Labor & Employment

in committee · United States · Senate Jul 23, 2026

S 5097: End H–1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026

This bill, the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, proposes to stop the issuance of H-1B work visas for three years and then restrict them to primary workers rather than their families. It would require employers to prove a shortage of qualified American workers and pay a minimum wage of $200,000 per year, while also banning the use of staffing agencies to hire these workers. The legislation further limits the total number of H-1B visas to 25,000 annually, removes the current lottery system in favor of prioritizing higher wages, and prohibits H-1B workers from holding jobs with more than one employer or working for third-party agencies. Additionally, the bill bars federal government agencies from hiring H-1B workers, eliminates optional training programs for foreign students, and generally prevents nonimmigrant visa holders from changing their status to permanent residents while in the United States.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationBill restricts H-1B visa access by limiting numbers, raising wage requirements, and banning staffing agencies, thereby reducing immigrant workforce opportunities.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill restricts H-1B visas, raises minimum wage requirements, and bans staffing agencies, limiting access to foreign labor.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Work Authorization Minimum Wage

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in committee · United States · House May 21, 2026

HR 8736: Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act

This bill modifies federal rules to allow adults with disabilities aged 18 and older to work for employers at wages below the standard minimum rate, whereas the previous law restricted this option to individuals under 24. It requires these employers to make documented efforts to find suitable jobs for their employees at regular intervals and permits the use of subminimum wages only if state agencies fail to provide necessary job counseling and referrals. Additionally, the bill mandates that employers must provide copies of these job search records to the individuals they employ. These changes aim to expand employment opportunities for adults with disabilities while maintaining specific oversight to ensure they are not denied access to regular competitive employment.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill allows subminimum wages for adults with disabilities, reducing their earnings and weakening wage protections.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Minimum Wage Tags People with Disabilities

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 30, 2026

S 4477: Davis-Bacon Repeal Act

The Davis-Bacon Repeal Act would eliminate federal wage requirements that currently mandate contractors on government-funded construction projects pay workers at least the prevailing local wage rate. By repealing the relevant section of the U.S. Code, the bill removes the legal basis for these minimum wage standards on future contracts. The law includes a transition period that protects existing contracts and those with outstanding bids for 30 days after enactment, ensuring no immediate disruption to ongoing projects. This change would directly affect construction firms and workers involved in federally funded building work by removing the obligation to adhere to specific local wage floors.

Topics ✗ HousingOpposes HousingRepealing prevailing wage requirements reduces labor costs for contractors, which can lower housing development costs but weakens worker protections and may reduce quality of construction, indirectly affecting housing stability.75% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill repeals prevailing wage requirements, reducing worker wage protections on government-funded projects.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · United States · House Apr 14, 2026

HR 8272: To classify qualified locum tenens professionals and advanced care practitioners as independent contractors for the purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the National Labor Relations Act.

This bill classifies certain temporary healthcare professionals, including qualified locum tenens professionals and advanced care practitioners, as independent contractors. This classification applies specifically for the purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act. To qualify, these individuals must provide temporary physician or advanced care practitioner services for up to one continuous year at a single site, under a written contract acknowledging their independent contractor status. Eligible professionals include physicians, nurse practitioners, physician's assistants, and certified registered nurse anesthetists.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill classifies healthcare workers as independent contractors, which weakens worker protections under FLSA and NLRA by limiting collective bargaining and employee benefits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards

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in committee · United States · House Jul 21, 2026

HR 8347: RURAL Healthcare Act

The RURAL Healthcare Act proposes to reclassify certain temporary healthcare professionals as independent contractors for the purposes of federal labor laws. It specifies that qualified locum tenens professionals and advanced care practitioners, such as physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician's assistants, would not be considered employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act or the National Labor Relations Act. This reclassification applies if they provide temporary services for up to one continuous year at a site and operate under a written contract stating they are not employees. The bill directly affects these healthcare providers and the facilities that contract for their temporary services.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill reclassifies healthcare workers as independent contractors, limiting their protections under federal labor laws including collective bargaining and employee benefits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards

