Sydney Kamlager

The Foster Youth Dental Act of 2026 expands Medicaid coverage to improve dental care access for young adults aging out of foster care. Specifically, the bill extends dental services coverage under Medicaid's Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment program to former foster youth ages 21 through 25, allowing states to continue providing these services to a vulnerable population that would otherwise lose coverage at age 21. The legislation establishes minimum payment rates for dentists providing services to these individuals, based on average rates from private insurance plans, and provides states with federal funding to cover the increased costs of these higher payment rates at 100 percent reimbursement for dental services that exceed current state payment levels. Within six months of enactment, states must launch coordinated outreach and enrollment programs with their foster care agencies to identify and enroll eligible former foster youth in Medicaid and recruit dentists to participate in the program. The bill takes effect 80 days after enactment.

The Expanded Coverage for Former Foster Youth Act extends Medicaid health insurance coverage to young adults who were previously in foster care, up to age 26. The bill expands eligibility to include anyone who was in state foster care at age 18, those who left foster care to enter into kinship guardianship arrangements, or those emancipated from care before age 18, regardless of their current income level. States are required to establish coordinated outreach and enrollment programs with child welfare agencies to ensure eligible former foster youth are aware of and can access this coverage. The legislation takes effect on January 1, 2027, and applies to individuals who turn 18 on or after that date. This change aims to reduce gaps in health insurance for vulnerable young adults transitioning out of the foster care system.

This resolution expresses congressional support for designating September 2026 as "National Kinship Care Month" to recognize relatives and close family friends who raise children when parents cannot. Over 2.8 million children in the United States live in kinship care arrangements, with grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents, and other relatives serving as primary caregivers due to parental death, incarceration, substance abuse, disability, or military deployment. The resolution highlights that kinship caregivers save taxpayers over $4 billion annually by keeping children out of the formal foster care system, yet these informal caregivers often receive less support and resources than licensed foster parents. The measure notes that Black and Native American children are disproportionately represented in kinship care arrangements and emphasizes research showing that kinship placements improve children's mental health, maintain family connections, and reduce homelessness and criminal involvement. The resolution calls on Congress to strengthen policies supporting kinship families through existing child welfare programs and Kinship Navigator services that help caregivers access necessary resources.

The Sexual Abuse Services in Detention Act authorizes federal grants to provide emotional support services and counseling for people in jails and prisons who have experienced sexual abuse. The bill targets nonprofit organizations specializing in sexual abuse counseling to partner with correctional facilities and deliver crisis intervention, trauma processing, safety planning, and hotline services to incarcerated survivors. The legislation also funds training programs to help correctional staff and agencies establish these services, and establishes a national resource center to provide guidance and share best practices on implementing emotional support programs in detention settings. The bill authorizes $10 million annually for direct services grants, $5 million yearly for training grants, and $2 million per year for the resource center, with funding available from fiscal years 2027 through 2032. The program is administered by the Attorney General through the Office for Victims of Crime.

This resolution impeaches Russell Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, on two charges: abusing his power by improperly withholding congressionally appropriated funds, and failing to faithfully execute federal spending laws. The resolution alleges that Vought implemented policies, starting with a January 2025 memorandum, that directed federal agencies to pause or delay spending on congressionally approved programs, including approximately 8 billion dollars in Department of Energy projects and 321 previously awarded grants across sixteen states. According to the resolution, these actions were allegedly taken for political reasons rather than legitimate budgetary purposes, and Vought publicly questioned the constitutionality of laws that restrict presidential control over federal spending. The resolution argues that these actions violated Congress's exclusive constitutional authority over federal appropriations and the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, and calls for Vought's removal from office if the Senate votes to convict him after trial.

This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to create a public online platform where immigrants detained by immigration enforcement agencies can report allegations of medical neglect at detention facilities. The complaints can be filed by detainees themselves, their lawyers, or family members and must include the detainee's name, registration number, facility name, and a description of the medical neglect experienced. Each complaint will be reviewed by an independent contracted medical expert with specialized detention facility experience, and if medical neglect is found to have occurred, the detainee must receive necessary medical treatment. The bill also protects detainees from retaliation for filing complaints and requires language translation services be available to all detainees. If a medical expert determines no neglect occurred, the detainee can appeal the decision to the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

This bill expands federal financial aid and support services for homeless and foster youth pursuing higher education. It requires all colleges and universities to designate a liaison staff member to help these students access financial aid, housing, food, health care, and other support services, and to prioritize them for on-campus housing. The legislation allows homeless and foster youth to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public colleges and streamlines the financial aid process by establishing clearer definitions and documentation procedures for determining their independence status. It also requires TRIO programs—federal support initiatives that help disadvantaged students prepare for and succeed in college—to actively recruit and serve homeless and foster youth, and mandates that colleges report data on how many such students they're serving and what strategies work best. The bill takes effect after its enactment, with implementation expected to begin during the first full school year following passage, and directs the Department of Education to issue guidance to colleges within 120 days and conduct annual training for institutional liaisons.

# Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026 – Summary This comprehensive legislation establishes extensive new protections for immigrant children in U.S. custody, covering their treatment at the border, in government facilities, and during family reunification processes. **Core Protections at the Border** The bill prohibits family separation except in narrow circumstances—when a parent poses a security threat or when clear evidence shows continued custody would cause serious harm to the child. It requires licensed child welfare experts (not immigration agents) to make separation decisions. Children can remain with nonparent family members if they're deemed safe sponsors, with determinations made within 72 hours. U.S. Customs and Border Protection can hold children for initial processing only, with a strict 72-hour custody limit. The bill mandates licensed child caregivers at all border facilities and Reception Centers, providing basic care like food, hygiene items, and medical screening within six hours of arrival. **Care Standards in Government Facilities** The Department of Health and Human Services must house children in State-licensed facilities meeting extensive standards: adequate food and water, medical care, education, recreation, counseling, legal services, and family contact. Children cannot be placed in congregate facilities with more than 25 residents (with limited exceptions), with a two-year phaseout period. The bill prioritizes foster family placements and requires at least monthly reviews for children in restrictive settings. Importantly, placement review hearings must occur before any transfer to restrictive facilities, with decisions made by independent fact-finders—not government employees. **Family Reunification** The bill requires the government to make active, continuous efforts to reunify children with family members. Children must be released to parents or legal guardians unless clear evidence shows custody would cause serious harm. Release decisions must be made within seven days of a sponsorship application. Children cannot be denied release solely due to poverty, immigration status, or lack of prior relationship with a sponsor. The bill provides legal representation to all children and requires post-release services like school enrollment assistance and access to Medicaid. **Legal Rights and Representation** Every child receives free legal orientation presentations and representation by government-appointed counsel at no cost. Legal counsel has full access to case files and can represent children in all proceedings. Children have private phone access to counsel and can call anytime. The bill establishes child advocate positions, prioritizing vulnerable children, with advocates

The Judicial Integrity Act amends federal ethics law to explicitly prohibit federal judges and Supreme Court justices from taking official actions that affect their personal financial interests. The bill adds judges and justices to existing conflict-of-interest rules that already apply to other federal officers and employees. It also allows the Judicial Conference of the United States to create regulations that exempt certain financial interests from these restrictions if they determine those interests are too minor or remote to compromise judicial integrity, provided the exemptions go through a public notice-and-comment process. The legislation affects all federal judges and Supreme Court justices and applies to any official acts they take. No specific funding or implementation timeline is included in the bill.

This bill amends federal law to require the National Park Service and other federal agencies to offer free admission to national parks and public lands on six specific days each year instead of leaving it optional. The designated fee-free days would be Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday, the first day of National Park Week, Juneteenth, Great American Outdoors Day, National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day. The bill aims to increase access to public lands for all Americans and encourage volunteerism and community service at these sites. Federal agencies would retain the ability to designate additional fee-free days beyond these six mandatory ones. This legislation affects millions of Americans who visit national parks and federal recreational areas annually, potentially expanding opportunities for lower-income families and others who might be deterred by entrance fees.

The Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act makes sweeping changes to how the federal criminal justice system treats women defendants and incarcerated individuals. The bill requires judges to consider the impact on children when setting bail for parents, makes it harder for states to terminate parental rights when incarceration or immigration detention caused the foster care placement, and establishes a federal pretrial diversion program that allows courts to redirect defendants into treatment and support services instead of prosecution. For incarcerated women, the bill mandates comprehensive gender-responsive healthcare standards in federal prisons, requires all prison programs and services to address women's specific needs such as trauma and substance abuse treatment, and reforms discipline policies to limit solitary confinement and prioritize rehabilitation. Additionally, the bill caps drug conspiracy penalties at five years to address situations where people peripherally involved in drug crimes faced sentences equal to or exceeding those of the primary offenders, and requires annual reports to Congress on how disciplinary sanctions are applied across different demographic groups.

