Chris Van Hollen

This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from excluding an individual from military positions or assignments based on gender. It also limits changes to DOD occupational performance standards that address gender neutrality.

First, the bill prohibits the exclusion of members of the Armed Forces from an occupational specialty, career field, or assignment on the basis of gender.

Next, it prohibits DOD from changing an occupational performance standard to increase or decrease the number of individuals in a career field on the basis of gender. (Currently, this prohibition only applies to increasing or decreasing the number of women.)

DOD must also apply occupational standards related to technical, tactical, cognitive, or physical abilities on a gender-neutral basis for positions that require such standards and must determine any such standards after a rigorous scientific process.

In situations where DOD establishes or revises a physical requirement for a military position, a member serving satisfactorily in such a position must be provided at least 18 months to meet the new standard.

Finally, DOD must notify Congress of any proposed changes to the gender-neutral occupational standards for a military position that may result in at least a 10% change in the number of members of any gender who are assigned to or enter that position. (Currently, such notice is required only with respect to a change in the number of female members.) DOD must provide the congressional defense committees with a report on the proposed change, estimated costs, and justification for the change.

Audit the Pentagon Act

This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to reduce spending for any department, agency, or other DOD element that DOD determines has not achieved an unqualified opinion on its full financial statements for the calendar year ending during that fiscal year. (An unqualified opinion or clean audit means an auditor has determined the financial statements are presented fairly and provide a true view of an entity’s financial position.)

Specifically, the amount available to such department, agency, or element for the fiscal year when the determination is made must be reduced by 2%. Amounts unavailable to such department, agency, or element must be applied on a pro rata basis against each program, project, and activity.

DOD must deposit such unavailable amounts in the general fund of the Department of the Treasury for purposes of deficit reduction.

This bill prohibits the Department of Education (ED) from transferring specified offices and functions to other federal agencies.

Specifically, the bill prohibits ED from entering into or carrying out interagency agreements related to the following four offices: the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, the Office of Postsecondary Education, the Office of Indian Education, and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.

This prohibition applies to the transfer of functions such as administering or operating programs, making grants, carrying out technical assistance, enforcing rights and requirements (e.g., data collection requirements), conducting administrative and oversight functions, and monitoring grantees.

Additionally, ED may not transfer a function or program of one of the four offices to another ED office and then subsequently enter into an interagency agreement related to the function or program.

The bill does not apply to agreements in effect on February 1, 2025, or renewals with substantially similar terms.

ED must, within 14 days of the bill's enactment and on a quarterly basis, provide to Congress (and publish on its website) a report and cost analysis for each interagency agreement entered into on or after February 1, 2025. ED may not use specified FY2026 or FY2027 funds for travel expenses unless ED provides this required information.

(As of July 30, 2026, ED has entered into 14 interagency agreements to transfer functions of ED to other federal agencies, including the ED offices listed in the bill.)

Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026

This bill imposes a variety of sanctions, tariffs, and prohibitions related to Russia.

For example, under the bill, the President must

• impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on specified persons (individuals and entities) such as the Russian president, certain Russian military commanders, and any foreign person that knowingly provides goods or services relating to Russia's defense industrial base;

• increase the rate of duty on all goods imported into the United States from Russia to a rate of up to 500% ad valorem (i.e., relative to the value);

• increase the rate of duty up to 100% ad valorem on all goods imported into the United States from a country that was among the five largest importers of Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas if such country knowingly makes new purchases of such products after enactment of the bill;

• impose property-blocking sanctions on financial institutions organized under Russian law and owned wholly or partly by Russia; and

• impose property-blocking sanctions on foreign vessels that knowingly transport certain products of Russian origin, including crude oil, uranium, and coal.

The bill prohibits (1) the export, reexport, or in-country transfer to or in Russia of U.S.-produced energy or energy product; (2) U.S. persons from making new investments in Russia or purchasing Russian sovereign debt; and (3) trading the securities of Russian government-owned, -controlled, or -affiliated entities on U.S. national securities exchanges.

The President may waive requirements of the bill by certifying it is in the national interest.