Essential Caregivers Act of 2025

Latest action Apr 30, 2026

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.

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Where it stands

Assigned to a committee for review.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

Committee

House Committee on Energy and Commerce · U.S. House of Representatives

Also referred to House Committee on Ways and Means · U.S. House of Representatives.

S. 3492Essential Caregivers Act of 2025Identical bill

As identified by Congress.gov.

Cosponsors

Aaron Bean, Adelita S. Grijalva and 158 others

Democratic84
Republican76

Show the full list (160 names)

Full history

Apr 30, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in U.S. House
U.S. House
Dec 16, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in House
U.S. House of Representatives
Dec 16, 2025
In committee
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
U.S. House
Dec 16, 2025
Referred to committee
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Dec 16, 2025
Referred to committee
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Show full history (1 earlier event)

Dec 16, 2025
Referred to committee
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

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Summary: The summary is written by the Congressional Research Service. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The cosponsors are the ones listed on Congress.gov, shown A to Z.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From Congress.gov and official rosters. This record was last updated Jul 30, 2026. About our data

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