Legislative Activity

This bill reauthorizes and extends the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program through fiscal year 2030. The program allows eligible small, rural hospitals to receive Medicare payments based on reasonable costs for inpatient services to promote financial stability. It maintains participation limits and requires a report evaluating the program's impact on rural access to care and costs.

This resolution honors the life and legacy of the late former United States Senator John Seymour of California. It recognizes his extensive public service, highlighting his career in business, local government, and his tenure in the U.S. Senate. The Senate expresses its deep sorrow and directs that official copies of this resolution be delivered to his family.

The Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2026 overhauls federal student loan programs to eliminate debt for educators serving in high-need schools and early childhood education settings. After five years of qualifying service, educators can receive 100% forgiveness on remaining federal student loans. The bill also provides monthly loan assistance while educators are actively serving, treating these payments as qualifying service toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This legislation aims to stabilize the educator workforce by significantly reducing the financial burden of student debt.

The Moms Matter Act establishes grant programs to improve maternal mental health equity and expand the specialized maternal mental and behavioral health care workforce. The first program funds community-based initiatives to provide integrated mental health services for pregnant and postpartum individuals, prioritizing high-need areas. The second program supports training and diversifying providers specializing in maternal mental health, with a focus on recruiting from and serving underserved populations.

The Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act aims to eliminate barriers to sexual and reproductive health care for individuals with disabilities. It establishes grant programs to train the healthcare workforce, expand the number of providers with disabilities, and fund accessible health education. The bill also creates a National Technical Assistance Center and mandates a study to identify effective care models and coordination gaps.

The Extinction Prevention Act of 2026 establishes dedicated federal funds and competitive grant programs across four titles to support the conservation of imperiled species. These titles focus on protecting North American butterflies, Pacific Island plants, freshwater mussels, and Southwestern desert fish. Each program authorizes up to $5 million annually for six years, prioritizing projects that aid species listed under the Endangered Species Act.

The Scientific Integrity Act aims to safeguard the role of science in federal policymaking by requiring agencies that fund or conduct research to adopt and enforce strict scientific integrity policies. These policies must prohibit political interference, data suppression, and retaliation against scientists. The legislation establishes Scientific Integrity Officers within agencies and mandates regular training and public reporting on policy implementation to ensure public trust in government science.

This Senate resolution expresses the sense that access to mifepristone should be based on over 25 years of proven safety and effectiveness supported by peer-reviewed science. It calls for equitable and transparent laws and policies governing access to this time-sensitive medication abortion care. The resolution affirms the FDA's authority to regulate the drug based on the best available evidence, free from political interference.

This resolution officially designates May 16, 2026, as "Kids to Parks Day." The day aims to promote healthy outdoor recreation, environmental stewardship, and encourage families to visit local, state, and national parks. It recognizes the importance of outdoor access for youth health, education, and community strengthening.

The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 establishes free breakfast and lunch for all students in participating schools, eliminating income-based eligibility and school meal debt. It also updates federal funding metrics by replacing free/reduced lunch data with new measures of economically disadvantaged students across various education and nutrition programs. This comprehensive bill aims to ensure universal access to nutrition while streamlining administrative requirements related to poverty tracking.

The Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026 establishes and significantly expands a federal program to support full-service community schools. This initiative provides substantial funding through competitive grants to integrate academic, health, and social services for students. The bill defines key roles and structures, such as community school coordinators and leadership teams, to ensure comprehensive, whole-child support across eligible high-need schools.

This resolution expresses support for designating May 5, 2026, as the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls." It aims to honor the lives of missing and murdered American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women and girls and demonstrate solidarity with their families. The bill also calls for a new Department of Justice study to update statistics on this ongoing crisis.

This resolution honors the life and legacy of Dirk Arthur Kempthorne, recognizing his significant contributions as a former U.S. Senator, Governor of Idaho, and Secretary of the Interior. The Senate expresses its profound sorrow over his passing and offers condolences to his family. The resolution directs that this tribute be communicated to the House and his family, and the Senate will adjourn in his memory.

The Public Lands Integrity Act amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to classify any provision resulting in the sale, disposal, or transfer of federal lands as "extraneous" under the Byrd Rule. This change aims to prevent such land transactions from being included in budget reconciliation processes.

The Supporting Urban and Innovative Farming Act of 2026 aims to bolster urban and controlled-environment agriculture by expanding the USDA's Office of Urban Agriculture. This legislation establishes a new competitive grant program to support producers and prioritizes improving local food access in underserved areas. It also mandates dedicated funding and expands research opportunities for innovative farming technologies.

The CLEAN Mergers Act imposes strict new divestiture requirements on large mergers completed between January 20, 2025, and January 19, 2029. It mandates the immediate divestiture of completed threshold transactions (valued at $10 billion or more) unless specific competitive conditions are proven in court. Furthermore, the Act allows federal agencies and state attorneys general to review smaller "enforcement-lapse transactions" for evidence of misconduct or improper influence, potentially leading to required divestiture. Finally, it extends the statute of limitations for antitrust lawsuits from four years to ten years.

This resolution expresses support for designating the week of May 3, 2026, through May 9, 2026, as "National Small Business Week." It aims to celebrate the vital contributions and entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses across the United States. The bill recognizes the essential role these businesses play in the national economy and applauds their resilience.

The CREATE AI Act establishes the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) to advance U.S. AI research and workforce skills. This resource will connect eligible American researchers and educators to essential computational, data, and software resources. The National Science Foundation is tasked with establishing and overseeing the NAIRR, ensuring compliance with research security standards.

This bill, the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act, explicitly repeals Executive Order 14399, which attempted to regulate mail-in voting. It prohibits federal agencies, including the Postal Service, from using funds to create national voter/citizenship databases or interfere with state administration of absentee and mail-in ballots. The Act reaffirms that states, not the federal government, control federal election procedures.

This resolution designates April as Community College Month to honor the vital role community colleges play in providing accessible higher education and workforce training nationwide. It recognizes these institutions for supporting over 10 million students and significantly advancing the economic prosperity of the United States.