# 119-hr-1660: BEST Act

119-hr-1660, BEST Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (D-CA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1660
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-1660
- Congress: 119
- Title: BEST Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-02-27
- Sponsor: Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (D-CA)
- Cosponsors: 19
- Policy area: Education
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**This bill would establish federal competitive grants to help states create or expand Seal of Biliteracy programs and early language supports, centering recognition of proficiency in English plus a second language.** It would require states to include speaking and writing measures, allow Native American languages and American Sign Language, and set rules for equitable access and outreach. - Students: Would gain an official diploma seal or transcript notation when they meet state criteria for bilingual proficiency. Students who learned a second language outside school could apply and students would not be charged fees for required participation information. - English learners and Native language speakers: States would have to include English learners and former English learners and allow Native American languages to substitute for English proficiency when those languages are officially recognized by a government, including use in tribally controlled and Bureau of Indian Education schools. - Students with disabilities: States would need plans to ensure equitable access when a disability prevents demonstrating one language skill. - States and local schools: Grants would be two-year, competitive, and could fund program setup, outreach, teacher development, and subsidized testing for low-income students. *Would authorize $10.0 million in appropriations each year for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 for the grant program.*

## Cosponsors (19)

- Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] (D-IL), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15] (D-CA), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1] (D-NM), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] (D-CA), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2] (D-NC), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52] (D-CA), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4] (D-WI), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1] (D-CT), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38] (D-CA), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44] (D-CA), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24] (D-CA), 2025-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (D-WA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large] (D-DE), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2] (D-RI), 2025-05-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3] (D-PA), 2025-12-09T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- How students could earn the Seal: benefit, low. Students would need to give the State the information it asks for and confirm they met the State's proficiency rules. Students who learned a language outside school could apply in the State where they live.
- More languages count for the Seal: benefit, low. States would have to count more languages toward a Seal of Biliteracy. The bill would recognize American Sign Language, Braille, and classical languages like Latin and Greek. It would also let a recognized Native American language stand in for English to qualify. This would apply to students in tri…
- New grants for state biliteracy seals: benefit, low. The Education Department would offer competitive two-year grants to States to run or improve Seal of Biliteracy and early language programs. Congress would authorize $10 million each year for 2025 through 2029. Each State could hold only one grant at a time and must return unspent money within six…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hres-1058: Recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights to protect and codify the rights of transgender…
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act
- 119-hr-4206: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-1660 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1660)

## Related
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hres-1058: Recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implem…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hres-1058)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5390)
- [119-hr-4206: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4206)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1660 (as of 2026-04-21).