This page tracks laws being passed and bills being debated in the US Congress and the UK Parliament. It lists 50 dated events, from early summer 2026 to scheduled votes and deadlines, with vote counts, stages and a link to the official record or a major news report for each. Peter’s World explains the biggest developments in plain-English articles linked from the timeline.
Last updated: October 3, 2026. Sources are primary records where possible (Congress.gov, Senate and House roll calls, the UK Parliament’s bill pages and division lists, Legislation.gov.uk) and named news organizations otherwise. This page describes what bills do, who sponsors them and how votes went. It takes no side. Schedules change, so check the linked source before relying on a future date.
Glossary: how a bill becomes law
The same idea works differently in each country. Here are the steps and the terms used in the timeline.
US Congress: five steps
- Introduction. A member of the House (H.R. bills) or Senate (S. bills) files a bill. The member is its sponsor.
- Committee. A committee reviews the bill, can hold hearings, and votes on whether to send it to the full chamber (“report” it).
- Floor vote. The House needs a simple majority, and the Rules Committee sets debate terms. In the Senate, a “cloture” vote ends debate and generally needs 60 of 100 senators.
- Other chamber. Both chambers must pass identical text, by trading amendments or through a conference committee.
- President. The President signs the bill into law or vetoes it. Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber. A bill also becomes law without a signature if the President takes no action for 10 days (Sundays excepted) while Congress is in session.
Terms you will see
- Continuing resolution (CR)
- A stopgap law that keeps agencies funded at current levels while full-year spending bills are unfinished.
- Reconciliation
- A budget process that lets the Senate pass certain tax and spending changes by simple majority, avoiding a filibuster.
- Concurrent resolution
- A measure passed by both chambers that is not sent to the President and does not itself become law.
- Pro forma session
- A brief meeting with no legislative business, used to keep a chamber technically in session.
UK Parliament: five steps
- First reading. The bill is formally introduced and its title is read. There is no debate.
- Second reading. MPs (or peers) debate and vote on the bill’s main principles.
- Committee, report, third reading. Line-by-line scrutiny and amendments, then a final look at the amended text and a final vote.
- The other House. The bill repeats these stages in the other House. Each House must agree the same text, passing amendments back and forth (“ping-pong”).
- Royal Assent. The monarch formally approves the bill and it becomes an Act of Parliament. By convention Royal Assent is not refused.
Terms you will see
- Reasoned amendment
- A motion at second reading giving reasons why a bill should not proceed; if it passes, the bill is blocked.
- Private member’s bill
- A bill introduced by an MP or peer who is not a government minister; it has little time on the calendar.
- Free vote
- A vote where parties do not instruct their members how to vote.
- Recess
- A break in the parliamentary calendar, such as the party-conference recess.
What’s happening now
Status as of October 3, 2026. Each point links to the record it comes from.
US Congress
Election recess: the Senate returns Nov. 9 and the House is scheduled to return Nov. 9.
- Oct 1, 2026: The Senate began pro forma sessions (brief meetings with no business) after its last votes on Sept. 30, when it confirmed ten ambassadors and a military promotion. (Senate Daily Press)
- Sep 2, 2026: President Trump signed H.R. 6500 (P.L. 119-103), funding agencies through Dec. 11, so no government shutdown began on Oct. 1. (CRS report R49353)
- Sep 24, 2026: The Senate rejected an Iran war powers resolution, H.Con.Res. 89, by 49 to 50; the House had passed it 214 to 208 on July 23. (Senate roll call 244)
- Nov 9, 2026: Scheduled: a Senate cloture vote on taking up H.R. 2347, the shell bill leaders plan to use for a bipartisan permitting overhaul. (Senate Democratic Caucus)
UK Parliament
Conference recess: the House of Commons and House of Lords both return on Monday 12 October.
- Sep 11, 2026: MPs rejected the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at second reading by 286 votes to 270. (BBC News)
- Sep 14, 2026: The House of Lords held second reading of the Representation of the People Bill, which MPs passed 411 to 102 on 2 September. (UK Parliament)
- Jul 15, 2026: The most recent Royal Assent: the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Act, the Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Act and the Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act. (Legislation.gov.uk)
- Oct 13, 2026: Scheduled: committee scrutiny of the Immigration and Asylum Bill resumes, and the Commons takes report stage of the Courts and Tribunals Bill. (Bills.parliament.uk)
Bills we’re following
Key measures behind the timeline. Badges show the latest recorded status.
- LawH.R. 6500 Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027Signed Sept. 2 (P.L. 119-103)
A stopgap law that funds federal agencies through Dec. 11, 2026, so Congress must act again before then.
