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U.S. House to Vote on Bill Requiring HHS Study on Emergency Room Drug Testing, Including Marijuana

U.S. House to Vote on Bill Requiring HHS Study on Emergency Room Drug Testing, Including Marijuana

The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on H.R. 2004, known as 'Tyler’s Law,' which mandates the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a study on the prevalence of drug testing for substances like fentanyl, amphetamines, cocaine, opiates, and marijuana in hospital emergency departments. The bill, introduced by Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA), passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously. It aims to determine how frequently hospitals test for these drugs when patients experience an overdose and to assess the associated costs, benefits, and risks, including impacts on patient confidentiality and the patient-physician relationship. Following the study, HHS would be required to issue guidance on implementing fentanyl testing as a routine procedure and ensuring clinicians are aware of the substances screened in drug tests. This legislation is being considered under a suspension of the rules, requiring a two-thirds supermajority for passage, and does not allow for a...

Lawmakers Urge House to Reconvene for Bipartisan AI Safeguards Amidst Growing Risks

Lawmakers Urge House to Reconvene for Bipartisan AI Safeguards Amidst Growing Risks

A letter co-signed by George Whitesides, along with Representatives Sam Liccardo, Lori Trahan, and Ted Lieu, has been sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson, urging the House of Representatives to immediately reconvene. The purpose of this urgent call is to address and advance bipartisan safeguards for advanced artificial intelligence (AI). The lawmakers cited recent reports detailing significant AI-related risks, including the potential for 'rogue AI agents,' 'biological misuse,' cyberattacks, foreign surveillance, and attempts by other nations to replicate U.S. AI systems. The letter criticizes House leadership for canceling two weeks of September sessions, emphasizing the critical need for congressional action on AI regulation. They propose several ideas for consideration, such as transparency and evaluation rules for AI systems, requirements for 'kill switches' to control AI, and limited antitrust waivers to foster cooperation on safety measures within the industry. This initiative highlights a growing con...

Rep. Gabe Evans' Bipartisan Bill Aims to Protect Communities from Data Center Electric Grid Upgrade Costs

Rep. Gabe Evans' Bipartisan Bill Aims to Protect Communities from Data Center Electric Grid Upgrade Costs

Rep. Gabe Evans, representing Colorado’s 8th district, has introduced the bipartisan "Ratepayer Protection Act." This legislation seeks to prevent local communities from bearing the financial burden of electric grid upgrades necessitated by the construction of new data centers. The bill has successfully passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee with unanimous support, indicating broad agreement on its objectives. The core intent of the act is to mandate that large-load electricity consumers, such as data centers, provide financial assurances to cover the infrastructure improvements required to meet their substantial electricity demands. This measure is designed to ensure that the costs associated with expanding and upgrading the electrical grid are not passed on to existing ratepayers, but rather are borne by the entities driving the increased demand. The bill's progression through the committee stage suggests it is moving towards a full vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.

President Trump Signs Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act into Law

President Trump Signs Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act into Law

President Trump has signed the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act (H.R. 5366) into law. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Representatives Greg Steube (FL-17), Mike Thompson (CA-04), and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), aims to provide fairer tax treatment for Americans rebuilding after various disasters, including wildfires, hurricanes, and floods. The bill is named in honor of the late Representative Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), who was a strong advocate for disaster tax relief. Previously, taxpayers affected by federally declared disasters could only deduct personal casualty losses if they itemized and if those losses exceeded 10 percent of their adjusted gross income. The new law allows disaster victims to deduct qualified losses exceeding $500 per disaster without itemizing and removes the 10 percent adjusted gross income threshold. It also extends an exclusion from gross income for wildfire relief payments, ensuring survivors are not taxed on compensation intended for rebuilding. The legis...

House Passes Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act, Reauthorizing NOAA Programs

House Passes Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act, Reauthorizing NOAA Programs

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science (WATERS) Act. This bipartisan legislation was co-led by Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03), Rob Wittman (VA-01), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and Sarah Elfreth (MD-03). The bill aims to reauthorize programs managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Chesapeake Bay Office. These programs are crucial for the restoration, monitoring, and educational initiatives within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Specifically, the WATERS Act supports Bay restoration efforts, provides essential water-quality and scientific data, and funds educational programs like the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, which would be authorized for the first time under this legislation. The bill now moves to the United States Senate for consideration.

Representatives Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Permanently Authorize Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program

Representatives Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Permanently Authorize Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program

U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ), and Kevin Mullin (D-CA) have introduced bipartisan legislation to permanently authorize the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher (PRV) Program. This program, established in 2012, incentivizes the development of treatments for children suffering from rare and devastating diseases. The PRV program awards a transferable priority review voucher to companies that successfully develop and receive FDA approval for qualifying treatments. Since its inception, the program has facilitated the market entry of treatments for 47 rare pediatric diseases, a significant increase from the four FDA-approved treatments that existed before the program. The current authorization for the program is set to expire in 2029. The proposed permanent authorization aims to provide long-term certainty for researchers and investors, encouraging continued ...

