Congressional Record — March 16, 2026

Overview of the day

On March 16, 2026, the House of Representatives passed several bipartisan bills focusing on national parks, environmental restoration, sanctions on Iran, and the recovery of Holocaust-expropriated art. The House also conducted morning-hour debates and received various communications and messages from the Senate. The Senate passed resolutions honoring Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. and Coach Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz, introduced new legislation, and resumed consideration of the nomination of Anna St. John. Additionally, both chambers saw extensive committee activity including hearings and markups on veterans' affairs, national security, and environmental conservation.

Summary of the House proceedings

S. 1884 was passed to clarify the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016, eliminate certain non-merit-based legal defenses, and remove the expiration date for claims to recover Nazi-looted art.

H.R. 1422 was passed to impose sanctions on persons engaged in logistical transactions and sanctions evasion related to oil, gas, liquefied natural gas, and petrochemical products from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

H.R. 2709 was passed to expedite restoration work, environmental reviews, and interagency coordination to improve the health and resiliency of giant sequoias.

H.R. 4467 was passed to modify the boundary of the Vicksburg National Military Park by conveying approximately 7 acres of Federal land to the State of Mississippi for a new welcome center.

H.R. 4284 was passed to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain small cemetery parcels to qualified persons without consideration.

H.R. 1665 was passed to require the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture to establish online portals for processing communications use authorizations.

H.R. 2294 was passed to reauthorize the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 through fiscal year 2030.

H.R. 3073 was passed to confer civil jurisdiction on the State of Utah for causes of action arising on the Indian lands of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes and allow the Band to lease land for up to 99 years.

H.R. 5254 was passed to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation for private events in Gateway Arch National Park buildings.

H.R. 5729 was passed to provide the National Park Service with emergency contracting authority to rebuild and restore areas of the Grand Canyon impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire.

H.R. 2196 was passed to extend the legislative authority of the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation for an additional 7 years to establish a memorial in the District of Columbia.

H.R. 528 was passed to require the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a program for reforestation and restoration following unplanned disturbances on covered lands.

H.R. 6380 was passed to redesignate the Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona as Chiricahua National Park.

H.R. 831 was passed to establish an interest-bearing account for non-Federal contributions to the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program.

S. 3971 was mentioned as the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act to extend the SBIR and STTR programs.

H.R. 4294 was considered to establish a pilot program for the sale of blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to support watermen and mitigate an invasive species.

H.R. 6028, H.R. 5891 were mentioned during a markup by the Committee on House Administration.

H.R. 3286, H.R. 4290, H.R. 4716, H.R. 5555, H.R. 6062, H.R. 7031 were mentioned during a hearing by the Committee on Natural Resources.

H.R. 6916, H.R. 428, H.R. 1722, H.R. 4642, H.R. 2069, H.R. 2766, H.R. 5525, H.R. 6399, H.R. 6247 were mentioned during a markup by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

H.R. 7813 was mentioned during a markup by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

H.R. 5688 was mentioned during a markup by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

H.R. 6733, H.R. 6580, H.R. 6755, H.R. 6599, H.R. 6583, H.R. 6549, H.R. 6740, H.R. 6764, H.R. 6904, H.R. 6843, H.R. 6861, H.R. 6833, H.R. 2303, H.R. 10, H.R. 3183, H.R. 5203, H.R. 4114, H.R. 3869, H.R. 1732, H.R. 2722, H.R. 1391, H.R. 4876 were mentioned during a hearing by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

H.R. 7894, H.R. 7661, H.R. 7890, H.R. 7892, H.R. 7891, H.R. 7893, H.R. 6084 were mentioned during a markup by the Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R. 556, H.R. 1958, H.R. 4638 were mentioned during a hearing by the Committee on Rules.

H.R. 7934 was introduced to require the publication of settlement agreements.

H.R. 7935 was introduced to provide a cause of action for persons harmed by firearm carry limitations in different jurisdictions.

H.R. 7936 was introduced to support biotechnology products for energy resiliency.

H.R. 7937 was introduced to modify taxation of income required for basic living expenses.

H.R. 7938 was introduced to establish a grocery, farm, and food worker stabilization grant program.

H.R. 7939 was introduced to protect Fourth Amendment rights during immigration enforcement.

H.R. 7940 was introduced to require consideration of invasive species when prescribing fishways.

H.R. 7941 was introduced to ensure passenger security fees are used for aviation security and establish a Transportation Security Trust Fund.