- LawH.R. 5334 Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026Signed Sept. 18 (P.L. 119-111)
Imposes sanctions on Russia and authorizes tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
- FailedH.Con.Res. 89 Iran war powers resolutionFailed in the Senate, 49-50
Would have directed the President to remove US forces from hostilities with Iran absent congressional authorization.
- StalledH.R. 8800 / S. 4784 FY2027 National Defense Authorization ActPassed House 216-212; stalled in the Senate
The annual defense policy bill; the Senate fell short of the 60 votes needed to begin debate on July 14.
- ScheduledBipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (permitting)Cloture vote scheduled Nov. 9
A 400-plus-page Senate draft to speed energy and infrastructure permits and shorten the window to sue over them.
- In committeeImmigration and Asylum BillCommons committee; sittings resume Oct. 13
Would replace the First-tier Tribunal immigration chamber with a new appeals authority and create a single protection status.
- In the LordsRepresentation of the People BillPassed Commons 411-102; Lords second reading Sept. 14
Would lower the voting age to 16 and change rules on voter registration, ID and political donations.
- DefeatedTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) BillRejected at second reading, 286-270
Would have let some terminally ill adults request medical assistance to end their lives; it makes no more progress this session.
- In the LordsPublic Office (Accountability) BillLords committee from Oct. 12
Would place a duty of candour on public authorities and officials; it passed the Commons on 14 July.
- ScheduledCourts and Tribunals BillCommons report stage Oct. 13
Covers criminal courts in England and Wales, tribunal leadership and a Children Act presumption.
Timeline: newest first
Jump to: Scheduled / upcoming · October 2026 · September 2026 · August 2026 · July 2026 · June 2026. Use the boxes in the table headers to filter by date, body, bill or stage.
| Source | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Scheduled / upcoming14 eventsSoonest first. Schedules can change; check the linked source. | ||||
| Oct 12, 2026 | UK Lords | Public Office (Accountability) BillLords committee stage (line-by-line scrutiny) is scheduled for 12, 19 and 21 October. | Scheduled | Bills.parliament.uk |
| Oct 12, 2026 | UK Commons | Parliament returns from conference recessBoth Houses return on Monday 12 October after the conference recess. | Recess | UK Parliament |
| Oct 13, 2026 | UK Commons | Courts and Tribunals BillCommons report stage is scheduled; the bill covers criminal courts in England and Wales, tribunal leadership and a change to the Children Act 1989 presumption on parental involvement. | Scheduled | Bills.parliament.uk |
| Oct 13, 2026 | UK Lords | Health BillLords second reading of the Health Bill is scheduled. | Scheduled | Bills.parliament.uk |
| Oct 13, 2026 | UK Commons | Immigration and Asylum BillCommittee sittings resume on 13, 15, 20, 22, 27 and 29 October and 3 November. | Scheduled | Bills.parliament.ukRead our explainer |
| Oct 14, 2026 | UK Lords | Sovereign Grant BillAll Lords stages are scheduled for one day, which would clear the bill for Royal Assent if unamended. | Scheduled | Bills.parliament.uk |
| Oct 20, 2026 | UK Lords | Armed Forces BillLords report stage is scheduled for the Armed Forces Bill. | Scheduled | Bills.parliament.uk |
| Oct 27, 2026 | UK Commons | Social Housing Bill [HL]Commons committee stage is scheduled for 27 and 29 October and 3 November. | Scheduled | Bills.parliament.uk |
| Nov 3, 2026 | US Congress | 2026 midterm electionsElection Day for the House of Representatives and a share of the Senate; the result shapes who controls Congress in January 2027. | Scheduled | Washington Examiner |
| Nov 4, 2026 | UK Commons | House of Commons November recessThe Commons is scheduled to rise on 4 November and return on 10 November. | Recess | UK Parliament |
| Nov 9, 2026 | US House | House scheduleRoll Call reported that the House calendar has members returning Nov. 9, after the election. | Scheduled | Roll Call |
| Nov 9, 2026 | US Senate | H.R. 2347 (vehicle for permitting bill)The Senate returns at 3 p.m. and is scheduled to vote about 5:30 p.m. on cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 2347, the shell bill that Senate leaders plan to use for the permitting deal. | Scheduled | Senate Democratic Caucus |
| Nov 20, 2026 | US Congress | FISA Section 702 reauthorizationSection 702, which authorizes warrantless surveillance of foreign targets, expired in June; the Trump administration says collection could go dark Nov. 20 (surveillance may otherwise continue until March 2027). | Deadline | Washington Examiner |
| Dec 11, 2026 | US Congress | H.R. 6500 Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027Stopgap funding runs out after this date; without new appropriations or another stopgap, agencies would face a lapse in funding. | Deadline | CRS report R49353Read our explainer |
October 20261 event | ||||
