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H.R. 9641 · 119th Congress

Essential Caregivers Act of 2026

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Not yet voted on. This bill is still a proposal: it hasn't reached a floor vote, and its text can change in committee or on the floor before any vote.

CTR TenneySponsor
99 cosponsors · 53 D, 46 R
JLD Larson MCR Carey JBR Bergman ACD Craig BFR Fitzpatrick GTR Thompson SMD McBride MAR Alford NBD Barragán TBR Balderson ABR Bean SBR Biggs DDD Davis CDD Deluzio MDD Dean RFR Fulcher CFR Franklin MFD Frost CFR Fuller AGD Grijalva JHD Hayes PHR Harrigan JJR James SKD Kamlager-Dove MLR Lawler NLR Langworthy TMR Mann BMR Moore JOD Olszewski TSD Suozzi WSR Steube RTD Tlaib GGD (Gabe) Vasquez RWR Wittman BWR Westerman JWD Walkinshaw RDD DeLauro BFR Finstad JMD Morelle JMD Mannion RYR Yakym SBD Bonamici MSD Stansbury MGR Guest DLR LaHood RFR Fine TKR Kelly YKR Kim CMR Miller MPD Pocan JHD Himes MKR Kelly SLD Lee SWR Womack RAR Aderholt JBD Bynum JCD Courtney RNR Norman ALR Luna GPR Palmer JCD Chu DDD Dingell CFR Fleischmann JHR Hill MLD Levin GLD Latimer LGD Gillen JJR Joyce RKD Kelly TKD Kennedy DSD Soto FWD Wilson VHD Hoyle DJR Joyce ASD Salinas EHR Houchin CPD Pingree SPD Peters BPD Pettersen HSD Stevens MDD Dexter SED Elfreth HHR Hageman PTD Tonko JGD Gottheimer NMR Malliotakis JRR Rutherford PGR Gosar JCR Ciscomani TWR Walberg BBD Balint SCD Carbajal JMR Moolenaar JTD Tokuda STD Thanedar SFD Figures JRD Riley SMD Magaziner RTD Torres

1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

This bill requires certain nursing and long-term care facilities to ensure residents have access to their designated essential caregivers during periods of restricted visitation.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Jul 13, 2026

Essential Caregivers Act of 2026

This bill requires certain nursing and long-term care facilities to ensure residents have access to their designated essential caregivers during periods of restricted visitation.

Specifically, the bill requires Medicare skilled nursing facilities, long-term care hospitals, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, as well as Medicaid nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, to allow residents to designate two essential caregivers and to allow these caregivers in-person access to residents even when visitation is otherwise restricted.

Facilities may limit access of essential caregivers only in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as specified. Essential caregivers must agree to follow all safety protocols established by the facility, which may be no more restrictive than the protocols for staff.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Essential Caregivers Act of 2026

Latest action (Jul 15, 2026): Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 38 - 0.

Policy area: Health · Origin: House · Introduced: Jul 13, 2026

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.