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The Boring Parts
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This week the Senate introduced bills on spam calls, federal paperwork, business fundraising, and farm credit, held hearings on Native American community matters, and voted to keep an existing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule on power plant emissions in place. Most of this week’s actions are early-stage proposals, meaning their practical effects would only come if they pass the full Senate and House and are signed into law.

Phone spam and consumer protection

  • The Senate placed the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act on its legislative calendar. The bill would give the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) more authority to stop illegal robocalls coming from outside the United States.
  • Its practical impact would depend on whether the Senate passes the bill and how the FCC uses any new tools it receives.

Environmental and energy policy

  • The Senate voted against a joint resolution that would have overturned an EPA rule on hazardous air pollutant emission standards from coal- and oil-fired power plants. The vote prevents Congress from canceling that regulation through its oversight process.
  • A senator introduced the Safer Choice Program Authorization Act of 2026, which would extend the EPA’s legal authority to keep running its Safer Choice labeling program. Without this or similar legislation, the agency could lose authority to manage those product standards.

Federal money, paperwork, and business rules

  • Senator Mike Lee introduced the Drain the Slush Fund Act, which would change how certain federal funds are managed and distributed. The proposal is aimed at reducing agency discretion over specific pools of money.
  • A senator introduced the DUMP Red Tape Act, which would require federal agencies to reduce certain administrative requirements. The goal is to change how much paperwork and procedural oversight businesses face when dealing with the federal government.
  • The Encouraging Public Offerings Act of 2026 was introduced to change how companies can offer shares to the public. It is intended to lower the barrier for companies to enter the stock market.
  • A senator introduced the CHEERS Act of 2026, which proposes changes to how certain taxes or fees are handled within the financial sector.
  • The Farm Credit Adjustment Act was also introduced. It proposes technical changes to how agricultural credit is managed within existing federal frameworks.

Native American community matters

  • The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held hearings on the Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025, which aims to address issues related to the Albuquerque Indian School. The bill is still in its early stages.
  • The Senate placed the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 on its legislative calendar. If passed, the act would settle long-standing water rights disputes between the Zuni Indian Tribe and entities in New Mexico, giving the tribe predictable water rights and clear usage rules.

This weekly agency 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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