S3492Referred to Committee
Essential Caregivers Act of 2025
Introduced
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber4
Passed Both5
Signed into Law119th
Congress
2025-12-16
Introduced
25
Cosponsors
S
ⓘType
Sponsor
Richard Blumenthal
Democrat · CT · Senator
Votes with party: 64.1% (320 recorded votes)
Full profile: /officials/B001277
Source: Congress.gov · FEC
Cosponsors (25)
Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.
- John Cornyn (R-TX)Original· 2025-12-16
- Angela D. Alsobrooks (D-MD)· 2026-01-06
- Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY)· 2026-01-06
- Steve Daines (R-MT)· 2026-01-06
- Thom Tillis (R-NC)· 2026-01-06
- Jack Reed (D-RI)· 2026-01-08
- Kevin Cramer (R-ND)· 2026-01-08
- John Boozman (R-AR)· 2026-01-27
- Tim Kaine (D-VA)· 2026-01-27
- Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL)· 2026-02-03
- Mark Kelly (D-AZ)· 2026-02-03
- Christopher Murphy (D-CT)· 2026-03-04
- Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)· 2026-03-04
- Eric Schmitt (R-MO)· 2026-03-04
- Tim Sheehy (R-MT)· 2026-03-04
- Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)· 2026-03-09
- Susan M. Collins (R-ME)· 2026-03-09
- Ashley Moody (R-FL)· 2026-04-20
- Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)· 2026-04-20
- Ben Ray Luján (D-NM)· 2026-04-21
- Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)· 2026-04-21
- Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)· 2026-04-27
- Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)· 2026-04-27
- Alex Padilla (D-CA)· 2026-05-12
- John Kennedy (R-LA)· 2026-05-12
Latest Action
The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →
Committee Activity
Previously
- Finance CommitteeReferred To · 2025-12-16
- Senate Committee on FinanceReferred To · 2025-12-16
Plain-English Summary
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.
Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.
Subjects
Health
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