Tuesday, February 17th, 2026
Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE): The House passed S.1383 (218-213), which requires that individuals provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and requires voters to present photo identification in order to cast a ballot. It also requires states to remove noncitizens from their existing voter rolls, provides states with access to federal databases to help identify noncitizens and requires states to submit their voter rolls to the Homeland Security Department for vetting, and allows private citizens to sue election officials who register individuals to vote without receiving proof of citizenship while also establishing criminal penalties against such officials. It is being considered as an amendment to a Senate passed bill, Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee, to eliminate in the Senate an initial opportunity for Democrats to filibuster the measure.
Homeland Security Funding: The Senate rejected a motion to begin consideration of H.R.7147 (52-47), failing to send the House passed bill to the President. Senate Democrats want to stop "roving patrols" by immigration enforcement agents and arrests at churches and schools; bar agents from wearing masks; and require judicial warrants, not just administrative warrants, for arrests. Republicans, on the other hand, want to curtail jurisdictions known as sanctuary cities, which they criticize for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, and prevent doxing of immigration officials. Current DHS funding was set to run out on Feb. 13th.
Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate: The House passed H.R.2189 (233-185), which establishes the term “less-than-lethal projectile device” in Federal statute. The updated definition would ensure that these devices are properly classified by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) based on a new five step criteria. A device that cannot fire projectiles at velocities exceeding 500 feet per second and is designed in a manner that minimizes the likelihood of causing death or serious injury would be re-classified as a less-than-lethal projectile device and no longer be considered a firearm. Mostly used for crowd control, such weapons generally include beanbag guns and rubber bullets, pepper spray and rounds, and stun guns and tasers.
Eliminating Tariffs on Canada: The House passed H.J.Res.72 (219-211), which ends the national emergency declared by President Donald Trump on Feb. 1, 2025, under which the president imposed new tariffs on goods from Canada. The Executive Order invoking the emergency cited Canada's failure to stem the flow of illicit drugs entering the United States, especially fentanyl.
D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment: The Senate passed H.J.Res.142 (49-, which would reject a recently enacted temporary Washington, DC, law to decouple the city’s tax laws from certain changes to the federal tax code made by Republicans’ 2025 tax law. The DC Council approved a pair of bills at the end of 2025 after DC’s chief financial officer found that tax provisions in Republicans’ budget reconciliation package (Public Law 119-21) created a $539.4 million gap in the local budget through fiscal 2029 due to a drop in estimated tax revenue. It was passed by the House earlier this month and will now go to the President for his signature.
Undersea Cable Protection: The House passed H.R.261 (218-212), which prohibits the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from requiring any additional permitting (including a Special Use Permit) for the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair or recovery of undersea fiber optic cable projects within a National Marine Sanctuary — if the cable project has been previously authorized by a federal or state agency.
Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply: The House passed H.R.3617 (223-203), which expands the statutory mission of the Energy Department by requiring it to assess and take actions to strengthen the nation's supply of critical energy resources. It defines a "critical energy resource" as any energy resource that is essential to the energy sector and energy systems of the United States, and for which the supply chain is vulnerable to disruption.
PROTECT Taiwan: The House passed H.R.1531, which directs the United States to exclude China from a variety of international financial institutions if Chinese actions threaten Taiwan's security.
Housing for the 21st Century: The House passed H.R.6644, which would require the Housing and Urban Development Department would issue new zoning and design blueprints for cities and states, expand affordable housing aid, and ease certain regulations for federally funded housing developments. Under the bill, HUD would draw up best practices for state and local governments on zoning codes and home designs. The agency would expand a grant program previously limited to low-income households and create several new programs aimed at borrowers, tenants, and families living in affordable housing. It also would modify a number of regulatory requirements to develop and build housing, including by exempting certain projects from environmental reviews.
