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The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Week of February 9, 2026

Washington, February 8, 2026
Here’s what to watch for on the House Floor this week:
 
Defending the Integrity of American Elections

The right to vote is a foundational principle of the United States of America, and its integrity must be protected. Federal law states that it is illegal for foreign nationals and noncitizens to vote in U.S. federal elections or donate with regards to federal, state, or local elections.

However, as we’ve seen in states like Texas and New Jersey, noncitizens continue to unlawfully register to vote and vote, diluting the votes of American citizens and potentially allowing foreign interference in our elections.

Around 10 million illegal immigrants came across our southern border thanks to President Biden’s open border policies, including more than 400 illegal aliens on the terrorist watchlist. Now more than ever it is vital we shore up our election security and ensure that only American citizens are voting in American elections.

Last year, the House passed the SAVE Act to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote and improve the ability of states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls. This keeps foreign interference out of our elections, maintains election integrity, and increases American citizens’ trust in our federal elections.

House Republicans are bringing forward the SAVE America Act to build on the SAVE Act. In addition to proof of citizenship, this legislation includes a voter ID requirement – a provision the the vast majority of Americans support: 83% of Americans are in favor of requiring a photo ID to vote, including 71% of Democrats, 82% of Hispanic Americans, and 76% of Black Americans.
 

S. 1383, the SAVE America Act, sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy, amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and an eligible photo identification document before voting in federal elections, shoring up our election integrity.

This should not be controversial. House Republicans will continue fighting to protect the integrity of one of American citizens’ most fundamental rights: the right to vote.
 

Cutting Red Tape and Lowering Housing Costs to Restore the American Dream

A key component of the American Dream is homeownership, but recently, it has been out of reach for many. House Republicans are bringing forward legislation to lower housing costs for hardworking Americans, increase housing supply, expand local lending, and restore the American Dream.

Burdensome and confusing regulatory processes makes it harder for homebuilders to construct affordable homes and, in turn, drives up costs for hardworking Americans seeking to purchase their own home.

Our legislation cuts red tape by getting rid of environmental reviews for local home construction projects and duplicative inspections, resulting in faster timelines for builders and buyers. It also speeds up the homebuilding process by allowing the use of ready-to-use, pre-approved home designs so builders can get permits faster.

Additionally, our legislation modernizes HUD programs and outdated banking regulations to expand local lending. Our legislation allows community banks to access more deposits so they can lend to more households and small businesses – that means rural communities will have better access to loans to help finance home purchases and construction.

Chairman French Hill’s legislation, H.R. 6644, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, drives down housing costs, streamlines homebuilding, increases housing supply, and expands local lending by cutting burdensome federal regulations, putting the American Dream back within reach for hardworking Americans. 

House Republicans are bringing forward legislation to decrease housing costs and make homeownership more accessible.
 

Enhancing Law Enforcement and Public Safety by Reclassifying Tasers

Under current law, a firearm is defined as “any weapon which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive.” That means that some conducted electrical weapons (CEWs), such as modern tasers, fall into the category of firearm because they expel probes and wires – despite carrying a substantially lower risk of death or serious injury.

When Congress implemented the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), CEWs had not even been invented, so they couldn’t be taken into account when the firearm definition was formulated. It was never Congress’ intention for CEWs to be classified as firearms.

Classifying CEWs as firearms overlooks their intended use of resolving high-risk encounters without deadly force and makes it harder for law enforcement to procure these critical de-escalation devices. Also, as the use of any firearm is considered deadly force by most states, it can result in the mischaracterization of police actions.

We should not be hindering the procurement of effective “less-than-lethal” tools with outdated and burdensome regulations never meant for them. House Republicans are bringing forward legislation to reclassify CEWs as “less-than-lethal” and give officers access to the tools they need to respond safely in unpredictable situations.

This legislation includes Rep. David Schweikert’s Innovate Less Lethal to De-Escalate Tax Modernization Act to ensure “less-than-lethal” tools are no longer treated the same as firearms under federal tax laws that were not designed for them, allowing law enforcement better access to these de-esclation devices. 

H.R. 2189, the Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act, sponsored by Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, amends federal gun laws to reclassify CEW devices like tasers meant to stop high-risk situations without using deadly force as “less-than-lethal projectile devices’’ instead of firearms, making it easier for law enforcement to procure these devices and enhancing officer and community safety.

House Republicans are fighting to ensure law enforcement can access the tools they need to protect officers and the public.
 

Strengthening Critical Mineral Supply Chains to Bolster National Security

Critical minerals are the backbone of modern defense, technology, clean energy, AI, and more, making them indispensable to everyday life. With global demand for critical minerals surging, securing these resources is essential for maintaining America’s competitive edge and global leadership.

Despite having abundant natural resources right here in America, excessive permitting burdens and red tape under prior administrations obstructed development of America’s natural resources, hindering U.S. mining projects and limiting access to these crucial domestic resources.

These misguided policies leave us reliant on foreign adversaries like Communist China – which dominates the world’s critical minerals processing – for our critical mineral needs, threatening America’s security and competitive edge in the 21st century. Currently, China maintains 60 percent of the world’s production of rare earth elements and 90 percent of their global processing capacity.

This week, House Republicans are bringing forward legislation to incentivize domestic production and manufacturing, strengthen our critical energy resource supply chains, build an energy-independent America, and secure our future.

H.R. 3617, the Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act, sponsored by Rep. John James, unleashes domestic production and bolsters America’s critical mineral supply chain by requiring the Department of Energy (DOE) to assess and strengthen critical energy resource supply chains, reducing our reliance on foreign adversaries and enhancing our energy independence.

House Republicans won’t stop fighting to defend our energy, economic, and national security by ensuring America doesn’t have to depend on adversaries for critical minerals.

Safeguarding Undersea Cables to Bolster Connectivity and National Security

Lying on the ocean floor, undersea fiber-optic cables make up the critical foundation of global telecommunications and internet infrastructure, carrying over 95 percent of international data. They transmit information at high speeds, enabling global internet, financial transactions, and communication.

Currently, however, the permitting process to site, install, and approve these cables involves various agencies across the federal, state, and local levels, creating tedious and duplicative barriers for licensees looking to build and preserve undersea cables.

Under the National Marine Sanctuary Act (NMSA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration authorizes 5-year Special Use Permits (SUPs) for certain activities within a national marine sanctuary, including the construction and maintenance of cables. But it often takes years to acquire SUPs, not to mention the additional burdens and costs they come with. 

These cables are crucial for modern life and ensuring reliable, high-speed, and secure connectivity – restricting our ability to build and preserve undersea cables with regulatory hurdles poses a significant threat to our national security and digital economy.

House Republicans are bringing forward legislation to strengthen our national security and bolster global connectivity by cutting this burdensome red tape, streamlining the permitting process, and safeguarding America’s submarine cable infrastructure.

Rep. Buddy Carter’s legislation, H.R. 261, the Undersea Cable Protection Act, amends NMSA to block the Secretary of Commerce from prohibiting or requiring a permit for the installation, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if such activities have already been authorized by federal and state agencies, getting rid of duplicative permitting laws while protecting national marine sanctuaries.

With this legislation, House Republicans are not only safeguarding our infrastructure and national security, but also securing America’s position on the world stage leading the digital economy and global communications.