Minnesota Congressional Bills

in committee · Minnesota · House Aug 12, 2025

HR 4965: Counseling for Career Choice Act

HR 4965, the Counseling for Career Choice Act, requires schools to strengthen career guidance programs for students. It directly affects K-12 school counselors and students by mandating specific components, including identifying local job market trends with workforce agencies, providing financial aid awareness, and developing personalized career plans. Key provisions require schools to create systems for counselors to access workforce data, offer professional development, and connect students to apprenticeships, internships, dual enrollment, and job training programs. The law also encourages using technology like AI tools to support career counseling and evaluate student outcomes. This focuses on preparing students for college and careers through structured, data-informed school counseling services.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Minnesota · House Aug 8, 2025

HR 4921: PUPP Act of 2025

The PUPP Act of 2025 creates a federal grant program to fund housing for unhoused people who have pets. It authorizes $5 million annually (2026-2030) for grants to local governments, nonprofits, or housing providers to build or retrofit properties that offer both human housing and pet-friendly accommodations. Key requirements include on-site veterinary care for pets (spaying, vaccinations, etc.), supportive services like mental health counseling for residents, and coordination with local animal care providers. This directly affects unhoused individuals with pets - often excluded from standard shelters - and the organizations managing these housing programs.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

in committee · Minnesota · House Aug 5, 2025

HR 4915: Election Mail Act

The Election Mail Act (HR 4915) establishes new standards for handling voting-by-mail materials in Federal elections. It requires the Postal Service to process absentee ballots the same day received, add postmarks showing mailing dates, and treat election mail as first-class with free postage for completed ballots. States must provide ballot return envelopes with tracking barcodes and accept mailed ballots postmarked on election day if received within 7 days. These provisions apply to Federal elections starting in 2026, with some requirements taking effect sooner.

Nikema Williams (D) · 54 co-sponsors

in committee · Minnesota · House Aug 5, 2025

HR 4896: Warehouse Worker Protection Act

The Warehouse Worker Protection Act establishes new requirements for employers in warehouse facilities to protect workers from harmful quotas and workplace surveillance practices. It requires employers to provide written descriptions of quotas and workplace monitoring to workers, prohibits quotas that interfere with breaks, safety compliance, or anti-discrimination rights, and gives workers the right to access their work speed data. The bill creates a Fairness and Transparency Office within the Department of Labor to enforce these requirements and investigate violations, with enforcement also involving the Federal Trade Commission. Employers with more than 200 employees at covered warehouse facilities (including distribution centers, couriers, and warehouses) are directly affected by these new requirements, which include new protections against retaliation for workers who exercise these rights.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

Donald Norcross (D) · 21 co-sponsors

in committee · Minnesota · House Aug 5, 2025

HR 4888: Reproductive Rights are Human Rights Act of 2025

This bill requires the U.S. Department of State to include specific, detailed reporting on reproductive rights in its Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. It mandates descriptions of each country's policies regarding access to contraception, abortion services, and comprehensive reproductive health care, alongside data on pregnancy-related deaths, discrimination against women and LGBTQI+ individuals, and disparities based on race, disability, or other factors. The bill also directs the State Department to consult with civil society organizations and health experts to ensure thorough reporting on these issues. This change aims to align U.S. reporting with international human rights standards and address past omissions of reproductive rights from these reports.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Julie Johnson (D) · 59 co-sponsors

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Aug 2, 2025

S 2681: Lowering Electric Bills Act

The Lowering Electric Bills Act extends federal tax credits for clean energy adoption through 2034, directly affecting homeowners installing solar panels or heat pumps and businesses producing clean electricity. It modifies three key tax provisions: (1) extends the residential clean energy credit deadline from 2025 to 2034, (2) adjusts the clean electricity production credit to expire based on U.S. emissions reaching 25% of 2022 levels or 2032 (whichever comes later), and (3) simplifies the clean electricity investment credit rules. These changes aim to maintain financial incentives for clean energy projects beyond current law, reducing administrative complexity. The bill does not create new programs but prolongs existing tax benefits to support ongoing adoption.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Aug 1, 2025

SCONRES 20: A concurrent resolution recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act and reaffirming the United States' commitment to its principles and values.

