Maine Congressional Bills

in committee · Maine · House Apr 15, 2026

HR 8041: Supporting VA Families Act

The Supporting VA Families Act grants unpaid parental leave to Department of Veterans Affairs employees. This provision allows employees to take four weeks of unpaid leave within a 12-month period for the birth of a child or for adoption and foster care placements. The leave is designed to supplement existing leave policies rather than replace them, ensuring employees can balance family needs with their work responsibilities. The act defines eligible employees and children according to existing federal definitions found in Title 5 of the United States Code.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Janelle S. Bynum (D) · 83 co-sponsors

passed · Maine · Senate Apr 15, 2026

SRES 627: A resolution designating March 5, 2026, as "National Slam the Scam Day" to raise awareness about pervasive scams and to prevent government imposter scams and other types of scams by promoting education about such scams.

SRES 627 is a Senate resolution designating March 5, 2026, as "National Slam the Scam Day" to raise public awareness about government imposter scams. It specifically targets scams where fraudsters impersonate agencies like the IRS, Social Security, or Medicare to steal money or personal information, disproportionately affecting older adults. The resolution encourages education through community groups, law enforcement, and financial institutions to help people recognize and report these scams, without creating new laws or regulations.

in committee · Maine · Senate Apr 15, 2026

S 1327: Advancing GETs Act of 2025

Senate Bill 1327, the Advancing GETs Act of 2025, creates a shared savings program for developers who install grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) - hardware or software that improves grid capacity, efficiency, or reliability. Developers receive 10-25% of cost savings (over 3 years) from their GET investments, but only if savings exceed four times the installation cost. The bill also requires transmission operators to submit annual reports on congestion costs and establishes a federal guide to help utilities implement GETs. It directly affects GET developers and transmission operators, with key mechanisms including the savings threshold, mandatory reporting, and technical assistance resources.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Maine · Senate Apr 15, 2026

S 545: Combating Illicit Xylazine Act

The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act places xylazine - a veterinary sedative increasingly found in illicit drug mixtures - into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, subjecting it to federal regulation as a controlled substance. It specifically allows veterinary use without requiring registration of the ultimate user (e.g., pet owners or veterinarians) if xylazine is dispensed by a registered veterinarian or pharmacy with a vet prescription and used for animals owned by the user, under their care, or in authorized animal programs. The bill provides a one-year delay for labeling and packaging requirements and a 60-day delay for registration and recordkeeping for veterinary use to ease implementation. Additionally, it adds xylazine to the Arcos tracking system for controlled substances and mandates two congressional reports on illicit use prevalence within 18 months and 4 years of enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Maine · Senate Apr 14, 2026

S 4292: Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act of 2026

This bill, the "Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act of 2026," aims to enhance retirement savings for unpaid family caregivers. It allows individuals who provide at least 500 hours of unpaid care to a child or an adult with special needs, while working fewer than 500 hours in paid employment, to contribute to a Roth IRA. Currently, Roth IRA contributions are limited by earned income; this legislation enables these qualified caregivers to contribute the maximum allowable amount to a Roth IRA, even if they have little to no earned income. This change helps caregivers build retirement savings despite their reduced capacity for paid work due to caregiving responsibilities.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Maine · Senate Apr 14, 2026

S 4291: Catching Up Family Caregivers Act of 2026

The Catching Up Family Caregivers Act of 2026 allows eligible unpaid family caregivers to make additional "catch-up" contributions to their retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s and IRAs. To qualify, an individual must have provided at least 500 hours of unpaid family caregiving and worked fewer than 500 hours in paid employment during the same taxable year, with a lifetime limit of five years. This caregiving involves providing in-home support for a child or an adult with special needs, including elderly individuals requiring care due to age-related conditions. The bill enables these qualified caregivers to contribute more to their retirement savings than standard limits, similar to individuals nearing traditional retirement age. These provisions will take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Maine · Senate Apr 14, 2026

S 4287: GRATS Act

This bill, known as the GRATS Act, modifies federal tax law regarding certain types of trusts and wealth transfer strategies, primarily affecting individuals who use these tools for estate planning. It introduces new requirements for Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs), mandating a minimum 15-year term, fixed payments that do not decrease, and a minimum value for the portion gifted to beneficiaries. The bill also changes how transactions between a grantor trust and its deemed owner are treated, making them taxable sales rather than being disregarded for income tax purposes. Additionally, it specifies that if an individual pays the income taxes for a non-revocable grantor trust they control and is not reimbursed by the trust, that payment will be considered a taxable gift to the trust's beneficiaries. These changes apply to trusts created or contributions made on or after the bill's enactment.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Maine · Senate Apr 14, 2026

S 4283: Public Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Reauthorization Act of 2026

This bill, the Public Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Reauthorization Act of 2026, extends an existing federal program. It reauthorizes the Public Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Program, which provides loan repayment assistance to professionals in public health and bio-preparedness fields. The key provision updates the program's funding authorization period. Specifically, it changes the authorization from fiscal years 2023 through 2025 to fiscal years 2027 through 2031, allowing the program to continue supporting this workforce.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Maine · House Apr 14, 2026

HR 8275: Commission on Presidential Capacity to Discharge the Powers and Duties of the Office Act

This bill establishes a 17-member Commission on Presidential Capacity to Discharge the Powers and Duties of the Office. This commission, composed primarily of medical professionals and former high-ranking executive officials, would be activated by a concurrent resolution of Congress. Its duty would be to conduct a medical examination of the President to determine if they are mentally or physically unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office due to conditions such as illness, disability, or substance use. Following the examination, the commission would report its findings and a declaration on the President's capacity to Congress and the Vice President, with any refusal by the President to undergo examination taken into consideration.

Jamie Raskin (D) · 85 co-sponsors

in committee · Maine · Senate Apr 13, 2026

S 4106: Rx ACCESS Act

This bill, known as the Rx ACCESS Act, aims to improve medication access for military beneficiaries enrolled in the TRICARE health program by allowing them to choose how they receive non-generic prescription maintenance medications starting in October 2026. It requires pharmacy benefit managers to reimburse retail pharmacies at least the actual cost of acquiring drugs plus a professional dispensing fee, and prohibits hidden fees on pharmacies. The bill also mandates annual audits by the Government Accountability Office to review reimbursement rates, pharmacy network adequacy, and beneficiary access, with results reported to congressional defense committees.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Veterans

in committee · Maine · House Apr 9, 2026

HJRES 155: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program".

This bill seeks to block a specific rule issued by the Department of Education that affects the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. If passed, it would prevent the rule from taking effect, meaning the proposed changes to federal student loans would not be implemented. The measure uses a legislative process known as a joint resolution of disapproval to override agency regulations. It directly impacts students, families, and institutions that rely on federal student loans by stopping the Department of Education from enforcing the new policy.

Topics ✗ Education

Joe Courtney (D) · 68 co-sponsors

in committee · Maine · House Apr 9, 2026

HR 8242: Health Coverage Tax Credit Reauthorization Act of 2026

This bill extends the Health Coverage Tax Credit program through January 1, 2030, allowing eligible individuals and small businesses to receive tax credits for purchasing health insurance. The program directly affects people who buy health insurance outside of government marketplaces and small businesses that provide coverage to their employees. Under this legislation, qualified taxpayers can claim a tax credit to help pay for their monthly health insurance premiums, with the credit amount based on their income and the cost of coverage. The change is administrative, simply updating the expiration date in the tax code rather than altering how the credit is calculated or who qualifies for it.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

Maine Congressional Bills

Bill results