Martin Heinrich

This bill, the SPR Readiness and Long-Term Modernization Act, repeals two prior requirements that mandated the government sell oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and instead redirects focus to long-term planning for the reserve's future. Within 180 days of enactment, the Secretary of Energy must complete a comprehensive review of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and submit Congress an action plan that defines the reserve's role in U.S. energy security, evaluates whether current laws adequately support its mission, and recommends optimal capacity, location, storage, and distribution capabilities. The bill also updates reporting requirements, changing them from annual to semiannual reports to Congress covering actions taken to manage the reserve over the preceding 180-day period. Additionally, the legislation makes various technical corrections to existing energy policy statutes to clarify definitions and reorganize provisions related to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. No specific new funding amounts are authorized in the bill, which focuses on strategic reassessment rather than new appropriations.

This bill helps military families maintain nutrition assistance benefits when they relocate. The Department of Defense must notify eligible enlisted service members about potential eligibility for the WIC program, a federal nutrition assistance program for women, infants, and children, before or shortly after they receive orders for a permanent move. The bill targets lower-ranking members, those early in their careers, or those with young children or pregnant spouses. When an eligible military family moves to a new state, that state's WIC program must treat them as automatically eligible and issue temporary certification cards lasting through their current certification period, avoiding gaps in benefits during the transition. Additionally, the Pentagon must ensure that military bases have WIC information and enrollment staff available at least three days per week within 180 days of the law taking effect.

The Literacy Improvement for Transformation Act of 2026 establishes a federal grant program to help schools hire and retain reading and literacy specialists. The Department of Education will award five-year competitive grants to school districts, nonprofits, colleges, and tribal organizations to ensure every elementary and secondary school has at least one full-time certified reading or literacy specialist on staff. Grant funds can be used to recruit and hire specialists, convert part-time positions to full-time, increase salaries for retention, support professional development, and fund teacher certification programs in evidence-based literacy instruction. Priority for funding goes to schools in states with lower reading proficiency rates on national assessments, particularly those serving high-poverty districts and focusing on early intervention in kindergarten through third grade. Recipients must report annually on their progress hiring specialists and improving student reading outcomes.

This Senate resolution expresses support for designating the second Monday in October 2026 as "Indigenous Peoples' Day" to celebrate and honor Native American peoples and their contributions to American history and culture. The resolution acknowledges that over 200 municipalities, 17 states, and Washington D.C. already recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day on this date, and it recognizes the historical contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples before and after Western contact with the Americas. The resolution calls on Americans to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, and it expresses the Senate's support for making Indigenous Peoples' Day an official federal holiday. No specific funding is allocated by this resolution, as it is a symbolic statement of Senate support rather than legislation that creates new programs or spending.

The Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act of 2026 increases federal reimbursement rates that schools receive when they serve meals to students. Starting October 1, 2026, schools will receive an additional 45 cents per lunch served and an additional 28 cents per breakfast served, regardless of whether the meal is free, reduced-price, or full-price. These reimbursement increases will be automatically adjusted annually starting July 1, 2027, to account for inflation. The bill affects all public school food authorities nationwide that participate in the federal school lunch and breakfast programs, which serve millions of students daily. By boosting reimbursement rates, the legislation aims to help schools better afford nutritious meals while supporting student learning and development.

This bill creates a new 30 percent federal tax credit for companies that build or upgrade high-capacity electric power transmission lines. The credit applies to transmission lines with at least 500 megawatts of capacity that cross state or regional boundaries, as well as transmission lines connecting power generation facilities or energy storage systems to the grid. Companies can claim the credit for equipment and infrastructure placed in service after December 31, 2026, through December 31, 2036. The law also allows certain entities—including nonprofits, government agencies, and federal power marketing agencies—to receive direct payments instead of tax credits if they cannot use them. The bill's goal is to help fund grid modernization and expansion by reducing the financial burden on transmission developers, which Congress argues will lower electricity rates for consumers and improve grid resilience against storms and wildfires.

The Good Energy Jobs Act of 2026 reforms how the Department of Energy distributes financial assistance for energy projects by imposing strict labor standards, community benefits requirements, and domestic manufacturing priorities. The bill mandates that DOE-funded construction projects pay prevailing wages with at least 15 percent apprentice participation, requires project labor agreements for projects over $1 million, and prohibits grant recipients from opposing worker unionization efforts. Companies seeking DOE funding must develop community benefits plans addressing local workforce needs, partner with labor and community organizations on binding agreements, and commit to high-quality job creation and training. At least 40 percent of DOE financial assistance must go to projects benefiting small or disadvantaged communities, and all recipients must prioritize domestic manufacturing and union labor while submitting annual reports to Congress on job quality and community outcomes. The Department has authority to withhold or recapture funding from entities that fail to comply with these requirements and to prohibit offshoring for five years after project completion.

