Brian Schatz

This bill directs the Secretary of Education to create guidance helping colleges and universities remove criminal and juvenile justice questions from their admissions applications. The legislation affects college-bound individuals with criminal or juvenile justice histories, who according to the bill number approximately 70 million Americans with arrest or conviction records. The guidance would recommend that institutions either eliminate these questions from admissions entirely or delay asking them until after admission decisions are made, while providing applicants opportunities to explain their backgrounds. The bill requires the Department of Education to offer training and technical assistance to colleges implementing these recommendations and to establish a resource center sharing best practices, though it does not specify dedicated funding amounts or implementation timelines. The underlying goal is to increase educational access for formerly incarcerated individuals and improve their successful reentry into society.

The FUTURE of Workers Act creates a comprehensive federal response system to help workers displaced by automation and technology while incentivizing responsible employer practices. The bill automatically triggers government-wide economic measures when unemployment reaches 6%, 7.5%, and 9%, including adjustments to federal lending and borrowing decisions and prioritization of job creation by the Federal Reserve. Workers displaced by technology or automation can access a Worker Adaptation and Training Program offering career counseling, retraining in in-demand fields, relocation assistance up to $10,000, wage replacement payments covering 75% of income losses (declining over five years), and expanded Medicaid coverage. The bill funds these initiatives through multiple mechanisms: an excise tax on artificial intelligence service providers (2-8% depending on revenue level), a tax on employers who eliminate positions due to technology, corporate income tax surcharges during periods of high job displacement, and a total annual appropriation of $60 billion. Additionally, the bill provides employers with a 25% tax credit for training workers in at-risk occupations and protects workers displaced by employers' cost-cutting or technology adoption.

In the nature of a substitute.

This Senate resolution expresses concern about increasing book bans across the United States and calls for stronger protections for freedom of expression. The resolution notes that between July 2025 and June 2026, over 10,000 instances of book bans occurred affecting more than 6,000 unique titles, with states like Florida, Texas, and Tennessee leading in the number of restrictions. The resolution identifies books targeting LGBTQ+ themes, works by and about people of color, and books addressing topics like racism and grief as being disproportionately banned, often without following established guidelines from librarian and educator organizations. The resolution designates the week of October 4-10, 2026, as Banned Books Week and calls on local governments and school districts to follow best practices when handling book challenges and to protect students' access to diverse reading materials. Additionally, the resolution calls for repealing executive orders that restrict access to books dealing with gender, sexuality, and race in public schools and libraries.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the Electoral College and replace it with a direct popular vote for president and vice president. Under the proposal, voters would cast a single vote for a pair of presidential and vice presidential candidates, and the ticket receiving the most votes nationwide would win the election. Congress would retain the authority to establish laws addressing scenarios like candidate death or disqualification before the election is decided, as well as procedures for handling tied elections. The amendment would take effect one year after ratification, and it requires approval from two-thirds of both the Senate and House, followed by ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures to become part of the Constitution.

This resolution designates the week of September 20 through September 26, 2026, as "Telehealth Awareness Week" to recognize the growing role of telehealth in delivering healthcare across the United States. It highlights how telehealth has expanded access to care, particularly for people in rural areas, those facing healthcare workforce shortages, and Medicare beneficiaries, noting that telehealth use has grown dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic and now includes a significant share of behavioral health visits. The resolution cites data showing high patient satisfaction with telehealth and its importance for federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics serving underserved populations. It does not create new programs or funding but instead expresses the Senate's support for raising public awareness, sharing resources with patients and providers, collecting data on telehealth's impact, and ensuring continued access to telehealth services for all communities. As a simple resolution, it carries symbolic and advocacy weight rather than the force of law.

This resolution designates September 2026 as "Hawaiian History Month" to recognize Native Hawaiian history, culture, and contributions while reaffirming the federal government's trust responsibility to Native Hawaiian communities. The resolution highlights the rich historical legacy of Native Hawaiians, including their sovereign Kingdom of Hawai'i, notable historical figures who advanced Hawaiian welfare and culture, and contemporary Native Hawaiians who have achieved distinction in government, military service, science, and athletics. The resolution also acknowledges the unlawful overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai'i in 1893 and Congress's 1993 apology through Public Law 103-150, as well as the successful revitalization efforts led by Native Hawaiians to preserve their language, traditions, and culture. The resolution calls on federal agencies, educational institutions, and civil society to observe the month with appropriate programs and educational activities, and directs federal agencies to promote existing congressional programs that support Native Hawaiian health, education, housing, and cultural preservation. No funding is authorized by this resolution, as it is a symbolic designation intended to promote awareness and education about Native Hawaiian history and advance reconciliation efforts.

The Sexual Abuse Services in Detention Act authorizes federal grants to help incarcerated individuals who have experienced sexual abuse receive emotional support and counseling services. The bill directs the Attorney General to fund nonprofit organizations that specialize in sexual abuse crisis services to work with correctional facilities in providing these services, as well as to train corrections staff on supporting abuse survivors and operating such programs. The legislation also establishes a national resource center to provide guidance, training, and best practices to corrections agencies and service providers. The bill authorizes $10 million annually for direct emotional support services, $5 million annually for training grants, and $2 million annually for the resource center, with funding available from fiscal years 2027 through 2032. These funds are intended to supplement, not replace, existing resources for victim services.