| Oct 1, 2026 | US Senate | Senate scheduleThe Senate began pro forma sessions (brief meetings with no business) and is adjourned until Nov. 9. | Recess | Senate Daily Press |
September 202616 events | ||||
| Sep 30, 2026 | US Senate | Nominations and unanimous-consent billsIn its last votes before the election recess, the Senate confirmed ten ambassadors and a military promotion and passed nearly three dozen bills or resolutions, the Washington Examiner reported. | Floor vote | Washington Examiner |
| Sep 30, 2026 | US Senate | Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (permitting overhaul)Leaders of the Senate Environment and Public Works and Energy and Natural Resources committees released a 400-plus-page draft that would speed energy-project permits and limit lawsuits to 150 days. | Draft released | Bloomberg Law |
| Sep 24, 2026 | US Senate | H.Con.Res. 89 Iran war powers resolutionThe Senate rejected the resolution 49-50 (roll call 244); Republican Sens. Collins, Murkowski, Paul and Tillis voted yes and Democrat John Fetterman voted no, per NBC News. | Failed | Senate roll call 244Read our explainer |
| Sep 18, 2026 | President | H.R. 5334 Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026President Trump signed the law (P.L. 119-111), which sanctions Russia’s government and lets the President impose tariffs of up to 100% on top buyers of Russian oil and gas. | Signed into law | CBS NewsRead our explainer |
| Sep 16, 2026 | US House | H.R. 5334 Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026The House agreed to the Senate amendments 262-159 (roll call 308), clearing the sanctions bill for the President. | Passed House | Congress.govRead our explainer |
| Sep 16, 2026 | US House | House scheduleThe House left Washington on Sept. 16 and, according to the Washington Examiner, will not be back until after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. | Recess | Washington Examiner |
| Sep 15, 2026 | UK Commons | Immigration and Asylum BillThe public bill committee held its first sitting; line-by-line scrutiny resumes on 13 October. | Committee | Bills.parliament.ukRead our explainer |
| Sep 15, 2026 | UK Commons | Conference recessThe Commons rose on 15 September for the party-conference recess; the Lords rose on 18 September. Both Houses return on 12 October. | Recess | UK Parliament |
| Sep 14, 2026 | UK Commons | Sovereign Grant BillThe Commons took all stages in one day on a bill about the Sovereign Grant, the public funding for the monarchy’s official duties. | Passed Commons | Bills.parliament.uk |
| Sep 14, 2026 | UK Lords | Representation of the People BillPeers debated the principles of the bill at Lords second reading; committee stage has yet to be scheduled. | Debated | UK ParliamentRead our explainer |
| Sep 11, 2026 | UK Commons | Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) BillMPs rejected the assisted dying bill at second reading 286-270 on a free vote; the bill makes no further progress this session, BBC News reports. | Failed | BBC NewsRead our explainer |
| Sep 10, 2026 | UK Commons | Social Housing Bill [HL]MPs gave the Lords-originated bill a second reading after rejecting a reasoned amendment 77-292. | Floor vote | Commons division 2425 |
| Sep 7, 2026 | UK Lords | Financial Services and Markets Bill [HL]Peers voted 246-165 for an amendment to leave out clause 3, a government defeat at report stage. | Floor vote | Lords division 3707 |
| Sep 2, 2026 | President | H.R. 6500 Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027President Trump signed the stopgap (P.L. 119-103), funding agencies at roughly FY2026 levels through Dec. 11, 2026, so no shutdown began on Oct. 1. | Signed into law | CRS report R49353Read our explainer |
| Sep 2, 2026 | UK Commons | Representation of the People BillMPs passed the bill, which would lower the voting age to 16, 411-102 at third reading, sending it to the House of Lords. | Passed Commons | Commons division 2416Read our explainer |
| Sep 1, 2026 | US House | H.R. 6500 Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027The House agreed to the Senate changes 370-48 (roll call 286) under suspension of the rules, which needs a two-thirds vote; this cleared the bill for the President. | Passed House | House roll call 286Read our explainer |
August 20263 events | ||||
| Aug 8, 2026 | US Senate | H.R. 6500 Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027The Senate passed the stopgap 90-6 (roll call 228), sending the amended bill back to the House. | Passed Senate | Senate roll call 228Read our explainer |
| Aug 7, 2026 | US Senate | H.R. 5334 Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026The Senate passed the bill 86-11 (roll call 224) with amendments; an amendment by Sen. Rand Paul to strike the tariff provision failed 32-64. | Passed Senate | Congress.govRead our explainer |
| Aug 2, 2026 | US Senate | H.R. 6500 Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins released bipartisan stopgap text funding government through Dec. 11, and Vice Chair Patty Murray called it a much-improved stopgap. | Committee | Senate Appropriations CommitteeRead our explainer |
