Womack, Steve [R-AR-3]
Republican · AR · 8 bills sponsored
Tipped Employee Protection Act
# Tipped Employee Protection Act Summary **What the bill would do:** This bill would change how the federal government defines a "tipped employee" under wage laws. Currently, tipped employees can be paid below the federal minimum wage ($7.25/hour) as long as their tips make up the difference and they reach minimum wage overall. The bill would expand the definition to include any worker who receives tips, regardless of what job duties they perform, as long as their total cash wages and tips equal at least the federal minimum wage over a work period set by their employer. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily affects workers who receive tips—including servers, bartenders, delivery drivers, and other service industry employees. It could also potentially affect employers in restaurants, bars, hotels, and other businesses where tipping is common. **Current status:** The bill was introduced by Representative Steve Womack (R-AR) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives.
Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025
# Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025 - Summary **What it does:** This bill would allow VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) doctors and health care providers to permanently prescribe controlled substances—such as pain medications, anxiety drugs, and other prescription medications—to veterans through telemedicine (video calls, phone calls, or other remote means) without requiring an in-person visit first. Currently, federal law generally requires doctors to conduct face-to-face exams before prescribing controlled substances remotely. This bill creates an exception for the VA system. **Who it affects:** Veterans who receive healthcare through the VA would benefit by gaining easier access to prescribed medications without traveling to a medical facility. VA healthcare providers would have expanded flexibility in how they deliver care. The bill applies only to VA providers and VA-eligible patients, not to the broader healthcare system. **Key requirements:** Providers must be properly licensed to prescribe the specific type of controlled substance, must be acting as part of their normal professional duties, and must have a legitimate medical reason for the prescription. The bill maintains safety guardrails while removing the in-person examination requirement. **Status:** The bill passed the House and is currently awaiting consideration in the Senate.
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
# Summary: Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2026 **What it does:** This bill allocates federal funding for fiscal year 2026 to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), along with related agencies. The DOT funding covers numerous divisions including the Federal Aviation Administration (airports and aviation), highway safety, railroads, public transit, and maritime programs. HUD funding supports housing programs, public housing, community development, and mortgage-related agencies like the Federal Housing Administration. **Who it affects:** This bill impacts millions of Americans who use transportation infrastructure (roads, airports, trains, buses) and housing programs. It affects federal employees in these departments, state and local governments that rely on federal transportation and housing grants, and private companies that work with these agencies on infrastructure projects. **Current status:** The bill is currently in committee (HR 4552, 119th Congress), sponsored by Republican Representative Steve Womack of Arkansas. It has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives. The bill covers many subject areas including aviation, highway safety, emergency planning, economic development, and community programs across multiple states.
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States giving Congress power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.
# Flag Desecration Amendment Summary **What the Bill Would Do:** This proposed constitutional amendment would give Congress the power to make it illegal to physically damage or destroy the American flag as a form of protest or expression. Currently, the Supreme Court has ruled that burning the flag is protected speech under the First Amendment, so this amendment would need to change the Constitution itself to allow Congress to ban such acts. **Who It Affects and Key Provisions:** The amendment would affect anyone who might physically desecrate the flag, as Congress could then pass laws establishing penalties for doing so. It would essentially carve out an exception to free speech protections specifically for the flag. To become law, this amendment would need to pass both the House and Senate with a two-thirds majority in each chamber, then be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures—a difficult threshold that reflects the high bar for changing the Constitution. **Current Status:** The bill is currently in committee, meaning it has been introduced but has not yet moved forward for a vote in the House. Similar flag desecration amendments have been proposed multiple times over the past few decades but have never achieved the support needed to pass both chambers of Congress.
Duty Drawback Clarification Act
# Duty Drawback Clarification Act Summary **What It Does:** This bill would clarify and update rules around "duty drawbacks"—refunds that U.S. companies can receive when they export products made with imported materials. Specifically, it allows companies to recover tariffs (taxes on imports) they paid on materials if those materials are later incorporated into exported goods. The bill aims to remove ambiguities in the current drawback system to make it easier for businesses to understand and access these refunds. **Who It Affects:** The bill primarily benefits U.S. manufacturing and export companies that rely on imported components or raw materials. This includes industries like automotive, machinery, textiles, and food processing. By streamlining refund eligibility, the bill could help these businesses reduce costs and remain more competitive internationally. Indirectly, it may benefit consumers and workers in export-oriented industries. **Current Status:** The bill is currently in committee review in the House of Representatives. As a technical clarification measure, it has limited information in the public record about specific provisions or opposition. No action has been taken beyond the initial filing.
Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act
# Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act Summary **What the Bill Would Do:** This bill aims to address safety concerns related to poppy seeds that may be contaminated with opioid compounds. Poppy seeds come from poppy plants that naturally contain trace amounts of morphine and codeine—substances that can show up in drug tests and potentially pose health risks if contamination levels are too high. The bill would establish safety standards and testing requirements to ensure poppy seeds sold in the United States meet purity and safety guidelines. **Who It Affects:** The bill would impact poppy seed importers, food manufacturers and suppliers, consumers who eat poppy seed foods, and potentially workers subject to drug testing. The legislation addresses a real issue where some poppy seed products have contained unusually high levels of opioid compounds, which have occasionally caused positive results on drug tests and health concerns. **Current Status:** As of now, HR 2615 remains in committee and has not been voted on by the full House of Representatives. This means it's still in the early stages of the legislative process and would need committee approval and further congressional action to become law.
BNA Fairness Act
# BNA Fairness Act Summary **What It Does:** The BNA Fairness Act would make the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA)—a monthly payment given to low-income military members—tax-free. Currently, this allowance counts as taxable income for federal income tax purposes, even though other military benefits are tax-exempt. The bill would change this by adding the BNA to the list of "qualified military benefits" that don't count toward a service member's taxable income. **Who It Affects:** This bill would benefit active-duty military members who qualify for the BNA, which goes to those who have completed initial training, have at least one dependent, and earn less than 200% of the federal poverty level (adjusted for location and family size). These are typically lower-ranking enlisted service members and their families struggling to meet basic expenses like food and housing. **Current Status:** The bill (HR 715) was introduced by Rep. Steve Womack (R-Arkansas) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House. No action has been taken on the measure to date.
PURR Act of 2025
# PURR Act of 2025 Summary **What It Does:** The PURR Act would streamline pet food regulation by giving the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) complete control over pet food safety and labeling rules for dogs and cats. Currently, pet food is regulated by both federal and state/local authorities, which can create conflicting rules. This bill would eliminate state and local pet food regulations, centralizing everything under federal control. It would also speed up the approval process for new pet food ingredients, requiring the FDA to review submissions within 90 days. **Who It Affects:** Pet food manufacturers would benefit from simplified, uniform national rules instead of navigating different requirements in each state. Pet owners may see more ingredient options in pet foods and potentially faster product innovation. However, states and local governments would lose their ability to set their own pet food standards. Consumer advocates who prefer stricter state oversight might oppose it. **Current Status:** The bill was introduced by Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) and is currently in committee review. It has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives, so passage is uncertain at this stage.