Science of Reading Act of 2026

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Bill ID: 119/hr/7890
Last Updated: July 13, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]

ID: H001093

Follow the money

The bill

Science of Reading Act of 2026

HR. 7890, 119th Congress — read as touching For-Profit Education & Student Loans.

The sponsor

Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$111,070 raised

24 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 623.

June 28, 2026

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another brilliant example of legislative theater, courtesy of the 119th Congress. The "Science of Reading Act of 2026" - because, apparently, our esteemed lawmakers have just discovered that reading is a science and not a mystical art form.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The main purpose of this bill is to pretend to care about improving literacy rates while actually serving the interests of special education lobbyists and publishers of phonics-based instructional materials. The objectives are to exclude certain instructional approaches (i.e., those that don't align with the "science of reading") from comprehensive literacy instruction, prioritize funds for evidence-based literacy programs, and create a new market for phonics-based materials.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to:

* Exclude the three-cueing model (because it's not "scientific" enough) from comprehensive literacy instruction * Define the "science of reading" as an interdisciplinary body of research that emphasizes phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing (i.e., the usual suspects) * Prioritize funds for programs aligned with this "science of reading" * Require states to describe how their comprehensive literacy plans align with this "science of reading"

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The affected parties include:

* Students, who will be subjected to yet another fad in reading instruction * Teachers, who will have to relearn how to teach reading (again) * Publishers of phonics-based instructional materials, who will reap a windfall from the new funding priorities * Special education lobbyists, who will use this bill to push their own agendas

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The potential impact of this bill is to further fragment the education system, create new bureaucratic hurdles for teachers and administrators, and line the pockets of publishers and lobbyists. The implications are:

* More money will be wasted on ineffective programs and materials * Teachers will be forced to teach reading in a way that may not work for all students * Students will continue to suffer from inadequate literacy instruction * The education system will become even more politicized and susceptible to special interest groups

In short, this bill is a classic case of legislative malpractice - a misguided attempt to solve a complex problem with simplistic solutions, driven by the interests of powerful lobbies rather than the needs of students. It's a disease, really - a metastasizing tumor of bureaucratic incompetence, fed by the cancer of special interest groups and nourished by the ignorance of lawmakers. And we're all just along for the ride, watching as our education system is slowly strangled by the very people who claim to be trying to save it.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$111,070
23 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$12,400
Committees
$0
Individuals
$98,670

No PAC contributions found

1
HABEMATOLEL POMO OF UPPER LAKE TRIBE OF CALIFORNIA
1 transaction
$3,300
2
OTOE MISSOURIA TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
1 transaction
$3,300
3
TURTLE MOUNTAIN BAND OF CHIPPEWA OF NORTH DAKOTA
1 transaction
$3,300
4
CHEROKEE NATION
1 transaction
$2,500

No committee contributions found

1
BANKE, BARBARA
2 transactions
$9,900
2
SCHWARZMAN, CHRISTINE
1 transaction
$6,600
3
GRIFFIN, KENNETH
1 transaction
$6,600
4
ROWAN, CAROLYN
1 transaction
$6,600
5
ROWAN, MARC
1 transaction
$6,600
6
KIESLER, DOUGLAS M MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
7
VIELEHR, BYRON
1 transaction
$6,300
8
SMITH, JONATHAN
1 transaction
$6,000
9
SCHWARZMAN, STEPHEN
1 transaction
$5,600
10
DUHAMEL, WILLIAM
1 transaction
$5,000
11
LUCAS, CHARLOTTE
1 transaction
$5,000
12
TARZIAN, THOMAS N. MR.
1 transaction
$4,100
13
CROWE, KEVIN
1 transaction
$3,700
14
BRALY, ANGELA
1 transaction
$3,435
15
BRALY, DOUG
1 transaction
$3,435
16
MORGAN, MATTHEW
1 transaction
$3,300
17
JENNINGS, ROBERT
1 transaction
$3,300
18
PURUCKER, JIM
1 transaction
$3,300
19
ARNOLD, JOHN
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 3 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22]

