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New Jersey Congressional Bills

Browse federal bills sponsored by your state's delegation.

State Legislature US Congress

All 11,514 Active 10,484 In committee 10,470 Passed 878 Signed 131 Failed 17

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 27, 2026

HR 8516: American Leadership in AI Act

The American Leadership in AI Act establishes a new Center for AI Standards and Innovation at the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop voluntary guidelines and testing methods for ensuring artificial intelligence systems are safe, secure, and reliable. It creates a large National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource to provide researchers and students with access to advanced computing power and data, while also launching prize competitions to solve specific challenges in areas like national security and health care. The bill mandates that every federal agency appoint a full-time Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer to oversee responsible AI use and requires the development of federal standards for AI procurement and security. Additionally, the legislation strengthens penalties for financial crimes committed using AI, protects workers who report AI safety violations from retaliation, and expands educational programs to improve AI literacy among K-12 students and the broader workforce.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 27, 2026

HR 8375: Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026

The Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026 aims to speed up care decisions and increase transparency for Medicare Advantage enrollees and providers. Starting in 2028, the bill requires insurance plans to respond to most prior authorization requests within 72 hours and to provide real-time decisions for low-risk services, while also banning requirements for re-authorization when a treatment plan is clinically modified. The legislation introduces a new compliance scoring system that will publicly rank plans and reduce payments to those with poor performance, alongside stricter rules ensuring medical necessity standards match those of traditional Medicare.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

John Joyce (R) · 23 co-sponsors

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 23, 2026

HRES 1212: Expressing support for the staff of public, school, academic, and special libraries in the United States and the essential services those libraries provide to communities, recognizing the need for funding commensurate with the broad scope of social service and community supports provided by libraries, preserving the right of all citizens of the United States to freely access information and resources in their communities, supporting a strong union voice for library workers, and defending the civil rights of library staff.

This House Resolution expresses support for the staff of public, school, academic, and special libraries across the United States and the essential services they provide to communities. It recognizes libraries as critical infrastructure and supports prioritizing full funding for their services at federal, state, and local levels. The resolution also reaffirms the public's right to access information, the right of library workers to organize and collectively bargain, and their civil rights to perform their duties without intimidation.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Pramila Jayapal (D) · 27 co-sponsors

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 23, 2026

HRES 1209: Recognizing the significance of "Community College Month" in April as a celebration of more than 1,000 institutions throughout the United States supporting access to higher education, workforce training, and more, broadly sustaining and advancing the Nation's economic prosperity.

This resolution designates April as "Community College Month" to recognize the significance of community colleges across the United States. It celebrates over 1,000 institutions for their role in providing accessible higher education and workforce training, and for contributing to the nation's economic prosperity.

Topics ✓ Education

Joe Courtney (D) · 42 co-sponsors

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 23, 2026

HR 8492: Public Safety UAS Readiness Act

The Public Safety UAS Readiness Act establishes a grant program to help fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and emergency medical services train their personnel on operating drones for public safety missions. Funded by up to $10 million annually from 2026 to 2029, these grants can be used to develop training curriculums, purchase compliant drones, and cover administrative costs related to the programs. Recipients must submit detailed plans outlining their safety protocols, risk management strategies, and data privacy measures, with a priority given to agencies in high-risk areas or underserved regions that currently lack drone training capacity. To ensure quality, the act requires that training materials be maintained by recognized nonprofit organizations and mandates annual reporting on the number of trained personnel and drone deployments to Congress.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 23, 2026

HR 8488: AI Data Center Site Selection Transparency Act of 2026

This bill requires developers of artificial intelligence data centers to publicly disclose project details, such as location and environmental impact, at least 180 days before taking definitive construction steps. To ensure community awareness, the legislation mandates that developers engage local media, post on social media, send direct mail, place physical signs at the site, and provide materials in multiple languages. Additionally, the bill restricts the use of non-disclosure agreements with government entities and requires independent third-party environmental impact analyses funded by the developers. The Federal Trade Commission is designated as the enforcement agency, with violations treated as unfair or deceptive acts under existing federal law.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Technology

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 23, 2026

HR 8487: Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act

The Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act expands federal support for certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs) by modifying how these facilities are funded under Medicaid and Medicare. Under the new rules, states and the federal government will use a prospective payment system to pay CCBHCs based on the cost of providing care rather than per-visit fees, while also extending coverage to additional services like primary health care. The legislation establishes a new grant program to help clinics operate and expand, creates a national data system to track clinic performance, and introduces an accreditation requirement to ensure quality standards are met. Additionally, the bill extends liability protections to clinicians working in these clinics and removes certain financial barriers for Medicare patients seeking care at CCBHCs.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 23, 2026

HR 8486: Data Driven Suicide Prevention and Outreach Act of 2026

This bill establishes a grant program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to fund nonprofit and research organizations in developing artificial intelligence tools that predict suicide risks among veterans. Selected organizations will create models that combine military service records with clinical health data to identify risk factors, with a focus on areas experiencing high suicide rates and long wait times for mental health care. The program prioritizes applicants capable of building secure, interoperable systems that can be shared across the VA network, though the resulting technology remains the intellectual property of the winning organizations. Funding for this pilot initiative is authorized until September 30, 2029.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology ✓ Veterans

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 23, 2026

HR 8484: Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act

The Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act establishes a grant program to provide financial compensation and safety resources to essential health care workers during declared emergencies or disasters. This legislation directly affects medical providers, support staff, and other frontline workers whose jobs cannot be performed remotely, such as orderlies and janitors in health care settings. Under the bill, eligible facilities can receive federal funds to pay workers an additional hourly rate of up to $13 for hazardous duties, with a yearly cap of $25,000 per employee, while also allowing funds for protective equipment and alternative transportation. The program is triggered by various federal or state emergency declarations and authorizes the necessary funding to implement these hazard pay measures.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Summer L. Lee (D) · 22 co-sponsors

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 23, 2026

HR 8480: Protect our Pets Act

The Protect our Pets Act strengthens federal laws against animal cruelty by increasing penalties for animal crushing and prohibiting the abandonment or endangerment of domesticated animals on federal land. Under this bill, individuals convicted of these offenses face up to 10 years in prison for a first offense and up to 15 years for subsequent offenses, in addition to fines. The legislation defines domesticated animals to include mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians but includes specific exceptions for veterinary care, hunting, farming, and euthanasia. These changes directly affect people who commit these acts on federal property or in interstate commerce, aiming to provide clearer legal consequences for harming or neglecting animals.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · New Jersey · House Apr 22, 2026

HRES 1208: Expressing support for honoring Earth Day, and for other purposes.

House Resolution 1208 expresses the House of Representatives' support for honoring Earth Day and its historical role in promoting environmental protection and action. It encourages American citizens to engage in environmental stewardship and urges the President and the U.S. Government to take immediate action to address climate change, environmental injustices, and rejoin international climate agreements.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Doris O. Matsui (D) · 55 co-sponsors

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Apr 22, 2026

S 4377: Climate Change Education Act

This bill establishes a Climate Change Education Program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to increase public understanding of climate change and its solutions. It authorizes funding to provide grants to schools, universities, and community organizations for developing curricula, training teachers, and supporting student-led climate projects. The legislation requires that 40 percent of certain grant funds be directed toward environmental justice communities and mandates annual reporting to Congress on the program's effectiveness. Funding is authorized at $50 million per year from 2027 through 2032 to support these educational initiatives.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Environment