CONNECT for Health Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Thompson (CA)
Introduced
Summary
Expands Medicare telehealth access by removing geographic limits and ending an in-person requirement for telemental health. It would also change payment rules for clinics and require more oversight, training, and data reporting.
Show full summary
- Medicare beneficiaries would be able to receive telehealth across geographies beginning October 1, 2025. Telemental health would no longer require a six-month in-person visit and tribal and Native Hawaiian facilities would be exempt from originating-site rules starting January 1, 2026.
- Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics would be paid for telehealth under outpatient or prospective payment methods and telehealth costs as distant-site care would count as allowable PPS costs. The HHS Secretary could waive limits on which practitioner types may furnish telehealth starting October 1, 2025 with annual public comment and a three-year reassessment requirement.
- The bill would strengthen program integrity funding for telehealth, require CMS to post quarterly telehealth data, and add telehealth to quality-measure reviews within 180 days. It also mandates a beneficiary engagement study and a Government Accountability Office report on hospice recertification within three years.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Stronger oversight and public telehealth data
If enacted, HHS would identify and notify providers with unusually high Medicare telehealth billing, and Telehealth Resource Centers would train those providers. CMS would post quarterly public data on who uses telehealth and recent effects on Medicare spending and use, starting within 180 days. The bill would authorize $3 million each year for fiscal years 2026–2030 for Inspector General audits and investigations on telehealth. It would also clarify that providers may give patients certain telehealth or remote‑monitoring tech without violating fraud rules, if not used for advertising and they meet HHS conditions.
More Medicare telehealth at clinics and tribal sites
If enacted, Medicare telehealth visits at Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics would count as clinic outpatient visits. Starting October 1, 2025, those visits would be paid under the clinic payment systems, and clinic costs for distant‑site telehealth would count. The bill would end the six‑month in‑person rule for telemental health. It would expand originating‑site rules on enactment and lift geographic limits after September 30, 2025. For care on or after January 1, 2026, Indian Health Service, tribal, and Native Hawaiian sites would not need certain originating‑site rules, and no facility fee could be charged when only that exemption applies.
Emergency telehealth waivers during public health emergencies
If enacted, public health emergencies declared after this bill would count as emergency periods for special waiver rules. That would let HHS use telehealth‑specific waivers during those emergencies to keep care available.
More clinicians allowed for Medicare telehealth
If enacted, starting October 1, 2025, the Secretary could waive limits on which clinicians may provide Medicare telehealth when it is clinically appropriate. The Secretary could set safeguards, take public comment at least yearly, and review waivers at least every three years. Waivers found no longer appropriate would end.
Telehealth training, quality measures, and reports
If enacted, within six months HHS would issue resources and training to help people with limited English and disabilities use telehealth, and would train providers on payment, privacy, and engaging underserved groups. HHS would review telehealth quality measures within 180 days, publish guidance and best practices, and report to Congress within two years. The Government Accountability Office would report to Congress within three years on hospice recertification by telehealth and related oversight. Funds would be authorized as needed for the education and study work.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Thompson (CA)
CA • D
Cosponsors
Schweikert
AZ • R
Sponsored 6/26/2025
Matsui
CA • D
Sponsored 6/26/2025
Balderson
OH • R
Sponsored 6/26/2025
Bacon
NE • R
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Krishnamoorthi
IL • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Case
HI • D
Sponsored 6/30/2025
Gottheimer
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Kim
CA • R
Sponsored 7/25/2025
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Subramanyam
VA • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
McClellan
VA • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 8/22/2025
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 8/22/2025
Budzinski
IL • D
Sponsored 8/22/2025
Tokuda
HI • D
Sponsored 8/22/2025
Torres (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 8/22/2025
Cohen
TN • D
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Landsman
OH • D
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Cisneros
CA • D
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Carbajal
CA • D
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Riley (NY)
NY • D
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Golden (ME)
ME • D
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Lynch
MA • D
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Guest
MS • R
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Soto
FL • D
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Gimenez
FL • R
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Levin
CA • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Moulton
MA • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Panetta
CA • D
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Norcross
NJ • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Larsen (WA)
WA • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Bynum
OR • D
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Beatty
OH • D
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Tlaib
MI • D
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Elfreth
MD • D
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DeSaulnier
CA • D
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Bresnahan
PA • R
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Dingell
MI • D
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Menendez
NJ • D
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
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Cherfilus-McCormick
FL • D
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Scott, David
GA • D
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Meng
NY • D
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McClain Delaney
MD • D
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DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
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Stevens
MI • D
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Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
PR • D
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Liccardo
CA • D
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Foster
IL • D
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Sewell
AL • D
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Conaway
NJ • D
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Deluzio
PA • D
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Hayes
CT • D
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Davis (IL)
IL • D
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Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
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Lieu
CA • D
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McCollum
MN • D
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Bishop
GA • D
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Amodei (NV)
NV • R
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Vargas
CA • D
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Raskin
MD • D
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Frankel, Lois
FL • D
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Scholten
MI • D
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Goodlander
NH • D
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Sykes
OH • D
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Huffman
CA • D
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Amo
RI • D
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Frost
FL • D
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Mfume
MD • D
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Himes
CT • D
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Ciscomani
AZ • R
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Schmidt
KS • R
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Ivey
MD • D
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Bera
CA • D
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Salinas
OR • D
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Brownley
CA • D
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Jackson (IL)
IL • D
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Ansari
AZ • D
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Keating
MA • D
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Garamendi
CA • D
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Schneider
IL • D
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Houlahan
PA • D
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Stansbury
NM • D
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Carson
IN • D
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Chu
CA • D
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Wasserman Schultz
FL • D
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Fields
LA • D
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Thompson (MS)
MS • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Tonko
NY • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Harder (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Trahan
MA • D
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Olszewski
MD • D
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Gonzalez, V.
