Lisa Murkowski

This resolution expresses support for the designation of May 5, 2026, as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

This resolution honors the life of Dirk Kempthorne, former Senator for the state of Idaho, and offers condolences to his family and loved ones.

Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization

This bill extends the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program for an additional five years. The program tests the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement under Medicare for small rural hospitals that are too large to qualify for special payment as critical access hospitals.

The bill specifies that hospitals that participate in the program between December 30, 2024, and January 1, 2027, may continue to participate during the five-year extension period.

First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act

This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment, collectively, in recognition of their dedicated service during the Revolutionary War.

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.

Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act or the ABC Act

This bill requires federal agencies to review and modify the administrative processes related to Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Social Security programs in order to streamline these processes for family caregivers.

Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) must review processes related to eligibility determinations, applications, forms, and communications for these programs and identify ways to simplify and streamline these processes for family caregivers (e.g., reducing the need for family caregivers to submit the same information for multiple programs). The CMS and SSA must solicit input from family caregivers and state and regional organizations, implement any identified improvements, and report on these efforts to Congress.

In addition, the CMS must issue a letter to state Medicaid and CHIP programs that encourages states to conduct a similar review and that provides potential improvements.

Delivering Optimally Urgent Labor Access for Veterans Affairs Act of 2026 or the DOULA for VA Act of 2026

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a five-year pilot program to furnish doula services to pregnant veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system. The program must furnish doula services through eligible entities by expanding the VA's Whole Health model to measure the impact that doula support services have on birth and mental health outcomes of pregnant veterans. The Whole Health model is a holistic approach that looks at the many areas of life that may affect health in order to make a health plan suited for each individual based on his or her health goals.

Securing Community Upgrades for a Resilient Grid Act or the SECURE Grid Act

This bill extends through FY2031 and modifies requirements for state energy security plans. Under current law, states are required to submit to the Department of Energy (DOE) state energy security plans that meet certain requirements in order to be eligible to receive federal financial assistance for state energy conservation programs.

The bill specifies that DOE is not required to approve the plans.

The bill requires DOE to provide information, technical assistance, and other assistance in the development, implementation, or revision of a state energy security plan upon the request of a state.

The bill also requires states to address additional factors in their energy security plans, such as (1) weather-related threats and vulnerabilities; (2) supply chain risks for equipment for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity; and (3) the security of local distribution systems and the bulk-power system. A local distribution system is energy infrastructure owned and operated by an electric utility at a voltage of 100 kilovolts or less.

In addition, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress on the efficacy of state energy security plans.

This resolution designates March 21, 2026, as National Women in Agriculture Day. It also recognizes the important role of women in agriculture as producers, educators, leaders, mentors, and more.

Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act or the EMPOWER for Health Act

This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 and revises a range of programs that provide funding and other resources to support recruiting, training, and retaining individuals to work or teach in the health professions. These programs are administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

For instance, the bill revises an educational loan repayment program for certain pediatric health specialists that agree to practice in areas with shortages of such specialists. The bill (1) requires direct clinical care to comprise at least half of the required service hours, (2) broadens the eligible specialties to include any pediatric mental or behavioral health discipline HRSA determines appropriate, and (3) specifically authorizes focusing care on children enrolled in Medicaid.

Also, the bill specifically authorizes grants to entities such as states and health professions schools for supporting the nursing workforce by providing analysis, technical assistance, and best practices for alleviating nursing workforce shortages.

Finally, the bill expands grants for recruiting youth into public health careers to include outreach to middle school students (current law only includes outreach to high school students).

North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act

This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to recognize the individuals and communities that provided financial and other support for the North Platte Canteen in North Platte, Nebraska, during World War II.