John Moolenaar

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 117 West Lovett Street in Charlotte, Michigan, as the "Francis C. Flaherty Post Office Building".

Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026

This bill expands the H-2A agricultural visa program; creates online platforms for H-2A employers, workers, and agencies; and codifies certain wage calculations.

Under current law, workers on H-2A visas are only allowed to perform agricultural work of a seasonal or temporary nature. Under the bill, the seasonal work requirement is removed, thus allowing H-2A workers to qualify for agricultural work that occurs year-round. The bill also expands the type of agricultural work that qualifies, including reforestation, aquaculture, and livestock work. The Department of Agriculture must issue rules to define agricultural labor or services for purposes of the H-2A program.

The bill also establishes an H-2A visa pathway for current unauthorized agricultural workers who otherwise meet requirements.

The Department of Labor must maintain a national, publicly accessible online job registry and database of all job offers submitted by employers seeking a labor certification required to employ H-2A workers. The Department of Homeland Security must establish an online platform for employers to submit information and documentation for review by federal agencies in the course of admitting H-2A workers.

The H-2A program requires employers to provide workers with wage rates at or above those set in regulations and such wages must not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of workers similarly employed in the United States. The bill codifies the current calculation method for the adverse effect wage rate as set in regulation.

Essential Caregivers Act of 2025

This bill prohibits certain health care facilities from limiting the access of essential caregivers to residents of those facilities, including during designated emergency periods.

Specifically, the bill generally prohibits Medicare skilled nursing facilities, Medicaid nursing facilities, Medicaid intermediate care facilities, and associated inpatient rehabilitation facilities from restricting the access of essential caregivers to residents of the facilities, including during emergency periods in which visitation rights are otherwise restricted. During emergency periods, facilities may restrict access for an initial period of up to seven days and for one additional maximum seven-day period (if the additional period is approved by the state health department). Facilities may restrict access for a total of 7 days (or 14 days with the approval of the state health department) during an emergency period.

Essential caregivers must agree to comply with any safety protocols set by the facility, which may be no more stringent for caregivers compared to those for staff. Caregivers who fail to comply with these requirements may be denied access, subject to an appeals process.

Take Care of America's Veterans Act

This bill addresses veterans’ benefits, health care, counseling, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel, VA infrastructure, and the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP).

The bill modifies various compensation programs for veterans, including by (1) allowing concurrent receipt of disability compensation and military retired pay for certain retirees with a combat-related disability, (2) extending entitlement for various benefits and services to remarried surviving spouses, (3) increasing the rate of dependency and indemnity compensation, and (4) establishing a supplemental monthly allowance for certain disabled veterans.

The bill also addresses VA education and training benefits, including by (1) modifying which independent study programs are covered under veterans’ educational assistance benefits, (2) requiring Transition Assistance Program counseling to include a presentation about VA benefits, and (3) increasing the housing allowance rate for individuals pursuing apprenticeships.

The bill revises health care provisions, including by (1) expanding support and assistance provided to family caregivers, (2) extending the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, and (3) expanding the scope of VA mental health research.

Among other elements, the bill

• revises VA disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus;

• expands eligibility for a memorial headstone or marker for the spouse, surviving spouse, child, or dependent of a veteran or member of the Armed Forces;

• addresses the administration of the VCCP and codifies the eligibility standards;

• establishes a standardized screening process for priority or routine admission to certain mental health care programs; and

• addresses VA personnel, hiring, and infrastructure matters.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 324 Washington Avenue, Suite 1 in Grand Haven, Michigan, as the "Ell Thomas Simantz Post Office Building".