A Republican bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Workforce, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is called the Public Access to HHS Health Data Act of 2026. It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to set up a central online repository for certain publicly available data sets. This repository must be created within one year on the internet website opendata.hhs.gov or a successor website. The data sets must be machine-readable, free to use, and available for unrestricted public access. The website must also let people search, sort, and download the information easily. Finally, the Secretary must submit annual reports to Congress regarding the data sets and any constraints that delay publishing more data.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +7
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates that HHS publish publicly available data sets in a free, machine-readable format with search and download tools.
- Scored +4
Would students be better off under this?
Students and researchers gain free, machine-readable access to valuable health datasets for educational and analytical purposes.
- Scored +3
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill creates a central online repository of public HHS health data sets to improve public access to health information.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create an online repository of publicly available data sets that are free, machine-readable, and accessible for unrestricted use. This is positive because it gives everyday people and groups open, cost-free access to valuable health data that they can use and reuse.
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Section 2(c) requires the website to let individuals search, sort, and download data sets at no cost, and includes tools for automated retrieval. This is a benefit because it makes the information user-friendly and easy for the public to navigate and pull specific data they might need.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Based on the provided text, there are no specific provisions that identify negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — Students and researchers gain free, machine-readable access to valuable health datasets for educational and analytical purposes. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Providing free, unrestricted access to valuable health data sets ensures that cost is not a barrier for low-income individuals. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Public access to comprehensive health datasets benefits citizens seeking transparent health information. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Middle-class families gain cost-free access to public health information and datasets. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Improved transparency and access to HHS health data sets can benefit older adults seeking health-related information. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Open access to health data benefits students, researchers, and young professionals who utilize machine-readable datasets.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates that HHS publish publicly available data sets in a free, machine-readable format with search and download tools. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish and maintain a centralized federal data repository.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill creates a central online repository of public HHS health data sets to improve public access to health information. Does this put more money into medical research? — Making HHS data sets freely and openly available supports researchers in conducting health-related studies.
- 11/10/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/1/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/28/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Workforce, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House
Russ FulcherRepublican · Idaho
Michael RulliRepublican · Ohio