This concurrent resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, a landmark Cold War-era agreement signed by 35 nations including the U.S. It reaffirms U.S. commitment to the Act's core principles - such as sovereign equality, territorial integrity, human rights, peaceful dispute resolution, and non-intervention - and urges all participating states to uphold these principles. The resolution specifically calls for the U.S. to continue supporting the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and encourages public observance of the anniversary through programs and ceremonies. It directly affects U.S. foreign policy posture and diplomatic engagement with OSCE member states, particularly in response to recent violations like Russia's actions in Ukraine.

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Aug 1, 2025

SRES 364: A resolution recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard and its foundational role in strengthening American energy security, supporting rural communities, growing the United States economy, and improving environmental performance.

SRES 364 is a Senate resolution recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a policy established in 2005 and expanded in 2007. It acknowledges the RFS's role in supporting domestic renewable fuel production, strengthening energy security, aiding rural economies, and reducing transportation emissions through mandated renewable fuel targets. The resolution does not create new policy or funding but formally commends the RFS's achievements over two decades, including its contribution to U.S. economic output, job creation, and environmental performance.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

in committee · Minnesota · House Aug 1, 2025

HRES 629: Honoring the life of Dr. Paul Farmer by recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to adopt a 21st-century global health solidarity strategy and take actions to address past and ongoing harms that undermine the health and well-being of people around the world.

HRES 629 is a non-binding House resolution honoring Dr. Paul Farmer and calling for U.S. policy changes to address global health inequities. It directly affects low- and middle-income countries by urging the federal government to adopt a "21st-century global health solidarity strategy," including increasing U.S. global health funding to $125 billion annually (to meet the UN 0.7% GNI target) and supporting national health systems through Dr. Farmer’s "Five S’s" framework (staff, space, stuff, systems, social support). The resolution also mandates addressing systemic economic harms like debt, tax evasion, and colonial legacies through debt cancellation, tax reform, and reparations for historical injustices. It emphasizes concrete policy shifts rather than funding alone, requiring coordinated multilateral action to close health financing gaps and reform global governance institutions.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Minnesota · House Aug 1, 2025

HRES 628: Recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard and its foundational role in strengthening United States energy security, supporting rural communities, growing the United States economy, and improving environmental performance.

HRES 628 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a policy established in 2005 and expanded in 2007. It highlights the RFS's historical role in supporting rural economies (through 2,700+ renewable fuel facilities and 644,000 jobs), reducing greenhouse gas emissions via mandatory fuel standards, and lowering consumer fuel costs. The resolution does not create new policy or alter the RFS; it solely commemorates the program's past impacts on energy security, agriculture, and environmental performance. It affirms the RFS as a foundational element of U.S. energy policy without proposing any legislative changes.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Aug 1, 2025

S 2650: DOCTORS Act

S 2650, the DOCTORS Act, requires state health agencies to report unused J-visa waivers allowing foreign doctors to stay in the U.S. after training. Starting in 2026, the Secretary of State will redistribute 1/3 of these unused waivers as "supplemental waivers" to states that used at least 30 waivers the previous year. Ten percent of these supplemental waivers must be allocated to medical facilities serving patients in medically underserved communities. The bill directly affects state health agencies managing visa waivers and aims to increase access to healthcare in underserved areas by reducing wasted visa slots.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Immigration

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Aug 1, 2025

S 2679: Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act

This bill creates a pathway for Afghan allies who supported U.S. operations in Afghanistan to obtain conditional permanent resident status in the United States. It defines "Afghan allies" as individuals who served in Afghan security forces or provided direct support to U.S. missions during the period from 2001-2021. The bill establishes a process for reviewing applications, conducting security assessments, and referring eligible individuals to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, with conditional permanent resident status that can be converted to full permanent residency after 4 years if certain conditions are met.

Topics ✓ Immigration

Minnesota Congressional Bills

Bill results