Suzanne Bonamici

Soil Conservation And Regeneration Education Act of 2026 or the Soil CARE Act of 2026

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a training program for soil health management in Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs.

Under the bill, soil health management means land management methods used to increase and balance soil health, such as microbial biomass and macrofauna, for the purpose of improving biological functions, including forming and stabilizing soil structure, cycling nutrients, controlling pests and disease, and degrading or detoxifying contaminants.

The training program must (1) provide education, resources, and technical support to NRCS personnel and third-party providers on the rapidly evolving methodologies, science, and practices for improving soil health; and (2) assist NRCS personnel and third-party providers in supporting agricultural producers in understanding and implementing soil health management systems that regenerate farmland.

The training program must be available twice every two years in each NRCS region and include both an online curriculum and in-person training workshops.

The training program must be developed and delivered through cooperative agreements with entities with soil health management systems expertise and experience working with and training producers.

The bill includes minimum curriculum requirements for the training program, including specific units on soil health and diversified production systems.

USDA must review and update the training program curriculum and materials every two years.

Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2026

This bill provides support for long-term improvements to public elementary and secondary school facilities.

First, the bill sets forth allocations to states and establishes a need-based grant program for local educational agencies (LEAs) to improve school facilities. Further, the bill specifies allowable uses of grant funds, including carrying out major repairs, improving indoor air quality, and making facilities accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Additionally, the bill requires LEAs that receive funds for new construction, modernization, or renovation projects to comply with hazard-resistance building codes and performance criteria under the WaterSense program of the Environmental Protection Agency. Further, the bill requires such LEAs to adopt certain green practices (environmental standards) and requires the use of iron, steel, and manufactured products that are made in the United States (Buy America).

The bill restores school infrastructure tax credit bonds.

The bill also sets forth reporting requirements, including annual reports on grant program projects and a report by the Government Accountability Office that requires a study of the geographic distribution of projects, the impact of selected projects on student and staff health and safety, and the accessibility of projects to high-needs schools.

The bill also establishes the Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability within the Department of Education.

Next, the bill extends through FY2031 the Impact Aid Construction program.

Finally, the bill establishes a grant program to assist LEAs with repairing or replacing concrete foundations affected by pyrrhotite (an iron sulfide material linked to crumbling foundations).

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025

This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas.

The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2026-FY2032; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. Additionally, one-third of the positions that are made available under the bill must be allocated to hospitals that are already operating above applicable resident limits.

The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.

Protecting Students with Disabilities Act

This bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds to eliminate the Department of Education's (ED's) oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (The IDEA authorizes grant programs that support special education and early intervention services for children with disabilities. Currently, the IDEA is administered by the Office of Special Education Programs in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in ED.)

Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds to eliminate, consolidate, or otherwise restructure any office within ED that administers or enforces programs under the IDEA.

Further, appropriated funds may not be used to (1) terminate, reassign, or alter the responsibilities of any personnel of any such office; or (2) contract with, or delegate to, any entity outside of ED to administer or enforce IDEA programs.

(On March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities, calling for the closure of ED and giving authority over education to the states. Further, the Trump Administration has announced plans to transfer ED's oversight of services for students with disabilities to the Department of Health and Human Services.)

This resolution recognizes the service of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and encourages participation in National CRNA Week.

Keep Seniors Fed Act

This bill amends the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to exempt certain Social Security benefits (e.g., retirement and disability benefits) from household income for the purposes of determining program eligibility.