international partners.
ELO Realignment and Strategic Engagement Reform Act of 2026
HR 8168 — Major Non-NATO Ally Terror Threat Assessment Act. This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to give Congress a terrorism threat assessment focused on foreign terrorist organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists operating in the 19 countries designated as major non-NATO allies, plus Taiwan.
Major Non-NATO Ally Terror Threat Assessment Act
HR 8535 — Measuring Illicit Fentanyl Trafficking Act. This bill requires Department of Homeland Security components involved in fentanyl interdiction to share data and information with each other. It also directs DHS to create performance metrics to measure how effectively the department detects, deters, and seizes fentanyl.
Measuring Illicit Fentanyl Trafficking Act
HR 8738 — FEC Administrative Improvements Act. This bill updates Federal Election Commission (FEC) administrative rules in two ways: it expands mandatory electronic filing requirements to include electioneering communications for political committees spending above $50,000, and it removes the requirement that campaign disbursements be made speci…
FEC Administrative Improvements Act
HR 8770 — SAFEGUARDS Act of 2026. The SAFEGUARDS Act of 2026 redirects more passenger aviation security fees to fund TSA airport security upgrades.
HR 8874 — Homeland Security Capabilities Preservation Reporting Act of 2026. This bill requires FEMA to submit a report to Congress every three years, instead of just once, about high-risk urban areas whose security capabilities — previously funded through Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grants — are at risk of being reduced or eliminated without more federal help.
Homeland Security Capabilities Preservation Reporting Act of 2026
HR 8897 — Improving Travel for American Families Act. This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to create a pilot program offering alternative security screening lanes and approaches for passengers traveling with children 12 years old and younger, aimed at making airport travel easier for families.
Improving Travel for American Families Act
HR 9328 — Improving Travel for Military Members Act. This bill allows the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to create a pilot program that would speed up security screening for active-duty military members and their accompanying family members at airports. Priority for participation in the program would be given to airports located near military installations.
Improving Travel for Military Members Act
HR 9388 — One-Stop Pilot Program Extension Act. This bill extends and revises the TSA's One Stop Security pilot program, which allows eligible international passengers with connecting U.S. flights to skip additional TSA security re-screening for themselves and their checked baggage.
One-Stop Pilot Program Extension Act
HR 9391 — Reimbursable Screening Services Program Extension Act of 2026. This bill extends the TSA Reimbursable Screening Services Program through FY2031 and expands the pilot program from a maximum of 8 locations to up to 14 locations. The program allows TSA to be reimbursed for providing passenger screening services outside an airport terminal's existing primary screening area.
Reimbursable Screening Services Program Extension Act of 2026
Passed the Senate
S 2120 — Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025. This bill reauthorizes the Older Americans Act through FY2030, extending and updating federal programs that provide social services to Americans aged 60 and older, including meals on wheels, elder abuse prevention, and tribal elder services.
Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
That is the complete record for the first half of July 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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