Healthcare

in committee · United States · House Feb 2, 2026

HR 6601: CARE for First Responders Act

The CARE for First Responders Act (HR 6601) provides mental health support specifically for first responders, including emergency personnel and 911 operators (defined as "qualified emergency response providers"). It requires the creation of a 24/7 confidential hotline via the 988 Suicide Lifeline, peer support programs staffed by trained responders, and mobile crisis units that offer on-site mental health services during major disasters. The bill mandates trauma-informed, culturally appropriate care and education to reduce stigma around mental health, with a focus on helping responders and their families adjust after disaster work. It authorizes $5 million annually (2026-2030) for these services through grants to state/local health entities.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates mental health services (hotline, peer programs, mobile units) for first responders, directly advancing mental health care access as defined in healthcare topic.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Tags Emergency Management Public Safety

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in committee · United States · House Jan 5, 2026

HR 6585: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to temporarily extend the period during which certain individuals may file claims for medical care under the CHAMPVA program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

This bill extends the deadline for certain veterans' dependents to file claims for medical care under the CHAMPVA program. It applies to individuals already eligible for CHAMPVA benefits who also have Medicare Part A hospital coverage. The key change ensures that after receiving official approval for retroactive care, these individuals have a full 365 days (not earlier than one year) to file their claim. The extension applies from the bill's enactment date until September 30, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends 365-day filing window for veterans' dependents to access CHAMPVA healthcare benefits, improving access to existing coverage without restrictions.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransExtends CHAMPVA claim filing deadline, ensuring timely access to healthcare benefits for eligible veterans and dependents by granting 365 days post-approval.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Military Families Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare

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in committee · United States · Senate Sep 9, 2025

S 2739: Reducing Obesity in Youth Act of 2025

The Reducing Obesity in Youth Act of 2025 establishes a grant program to improve healthy eating and physical activity for children ages birth through 5 in childcare, Head Start, and early education settings. It authorizes $5 million annually (2026-2030) for competitive grants to nonprofits, schools, or consortia to train childcare providers, link programs to nutrition resources, and engage families - prioritizing diverse rural and urban communities. Grantees must address food insecurity and implement evidence-based approaches, with a national evaluator tracking outcomes and reporting results to Congress. The bill also allocates $1.7 million for monitoring state progress on obesity prevention policies and food security in these settings.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill authorizes $5M for grants to improve healthy eating/physical activity in early education settings (Head Start, childcare), directly enhancing student health and educational access within the education topic.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds $5M annually for childhood nutrition/physical activity grants targeting obesity, a public health initiative directly advancing healthcare access and prevention services for vulnerable youth.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Student Health Children's Health

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in committee · United States · House Mar 27, 2025

HR 2469: Abortion DOULAS Act

HR 2469, the Abortion DOULAS Act, mandates a study by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on abortion doula care - non-clinical support provided by trained professionals before, during, and after abortions. The study will collect data from patients, doulas, and providers to assess benefits, barriers (like cost and limited Medicaid coverage), and accessibility, especially for marginalized communities. It requires a report to Congress within 18 months, including recommendations for integrating abortion doula care into state Medicaid programs. The bill directly affects patients seeking abortion care, abortion doulas, and state Medicaid systems by focusing on evidence-based policy development. It does not alter current coverage but aims to inform future policy changes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates study on abortion doula access barriers (cost, Medicaid) to improve patient access for marginalized communities, aligning with healthcare access support indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Women's Health

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in committee · United States · Senate Jun 25, 2025

S 2171: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit smoking on the premises of any facility of the Veterans Health Administration, and for other purposes.

This bill prohibits all smoking - including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and e-cigarettes - in every Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facility, such as medical centers, clinics, and nursing homes. It directly affects all individuals on VHA premises, including veterans, patients, staff, contractors, and visitors. The law explicitly bans all tobacco combustion and electronic nicotine products, defining "smoke" to cover both traditional and e-cigarette use. This replaces existing rules and applies uniformly across all VHA-operated facilities under Department of Veterans Affairs jurisdiction.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits smoking in VA healthcare facilities, protecting patients/staff from tobacco exposure and aligning with public health goals in healthcare settings.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransProhibits smoking in VHA facilities to protect veterans' health in healthcare settings, directly improving safety and care quality.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing Veteran Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House May 14, 2026

HR 5999: To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish an opioid antagonist to a veteran without requiring a prescription or copayment.

