September 7–13, 2026
A quiet week for local and state legislation; all the action at the federal level was narrow or out-of-area, but a handful of federal bills are now lined up for a full House vote.
A quiet week overall, with no local Duluth or Minnesota legislation moving. Everything that cleared this week came from Washington, and most of it lands outside your daily life here.
On your federal tax return.
If you or someone you know has been hit by a federally declared natural disaster, one change from this week is worth knowing. Congress passed and the President signed a bill (HR 5366) that extends larger tax deductions for disaster-related losses through early 2027. Under the old rules, you'd lose $500 off the top of any deduction for a covered loss. The new rules let you deduct the full amount. People who received money from nonprofits or the government to cover wildfire losses, living costs, or lost wages also won't owe federal income tax on those payments, as long as the fire was declared a federal disaster after 2014. This is now law.
At the federal level, otherwise.
Several other federal bills signed this week deal with matters outside Duluth. One removes deed restrictions on a small parcel of land at an Army Reserve center in Paducah, Kentucky. Another gives the group building a national EMS memorial in Washington, D.C. seven more years to finish the project. Neither changes anything here.
One bill that does have a small practical upside for anyone curious about government spending: Congress also signed (HR 2069) a requirement that federal agencies post a previously hidden type of contract on USAspending.gov. These contracts, known as "other transaction agreements," were exempt from standard public reporting rules. They now have to be disclosed, so residents can track more of where federal money goes.
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Coming up next week:
Federal farm security drill. HR 9394 would require the Department of Homeland Security to run a large-scale exercise within four years, testing how federal, state, local, and private partners would respond to a biological attack on farms or the food supply. Minnesota's agricultural sector gives this a real stake here. The bill cleared committee and is headed to a full House floor vote, though no firm date is set yet.
Shelter dogs for federal officers. HR 9327 would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection to adopt dogs from local animal shelters and train them as support animals for officers dealing with grief and trauma. The pilot program would run three years. It cleared committee and is waiting for a House floor vote.
Government publishing rules. HR 9342 locks in free public access to federal documents through libraries and online, while giving the Government Publishing Office more tools to digitize older records and distribute publications more widely. It cleared committee and is awaiting a House floor vote.
Congressional records panel. HR 9360 shuts down an advisory committee that reviewed how Congress stores its records. The National Archives, Senate secretary, and House clerk would instead meet once a year to check on records management. It cleared committee and is awaiting a House floor vote.
See what's up for a vote now · Find your representatives