July 202615 events | ||||
| Jul 28, 2026 | US Senate | H.R. 5334 Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026The Senate voted 86-12 (roll call 212) to end debate on taking up the Russia and Iran sanctions bill; the motion to proceed was agreed 84-12 the next day. | Floor vote | Congress.govRead our explainer |
| Jul 23, 2026 | US House | H.Con.Res. 89 Iran war powers resolutionThe House agreed 214-208 (roll call 282) to a resolution by Rep. Pramila Jayapal directing the President to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran absent congressional authorization. | Passed House | Congress.govRead our explainer |
| Jul 22, 2026 | US House | H.R. 8800 National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027The House passed the annual defense policy bill 216-212 (roll call 278); the Senate has not passed its own version, S. 4784. | Passed House | House roll call 278 |
| Jul 21, 2026 | US House | H.R. 9770 Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027The House passed its stopgap funding bill 220-205 (roll call 272); the Senate wrote its own version instead. | Passed House | House roll call 272 |
| Jul 18, 2026 | US House | H.R. 9770 Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole introduced a stopgap bill funding agencies from Oct. 1 through Dec. 4, 2026. | Introduced | Congress.gov |
| Jul 15, 2026 | Royal Assent | Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Act 2026 (c. 26)Raises the electricity generator levy and sets temporary vehicle excise duty rates for goods vehicles. | Royal Assent | Legislation.gov.uk |
| Jul 15, 2026 | Royal Assent | Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2026 (c. 25)The annual act that gives departments legal authority to use the resources Parliament approved in the Main Estimates for the year to 31 March 2027. | Royal Assent | Legislation.gov.uk |
| Jul 15, 2026 | Royal Assent | Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Act 2026 (c. 27)Lets the Secretary of State, in certain circumstances and where in the public interest, make regulations transferring the securities, property, rights and liabilities of a steel undertaking. | Royal Assent | Legislation.gov.uk |
| Jul 14, 2026 | US Senate | S. 4784 / H.R. 8800 FY2027 defense authorization (NDAA)The Senate fell short, 50-46, on a cloture vote (the 60-vote motion that ends debate) to take up its defense policy bill; Congress.gov shows no later floor action on either bill. | Failed | Senate roll call 195 |
| Jul 14, 2026 | UK Commons | Public Office (Accountability) BillThe Commons completed report stage and third reading of the bill that would put a duty of candour on public authorities and officials; several amendments were voted down. | Passed Commons | Bills.parliament.uk |
| Jul 13, 2026 | UK Commons | Immigration and Asylum BillMPs gave the bill a second reading 264-90 after rejecting a reasoned amendment (a motion to block it) 97-358; Guardian reports 14 Labour MPs opposed it. | Floor vote | Commons division 2406Read our explainer |
| Jul 11, 2026 | President | H.R. 6644 21st Century ROAD to Housing ActBecame Public Law 119-101; Congress.gov records the bill as sent to the Archivist unsigned, which happens when a bill becomes law without the President’s signature. The House cleared it 358-32 on June 23. | Became law | Congress.gov |
| Jul 8, 2026 | UK Lords | Steel Industry (Nationalisation) BillAt Lords report stage, peers rejected 95-202 an amendment that would have capped government assistance to steel undertakings at 2.5 billion pounds. | Floor vote | Lords division 3685 |
| Jul 8, 2026 | Royal Assent | National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 (c. 24)Lets the government designate bodies involved in foreign power threat activity and creates offences linked to them; it began as a bill on June 9. | Royal Assent | Legislation.gov.uk |
| Jul 1, 2026 | UK Commons | Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) BillThe Commons took all its stages in one day; the bill raises the electricity generator levy rate and lifts the income tax mileage amount from 45p to 55p. | Passed Commons | Bills.parliament.uk |
June 20261 event | ||||
| Jun 10, 2026 | President | S. 2 Secure America ActReconciliation law (P.L. 119-98) passed after a 52-47 Senate vote on June 5 and a 214-212 House vote on June 9; CRS says Border Patrol and ICE operate under its funding. Reconciliation is a fast-track budget process needing only a simple Senate majority. | Signed into law | Congress.gov |
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Related coverage
- Geopolitics & Military Events Calendar 2026–2027
- 2026 Midterms: What Is at Stake on Nov. 3
- House Passes Lindsey Graham Russia-Iran Sanctions Bill, Sending Tariff Powers to Trump’s Desk
Sources
Each timeline entry links to its own source. Core references: Congress.gov, Senate roll call votes, House Clerk roll call votes, UK Parliament bills, UK Parliament votes, Legislation.gov.uk. Spot an error? Tell us via the contact page.