# 119-s-5009: MERIT Act of 2026

119-s-5009, MERIT Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI] (D-MI); status introduced (as of 2026-08-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5009
- As of: 2026-08-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5009
- Congress: 119
- Title: MERIT Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-07-16
- Sponsor: Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI] (D-MI)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-01

## Summary

**Extends the DNI’s statutory requirement that the Director have extensive national security expertise to anyone serving as acting Director of National Intelligence.** It would amend Section 102(a) of the National Security Act of 1947 to explicitly apply the DNI’s qualification standard to acting directors and other officials performing those duties, ensuring temporary leaders meet the same national security expertise requirement as the confirmed Director.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Stricter experience rule for acting intelligence director: benefit, low. If enacted, this bill would require anyone serving as Acting Director of National Intelligence, including any official performing those duties, to meet the same "extensive national security expertise" standard as a Senate-confirmed DNI. That change would affect who the President or agencies could p…

## Related bills

- 119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-s-5283: Momnibus Act
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-5042: Social Security 2100 Act
- 119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act

## Sources
- [119-s-5009 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5009)

## Related
- [119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1541)
- [119-s-5283: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5283)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-5042: Social Security 2100 Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5042)
- [119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3869)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5009 (as of 2026-08-01).