Preventing Research Ownership Transfer to External Competitive Threats (PROTECT) Act of 2026

HR6225 — PAUSE Act of 2025

This bill would create a nationwide pause on issuing visas and providing immigration status until a set of conditions in the immigration system are met. It would also restrict who can claim birthright citizenship and bar many federal benefits for certain noncitizens. - Families and children: Would restrict birthright citizenship to a child born in the United States only if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident. It would also allow state and local governments to deny access to public schools for people present without lawful status. - Nonimmigrants and pending applicants: Would prevent nonimmigrants from adjusting to lawful permanent resident status and pause new visas or status grants. It would revoke applications filed before enactment if the new rules make the applicant ineligible and refund any fee paid. - People screened by ideology or affiliation: Would bar lawful status for people described as Islamists or observers of Sharia law, members or associates of the Chinese Communist Party, known or suspected terrorists, or people affiliated with foreign terrorist organizations. - Low-income immigrants and borrowers: Would deny many federal benefits and supports to aliens, including Medicare and Medicaid emergency medical care in certain cases, Supplemental Security Income, SNAP, WIC, premium tax credits, the Earned Income Tax Credit, federal student loans, HUD housing assistance, and Small Business Administration loans or guarantees.

HR2395 — SHORT Act

Reclassifies short‑barreled rifles and shotguns under federal law and limits state oversight. The SHORT Act would change the Internal Revenue Code and Title 18 to treat certain short‑barreled weapons differently, create a federal safe harbor for people who comply with Chapter 44, preempt state taxes and registration rules, and require destruction of some National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record entries. - Owners who follow federal Chapter 44 rules would be regarded as meeting any state or local registration or licensing requirement for short‑barreled rifles and shotguns. - States and localities would be barred from imposing taxes other than general sales or use taxes, or from requiring markings, recordkeeping, or registration for short‑barreled rifles and shotguns that affect interstate commerce. - The Attorney General would have to destroy within 365 days certain NFRTR registrations and transfer and maker applications that identify owners or makers of those weapons.

HR21 — Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act

Mandates care and penalties for infants born alive after an abortion. This bill would set standards of care, require reporting, create criminal penalties, and allow civil suits when an infant is born alive following an abortion. - Women and families: A woman on whom an abortion is performed may sue anyone who violates the law and recover objectively verifiable medical and psychological damages, punitive damages, and statutory damages equal to three times the cost of the abortion. Courts must award reasonable attorney's fees to prevailing plaintiffs and may award fees to defendants if a suit is frivolous. - Health care practitioners and facility employees: Any practitioner present at a birth resulting from an abortion must exercise the same professional skill, care, and diligence as for any other live-born infant of the same gestational age. Practitioners or employees who know of a failure to comply must immediately report the violation to appropriate State or Federal law enforcement. - Criminal and statutory consequences: Violators face fines, up to 5 years in prison, or both, and anyone who intentionally kills a born-alive infant is punished under the murder statute. The bill also updates chapter headings and adds statutory definitions for "abortion" and "attempt."

HR6987 — Public Charge Clarification Act of 2026

Would redefine 'public charge' with a 12-month benefits threshold and a required published list of counted programs. It would also tighten sponsor proof rules and create a new public charge bond requirement in some cases. - Immigrants seeking a visa, admission, or status adjustment would be inadmissible if they are likely to receive more than 12 months of covered benefits in any 36-month period. The decision would use a holistic review of age, health, family, finances, skills, prospective status, and affidavits of support, and it would exempt refugees, asylees, and service members and their dependents. - Families and benefit recipients would see a broad set of programs counted as "public benefits," including cash assistance, SSI, SNAP, housing help like Section 8 vouchers, project-based rental assistance, public housing, and Medicaid with specified exceptions. The Department of Homeland Security would have 180 days to publish and keep an updated comprehensive list of covered benefits. - Sponsors would need affidavits of support backed by documents showing income and assets at least 125 percent of the Federal poverty line. The bill would allow a public charge bond of not less than $10,000 to be required in some cases and forfeited if the person becomes a public charge within 10 years.

HR5483 — Chloe Cole Act

This bill would ban gender-transition medical treatments for anyone under 18 and give harmed children and their parents the right to sue providers in federal court.

HR987 — Fair Access to Banking Act

Prevents banks and payment networks from cutting off customers for political or reputational reasons. It sets a national standard that forces objective, risk-based decisions and creates a private right of action for people and businesses harmed by unfair denials. - Families and households keep access to bank accounts and payment services without being excluded for politics or reputation, and any denial must include a written, quantifiable justification. - Lawful businesses and nonprofits, including politically unpopular ones, gain protection from category-based refusals and can sue for treble damages and attorney’s fees if a covered institution violates the rules. - Banks, credit unions, and payment networks must adopt impartial, data-driven risk standards, may face civil penalties, and large institutions that refuse service could lose access to discount window lending or automated clearing house services.