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in committee · United States · House Apr 9, 2026

HR 8213: Defending Women in the Workplace Act

This bill amends Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to clarify that protections against sex discrimination do not extend to gender identity. It directly affects employers, employees, and individuals involved in workplace discrimination claims by explicitly excluding gender identity from the definition of sex-based discrimination. The key provision is a rule of construction that interprets existing federal law in a specific way, rather than creating new protections or restrictions. This change would limit the scope of federal sex discrimination claims to biological sex rather than including gender identity as a protected category.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill restricts workplace protections by excluding gender identity from sex discrimination claims, limiting employee rights under Title VII.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 3, 2026

S 3963: Rural Emergency Response Support Act

This bill would allow employers of emergency medical technicians and paramedics in rural areas to avoid paying overtime wages under certain conditions. It specifically exempts public agencies in communities with fewer than 100,000 residents and private contractors serving those areas from overtime requirements for these workers. The changes would be made to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which currently sets federal overtime pay rules. The legislation aims to address staffing challenges in rural emergency medical services by providing flexibility in compensation for these essential workers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves staffing conditions for rural EMTs and paramedics, enhancing emergency healthcare access and workforce stability in underserved areas.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill exempts rural EMT/paramedic employers from overtime pay requirements, reducing worker compensation protections under FLSA.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · United States · House Jul 18, 2025

HR 4500: HELP Act

HR 4500, the HELP Act, exempts certain commercial vehicles transporting livestock, insects, or aquatic animals from federal hours-of-service rules and electronic logging device (ELD) requirements. This directly affects livestock haulers who operate covered vehicles, including when driving empty to pick up or return from deliveries. The bill removes two specific regulatory burdens: the mandatory rest periods under 49 U.S.C. § 311 and ELD tracking under 49 U.S.C. § 31137. It applies only to vehicles defined as "covered livestock hauling vehicles" under the law, which includes all commercial livestock transport for commercial purposes. The exemption aims to provide operational flexibility for this specific segment of the transportation industry.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExempts livestock haulers from mandatory rest periods and ELDs, weakening workplace safety regulations for drivers by removing federal safety requirements.92% confidence ✗ TransportationOpposes TransportationRemoves safety-related hours-of-service and ELD rules for livestock haulers, weakening transportation safety standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Freight

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in committee · United States · House Jan 23, 2025

HR 687: MERIT Act of 2025

The MERIT Act of 2025 makes significant changes to federal personnel management by repealing Chapter 43 performance-based actions and modifying procedures for disciplinary actions, furloughs, and bonus recoupment. It extends probationary periods for senior executives (to 2 years) and competitive service employees (to 2 years), establishes new rules for reducing retirement benefits of employees convicted of felonies related to their federal service, and creates standardized procedures for adverse actions including written notice requirements and response periods. The bill also allows agencies to recoup bonuses for misconduct and modifies procedures for handling furloughs of more than 14 days. These changes apply to all federal employees across government agencies and aim to clarify and streamline personnel management processes.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExtends probation periods for federal employees, delaying job security and strengthening management control over personnel actions, weakening employment stability protections.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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in committee · United States · House Mar 5, 2025

HR 1882: Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act

This bill modifies tax reporting rules for gig economy platforms (like Uber or DoorDash) by reinstating a pre-American Rescue Plan threshold. It requires third-party payment platforms to report income to the IRS only if a gig worker earns over $20,000 in a year or completes more than 200 transactions. This directly affects low-earning gig workers who would no longer receive tax forms for smaller earnings. The change simplifies reporting for platforms and reduces administrative burden on workers with minimal income from these platforms.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReduces tax reporting burden for low-earning gig workers, simplifying compliance without altering tax rates or liability.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill raises income threshold for tax reporting, excluding low-earning gig workers from receiving tax forms, limiting their ability to document income for benefits.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy

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