H.R. 7942 was introduced to prohibit contracts relating to war and death in the Commodity Exchange Act.

H.R. 7943 was introduced to establish the Communications Equity and Diversity Council within the FCC.

H.R. 7944 was introduced to apply floor plan financing interest rules to semitrailers.

H.R. 7945 was introduced to ban the sale of nitrous oxide consumer products.

H.R. 7946 was introduced to exempt breastfeeding individuals from jury duty.

H.R. 7947 was introduced to improve education and risk management assistance in the Federal Crop Insurance Act.

H.R. 7948 was introduced to deem certain individuals as parents of VA employees for family and medical leave.

H.R. 7949 was introduced to provide grants for plant and microbial biology research.

H.R. 7950 was introduced to establish the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs in the VA.

H.R. 7951 was introduced to provide for long-term Good Neighbor Authority.

H.R. 7952 was introduced to prohibit personnel reductions in service review agencies and report on PTSD or TBI related discharges.

H. Res. 1116 was introduced to commemorate the 5-year remembrance of the March 16, 2021, Atlanta shootings.

H. Res. 1117 was introduced to designate March as Multiple System Atrophy Awareness Month.

H.R. 6480 was reported to the Committee of the Whole House regarding a report on the Public Building Service real estate portfolio.

H.R. 6267 was reported to the Committee of the Whole House regarding digital documentation in the aviation supply chain.

H.R. 5663 was reported to the Committee of the Whole House regarding the aviation consumer protection advisory committee.

H.R. 6618 was reported to the Committee of the Whole House regarding drone incursions on wildfire suppression.

H.R. 6460 was reported to the Committee of the Whole House regarding recreational operations of unmanned aircraft.

H.R. 3410 was reported to the Committee of the Whole House regarding civil supersonic flight.

H.R. 2247 was reported to the Committee of the Whole House regarding digital certificates for FAA inspections.

H.R. 6427 was reported to the Committee of the Whole House regarding State highway standards for airfield pavement.

H.R. 6481 was reported to the Committee of the Whole House regarding emergency communication protocols for public buildings.

H. Con. Res. 73 was reported to the House Calendar regarding the use of Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service.

H.R. 6644 was passed by the Senate with an amendment and sent to the House for concurrence.

S. 327 was passed by the Senate and sent to the House for concurrence.

S. 836 was passed by the Senate and sent to the House for concurrence.

S. 2074 was passed by the Senate and sent to the House for concurrence.

H.R. 7943 was mentioned in a constitutional authority statement.

H.R. 38 was mentioned in a petition from the Office of the San Diego City Attorney.

Summary of Senate proceedings

S. Res. 629 was passed to honor the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.

S. Res. 644 was passed to honor the life and legacy of Coach Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz.

S. 1034, S. 1242, S. 2437, S. 2753, S. 3409, S. 3500, S. 3518, S. 3635, S. 3684, S. 3693, S. 3723, S. 3725, S. 3732, S. 3736, S. 3737, S. 3738, S. 3743, S. 3792, S. 4040, S. 4041 were mentioned during a hearing by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

S. 545, S. 2934, H.R. 2159 were mentioned during a business meeting by the Committee on the Judiciary.

S. 342, S. 410, S. 649, S. 1116, S. 1657, S. 1665, S. 1726, S. 1868, S. 2061, S. 2220, S. 2264, S. 2309, S. 2328, S. 2333, S. 2397, S. 2683, S. 2807, S. 2981, S. 3033, S. 3119, S. 3138, S. 3303, S. 3758 were mentioned during a business meeting by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S. 4097 was introduced to establish that a State-based education loan program is excluded from certain preferred lender arrangement requirements.

S. 4098 was introduced to establish standards and guidelines to make open Government data assets artificial intelligence-ready.

S. 4099 was introduced to ensure Federal employees are fully informed of their whistleblower rights.

S. 4100 was introduced to clarify whistleblower protections for duty speech disclosures.

S. 4101 was introduced to establish a grocery, farm, and food worker stabilization grant program.

S. 4102 was introduced to reauthorize Delaware River Basin conservation programs.

S. 4103 was introduced to improve the health and resiliency of giant sequoias.

S. 4104 was introduced to establish a database of corporate offenses at the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

S. Res. 643 was introduced to designate March 12, 2026, as Detransition Awareness Day.

S. 1383 was mentioned in notices to suspend rules regarding the Department of Justice and the Transportation Security Administration.

Written by an AI model from that day's Congressional Record, not by a person. It was too long to read in one pass, so it was analysed in 5 parts and merged. .