S. 5482, the PREP Act, establishes a comprehensive federal prison education system by creating a new Office of Prison Education within the Bureau of Prisons, headed by an Assistant Director, to coordinate and standardize educational programs across all federal correctional facilities. The bill authorizes $170 million in funding from 2027 to 2033 for the Bureau of Prisons and requires education providers to contribute at least 25 percent of program costs, while establishing partnerships with colleges, nonprofits, and community organizations to offer literacy, GED preparation, workforce development, and apprenticeship programs. Education providers must prioritize serving incarcerated individuals without high school diplomas and offer post-release support including credit transfer, financial aid counseling, and job placement assistance. The bill also requires annual reporting and a comprehensive federal evaluation tracking both in-custody outcomes and post-release results over 3 to 5 years, and directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to coordinate with corrections agencies to connect incarcerated veterans to educational benefits, though with restrictions limiting housing stipends for veterans with felony convictions.

The Stop Child Labor Act strengthens enforcement of federal child labor laws by significantly increasing penalties for violations. For employers, the bill raises civil penalties to between $5,000 and $132,270 for first violations (up from $11,000) and $25,000 to $601,150 for repeat violations (up from $50,000), with these amounts automatically adjusted annually for inflation. The legislation also allows private lawsuits against employers for compensatory and punitive damages of up to $250,000 per affected child, and creates criminal penalties of up to $50,000 and one year imprisonment for willful violations. To help employers comply, the bill establishes a grant program for nonprofits, labor unions, and employer associations to provide training and compliance systems, and creates a 12-member National Advisory Committee on Child Labor to advise federal agencies on enforcement strategies. The law takes effect immediately and authorizes $3 million in funding for the advisory committee in fiscal year 2027.

The Debt-Free College Act of 2026 establishes federal-state partnerships to allow students to earn degrees from in-state public colleges without student debt by having the federal government grant states funds to cover unmet financial need after other aid is applied. The bill creates a Partnership Office within the Department of Education to administer the program, requiring participating states to freeze tuition increases at inflation levels, maintain or increase higher education funding, and provide student support services like advising and child care. A companion grant program provides funding directly to historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges, and minority-serving institutions where at least 35% of students receive Pell Grants, with 95% of funds used to eliminate student debt. Additionally, the legislation extends federal student aid eligibility to undocumented immigrants who arrived as children (DREAMers), including those with DACA status or military service. Federal funds would be distributed based on each state's existing higher education spending, with states required to prioritize covering costs for Pell Grant recipients and other low-income students first.

Inspiring New STEM Professionals by Investing in Renovation of Education Spaces Act or the INSPIRES ActThis bill directs the Department of Education to establish grant programs (1) for the modernization, renovation, or repair of career- and technical-education facilities; and (2) to enable secondary schools that are located in rural areas or that serve Native American students to improve facilities that provide science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and to support high-speed internet in STEM facilities.

This bill aims to restore news media access to the Pentagon that Congress says has been restricted since 2025 under Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth. The legislation requires the Secretary of Defense to reinstate journalist access to Pentagon areas and spaces that were available to credentialed reporters on May 22, 2025, including the Correspondents' Corridor, and to allow unescorted access to areas where reporters previously could work independently. The bill also establishes new security procedures for press credentials, requiring that security reviews be conducted by career officials without political influence and prohibits future changes to press access without consulting both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. Congress finds that independent reporting on defense matters is essential for democratic oversight and public understanding of military operations and spending, and that reporters need proximity to Pentagon officials and documents to conduct thorough investigations. The legislation must take effect within 30 days of enactment and contains no specific funding provisions.

The Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes Act of 2026 amends federal public health law to create a new grant program that funds networks of three or more organizations working together to improve health outcomes through technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models. These network grants will be awarded by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to tackle significant public health challenges, such as infectious diseases with rising incidence rates or chronic diseases becoming more prevalent. At the end of the grant period, participating networks must use shared data to demonstrate how their collaborative technology-based approaches have impacted health outcomes and expanded access to specialized care. The bill extends the authorization for these grants through 2031, replacing the previous 2022-2026 authorization period. The legislation is intended to leverage technology and multi-organization partnerships to strengthen the nation's ability to address major health challenges more effectively.

This bill expands paid family and medical leave protections for federal employees and related workers. It increases the basic entitlement from 12 administrative workweeks to 12 workweeks plus additional leave under certain circumstances, and extends eligibility to cover five categories of qualifying events rather than just two. The legislation applies to federal employees covered by existing leave laws, congressional staff, employees of the Government Accountability Office, Library of Congress, Postal Service, Postal Regulatory Commission, Executive Office of the President, FAA and TSA workers, Veterans Affairs employees, and District of Columbia court and public defender service employees. The bill allows adoptive leave to begin before a child's placement for necessary adoption activities and requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to align the Veterans Affairs family and medical leave program with these changes within 30 days of enactment. No specific funding amount is mentioned in the legislation.

This bill directs the State Department to study whether U.S. State Department consular officers could join Coast Guard and Navy missions to Pacific Island countries to provide visa and consular services closer to those island nations. The report, due within 120 days of enactment, must assess current demand for consular services among Pacific Island citizens, the costs and benefits of the proposal, and the logistical challenges of operating from military vessels, including space requirements, technology needs, visa printing capabilities, and security concerns. The legislation reflects congressional concern about strengthening U.S. relationships with Pacific Island nations, particularly the Freely Associated States, which are considered strategically important for national security. The bill does not appropriate funds or mandate implementation, only requiring a feasibility analysis. The study must be coordinated among the State Department, Coast Guard, Navy, and Indo-Pacific Command, with findings reported to multiple congressional committees overseeing foreign affairs, defense, and appropriations.