This bill (HR 5999) requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide opioid antagonists (like naloxone) to enrolled veterans without needing a prescription or charging a copayment. It directly affects veterans receiving VA healthcare who may need emergency reversal of opioid overdoses. The key provisions mandate the VA to furnish these life-saving medications directly and eliminate both the prescription requirement and cost barrier. This policy change aims to improve immediate access to overdose reversal for veterans without requiring additional medical steps or financial burden.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill eliminates prescription and cost barriers for VA-provided naloxone, directly improving emergency opioid overdose access - aligns with expanding patient access and protecting health services.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEliminates prescription/cost barriers for VA-provided naloxone, directly improving emergency opioid overdose access for veterans in healthcare95% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare Veteran Mental Health

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in committee · United States · Senate Feb 10, 2025

S 500: CAREER Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes and updates the CAREER Act, focusing on supporting individuals with substance use disorders through employment and recovery services. It increases annual funding for treatment, recovery, and workforce support grants from $5 million to $12 million (2026-2030), prioritizing areas with the highest 2018-2022 drug overdose deaths, unemployment, and low job market participation. The bill allows up to 5% of grant funds for transportation to work, job training, or recovery services, and extends the Recovery Housing Pilot Program through 2030. It directly affects communities and individuals impacted by substance use disorders by linking federal funding to measurable local needs.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds substance use disorder treatment and job training to reduce recidivism, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill increases funding for substance use disorder treatment/recovery services ($5M to $12M annually), directly advancing healthcare access and public health initiatives for a critical health issue.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases annual funding for workforce support grants from $5M to $12M, prioritizes high-unemployment areas, and funds job training/recovery services to improve employment outcomes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse Unemployment Workforce Development

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in committee · United States · House Jun 26, 2025

HR 4186: Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act

HR 4186, the Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act, creates a federal grant program to expand mental health services for K-12 students in underserved areas. It authorizes $5 million annually (2026-2029) for grants to school districts partnering with community health providers to establish telehealth programs, focusing on rural, high-poverty, or health-professional-shortage-area schools. Funds can cover telehealth equipment, staffing, and facilities to deliver remote mental health care. The program requires grantees to comply with privacy laws and report on student access to services by 2027. This directly affects students lacking local mental health resources through concrete funding for telehealth infrastructure.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill funds $5M/year for K-12 mental health telehealth services in underserved schools, directly expanding student access to educational support programs.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates federal grants to fund telehealth mental health services for underserved K-12 students, directly expanding access and funding mental health care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health Mental Health Telehealth

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in committee · United States · House Dec 18, 2025

HR 6902: Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act

HR 6902, the Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act, expands a federal grant program to fund research-based public service announcement (PSA) campaigns targeting youth substance use prevention. It authorizes grants for campaigns using age-appropriate materials across TV, radio, print, outdoor, and digital media, including youth-submitted PSA contests. The bill requires the Attorney General to publish annual reports detailing each campaign's research basis, regional messaging, alignment with other prevention efforts, and evaluation of its effectiveness in reducing youth drug use. This directly affects federal grant recipients and aims to standardize and measure the impact of youth-focused prevention messaging.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds research-based public health campaigns for youth substance use prevention, advancing public health program funding and prevention efforts.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 3, 2025

S 1302: Increasing Transparency in Generic Drug Applications Act

S 1302, the "Increasing Transparency in Generic Drug Applications Act," requires the FDA to disclose to generic drug applicants whether their proposed drug matches the brand-name reference drug in inactive ingredients (type and amount). If differences exist, the FDA must specify which ingredients differ and the exact quantitative deviations. The bill mandates the FDA issue guidance within one year on how it determines ingredient similarity, including for pH adjusters, after a 60-day public comment period. This directly affects generic drug manufacturers seeking FDA approval by providing clearer, earlier feedback during the application review process.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires FDA transparency on generic drug ingredient matching, ensuring therapeutic equivalence and patient safety, promoting affordable medication access.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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