This Week in Washington — week of May 18, 2026

Federal agencies and Congress took 148 actions this week, with the most direct effects on households coming in health coverage, drinking water, and vehicle safety. The government finalized the ground rules for 2027 health insurance markets, proposed delaying PFAS water-compliance deadlines while also proposing to drop federal limits on four other PFAS chemicals, and gave automakers a longer runway to meet new “black box” crash-data standards. Congress passed the farm bill in the House and moved dozens of health, veterans, tribal, and spending bills forward.

Health care and health coverage

• 2027 insurance market rules finalized. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued final benefit and payment parameters for 2027 Affordable Care Act plans, including changes tied to the Working Families Tax Cut legislation. This sets the coverage and affordability standards insurers must meet before the plans are sold.
• Medicaid payment limits proposed. CMS proposed caps on extra state payments to hospitals, nursing facilities, and certain academic medical center practitioners. The rule would tighten how states structure Medicaid payments and could affect state budgets and hospital revenue.
• Medicare prior authorization targeted. A House resolution would overturn the CMS “WISeR” model, which imposes prior authorization for certain Medicare services. It is a procedural move and has no effect unless Congress votes to pass it.
• Dental, pharmacy, and PBM bills advanced. The House Ways and Means Committee approved the Action for Dental Health Act; the Energy and Commerce Committee approved a bill to ban certain pharmacy benefit manager payments from drugmakers, and another to expand pharmacist compensation for clinical services.
• Mental health and brain injury programs moved forward. Committees approved reauthorization of traumatic brain injury programs, a bill to expand dementia and Alzheimer’s provider training, the stem cell research reauthorization, and the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act, which addresses mental health resources for people in the justice system.
• Diabetes screening proposed in both chambers. Senators and House members introduced the SCREEN for Type 1 Diabetes Act of 2026, which would fund and expand screening programs. It is at the introductory stage.
• Health-related bills introduced. The Senate saw the Moms Matter Act, the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act, and the Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, which would change how federal agencies recognize nursing degrees. The House advanced an amended Provider Reimbursement Stability Act and a bill to simplify Form 5500 employee benefit reporting.

Drinking water and PFAS chemicals

• Two extra years for PFOA and PFOS compliance. The EPA proposed moving the drinking water compliance deadline for PFOA and PFOS from April 2029 to April 2031. The safety limits themselves would not change, only the deadline.
• Limits proposed for removal on four PFAS chemicals. The EPA proposed dropping federal drinking water limits for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX, and a related mixture, along with their monitoring and treatment requirements. PFOA and PFOS rules would stay in place, and states could still set their own limits.
• Other EPA actions. The agency extended a comment period on chemical-use rules by 45 days, extended the deadline for chemical health and safety data reporting by a year, and finalized a 90-day advance notice requirement for new uses of certain chemicals.

Vehicle safety and transportation

• “Black box” rules delayed and phased in. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration now requires event data recorders to meet new capture standards gradually: 25% of new vehicles by September 2028, ramping up to full compliance by September 2031. Small-volume builders get until 2032 and multi-stage builders until 2033. What data must be recorded is unchanged.
• Aircraft safety directives. The FAA issued or proposed rules covering Rolls-Royce Trent7000 engine oil pumps, Airbus A330 wing rib crack inspections and standby fuel pump checks, Leonardo helicopter brake pedals, Bell 407 electrical harnesses, Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines, Bombardier baggage door bolts, and Embraer ERJ 190 overheat detectors. The Bell 407 rule alone affects 333 U.S. helicopters and is estimated to cost operators about $345,000.
• Remote flight dispatching would be banned. The FAA proposed codifying a requirement that airline dispatchers work from designated dispatch centers rather than remotely.
• Airspace updates proposed. The FAA proposed new controlled airspace around heliports in Geneva and Conneaut, Ohio, and Meadow Creek Airport in Illinois, plus route adjustments in Arizona and California and a cleanup of outdated National Weather Service references in aviation rules.
• Commercial driver database fees proposed. The FMCSA proposed a fee schedule for the national Commercial Driver License Information System. The change affects state licensing offices and database contractors, not drivers directly.

Money, banking, and business rules

• Federal law overrides state escrow interest rules. The OCC finalized a determination that the National Bank Act preempts state laws in New York and ten other states requiring banks to pay interest on mortgage escrow accounts. It applies only to federally chartered banks and savings associations.
• SEC eases reporting rules for mid-sized companies. The SEC proposed adjusting filer categories, dropping internal-control audit requirements for non-accelerated filers, and extending reporting accommodations to them.
• SEC ends 50-year settlement rule. The SEC repealed a 1972 rule requiring settling defendants to agree not to publicly deny the allegations. The agency’s enforcement authority is unchanged.
• Credit union stablecoins. The NCUA proposed rules for how credit unions could apply to issue stablecoins under the GENIUS Act.
• Bank customer checks tightened. President Trump issued an executive order directing the Treasury to strengthen bank identity verification, focusing on immigration status and illicit finance risks. The practical effect depends on rules Treasury drafts next.
• Fintech review ordered. President Biden issued an executive order directing financial regulators to review rules that may block fintech firms from partnering with banks or getting licenses.
• IRS actions. The IRS scheduled a hearing on electronic delivery of digital asset tax statements and finalized a rule removing the January 31 deadline for partnerships to send Section 751 gain details to sellers.
• Trade preferences extended. The President extended African Growth and Opportunity Act duty-free treatment through December 31, 2026, and restored Gabon’s eligibility.

Waterways and the Coast Guard

• New York Harbor security for July naval events. A temporary rule creates security zones and suspends normal anchorage from July 1–9, 2026, for Sail 4th 250 and the International Naval Review 250. Small boats and paddlecraft will be rerouted.
• Sail 250 events on the Mississippi and in Virginia. The Coast Guard set temporary zones on the Lower Mississippi River in New Orleans (May 24–June 1) and in Hampton Roads, Virginia (June 16–21), plus separate York River restrictions for Battle of the Boats (June 6–7) and Sail Yorktown (June 12–14).
• Other temporary safety zones. The Coast Guard established zones for an aerobatic flight over Morehead City, North Carolina (May 30), a powerboat race on the Red River in Louisiana (May 22–24), underwater survey work in the Straits of Mackinac (June 1–July 31), cannon fire on a Virginia canal (June 19–21), dam repairs on the Cheboygan River in Michigan (May 18–31), and fireworks and hydroplane races on the Great Lakes in July and August.

Fisheries, wildlife, and public lands

• Ocean fishing seasons set and adjusted. NOAA published final 2026 salmon season rules for Washington, Oregon, and California, confirmed the blueline tilefish season (May 1–August 30), closed Gulf of Mexico gag fishing on October 1, closed the Gulf trophy bluefin tuna fishery for recreational anglers for the rest

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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.