H.R. 9877

Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026

Sponsor: Raul Ruiz

26 cosponsors
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I Data collection and reporting

II Culturally and linguistically appropriate health and health care

III Health workforce diversity

A Diversifying the health care workplace

B Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Behavioral and Mental Health Workforce

C ACCESS in Mental Health Act

D Developing the Community Health Workforce Act

IV Improving Health Care Access and Quality

A Reducing Barriers to Accessing Care

B Improvement of Coverage

C Expansion of Access

1 General Provisions

2 Rural

3 Indian Communities

4 Providers

5 Dental

D Advancing Health Equity Through Payment and Delivery Reform

E Health Empowerment Zones

F Equitable Health Care for All

G Investing in Equity

H Miscellaneous

I Territories Health Equity

1 Medicare

A Part A

B Part B

C Medicare Advantage (Part C)

D Part D

2 Miscellaneous

V Improving health outcomes for women, gender-diverse people, children, and families

A Underserved communities

B Pregnancy screening

C Pregnancy-Related care

D Federal agency coordination on maternal health

E Reproductive and Sexual Health

F Children’s Health

G Elder Care

H Miscellaneous provisions

VI Mental health and substance use disorders

A Access to care and funding streams

B Interprofessional care

C Workforce development

D Children’s mental health

E Community-Based care

F Reports

G Miscellaneous provisions

VII Addressing high-impact minority diseases

A Cancer

B Viral hepatitis and liver cancer control and prevention

C Acquired bone marrow failure diseases

D Cardiovascular disease, chronic disease, obesity, and other disease issues

E HIV/AIDS

F Diabetes

G Lung disease

H Tuberculosis

I Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases

J Sleep and circadian rhythm disorders

K Kidney disease research, surveillance, prevention, and treatment

L Diversity in clinical trials

M Additional provisions addressing high-impact minority diseases

N Health Equity and Rare Disease Act

O Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention

P New Era of Preventing End-Stage Kidney Disease

VIII Health Information Technology

A Reducing Health Disparities Through Health IT

B Modifications To Achieve Parity in Existing Programs

C Additional Research and Studies

D Closing Gaps in Funding To Adopt Certified EHRs

E Expanding Access to Telehealth Services

IX Accountability and Evaluation

X Addressing Social Determinants and Improving Environmental Justice

A In General

B Gun Violence

C Nutrition for women, children, families

1 Senior hunger prevention

2 Closing the meal gap

D Universal school meals

1 School breakfast program

2 School lunch program

3 Elementary and secondary education data

4 Amendments to other programs and laws

XI Protections to combat regulatory harm to health equity

Sec. 11004. Reinstatement of anti-discrimination requirements for Federal contractors

(a) Affirmative action requirements. Without an express provision of Federal statutory law, no Executive action, including any Executive order, guidance or directive of the Office of Management and Budget, or other Federal agency guidance or directive, may relieve any Federal contractor of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action obligations under Executive Order 11246 (42 U.S.C. 2000e note; relating to equal employment opportunity), as reinstated pursuant to section 11001(c) or under other applicable law.

(b) Certification requirements. Any certification requirement imposed by Executive Order 14173 (90 Fed. Reg. 8633; relating to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity) requiring Federal contractors, including subcontractors, to certify that such contractors do not maintain any diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws shall have no force or effect. No such certification, or any similar certification, may be required as a condition of any Federal contract.

(c) Enforcement. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs of the Department of Labor shall resume full enforcement of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action requirements for Federal contractors under Executive Order 11246 (42 U.S.C. 2000e note; relating to equal employment opportunity), and any other applicable law, consistent with the law as in effect on January 19, 2025.