Which bills will become law in 2026?

A proposed bill seeks to increase the domestic supply of critical minerals and establish a strategic resilience reserve [^] . Shaheen and Young, Reps. Wittman a... | U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen">[^]. This legislation is sponsored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA) ^{[^]}. Senator Shaheen holds positions on both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee ^{[^]}. Representative Wittman serves as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, also acting as its Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee for the 118th Congress ^{[^]}.

Evidence of successful policy rider attachment is not available for these sponsors. The provided research does not contain specific documentation detailing a history of successfully attaching similar policy riders to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) or omnibus spending bills in the last two congressional sessions for critical minerals or related national security policies ^{[^]}. While the sponsors' committee roles and their sponsorship of the critical minerals bill are confirmed, explicit evidence of successful rider attachment is lacking. Additionally, the available sources do not include any information about "AI-chip export licensing" bills, their sponsors, committee assignments, or a history of attaching policy riders ^{[^]}.

Congressional committee chairs show no intent to advance credit card routing bill. Since Q3 2025, neither the Chair of the Senate Banking Committee nor the Chair of the House Financial Services Committee has publicly indicated an intent to schedule a markup for the 'Credit Card Competition Act of 2026' (S.3623) ^{[^]}. On October 26, 2026, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown oversaw the advancement of a digital assets bill; however, an amendment proposing credit card routing requirements was withdrawn during the markup due to concerns expressed by Senator Brown, signifying a lack of committee support for such provisions in that context ^{[^]}. Similarly, House Financial Services Committee Chairman J. French Hill has not made any public statements since Q3 2025 regarding a markup for the credit card routing legislation, even while supervising markups for other bills in April and May 2026 ^{[^]}.

Lobbying efforts intensified, with banking opposing and retail supporting the bill. The banking sector's lobbying expenditures, specifically targeting opposition to the 'Credit Card Competition Act' (S.3623), are projected to increase from $47 million in Q4 2025 to over $50 million in Q1 2026 ^{[^]}. Concurrently, the retail sector increased its lobbying efforts to $8 million in Q4 2025, advocating for the bill ^{[^]}.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) explicitly identifies the "Housing for the 21st Century Act" as a key legislative priority. The NRCC consistently highlights this bill in its press releases, commending Republican candidates and incumbents for their dedication to advancing it as a means to foster affordable housing and safeguard the American Dream ^{[^]}. Furthermore, the NRCC promotes a broader "Big, Beautiful" messaging framework, encompassing a legislative agenda aimed at increasing housing supply and driving economic growth. It is important to note that "Big, Beautiful Bill" functions as a thematic moniker rather than a formally titled piece of legislation ^{[^]}.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) critiques Republican actions without explicitly naming specific partisan bills. The DCCC's materials primarily focus on challenging Republican themes and policies rather than promoting particular legislation ^{[^]}. For instance, the DCCC references "Trump's move to hold billions in federal funding for New York City airport renovations hostage," which indirectly alludes to the concept of a "Trump Airport" bill without specifying a formal legislative title ^{[^]}. Similarly, the DCCC uses quotation marks when critiquing the "GOP's 'big beautiful bill'," challenging the Republican messaging theme and its reported negative effects, such as on hospitals ^{[^]}. The DCCC also mentions the "tanking" of "bipartisan housing negotiations" but does not attribute this outcome to a specific named housing bill in that context ^{[^]}.

Insufficient data prevented identifying bills meeting specific legislative requirements. The research materials did not contain adequate specific details to confirm which lower-profile bills have secured at least one co-sponsor from the opposing party's formal leadership and simultaneously received a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score of "negligible cost." Information pertaining to specific co-sponsor details, their party leadership roles, or official CBO cost assessments was absent from the available information.

Specific bills reviewed lacked crucial details for a complete assessment. Bills examined included the SHOWER Act (H.R. 4593) ^{[^]}, the $2.50 for America’s 250th Act (H.R. 5616) ^{[^]}, and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Act (H.R. 1330) ^{[^]}. While general legislative progress is tracked on platforms such as GovTrack.us and BillTrack50, the precise data points needed, specifically opposing party leadership co-sponsorship and a "negligible cost" CBO score, were not found within the provided research. Consequently, none of the bills on the list could be verified as meeting all specified conditions.

FISA Section 702 garnered significant congressional attention in early 2026. Congressional discussions in Q1 and Q2 2026 frequently highlighted FISA Section 702 as a critical expiring authority. Senator Chuck Grassley advocated for its reauthorization ^{[^]}, while Senator Dick Durbin urged reforms prior to its scheduled expiration ^{[^]}. Debate and calls for reauthorization were also recorded in the Congressional Record on April 16, 2026, and January 12, 2026 ^{[^]}. A Congressional Research Service report on January 14, 2026, detailed FISA Section 702's anticipated expiration on March 15, 2026, alongside related policy considerations ^{[^]}.

Affordable Care Act tax credits were a focus of early 2026 legislative discussion. In addition to FISA, another key expiring provision identified was the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, in a floor statement on January 8, 2026, explicitly called for a "yes" vote to extend these tax credits ^{[^]}. While this research primarily covers Q1 and Q2 2026, rather than Q4 2026, these identified items are significant expiring provisions typically considered for legislative action if their resolution was pending, such as in a year-end 'lame-duck' omnibus package.

Catalyst analysis unavailable.