Policy Week in Review – August 7, 2026

Senate Making Final Push on Top Legislative Priorities Before Leaving Town for August Recess 

Before embarking on a 5-week August recess, the U.S. Senate is making a big push today, and possibly over the weekend, to advance several important agenda items, including: 

• Confirmed Block of 74 White House Nominees – The Senate confirmed today a large block of nominees, including James Macy and David Prouty to be members of the National Labor Relations Board. Their confirmation allows the Board to keep its quorum through the remainder of the Trump administration. In addition, Macy’s confirmation gives the Board a three-member Republican majority allowing for potential policy shifts from Biden-era decisions. 
• Passed Russia Sanctions – The Senate earlier today passed the bipartisan Russian sanctions legislation as an homage to the late Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC), who sponsored the bill, which gives the president the authority to issue new tariffs against countries that import Russian oil and natural gas.  
• Short-term Funding Bill to Avert a Government Shutdown This Fall - The Continuing Resolution (CR) would push the congressional funding deadline to December 11, preventing a potential autumnal government shutdown. (Note: The U.S. House of Representatives left Washington for its August recess on July 23 after passing its version of a “clean” CR, which extends funding to December 4.  Given the Senate’s extended deadline and adjustments to program extensions omitted by the House, e.g., surface transportation, veterans’ benefits, and flood insurance, the House will need to pass the CR when it returns from recess.)  
• Save America Act – Majority Leader Thune said publicly there may be a vote on the “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act,” which would require documentation of citizenship and photo ID to register to vote. 
• Other Policy Debates are likely to get punted to September, including a college sports compensation reform, a framework to establish clear regulatory boundaries for cryptocurrencies and digital assets, and a budget blueprint for defense and Iran war funding. 

Top House Republicans Investigating Labor Unions’ Political Expenditures 

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) and the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Chair Rick Allen (R-GA) launched an investigation into whether leaders of the nation’s largest labor unions are misusing union members’ dues to fund partisan political activities and candidates to advance their own interests over the members they represent. For additional information, read here.

President Trump Issues Executive Orders to Limit U.S. Birthright Citizenship 

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision upholding the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship for those born on U.S. soil, President Trump issued two executive orders on August 6 which seek to limit birthright citizenship. The executive orders include: “Ending Birth Tourism,” which targets those who travel to the U.S. with the sole intention of giving birth here so their child will gain U.S. citizenship; and “Continuing to Protect the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” which seeks to exclude children born to foreign terrorists, and others. Read the fact sheet here.

IRS Issues New Guidance on “No Tax on Overtime”

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a new Fact Sheet providing updates to the new deduction for qualified overtime compensation, which provides clarification on the limits and timing of the deduction, additional information on coverage and exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and other clarifying updates to the most frequently asked questions.