This bill modifies the tax treatment of U.S. corporations with foreign oil and gas operations. It requires foreign oil and gas extraction income to be included in calculations that determine how much tax American companies owe on worldwide income earned through foreign subsidiaries. The legislation also expands the definition of taxable foreign oil and gas income to include extraction from oil shale and tar sands, closing what supporters view as a tax loophole. Additionally, it restricts foreign tax credits for "dual capacity taxpayers"—companies that receive special economic benefits from foreign governments while also paying taxes there—by limiting their ability to claim credits for payments that exceed what a standard taxpayer would owe. The changes take effect for tax years beginning after the bill's enactment, with the dual capacity taxpayer rules applying to tax years after December 31, 2026.

This bill establishes separate teacher qualification standards for Native American Head Start and Early Head Start programs, exempting them from nationwide federal credentialing requirements. Under the new rules, Native American Head Start and Early Head Start teachers must have a child development associate credential, an early childhood education certificate from a college or tribal college, or be enrolled in a program to earn one of these credentials within two years of hire. The bill affects teachers and teaching assistants in Head Start programs serving Native American and Alaska Native children and families. It allows tribal organizations and colleges to play a larger role in certifying educators through pathways tailored to Native communities. The legislation does not specify new federal funding amounts but modifies existing Head Start Act requirements to give Native American programs more flexibility in meeting teacher qualification standards.

# Summary of S. 5296: Pathways to Health Careers Act This bill establishes a federal grant program to help low-income individuals enter healthcare careers through training and support services. The legislation creates competitive grants for eligible organizations—including workforce boards, hospitals, educational institutions, nonprofits, and tribal entities—to develop healthcare career pathway programs that include adult basic education, job training, case management, and career coaching. The bill includes two specialized demonstration projects: one focused on helping individuals with arrest or conviction records enter health professions, and another aimed at creating career pathways in maternal health services like doula and midwife training in states that recognize and pay for these roles. Eligible individuals are those with family income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grantees must provide guaranteed access to childcare and transportation support, with the option to offer cash stipends and emergency assistance funds. The legislation authorizes $435 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, with at least two grants per state and the District of Columbia, plus dedicated funding for tribal organizations and U.S. territories. The program requires robust evaluation and reporting on participant outcomes including graduation rates, credential attainment, employment, and earnings.

The GRID Savings Act of 2026 establishes federal rules for connecting very large electricity consumers directly to the power grid. The bill applies to facilities with peak electricity demand of at least 150 megawatts, such as data centers or manufacturing plants, and gives the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authority over how these large loads connect to interstate transmission systems. Within one year of passage, FERC must create standardized procedures for these interconnections, including timelines for study processes, cost allocation methods, and reliability standards. The legislation requires that large customers pay the full cost of facilities built solely for their use, while costs for broader network upgrades would be allocated through existing regional processes, with customers having the option to fund and build their own upgrades. The bill excludes Texas's ERCOT grid from these requirements and does not affect any interconnection proceedings already underway at FERC.

Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2026This bill provides for an additional payment for clinical psychologists under Medicare who provide services in designated health professional shortage areas. It also allows clinical psychologists to provide behavioral health services (in accordance with state law) for purposes of hospitalization services, home health services, and other services under Medicare.

This bill requires regional grid operators across the country to offer a simplified interconnection service called "basic access service for energy-only delivery" that allows renewable energy and other power generators to connect to the transmission system more quickly and with lower upfront costs. Under the new service, generators can inject power at their interconnection point up to a level that doesn't require major new transmission infrastructure, though they may face curtailment during periods of network congestion. Grid operators must file tariffs establishing this service within 180 days of enactment and complete evaluations of interconnection requests within one year, with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission overseeing compliance and having 180 days to review and approve or modify each tariff proposal. The bill aims to reduce the time and expense for smaller generators to access the grid while preserving grid reliability, and generators can later transition to other interconnection services if needed.

This bill amends federal law to protect home and community-based care services for veterans, particularly those in rural areas. It requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to reinstate any reimbursement rates for homemaker and home health aide services that were reduced after December 31, 2025, and prevents future rate cuts below that level unless Congress is notified at least 90 days in advance. The VA must also submit a report within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter assessing whether there are enough providers in each region to meet veteran demand for these services and explaining plans to address any provider shortages. Additionally, within 90 days of enactment, the VA must provide Congress with a detailed report explaining how it determines reimbursement rates, including what data sources it uses and how it consults with service providers. The legislation aims to ensure that cost controls do not undermine access to home-based care for rural veterans who may have limited alternatives.

The Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats Act directs the Department of Labor to award competitive grants to nonprofit partnerships for developing pre-apprenticeship programs that prepare underrepresented populations for registered apprenticeships in building and construction trades. Eligible partnerships must include equal participation from industry employers and labor organizations, along with support from schools, workforce boards, and community groups, and must partner with sponsors of established apprenticeship programs. The grants will fund training curricula aligned with industry standards, participant assessments, stipends for work-based training, and program evaluations, with the federal government covering 75 percent of project costs while grantees contribute 25 percent. Programs will receive initial grants for up to three years, with possible one-year extensions for entities demonstrating satisfactory performance, measured by metrics including participant entry rates into registered apprenticeships. The legislation authorizes $20 million in annual funding beginning in fiscal year 2027, with no sunset date specified.