ID: M001231

Top Contributors

10

1
POLITY GROUP LLC
OrganizationPORTLAND, OR
$2,500
Oct 28, 2024
2
LYNN D'ELIA TEMES & STANCZYK
OrganizationSYRACUSE, NY
$1,000
Mar 12, 2024
3
SLOME, IAN
SLOME CAPITAL LLCINVESTOR
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
May 18, 2024
4
SPITZER, ELIOT
SELF-EMPLOYEDREAL ESTATE
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
May 1, 2024
5
CUTLER, RANDI
NOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYED
IndividualBOSTON, MA
$6,600
Jun 11, 2024
6
MCDOLE, MORGAN
CITY OF SYRACUSEFIREFIGHTER
IndividualFAYETTEVILLE, NY
$6,600
Jun 20, 2024
7
ALBERTS, EDWARD
LITTLE LUKESSELF-EMPLOYED
IndividualBALDWINSVILLE, NY
$6,600
Jul 13, 2023
8
STONE, JAMES M
PLYMOUTH ROCK COMPANY, INC.EXECUTIVE
IndividualBOSTON, MA
$5,000
Oct 11, 2024
9
FAIVUS, HARRY E.
NOT EMPLOYEDRETIRED
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$5,000
Oct 25, 2024
10
BASCH, ELI B.
BASCH &KEEGAN LLPATTORNEY
IndividualKINGSTON, NY
$5,000
Oct 28, 2024

Rep. Kiley, Kevin [R-CA-3]

ID: K000401

Top Contributors

10

1
WINRED
COMARLINGTON, VA
$30
Oct 24, 2024
2
WINRED
COMARLINGTON, VA
$10
Oct 29, 2024
3
BENNETT WEST ROSEVILLE LLC
NOT INCORPORATED
OrganizationORANGEVALE, CA
$3,000
Oct 21, 2024
4
NICHOLSON & OLSON, CPAS
UNINCORPORATED PARTNERSHIP
OrganizationROSEVILLE, CA
$750
Jun 28, 2023
5
NASH, JILL
N/ANOT EMPLOYOED
IndividualLINCOLN, CA
$6,600
Jul 22, 2024
6
ROWE, SUSAN
N/ANOT EMPLOYED
IndividualBAKERSFIELD, CA
$6,600
May 20, 2024
7
BURKE, TIM
QUEST TECHNOLOGYBUSINESS OWNER
IndividualORANGEVALE, CA
$6,600
Oct 10, 2024
8
SMYTH, CHARLES
IndividualGRANITE BAY, CA
$6,600
Nov 3, 2024
9
FRANCK, KASI
SELFDENTIST
IndividualROCKLIN, CA
$6,600
Dec 28, 2023
10
BRADLEY, KATHERINE
CITYBRIDGE FOUNDATIONBOARD CHAIR
IndividualWASHINGTON, DC
$5,000
Sep 11, 2024

Rep. Foxx, Virginia [R-NC-5]

ID: F000450

Top Contributors

10

1
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$3,300
Apr 26, 2024
2
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
OrganizationCHEROKEE, NC
$2,000
Dec 18, 2023
3
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF CHUMASH INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$2,000
Mar 11, 2024
4
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,650
May 31, 2023
5
CATAWBA NATION TRIBE
OrganizationROCK HILL, SC
$1,500
Mar 1, 2024
6
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationBANNING, CA
$1,500
Jun 30, 2023
7
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationBANNING, CA
$1,500
Apr 29, 2024
8
MOORE, JOHN T. MR.
MARWOOD GROUPCEO
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$5,000
Aug 26, 2024
9
BARKER, PATRICIA M. MRS.
BOB BARKER COCORP SECRETARY
IndividualFUQUAY VARINA, NC
$3,300
Oct 28, 2024
10
DRESCHER, STEPHANIE MS.
APOLLOPARTNER
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$3,300
Nov 4, 2024

Donor Network - Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 68 nodes and 33 connections (54 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $131,510

Top Donors - Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]

Showing top 23 donors by contribution amount

4 Orgs19 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 harmed.

  • Section 2(b) amends State Applications for Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grants to require alignment with science of reading, which may disadvantage for-profit education providers whose instructional materials or methods rely on three-cueing models not aligned with evidence-based reading instruction.

  • Section 2(a)(1)(C) excludes the use of a three-cueing model from comprehensive literacy instruction, which may reduce demand for educational materials (e.g., textbooks, workbooks) produced by publishers in the print and broadcast media industry that rely on such models.

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