U.S. Representative Don Beyer Joins Lawmakers in Opposing Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026

U.S. Representative Don Beyer Joins Lawmakers in Opposing Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026

U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), alongside Representatives Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) and Richard Neal (D-Mass.), has issued a joint statement opposing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The three lawmakers, who hold ranking Democratic positions on key congressional committees, argue that the bill's expanded tariff authorities and its failure to mandate sanctions on Russia are 'unacceptable.' They have called for 'bicameral, bipartisan negotiations' to address their concerns. The legislation, initially introduced in April 2025, gained momentum after President Trump signaled his support last November, contingent on obtaining new tariff authorities and retaining flexibility over sanctions. The bill passed the Senate on August 7 with bipartisan support (86-11) and is now slated for consideration by the House of Representatives, with the Rules Committee scheduling a meeting to clear the way for a floor vote.

President Trump Submits Key Nominations to Senate, Including Judicial, Diplomatic, and Agency Posts

President Trump Submits Key Nominations to Senate, Including Judicial, Diplomatic, and Agency Posts

President Trump has sent a series of nominations to the Senate for confirmation, encompassing a wide range of critical positions within the U.S. government. These nominations include several individuals for United States District Judge roles across various districts, such as Samuel D. Adkisson for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Philip Axt for the District of North Dakota. Diplomatic appointments are also prominent, with Junaid Munir nominated as Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti and Paul Watzlavick as Ambassador to the Republic of Suriname. Key agency leadership roles are also part of this submission, including Heidi Overton to be Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Department of Health and Human Services, and Robert Stebbins to be General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury. Additionally, Joshua Shoemaker has been nominated as Chief Financial Officer for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). These nominations are crucial for filling vacancies and ensuring the continued o...

Congresswoman Houchin Introduces Bipartisan '16 Up Social Media Act' to Establish National Age Standard

Congresswoman Houchin Introduces Bipartisan '16 Up Social Media Act' to Establish National Age Standard

Congresswoman Erin Houchin (R-IN-09) and Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-MA-04) have jointly introduced the '16 & Up Social Media Act.' This bipartisan legislation aims to set a national age standard of 16 for social media platforms, prohibiting individuals under this age from creating or maintaining accounts. The bill specifically targets platforms that utilize engagement-driven design features, such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push alerts, and personalized feeds, which are engineered to capture and retain user attention. According to Rep. Houchin, the legislation is a response to the addictive nature of these platforms, particularly for children, and seeks to provide a clear guideline for both platforms and parents. The act also mandates the deletion of children's data upon account termination and requires platforms to establish a five-day appeals process for account closures, focusing on design features rather than content regulation.

Representative Vince Fong Proposes Amendment to Limit Rideshare Company Liability

Representative Vince Fong Proposes Amendment to Limit Rideshare Company Liability

Representative Vince Fong of California has proposed an amendment to H.R. 8870, the BUILD America 250 Act, which seeks to significantly alter the liability standards for rideshare companies. This amendment, introduced during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee markup, would preempt state-law doctrines that currently allow injured individuals to hold rideshare companies directly responsible for incidents. Instead, victims would face a much higher legal bar, needing to demonstrate gross negligence or criminal wrongdoing by the company itself. The amendment is designed to apply to lawsuits filed on or after its enactment date, regardless of when the harm occurred, potentially affecting cases where injuries happened before the bill's passage but lawsuits have not yet been filed. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the bill, including Fong's amendment, by a 62-2 vote on May 22, 2026. As of September 14, 2026, the bill awaits action by the full House and has not yet pas...

Senator John Boozman Co-Leads Bipartisan Bill to Fund State-Led Paid Leave Programs

Senator John Boozman Co-Leads Bipartisan Bill to Fund State-Led Paid Leave Programs

Senator John Boozman (R-AR) is co-leading the bipartisan More Paid Leave for More Americans Act alongside Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). This legislative effort aims to establish and fund state-led pilot programs for paid leave across the United States. The bill also seeks to help states coordinate paid leave regulations through a new 'I-PLAN' framework. Senator Boozman has highlighted the connection between paid leave and maternal health, noting that Arkansas has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country, with many deaths being preventable. He argues that paid leave is directly linked to improved survival rates for mothers and infants during pregnancy and birth. Data cited by Senator Boozman suggests that mothers with paid maternity leave experience approximately half the odds of postpartum hospitalization, and infants see a similar reduction in hospitalization risk. Furthermore, just ten weeks of paid leave is associated with a significant decrease in infant mortality.

Representative John Joyce Co-Introduces SECURE 340B Act to Address Drug Discount Program Concerns

Representative John Joyce Co-Introduces SECURE 340B Act to Address Drug Discount Program Concerns

U.S. Representative John Joyce from Pennsylvania, alongside Representative Scott Peters, has introduced the SECURE 340B Act. This legislative effort aims to bring greater transparency and oversight to the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The program, established in 1992, requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs to eligible healthcare organizations and pharmacies at significantly reduced prices. The SECURE 340B Act seeks to address concerns regarding the program's rapid growth and the reported $100 billion in annual 340B purchases. The legislation is designed to ensure that the discounts provided through the program are directly benefiting vulnerable patients, as originally intended. It also looks to clarify the roles and responsibilities of various entities involved in the 340B program, including covered entities, contract pharmacies, and drug manufacturers, to prevent potential abuses and ensure compliance with federal guidelines. The introduction of this act signals a bipartisan effort...