Mark Messmer

Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act of 2026 or the ALERT Act

This bill addresses aviation safety by increasing requirements for aircraft tracking and communication using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and expanding oversight. As background, ADS-B for broadcasting (Out) and receiving (In) transmits information (e.g., location and weather) among aircraft and air traffic control (ATC).

The bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to enter into an agreement regarding the use of collision prevention technologies on DOD aircraft. The agreement must require the use of ADS-B Out as the default practice for DOD helicopters operating in the national airspace, unless such use would affect operational security. For DOD helicopters that are carrying out special missions in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and are exempt from ADS-B Out transmission requirements, DOD must coordinate with DOT to conduct a safety risk assessment and implement appropriate mitigations.

By December 31, 2031, DOD aircraft (other than certain special mission aircraft) must be equipped with and operating integrated ADS-B In technology.

With respect to civil aircraft, by December 31, 2031, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must generally require aircraft that are currently required to be equipped with ADS-B Out to also be equipped with ADS-B In.

Additionally, among other requirements, the FAA must

• establish time-on-position limits for supervisory ATC personnel;

• establish a process to timely notify parties involved in certain near-miss incidents; and

• evaluate and revise, as necessary, helicopter routes around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

This bill nullifies certain changes made by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to dispensing requirements for mifepristone. (Mifepristone is a drug that is approved to end pregnancies through 10 weeks gestation when used in conjunction with the drug misoprostol. The procedure is often referred to as medication abortion or the abortion pill.)

The FDA regulates the use of mifepristone through the Mifepristone Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. The program requires health care providers to comply with certain requirements in order to prescribe or dispense mifepristone to end a pregnancy; the program previously included an in-person dispensing requirement that required mifepristone to be directly dispensed to patients in clinics, medical offices, or hospitals. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the FDA temporarily stopped enforcing the in-person dispensing requirement, which allowed mail-order pharmacies to fill and dispense mifepristone prescriptions.

In January 2023, the FDA modified program requirements so as to (1) remove the in-person dispensing requirement, and (2) require pharmacies to be certified in the program in order to dispense mifepristone. The modifications allow retail pharmacies, after receiving certification, to dispense mifepristone pursuant to prescriptions that are written by program-certified prescribers.

The bill nullifies the January 2023 changes and prohibits any similar changes in the future.

Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE America Act

This bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote, and requires photo identification to vote, in federal elections.

Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship.

Further, the bill (1) prohibits states from registering an individual to vote in a federal election unless, at the time the individual applies to register to vote, the individual provides documentary proof of U.S. citizenship; and (2) requires states to establish an alternative process to demonstrate U.S. citizenship.

Each state must take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote, which shall include establishing a program to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens using information supplied by certain sources.

Additionally, states must remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters.

The bill (1) provides for a private right of action for certain violations, and (2) establishes criminal penalties for certain offenses.

Individuals voting in federal elections must present an eligible photo identification document. An individual who votes by absentee ballot must submit a copy of their identification document with both the request for, and the submission of, the absentee ballot.

Stop Insider Trading Act

This bill generally prohibits Members of Congress and their spouses and dependent children from purchasing stocks and requires public notice before these individuals may sell stocks.

Specifically, Members of Congress and the spouses and dependent children of Members of Congress may not purchase covered investments. Between 7 and 14 days before a Member or a covered spouse or dependent sells a covered investment, the relevant Member must file public notice of the intent to sell with the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate, as appropriate. The Clerk or Secretary must publish this notice online. If the individual decides not to sell the covered investment, the notice must be withdrawn.

Under the bill, a covered investment is a security issued by a publicly traded company or a comparable economic interest. Some investments are exempt, including interest in a widely held investment fund and certain investments held in a trust.

Violations of these provisions are subject to a fee and, in the case of a purchase, a requirement to sell the covered investment. The fee must equal (1) the greater of $2,000 or 10% of the transaction value, and (2) any net gain realized from the transaction during a specified period. The fee may not be paid using campaign donations or Members’ official allowances.

Certain transactions by covered spouses and dependents are exempt, including transactions made on behalf of another person or made as part of compensation from the individual’s employer.

Medal of Sacrifice Act of 2025

This act directs the President to issue a medal of sacrifice for eligible law enforcement officers and first responders who are killed in the line of duty.

The act also directs the President to establish a commission on the medal of sacrifice and appoint its members. The act sets forth responsibilities of the commission, including to advise on the design of the medal and determine how the medal will be presented.

Under the act, eligible law enforcement officers and first responders include federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial law enforcement officers or first responders who are not subject to an official act of wrongdoing (e.g., a determination that the officer or first responder acted outside the scope of their duties or in a manner that was not in accordance with official policies or procedures).

A law enforcement officer or first responder who is subject to an official act of wrongdoing is generally not eligible for the medal of sacrifice. However, in the case of such an officer or first responder, the act requires the commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the officer or first responder's cause of death and issue a final determination on their eligibility.

Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act of 2025

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a dairy nutrition incentive program to develop and test methods to increase the purchase and consumption of dairy under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Specifically, the program must provide an incentive to SNAP benefit recipients for the purchase of naturally nutrient-rich dairy, which the bill defines to include fluid milk, yogurt, and cheese made from cow's milk. To carry out the program, USDA must enter into cooperative agreements with, or provide competitive grants to, state or local governments and nonprofit organizations for projects. The bill provides funding for the program for each fiscal year.

USDA must provide for an independent evaluation of each project that measures, to the maximum extent practicable, the effect of incentives on purchases of naturally nutrient-rich dairy by SNAP recipients.

Projects currently carried out by the USDA Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives (HFMI) program must be transitioned to the new dairy nutrition incentive program; the bill repeals the HFMI program one year after USDA certifies that the transition is complete.

Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act of 2025

This bill modifies criminal penalties for an offense involving the theft of a firearm from a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer, or from their business premises.

Specifically, the bill does the following:

• increases from 10 to 20 years the maximum prison term, and

• creates a 3- or 5-year mandatory minimum prison term for an offense that occurs during the commission of a burglary or robbery.

An attempt to commit an offense is subject to the same penalties as a substantive offense.

Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act

This bill requires the President to (1) impose applicable sanctions on foreign persons (individuals or entities) responsible for online financial scams against U.S. nationals, and (2) establish an interagency task force to shut down the criminal syndicates perpetuating such scams.

Under the bill, the President must determine whether 43 specified foreign persons, and any other foreign persons the President determines are responsible for or complicit in online financial scams against U.S. nationals, are subject to sanctions under specified laws and Executive Order 13581. Upon such determination, the President must impose applicable sanctions (for example, blocking the sanctioned person's property transactions within the United States).

The President must also establish an interagency task force to shut down transnational criminal syndicates that use large scam centers and forced labor of trafficked persons to perpetuate mass online scams against Americans. The task force must (1) submit a comprehensive strategy to Congress to combat these scam centers and dismantle the criminal elements involved with them, and (2) coordinate and oversee implementation of the strategy. Within 360 days of submitting the strategy to Congress and annually thereafter for five years the task force must submit to Congress a report addressing various topics related to such scam centers including a list of all foreign persons sanctioned by the United States for their scam center involvement.

The Department of State is authorized to provide trauma-informed care, shelter, reintegration, and support services for victims of trafficking in persons within online scam centers.