Eugene Vindman

Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026

This bill prohibits the importation, manufacture, sale, resale, or introduction into U.S. interstate commerce of connected vehicles and related software and hardware components associated with China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea.

Connected vehicle means a vehicle that (1) integrates onboard networked hardware with automotive software systems to communicate with any other network or device using certain methods (e.g., wireless spectrum connectivity); or (2) is designed, manufactured, or originally equipped to communicate via such methods, regardless of whether such capability is enabled, disabled, or removed at the time the vehicle enters the United States.

Current regulations administered by the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) prohibit transactions involving vehicle connectivity system hardware and covered software designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of China or Russia.

The bill expands the BIS regulatory framework, including by (1) expanding the countries covered by the prohibition to include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea (Current BIS regulations apply only to China and Russia.); and (2) specifying that certain artificial intelligence components are covered by the prohibition.

By January 1, 2027, BIS must publish a list of items that are authorized for the importation, manufacture, sale, resale, or introduction into U.S. interstate commerce and would otherwise be subject to the bill's prohibition.

The bill also includes enforcement mechanisms, including that BIS must assess civil penalties for violations of the prohibition.

Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2025

This bill deems an individual receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital as an inpatient for purposes of satisfying the three-day inpatient hospital-stay requirement with respect to Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. (Generally, individuals must have been an inpatient at a hospital for at least three days in order to qualify for SNF services. An individual's time spent under observation at a hospital for purposes of determining whether the individual should be admitted does not count towards this requirement.)

Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act

This bill excludes from gross income (for federal tax purposes) certain grants received for broadband deployment.

As background, contributions of capital to a corporation generally are not taxable income. However, under an exception enacted in 2017 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, grants from a government or civic organization are not contributions to capital and, thus, treated as taxable income. Prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considered certain grants from a government or civic organization contributions of capital and, thus, not taxable income.

The bill specifically excludes from gross income grants received for broadband deployment from the

• National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program;

• NTIA State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program;

• NTIA Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program;

• NTIA Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program;

• Department of Agriculture ReConnect Program;

• Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds and the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund; and

• NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program and the Broadband Infrastructure Program.

The bill also requires the IRS to issue guidance on the exclusion from gross income of such grants.

The bill applies to funds received in tax years ending after March 11, 2023.

Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act

This bill directs the Department of Energy to assess and report on the use of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing technologies to enhance the capacity, reliable operation, and operational efficiency of the bulk-power system.

Load Forecasting Enhancement Act

This bill requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to establish regional boards to study and recommend best practices for electric load forecasting, which is the process of predicting the demand for electricity at a particular time. It also requires states to consider adopting the recommendations.

Specifically, the bill directs FERC to establish regional boards to study electric load forecasting, chair the boards, and run them jointly with each state public utility commission in the regions. The boards must (1) study issues relevant to identifying best practices for electric load forecasting that enhance the reliability and affordability of electric service to customers, and (2) identify such best practices. FERC must make recommendations to Congress for the consistent use across states of such best practices by electric utilities.

The bill also modifies provisions under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act to require state public utility commissions to consider adopting those recommendations.

It also modifies the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to make federal assistance for state energy conservation plans contingent upon the plan including procedures and programs to improve the accuracy, oversight, and transparency to stakeholders of the forecasting of electric loads by electric utilities.

Protecting Consumers from Deceptive AI Act

This bill requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to establish task forces to support the development of technical standards and guidelines for identifying content created using artificial intelligence (AI).

Specifically, the task forces must address (1) identifying and labeling audio, visual, or text-based content created or substantially modified using generative AI; and (2) providing content provenance metadata, watermarking, digital fingerprinting, and other relevant technical measures. (Content provenance is information about the origin and history of digital content.)

The task forces must consider issuing guidance for online platforms on storing and displaying content provenance data and metadata in a manner that preserves privacy (e.g., by informing users when they are sharing content that contains content provenance data or metadata).

To the extent possible, the output of these task forces should inform the development of technical standards by private, consensus organizations.

The task forces must report to NIST within a specified period with recommendations related to relevant technical standards and guidance. They must also periodically report to Congress on their activities.

Keeping All Students Safe Act

This bill prohibits the use of seclusion and limits the use of physical restraint in schools and Head Start programs that receive federal funding.

Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of seclusion, which is the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving. The term does not include a time out, which may involve separating the student from others in a non-locked setting.

The bill prohibits the use of mechanical or chemical restraints or physical restraints that restrict breathing or are life threatening.

The bill outlines the requirements for the use of physical restraint, including that the student's behavior must pose an imminent danger of serious physical injury to the student or other individual. Each state must ensure that a sufficient number of program personnel are trained and certified by a state-approved crisis intervention training program. Additionally, each program must establish procedures to follow after an incident involving physical restraint.

Further, the bill establishes enforcement provisions, including a private right of action for a student who has been subjected to unlawful seclusion or restraint. The Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services must withhold payments from a program for unlawful seclusion or restraint.

Finally, the bill requires each state educational agency (SEA) to establish, implement, and enforce policies and procedures required by the bill. It also creates a grant program to assist SEAs with these activities.

Improving Travel for Military Members Act

This bill allows the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish a pilot program to expedite access to security screening for traveling active-duty military personnel and accompanying family members.

In selecting airports to participate in the pilot program, TSA must give priority to airports in proximity to certain military installations.