This bill clarifies that temporary medical staff (locum tenens physicians and advanced practitioners) working in rural or underserved areas are treated as independent contractors - not employees - by federal programs for key purposes. It specifically affects how these temporary workers are classified under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Civil Rights Act, Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health programs, ensuring they aren’t deemed employees of the healthcare facility they temporarily serve. The bill requires a written agreement between the temporary staff and the facility, with an exception for cases where an explicit employer-employee contract is signed. It explicitly does not change tax treatment, state licensing rules, or eligibility for Medicare/Medicaid benefits.
HR 6172, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Race Discrimination Act of 2025, prevents companies from requiring employees or consumers to use private arbitration to resolve race discrimination claims. It makes any pre-dispute arbitration agreement unenforceable for disputes involving alleged race, color, or national origin discrimination under federal, tribal, state, or local law. The bill ensures courts - not arbitrators - determine if this law applies to a case, giving people the choice to pursue claims in court instead of forced arbitration. It directly affects individuals alleging race discrimination who would otherwise be barred from court by such agreements. The law applies to claims arising on or after its enactment date.
This bill creates new retirement savings credits for small tax-exempt nonprofits (like community centers or charities) that start or maintain retirement plans. It allows these organizations to claim a credit equal to either their calculated credit amount or their payroll taxes paid during the year, whichever is smaller. The credit applies to both startup costs for new plans and auto-enrollment features, capping the credit at the employer's payroll tax liability. The bill takes effect for taxable years after December 2024, with offsetting funds transferred to Social Security Trust Funds to maintain existing revenue streams.
The Social Security Expansion Act (S 770) increases benefits for Social Security recipients by raising the first bend point percentage from 90% to 95% and adding an 18% increase for those eligible after 2025. It establishes a new Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E) to calculate cost-of-living adjustments and increases minimum benefits for lifetime low earners based on years worked, with benefits ranging from 16.25% to 125% of poverty guidelines. The bill also extends benefit eligibility for children who are full-time students until age 22 (instead of 19) and introduces new taxes on high earners, including a payroll tax on income between the contribution base and $250,000, a tax on self-employment income above $250,000, and raises the investment gains tax from 3.8% to 16.2%. The legislation consolidates Social Security's trust funds into a single Social Security Trust Fund.
HR 2209, the Saving NIST’s Workforce Act, prohibits the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) from implementing layoffs or involuntary employee separations (except for misconduct, inefficiency, or delinquency) until after full-year funding for NIST’s fiscal year 2026 budget is enacted. The bill directly affects all NIST employees in the competitive service, excepted service, and senior executive roles by blocking workforce reductions during this period. Key provisions require NIST to maintain current staffing levels through the end of FY2026, unless Congress passes a full-year appropriations bill for that year. This is a procedural measure focused on preserving NIST’s current workforce structure, not creating new programs or altering funding levels.
Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act or the FAIR Act This bill modifies pay rates for federal employees in 2026. Specifically, the bill increases rates under the statutory pay systems and for prevailing rate employees by 3.3% and increases locality pay by 1%.
HR 3646, the Guam Temporary Workforce Act, requires employers in Guam seeking H-2B temporary foreign workers to first obtain a labor certification from the Governor of Guam before filing with U.S. immigration authorities. This certification must confirm that no U.S. workers are available for the position at fair wages and working conditions, and that the employer has a qualifying need (like seasonal or peak demand). The bill directly affects Guam-based employers hiring temporary foreign workers under the H-2B visa program. Approved Guam labor certifications are valid for one year and can only be invalidated for fraud or misconduct, streamlining the visa process for eligible employers.
HR 3055, the TRANSPORT Jobs Act, requires the Secretary of Transportation to create an action plan within 30 days of enactment to help transitioning military service members and veterans enter supply chain careers (like trucking, rail, and logistics). The plan must identify barriers veterans face in hiring, challenges employers encounter, and high-demand regions, while highlighting transferable skills and existing program gaps. It will recommend specific steps for the Transportation, Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Labor departments to improve recruitment, training, and retention of veterans in supply chain jobs. The bill directly affects veterans seeking these careers and supply chain employers needing qualified workers.
The SPEED for BEAD Act (HR 1870) amends the federal broadband deployment program (BEAD) to accelerate network expansion. It defines "gigabit-level broadband" as 1,000 Mbps download speeds, requires unused funds to be returned to the Treasury instead of reallocated, and allows states to remove high-cost locations from project areas. The bill prohibits grant conditions related to labor practices (e.g., union requirements), diversity initiatives, climate policies, or network management rules, while ensuring all broadband technologies meeting speed standards are eligible. It also explicitly bans government regulation of broadband pricing, directly affecting states administering BEAD funds and the internet providers they fund.
The Hire Student Veterans Act expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include veterans using educational benefits from the VA (like the GI Bill) or military programs while employed. Employers who hire these veterans can claim the tax credit, reducing their federal tax bill. The bill adjusts eligibility requirements to specifically cover veterans attending school with these benefits and modifies the minimum employment period for them. This change applies to veterans starting work after the bill becomes law.
