The Pregnant Women in Custody Act establishes new federal standards to protect the health and rights of pregnant women held in Bureau of Prisons facilities, immigration detention centers, and refugee shelters. It mandates comprehensive medical care, including mandatory pregnancy testing, access to contraception, and specialized dietary and housing accommodations tailored to pregnancy needs. A central provision prohibits the use of restrictive housing and physical restraints during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum recovery period, with limited exceptions only for immediate safety threats. The legislation also requires facilities to provide nursery programs allowing mothers and infants to remain together, offers education on parental rights, and mandates regular reporting on health outcomes and the use of restrictive measures.
The Saving Lives on Campuses Act of 2026 requires public colleges and universities receiving federal funding to provide opioid overdose rescue kits across their campuses. These kits, which contain naloxone or similar FDA-approved medications, must be placed in classrooms, libraries, dormitories, and other student facilities, often near automated external defibrillators. Institutions are also tasked with registering kit locations, replacing expired supplies, and training new students on how to find and use them. The law aims to increase access to life-saving treatment for opioid overdoses by ensuring these medical supplies are readily available in high-traffic campus areas.
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to study how domestic violence, sexual assault, and related traumas affect maternal health risks, including suicide, overdose, and poor birth outcomes, with a focus on diverse communities. It authorizes $15 million over three years to fund grants for states, healthcare providers, and community organizations to develop culturally relevant programs that support victims of violence during pregnancy and after childbirth. The legislation also requires the department to issue guidance within two years on how healthcare providers should routinely screen for intimate partner violence and implement trauma-informed care plans.
The "Workforce Recovery and Resilience Act" amends current law to address the workforce and economic impacts of substance use disorders. It requires the Department of Labor to provide states and local areas with information on effective practices for tackling these impacts, including how to access relevant funding. The bill also expands the use of national dislocated worker grants to fund employment and training activities related to substance use disorder prevention and treatment in areas heavily affected by addiction. Eligible individuals for these specific grants include dislocated workers, the long-term unemployed, those impacted by widespread substance use, and individuals in healthcare professions focused on substance use treatment.
The Nitazene Response Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services to create and publish clinical guidelines for treating nitazene overdoses, a specific type of ultra-potent synthetic opioid. These guidelines will outline best practices for administering naloxone and provide instructions for emergency departments, hospitals, and rural emergency medical services. The Secretary must publish the guidelines online within 180 days of the bill's enactment and submit a report to Congress within one year detailing how the guidelines address nitazene overdose risks. The legislation defines nitazene to include various benzimidazole-opioids such as etonitazene and isotonitazene, ensuring the guidelines cover this growing class of substances.
HR 5919, the Veterans HOPE Act, requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a comprehensive review of veteran deaths from opioid overdoses occurring between 2010 and 2016. The review must analyze demographic data (age, sex, race), medication histories (including black box warnings), prescribing patterns, combat trauma, and VA facility trends. Within 18 months of enactment, the VA must submit a public report to Congress detailing findings and recommendations to improve veteran safety and reduce opioid overdose rates. This procedural bill focuses on data collection and analysis, not new programs or funding.
This bill creates a National Parent and Youth Helpline by authorizing federal grants to a nonprofit organization to establish a toll-free service offering emotional support, guidance, and resources to parents, caregivers, and youth across the United States. The helpline would provide assistance through phone calls, text messages, and live chats for issues such as emotional distress, substance abuse, peer relationships, and educational concerns, while also maintaining a website with relevant information and distributing outreach materials nationwide. The legislation authorizes up to $20 million annually from 2027 through 2032 to fund the program for a maximum of five years, with priority given to organizations experienced in operating national helplines and running evidence-based support groups. The grant recipient would be required to submit regular performance reports to the Secretary and a final report to Congress within three years of enactment detailing the program's implementation and effectiveness.
The Stop Pills That Kill Act targets counterfeit pills containing fentanyl or methamphetamine that are sold under the branding of legitimate prescription medications. It expands federal criminal penalties to specifically include these counterfeit substances and requires the Drug Enforcement Administration to create a comprehensive plan within 180 days to improve law enforcement investigations and public education efforts. The bill also mandates annual reports to Congress detailing seizure data, prosecution statistics, and prevention measures related to counterfeit pills. These provisions aim to enhance federal response to the distribution of fake prescription pills while maintaining existing legal frameworks.
This bill, known as the Veteran Artists Healing Act, would allow VA medical centers to directly purchase original artwork from veterans who are current patients. The program enables medical center heads to buy art without needing higher-level approval, provided the work is non-partisan and focuses on themes like recovery, nature, or service. Veterans must either have a clinical recommendation for creative arts therapy or a history of participating in the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival to qualify. Each medical center can spend up to $2,500 per fiscal year on artwork from a single veteran, and the purchases would count toward small business contracting goals.
This bill, known as the HERO Act, creates a federal grant program to help schools purchase opioid overdose reversal drugs and develop emergency response plans and educational resources for students and staff. Schools receiving federal funding would be required to report any distribution of these reversal drugs to federal tracking systems. The grants would be awarded competitively, with priority given to schools in areas with high rates of opioid overdoses, and recipients would need to submit annual reports on how they used the funds and implemented safety measures.