This bill establishes comprehensive protections and services for pregnant women held in federal custody, covering women in federal prisons, immigration detention, and refugee facilities. The legislation requires federal agencies to provide prenatal and postnatal healthcare including contraception, pregnancy testing, prenatal education, and mental health screening, while also allowing incarcerated mothers to keep infants with them in nursery or residential programs for at least 60 minutes of daily bonding time and access to lactation support. The bill prohibits placing pregnant women in solitary confinement or restrictive housing from pregnancy confirmation through at least 12 weeks after delivery, with only rare exceptions for immediate safety threats that must be reviewed daily and reported within 30 days. Federal agencies and correctional facilities must notify pregnant women of their rights within 24 hours of pregnancy confirmation, and the bill provides women the ability to sue for violations and seek damages. Additionally, the legislation directs federal agencies to provide training and technical assistance to correctional and detention facilities on alternatives to restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, with budget impacts to be determined through standard congressional procedures.

This resolution designates the week of April 24 through April 30 as the annual "National Reentry Week" to recognize and address the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals returning to society. The resolution highlights the scale of mass incarceration in the United States, noting that the country holds over 20 percent of the world's prison population despite having only 5 percent of its population, and emphasizes that 95 percent of incarcerated people will eventually be released and reenter their communities. The resolution calls attention to significant barriers that formerly incarcerated individuals face, including restrictions on employment, housing, education, and credit access, and notes that approximately 70 percent of former convicts reoffend, partly due to unemployment and lack of support systems. The measure urges Congress and the Department of Justice to invest in reentry programs that provide access to housing, education, occupational training, and mental health services to reduce recidivism and promote public safety. No funding is appropriated in this resolution, which is a symbolic measure designed to raise awareness and encourage policy discussions around criminal justice reform and reentry support.

H.R. 8547, the Directly Impacted Child Rehab and Safety Act, creates new federal requirements to track juvenile justice data and improve services for vulnerable children. The Bureau of Justice Statistics must publish annual reports on federal juvenile cases, including detailed information about children who are adjudicated delinquent or convicted and adults currently incarcerated for crimes committed as juveniles. Additionally, the bill authorizes competitive grants to states that coordinate their child welfare and juvenile justice agencies to serve vulnerable populations such as commercially sexually exploited youth and children involved in both foster care and the justice system, with grants lasting two to five years and requiring states to implement data collection systems and evidence-based services. Recipients must report annually on outcomes including educational progress and placement duration, helping the federal government better understand juvenile justice trends and improve how states support at-risk children.

The One Stop Shop Community Reentry Program Act of 2026 authorizes the Department of Justice to award grants to community-based nonprofit organizations to establish one-stop reentry centers that help formerly incarcerated people and those with criminal conviction records reintegrate into their communities. The bill also funds separate grants to states, tribes, and local governments to operate 24/7 toll-free hotlines connecting individuals to reentry services. Eligible organizations must work with community stakeholders to assess needs and provide comprehensive services including job training, housing assistance, education support, mental health counseling, legal aid, and help obtaining identification documents. The legislation authorizes $10 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for the reentry centers and $1.5 million annually for the hotlines, with preference given to applicants who employ formerly incarcerated individuals. The Attorney General is required to evaluate the program and report to Congress annually on outcomes including recidivism rates, employment and housing placement, and educational attainment.

The Second Look Act of 2026 establishes a federal sentence review mechanism to address what Congress finds is the United States' disproportionately high incarceration rate—19% of the world's prisoners despite representing less than 5% of the global population. The law allows federal courts to reduce sentences for inmates who have served at least 10 years on sentences longer than 10 years, if they pose no danger to public safety and demonstrate readiness for reentry, with prisoners aged 50 or older presumed eligible for consideration. Eligible inmates may apply multiple times, with required gaps of five years between the initial and second applications and two years between subsequent applications, and the Bureau of Prisons must actively notify inmates of their eligibility. The legislation requires annual reporting to Congress on applicant demographics and outcomes, helping lawmakers track the program's impact on the federal prison population.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 819 West Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, as the "Jerry T. Hodges Jr. Post Office Building".

The Rejecting the Erasure of Afghan Women and Girls Act requires the Secretary of State to submit a detailed report to Congress within 180 days documenting the restrictions the Taliban has imposed on women and girls in Afghanistan since August 2021. The report must assess whether these restrictions constitute crimes against humanity, torture, or gross human rights violations under international law and U.S. foreign assistance definitions. This legislation affects Afghan women and girls currently living under Taliban rule and influences how the U.S. government frames and responds to conditions in Afghanistan. The bill contains no direct appropriations but mandates a comprehensive analysis that will inform future congressional decisions on Afghanistan policy and human rights advocacy.

