Track Ben's sponsored bills, co-sponsored legislation, and voting record
This act establishes and expands a federal program to fund full-service community schools that integrate academic, health, and social services to support the whole child.
Chris Van Hollen
Senator
MD
Chris Van Hollen
Senator
MD
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 and calls for continued action to address this crisis.
Steve Daines
Senator
MT
Steve Daines
Senator
MT
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 recognizes the vital roles and contributions of U.S. teachers and designates May 4-8, 2026, as National Teacher Appreciation Week.
Susan Collins
Senator
ME
Susan Collins
Senator
ME
This resolution formally recognizes the vital roles and significant contributions of teachers across the United States in shaping the nation's civic, cultural, and economic future. It specifically designates the week of May 4–8, 2026, as National Teacher Appreciation Week. The bill encourages widespread public recognition and respect for educators and the teaching profession.
This resolution honors the life and legacy of former Idaho Senator, Governor, and Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Arthur Kempthorne.
Michael Crapo
Senator
ID
Michael Crapo
Senator
ID
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.
This bill mandates that telecommunications providers must deliver precise, dispatchable location information for all calls made to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, while also requiring FCC and GAO studies on implementation challenges.
John Barrasso
Senator
WY
John Barrasso
Senator
WY
This bill aims to improve the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by requiring telecommunications providers to transmit precise, **dispatchable location information** for all calls made to the service. It mandates the FCC to initiate an inquiry into the technical and privacy challenges of this requirement. Additionally, the GAO must report to Congress on the feasibility and implications of using geolocation technology for 988 callers.
This resolution supports the goals of National Nurses Week, recognizing the vital contributions of nurses and encouraging public observance of their importance.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
OR
Jeff Merkley
Senator
OR
This resolution supports the goals of National Nurses Week, observed annually from May 6th to May 12th. It recognizes the vital contributions of nurses across patient care, public health, and research. The bill encourages the nation to observe this week with appropriate recognition for the importance of nurses in everyday lives.
This bill establishes public tracking for BEAD program progress, creates tools to monitor federal permit acquisition, mandates analysis and reporting on broadband application processing delays, and expands eligibility for streamlined environmental review for large broadband projects.
John Thune
Senator
SD
John Thune
Senator
SD
The Accelerating Broadband Permits Act of 2026 aims to speed up broadband deployment by increasing transparency and efficiency in the permitting process. It mandates new public dashboards to track BEAD program progress and establishes tools to help states monitor federal permit acquisition for subgrantees. Furthermore, the bill requires federal agencies to better track, analyze, and report on delays in processing communications use applications. Finally, it expands eligibility for streamlined environmental review for large broadband infrastructure projects.
This bill establishes protected status for over 85,000 acres of federal land in New Mexico's Caja del Rio region, conserving its cultural and ecological values while prioritizing Tribal participation in its management and restricting development and motorized use.
Martin Heinrich
Senator
NM
Martin Heinrich
Senator
NM
The Caja del Rio Protection Act establishes permanent protections for federal lands in New Mexico by creating the Caja del Rio Special Management Area and the Caja del Rio National Conservation Area. This legislation safeguards the region's cultural, spiritual, and ecological values while prioritizing Tribal consultation and management roles. The bill restricts new roads and motorized vehicle use while explicitly allowing existing grazing and protecting municipal water rights for Santa Fe. Finally, it withdraws an additional area from all forms of resource extraction and development.
This act revises federal carjacking law by lowering the required mental state for the basic offense to "knowingly" and establishing death resulting from an intentional taking as a separate aggravating factor.
Marsha Blackburn
Senator
TN
Marsha Blackburn
Senator
TN
The Federal Carjacking Enforcement Act revises federal law regarding motor vehicle theft by lowering the required mental state for the basic offense to "knowingly." This change broadens the scope of federal jurisdiction over carjacking incidents. The bill also establishes a specific aggravating factor if death results when a vehicle is taken with the intent to cause serious harm.
This resolution expresses support for designating the week of May 3, 2026, through May 9, 2026, as National Small Business Week to celebrate the vital contributions of small businesses across the United States.
Joni Ernst
Senator
IA
Joni Ernst
Senator
IA
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.
This bill prohibits the use of U.S. foreign assistance funds for programs that violate human rights or undermine public health, while also nullifying specific related State Department rules.
Jeanne Shaheen
Senator
NH
Jeanne Shaheen
Senator
NH
This bill amends the Foreign Assistance Act to prohibit U.S. foreign assistance funds from supporting programs that violate human rights or undermine public health, including those involving coercive family planning. It specifically nullifies three recent Department of State rules related to foreign assistance. The Secretary of State is required to issue compliance guidance and report annually to Congress on any violations.
