Mike Kelly

Ukrainian Adjustment Act of 2025

This bill provides a streamlined process for certain Ukrainian nationals (including accompanying spouse and children) who are living in the United States to receive lawful permanent resident status.

Specifically, the bill permits Ukrainian nationals who have been paroled into the United States after February 20, 2014, to apply for and receive lawful permanent resident status. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may waive grounds for inadmissibility (excluding certain crimes or security related grounds) for individuals who apply for status adjustment. DHS must establish vetting requirements (including an interview) for applicants that are equivalent to those under the United States Refugee Admissions Program.

The bill also preserves eligibility for the status adjustment of certain battered spouses whose eligibility for such status stemmed from a marriage that has terminated.

Finally, the bill requires DHS to issue guidance to implement these requirements and establishes a deadline for eligible individuals to apply for adjustment.

Rebuild America’s Health Care Schools Act of 2025

This bill allows hospitals to receive reimbursement under Medicare for certain costs associated with training nursing and allied health students in settings other than the hospital itself.

Currently, hospitals may receive reimbursement under Medicare for the reasonable costs associated with training nursing and allied health students if certain conditions are met; the criteria vary depending on whether the students are enrolled in an educational program that is operated by the hospital or another entity. If the students are part of a program that is operated by another entity, the training must occur at the hospital itself or in areas immediately surrounding the hospital in order to qualify for reimbursement (among other requirements). The bill allows hospitals to receive reimbursement for these costs if the training is conducted at an entity that is related to the hospital (i.e., common ownership or control).

The bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update regulations to reflect these changes. Additionally, the CMS may not recoup or reduce payments to hospitals with respect to costs that are allowed under the bill and must refund any such recoupments or reductions that occurred during the six-year period prior to the bill's enactment.

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.

Ensuring Patient Access to Critical Breakthrough Products Act

This bill provides for Medicare coverage of medical devices that are approved under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Breakthrough Devices Program. (Under the program, manufacturers work with the FDA to expedite the review and approval of certain medical devices that provide for more effective treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating human diseases or conditions.)

The bill allows designated medical breakthrough devices to be temporarily covered under Medicare during a four-year transitional period. Manufacturers must apply to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to receive this designation. Qualifying devices must (1) have received priority review from the FDA, (2) received premarket approval (if applicable) based on clinical data that includes data from Medicare beneficiaries, (3) already generally qualify for Medicare coverage, and (4) not present an undue risk of harm that outweighs potential clinical benefits for Medicare beneficiaries.

The CMS must approve or deny applications within six months of receipt and must provide an explanation in the case of a denial. In addition, the CMS must make permanent coverage decisions before the end of the transitional period upon a timely request to do so, as specified.

The bill provides funds through FY2030 for the CMS to implement the bill.

Headache Education, Access, Diagnosis, and Care Health Equity Act or the HEADACHE Act

This bill temporarily establishes a federal initiative, an advisory council, and related reporting to address headache disorders. The bill defines headache disorder as a medical condition for which a headache is a principal symptom, including primary conditions (e.g., tension-type headaches, migraines) and secondary conditions (i.e., headaches that are symptoms of other health conditions).

Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must establish a coordinated federal initiative to take actions that advance research and improve care for headache disorders.

Also, HHS must establish an advisory council comprised of certain federal and non-federal members to advise HHS on headache disorders and hold annual research meetings.

Finally, HHS must annually report to Congress on headache disorders, including (1) an annually updated national plan, (2) evaluations of all relevant federally funded efforts, and (3) recommendations for priority actions.

The requirements of the bill sunset five years after the bill’s enactment.

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.

Canadian Snowbird Act

This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to admit into the United States qualifying Canadian citizens as long-term nonimmigrant visitors.

A qualifying Canadian citizen is an individual who (1) is at least 50 years old, (2) maintains a Canadian residence, (3) owns a U.S. residence or has rented a U.S. accommodation for the duration of the individual's stay, (4) is not inadmissible or deportable, (5) will not engage in employment or labor for hire in the United States other than for a non-U.S.-based person or entity by whom the Canadian citizen was employed in Canada or for whom the Canadian citizen performed services in Canada, and (6) will not seek certain forms of assistance or benefits. A qualified individual may be admitted for up to 240 days during any single 365-day period.

The spouse of such an individual may be admitted under the same terms, except that the spouse is not required to separately satisfy the requirement for owning or renting a residence in the United States.

An individual admitted into the United States under this bill shall have nonresident alien tax status.

Medicaid VBPs for Patients Act or the MVP Act

This bill provides statutory authority for regulations that allow for the use of varying best price points under value-based purchasing arrangements for purposes of the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program. (Value-based purchasing arrangements refer to arrangements in which the price of a drug is linked to clinical outcomes; such arrangements are particularly used for new high-cost treatments, such as gene therapies.)

The Government Accountability Office must study the impact of value-based purchasing arrangements on federal health care programs, including with respect to the bill's changes.

Additionally, the bill (1) exempts sales of drugs that are made under value-based purchasing arrangements from calculations of the manufacturer average sales price for purposes of payments under Medicare medical services, if the manufacturer reports multiple best prices under Medicaid in accordance with the bill's changes; and (2) requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to issue guidance on how state Medicaid programs may cover drugs in inpatient settings via value-based purchasing arrangements.