This Week in Social Issues — Washington (#6, 2026)
Veterans’ housing and mental health bills advance in House committees; Congressional bills address women’s sports protection and worker empowerment; Senate meets on disability rights.
This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news concerning social advocacy issues. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.
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Dates: 2026-02-15 to 2026-02-21
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 📜 Legislative Updates
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
This Week's Congressional Calendar
- House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity: Markup on housing, education, and mental health bills for veterans: On February 24, the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee will mark up bills including the Affordable Housing Guarantee Act, End Veteran Homelessness Act of 2025, and Improving Mental Health Care and Coordination for Homeless Veterans Act in room 360 of the Cannon House Office Building.
- Senate Business Meeting: Disability rights, home school diploma recognition, and cybersecurity in health care: The Senate will meet on February 26 in Dirksen 430 to review S.1782 (prohibit discrimination in organ transplants), S.3747 (recognize home school grads), S.3315 (health care sector cybersecurity), and other pending business.
- House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee: Hearing on paid leave innovation: A hearing titled "Balancing Careers and Care: Examining Innovative Approaches to Paid Leave" is scheduled for February 24 at 3:15 p.m. in Rayburn 2175, featuring witnesses from Bipartisan Policy Center, NASWA, CLASP, and Marsh McLennan Agency.
- Senate Judiciary Committee: Business meeting on child protection, ATM criminal offenses, and prosecutorial nominations: On February 26, Dirksen 106 hosts a meeting to consider bills on child sexual abuse material, threats to minors, and ATM-related crimes, plus the nomination of Gregory Gilmore as U.S. Attorney for Illinois.
- House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health: Hearing on America’s Health Care Workforce: The subcommittee will convene on February 24 at 3:00 p.m. in Longworth 1100 to discuss measures advancing the next generation of health care workers.
- Senate Budget Committee: Hearing on sanctuary cities and law enforcement: The Senate Budget Committee schedules a hearing on sanctuary cities, focusing on law and order, in Dirksen 608 on February 24 at 3:00 p.m.
Legislative Updates
Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act of 2026
Bill 1028 was placed on the Union Calendar (No. 423) in the House on February 17. The legislation addresses protections for women participants in Olympic and amateur sports, focusing on safeguarding their rights in competition and training environments.
Sources: www.congress.gov
Modern Worker Security Act
Bill 1320 was placed on the Union Calendar (No. 432) in the House on February 20. The act proposes updates to employment policies to address workplace security and worker protections in evolving labor conditions.
Sources: www.congress.gov
Modern Worker Empowerment Act
Bill 1319 reached the Union Calendar (No. 431) in the House on February 20. The legislation outlines measures to enhance worker rights and provide expanded empowerment tools within modern labor settings.
Sources: www.congress.gov

What We're Reading This Week
- Opinion | Jesse Jackson, 1941-2026: Coverage of Jesse Jackson’s contribution to American civil rights and his legacy.
- Caregiving is a national crisis we can't ignore | Opinion: Analysis of the growing challenges faced by caregivers in the United States.