This resolution expresses support for U.S. library staff and the essential, expanding community services libraries provide, while advocating for their funding, civil rights, and the right to organize.
Mazie Hirono
Senator
HI
Mazie Hirono
Senator
HI
This resolution expresses strong support for library staff across the United States and the vital community services libraries provide. It advocates for adequate funding commensurate with the broad social support roles libraries now fill and defends the civil rights and union organizing efforts of library workers against threats like censorship. Ultimately, the bill calls for prioritizing funding to ensure all citizens maintain free access to information and resources.
This bill mandates congressional approval via a joint resolution before the President can use specific exemptions under the Clean Air Act and repeals a delay in compliance for certain hazardous air pollutant sources.
Sheldon Whitehouse
Senator
RI
Sheldon Whitehouse
Senator
RI
The No Passes for Polluters Act of 2026 establishes a rigorous new process requiring explicit congressional approval via a joint resolution before the President can utilize specific exemptions under the Clean Air Act. This bill targets exemptions related to federal agency emissions, fleet vehicle requirements, and ozone-depleting substances. Furthermore, it repeals a specific exemption that allowed certain sources to delay compliance with hazardous air pollutant standards.
This bill repeals an executive order and prohibits federal funding for creating national voter/citizenship databases or regulating mail-in ballots, reinforcing state authority over federal elections.
Alejandro Padilla
Senator
CA
Alejandro Padilla
Senator
CA
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 education, workforce training, and economic advancement across the nation.
Edward Markey
Senator
MA
Edward Markey
Senator
MA
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.
This act directs the FTC to study anti-competitive conduct in oil and gas markets to ensure fair and transparent consumer gas prices.
Catherine Cortez Masto
Senator
NV
Catherine Cortez Masto
Senator
NV
The Fair and Transparent Gas Prices Act of 2026 directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to conduct a comprehensive study into potential anti-competitive practices within the oil and gas industry. This investigation will analyze how company conduct, including stock buybacks, affects consumer prices and fuel supply. The FTC must report its findings and recommend legislative or administrative actions to ensure fair and transparent gas markets.
This act mandates the public disclosure of all federal agreements with drug manufacturers concerning pricing, sales, and other concessions, while also requiring economic analysis of these deals.
Ron Wyden
Senator
OR
Ron Wyden
Senator
OR
The Drug Deal Disclosure Act mandates the public release of all federal government agreements with drug manufacturers concerning pricing, sales, and import conditions. This transparency requirement applies to specific existing deals and any future agreements made after enactment. The law strictly limits what information can be withheld, preventing redactions based on political embarrassment. Finally, it requires analyses from the CBO and GAO on the economic and budgetary effects of these disclosed deals.
This bill overhauls the tax treatment of partnership interests received for services, primarily by changing valuation methods and imposing new ordinary income and capital loss rules on "applicable partnership interests."
Ron Wyden
Senator
OR
Ron Wyden
Senator
OR
This bill, the Ending the Carried Interest Loophole Act, fundamentally changes how partnership interests received as compensation—often by investment managers—are taxed. It redefines the valuation of these interests and introduces a new mechanism that generally requires the income to be treated as ordinary income rather than long-term capital gains. The legislation aims to eliminate preferential tax treatment for compensation derived from investment or asset development businesses.
The YouthBuild for the Future Act reauthorizes and updates the YouthBuild program to expand education, job training, and career pathways for low-income young people, while also establishing new grants for employer partnerships.
Edward Markey
Senator
MA
Edward Markey
Senator
MA
The YouthBuild for the Future Act reauthorizes and updates the existing YouthBuild program to better prepare low-income young people (ages 16-24) for postsecondary education, apprenticeships, and careers in high-demand fields like clean energy. The bill expands authorized activities to include comprehensive support services and requires stronger performance accountability measures. Additionally, it establishes a new grant program to foster employer partnerships specifically designed to create employment and training opportunities for YouthBuild participants.
The Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2026 comprehensively updates federal regulations to mandate and enforce accessibility features like captioning, audio description, and sign language support across online video, telecommunications, customer service, and emerging technologies for people with disabilities.
Edward Markey
Senator
MA
Edward Markey
Senator
MA
The Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2026 comprehensively updates federal law to ensure that all video programming, communications services, and modern playback devices are fully accessible to people with disabilities. This bill mandates closed captioning and audio description for online content, improves accessibility features on devices, and requires sign language video support for customer service and video conferencing. Ultimately, it strengthens enforcement and directs the FCC to keep accessibility standards current with emerging technologies.