TX • D
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McIver
NJ • D
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Cuellar
TX • D
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Goldman (NY)
NY • D
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Davis (NC)
NC • D
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Dexter
OR • D
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Randall
WA • D
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Bell
MO • D
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Latimer
NY • D
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Garbarino
NY • R
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Brown
OH • D
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Johnson (TX)
TX • D
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Ross
NC • D
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Torres (CA)
CA • D
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Waters
CA • D
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Horsford
NV • D
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Kiggans (VA)
VA • R
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Morelle
NY • D
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Swalwell
CA • D
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Strickland
WA • D
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Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
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Davids (KS)
KS • D
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Simon
CA • D
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Thanedar
MI • D
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Craig
MN • D
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Nunn (IA)
IA • R
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Valadao
CA • R
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Mullin
CA • D
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Obernolte
CA • R
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Ruiz
CA • D
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Pettersen
CO • D
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Mrvan
IN • D
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Pingree
ME • D
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Peters
CA • D
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Turner (OH)
OH • R
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Johnson (SD)
SD • R
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Evans (PA)
PA • D
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Cleaver
MO • D
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Suozzi
NY • D
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Velazquez
NY • D
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Smith (WA)
WA • D
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Schakowsky
IL • D
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Figures
AL • D
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LaLota
NY • R
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Perez
WA • D
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Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large]
GU • R
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Yakym
IN • R
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Tenney
NY • R
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Costa
CA • D
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Leger Fernandez
NM • D
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Baumgartner
WA • R
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Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]
VI • D
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Miller (WV)
WV • R
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Lee (NV)
NV • D
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Quigley
IL • D
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Carter (LA)
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Hoyle (OR)
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Steube
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Sanchez
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Sorensen
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Kelly (IL)
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Magaziner
RI • D
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Hurd (CO)
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Friedman
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Moore (UT)
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Moore (WI)
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Fedorchak
ND • R
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Mannion
NY • D
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Schrier
WA • D
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Bergman
MI • R
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Balint
VT • D
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Wittman
VA • R
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Mann
KS • R
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Harrigan
NC • R
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Kiley (CA)
CA • R
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Rogers (KY)
KY • R
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Fletcher
TX • D
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Wilson (SC)
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Pocan
WI • D
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Hoyer
MD • D
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Boyle (PA)
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Rutherford
FL • R
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De La Cruz
TX • R
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Morrison
MN • D
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Whitesides
CA • D
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Dean (PA)
PA • D
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Stauber
MN • R
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Lawler
NY • R
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Westerman
AR • R
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Garcia (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Mackenzie
PA • R
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Rulli
OH • R
Sponsored 1/12/2026
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Pou
NJ • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Clyburn
SC • D
Sponsored 1/16/2026
Moskowitz
FL • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Titus
NV • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Stanton
AZ • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Watson Coleman
NJ • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Escobar
TX • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Miller (OH)
OH • R
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Stefanik
NY • R
Sponsored 1/21/2026
Salazar
FL • R
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Casten
IL • D
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Hill (AR)
AR • R
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Lee (FL)
FL • R
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Vindman
VA • D
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Foushee
NC • D
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McGarvey
KY • D
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McBath
GA • D
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Rivas
CA • D
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Kelly (PA)
PA • R
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Gomez
CA • D
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Walkinshaw
VA • D
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Veasey
TX • D
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Evans (CO)
CO • R
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Fischbach
MN • R
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Pappas
NH • D
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Beyer
VA • D
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Larson (CT)
CT • D
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Langworthy
NY • R
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Adams
NC • D
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Scanlon
PA • D
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Green, Al (TX)
TX • D
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Crow
CO • D
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Roll Call Votes
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