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This week, Congress wrapped up the federal budget for the coming year, advanced several bills changing how the government buys things and manages technology, and took steps on health care and environmental policy. Here is what the federal government did, in plain language.

Federal budget and congressional business

  • The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 became law. This sets funding levels for federal agencies and programs for the 2026 fiscal year, determining how much money departments have to operate.
  • The House took procedural steps on three items. It moved toward considering Senate amendments to H.R. 7148, which deals with government funding through September 2026, along with a resolution to disapprove a D.C. tax law change and a mining bill. These are process steps that allow debate and votes; they do not change any laws yet.
  • A Senate resolution seeks to overturn a District of Columbia tax law. The joint resolution targets the Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025, passed by the D.C. Council. Congress has oversight authority over D.C. laws, but nothing changes unless the Senate votes to approve the resolution.

Health care

  • A Senate bill would align Indian Health Service payments with Medicare rates. The Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act would require the IHS to reimburse emergency medical claims at the same rate as Medicare, aiming to make provider payments consistent between the two systems.
  • A House committee approved changes to how Medicare Advantage plans are evaluated. The Value Over Cost Act of 2025, approved by the Ways and Means Committee, would alter how the government assesses and compensates Medicare Advantage plans. It now moves to the full House; its impact depends on whether it becomes law.
  • The PASTEUR Act of 2026 was introduced in the House. It has been referred to the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Budget Committee, where it awaits further action. It is a proposal only at this stage.

Government purchasing, technology, and administration

  • A House committee approved the FIT Procurement Act. The amended bill, approved by the Oversight and Accountability Committee, would change standards for how federal agencies buy certain goods. It moves toward a full House vote; whether it changes agency workflows or costs depends on the final rules.
  • A House committee approved the Ensuring Federal Purchasing Efficiency Act. Also approved by the Oversight and Accountability Committee, this bill aims to standardize internal government paperwork and purchasing processes. Its effect depends on whether it reduces overhead or adds compliance steps.
  • A House committee approved the Modernizing Government Technology Reform Act. The Oversight and Accountability Committee ordered the amended bill reported, sending it toward a floor vote. It would update rules for how agencies handle IT infrastructure, with practical effects depending on final passage and agency implementation.
  • A House bill would move the National Woman’s Relief Corps headquarters to Illinois. The change updates the organization’s legal place of incorporation and domicile in federal law to match its actual location. It is a minor administrative correction.

Energy, environment, and public lands

  • A House bill would extend hydropower construction deadlines. It would give companies more time to begin building certain hydropower projects after receiving a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, a technical change to project timelines.
  • A House bill would reauthorize brownfields cleanup funding. The Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2025 would extend programs that provide money for cleaning up contaminated land, preventing them from losing funding when current authorizations expire.
  • A House bill would tighten pipeline cybersecurity coordination. The Pipeline Cybersecurity Preparedness Act requires the Department of Energy and the Transportation Security Administration to coordinate more closely on cybersecurity standards for pipeline infrastructure, aiming to reduce gaps in oversight.
  • A House committee approved transferring federal land in Arizona to Gila County. The approved amendment would move ownership of the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site from the federal government to local government control.

Education and literacy

  • The Empowering Young Readers Act of 2026 was introduced in the House. The bill proposes a program to increase children’s access to reading materials. Its actual impact depends on whether it passes both chambers and is signed into law.

This weekly digest is generated from federal records (the Federal Register and Congress.gov) and summarized in plain English. It may simplify or omit detail — follow the linked official sources before relying on any item. Part of The Boring Parts.

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