This bill prohibits the federal government from charging fees in connection with export licenses issued under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018. It requires the Department of Commerce to return all fees previously collected from license holders within 30 days of the bill's enactment. The bill's sponsors argue that export fees violate the Constitution, which explicitly prohibits taxes or duties on articles exported from any state, and that existing law already prohibits such fees. The legislation affects companies and individuals who hold or seek export licenses, particularly those involved in semiconductor and dual-use technology exports. The bill includes specific language clarifying that it does not authorize any semiconductor export fees and emphasizes that export control decisions should be based on national security and economic competitiveness assessments rather than fee collection.

This resolution expresses congressional support for designating September 2025 as "National Kinship Care Month" to recognize and honor relatives—including grandparents, siblings, godparents, and other family members—who raise children when parents cannot. Over 2.5 million children live in kinship care arrangements, with more than 2.6 million in informal kinship care outside the foster care system, saving taxpayers over $4 billion annually by reducing pressure on the formal foster care system. The resolution highlights that kinship caregivers face substantial challenges accessing resources and support despite research showing that children in kinship care experience better behavioral and mental health outcomes, stronger family connections, and greater permanency than those in non-relative foster care. The resolution particularly notes disparities affecting Black and American Indian/Alaska Native children, who are overrepresented among children raised by kinship caregivers. Congress pledges to honor these caregivers and continue supporting policies and programs—such as Kinship Navigator programs operating in over 40 states—that provide assistance to kinship families and vulnerable children.

This bill amends federal child welfare law to encourage and remove barriers to placing children in foster care with relatives or close family friends (kinship placements) when they cannot safely remain with their parents. The legislation affects state child welfare agencies, kinship caregivers, and children in the foster care system. Key changes require states to actively search for and involve relatives and fictic kin in case planning, document decisions to deny kinship placements with "clear and convincing evidence," allow kinship caregivers of any age to serve as guardians, and reduce the minimum foster care duration from six months to three months for kinship guardianship assistance eligibility. The bill eliminates the requirement that children meet certain welfare income thresholds (AFDC eligibility) to receive foster care maintenance payments and expands federal funding for kinship support services like crisis assistance and family-finding efforts. States must implement these changes beginning in the first fiscal year after the bill's enactment, with extensions available if new state legislation is required, and the law includes special provisions for Indian tribes managing their own child welfare programs.

H.R. 5399 directs the Secretary of Education to establish a competitive grant program funding arts education at minority-serving institutions of higher education, such as historically Black colleges and universities. The grants would help these institutions expand student access to arts programs through financial aid, mentorship, internships, and support services, while also preserving and exhibiting artwork by artists of color. The bill recognizes that arts departments have faced severe funding cuts and that minority-serving institutions are uniquely positioned to develop diverse art professionals and highlight underrepresented artists. While the legislation authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" to operate the program, no specific dollar amount or implementation timeline is included in the bill text.

The LINE Act prohibits the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Health and Human Services from sharing Medicaid health information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other law enforcement agencies for immigration enforcement purposes. The bill protects Medicaid enrollees' private health data from being used to identify, locate, or prosecute immigrants, addressing concerns that people may avoid seeking necessary medical care if they fear their information could be used against them in immigration cases. The legislation applies to all individually identifiable health information collected through state Medicaid programs and creates a broad restriction on data disclosure regardless of other federal privacy laws. No specific funding or implementation timeline is designated in the bill text. The measure was introduced in September 2025 and referred to the House Committees on Financial Services and Oversight and Government Reform.

This bill makes technical and conforming changes to the U.S. Code that are related to the enactment of Title 41 (Public Contracts) into positive law.

The American Decade of Sports Act directs the State Department to develop a comprehensive sports diplomacy strategy that uses major sporting events hosted in the United States between 2024 and 2034—including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2028 Summer Olympics, and 2034 Winter Olympics—to strengthen American diplomacy, soft power, and global relationships. The Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs must submit an initial five-year strategy within 120 days of the bill's enactment, with updates every five years, and the strategy should outline how to partner with host cities, diaspora communities, sports leagues, and other stakeholders to advance diplomatic goals while streamlining visa processes for international visitors and athletes. The bill also requires the State Department to establish or rename an Office of Sports Diplomacy, staffed with at least three additional full-time employees through 2034, to coordinate implementation across State Department bureaus and oversee public diplomacy efforts that showcase American culture and values to foreign audiences. Congress must receive annual progress reports on the strategy's implementation and diplomatic outcomes through the end of 2034.