Robert F. Onder

Rep. Onder’s Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA) Passes the House

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 15, 2026 Contact: Brooke Morgan (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Congressman Bob Onder (R-MO) released the following statement after the House passed his bill, H.R. 4146, the Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA), as part of H.R. 7613, the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act of 2026. “This is an important step forward for pilots, passengers, and the safety of our national airspace. ADS-B technology is a vital tool that enables pilots and air traffic controllers to maintain real-time awareness of an aircraft’s location, speed, altitude, and direction. It has transformed aviation safety and made flying safer for everyone involved. However, in recent years, that same data has been exploited by third parties to track aircraft, impose excessive landing fees, and even pursue frivolous legal actions against pilots. This kind of abuse creates a dangerous incentive for pilots to purposefully avoid using a system that was designed to save lives,” said Congressman Bob Onder. “As a pilot myself, I have seen firsthand how essential this technology is. Pilots should be focused on flying safely, not worrying about how their data could be used against them. This legislation ensures ADS-B data is used for its intended purpose: safety, not profit.” Upon passage, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) praised Congressman Onder’s leadership, stating, “I commend Congressman Onder for his contributions to the ALERT Act, and for working to ensure that critical aviation safety data is used solely for the purpose of improving the safety of our skies.” Background Information Prohibits both government agencies and private actors from using ADS-B data to identify aircraft for the purpose of imposing fees or charges. It makes clear that this data should only be used for air traffic safety, efficiency, or other purposes approved through a transparent public process. Ensures that investigations cannot be initiated based solely on ADS-B data This is about restoring trust in a system that keeps our skies safe and ensures pilots are not penalized for using life-saving technology. ###

Rep. Onder’s Bill to Strengthen Accountability in Child Care Monitoring Passes Committee

Position: Rep. Onder supports legislation that strengthens federal oversight of state child care assistance programs by codifying triennial audits and designating states with repeated audit failures as high-risk for enhanced monitoring.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 5, 2026 Contact: Brooke Morgan (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Congressman Bob Onder (R-MO) released the following statement after the House Education and Workforce Committee passed his bill, H.R. 7722, the Child Care Integrity Monitoring Act. The bill strengthens oversight of federal child care funding by codifying the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) practice of auditing states’ CCDBG funds every three years. Also, under this legislation, any state with repeated audit failures would be designated as “high-risk” and subjected to enhanced monitoring as determined by HHS. “Recent investigations in Democrat-run states like Minnesota have exposed widespread fraud in child care assistance programs, with millions of taxpayer dollars funneled to services that were never provided,” said Congressman Bob Onder. “This blatant abuse highlights the urgent need for stronger oversight. The Child Care Integrity Monitoring Act will hold states with repeated audit failures accountable and ensure public funds are spent responsibly. Families deserve child care programs that are trustworthy and operate with the highest integrity. Taxpayers deserve full transparency about where their hard-earned dollars are going. I am proud this legislation has passed out of committee and is one step closer to returning accountability to government.” “Fraud is running rampant across our nation—and Americans are sick of it. Today, the Committee on Education and Workforce passed eight bills to fight fraud and restore Americans’ faith in our federal child care programs. Every dollar stolen by fraudsters is a dollar that cannot help innocent children in need. I am grateful to Rep. Onder for sponsoring the Child Care Integrity Monitoring Act, which implements common-sense accountability measures to ensure states are putting our children—and not fraudsters—first.”—Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) Background Information Enacted in 1990 and subsequently amended, the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act is the primary federal law providing child care assistance to low-income families. The law authorizes grant funding to state, territorial, and tribal lead agencies to help eligible families access child care services. Following the passage of the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002, the CCDBG program was identified as being at risk for significant improper payments. In response, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established a three-year audit cycle for all grantees beginning in 2007. Despite these oversight measures, misuse of CCDBG funds persists. In May 2025, the HHS Inspector General reported that 38 of 200 randomly selected child care assistance payments in Minnesota failed to meet requirements related to attendance and payment for services. A separate report from the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor also highlighted widespread noncompliance within the state’s child care assistance program. The Child Care Integrity Monitoring Act addresses these challenges by ensuring consistent oversight and transparency in “high-risk” states where fund misuse is likely, strengthening accountability and protecting families who rely on child care assistance. ###

Rep. Onder Reintroduces the Chloe Cole Act, Which Was Transmitted to Congress by The Department of Justice

Position: Rep. Onder reintroduced the Chloe Cole Act, legislation that would prohibit medical gender-affirming interventions for minors, establish liability for clinics and hospitals providing such care, and create a private right of action for individuals to pursue civil damages.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 23, 2026 Contact: Brooke Morgan (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Bob Onder reintroduced the Chloe Cole Act, which was transmitted to Congress by the Department of Justice. Congressman Onder will again serve as the House sponsor of this legislation, which was commissioned by President Trump’s Executive Order 14187. “As a member of Congress, a physician, a parent, and a concerned American, I am committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of our nation’s children. That is why I am proud to reintroduce the Chloe Cole Act of 2026. The importance of this legislation is non-negotiable. This is a landmark bill that will permanently end one of the most dangerous and barbaric medical practices in modern history.”— Congressman Bob Onder “While we’ve made significant strides in raising awareness and enacting protections in recent years, the fight is far from over. Too many children remain at risk of irreversible harm from puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical procedures pushed on them before they can fully understand the consequences. Reintroducing this bill is a vital step in our mission to ensure that no minor in America ever endures the kind of lasting, irreparable damage I experienced. We must finish what we’ve started and safeguard the next generation from these experimental and barbaric treatments.” — Chloe Cole “This Department of Justice is proud to work hand-in-hand with Rep. Bob Onder on the Chloe Cole Act. This vital legislation will protect our children and give people deeply harmed by so-called "gender affirming-care” the necessary tools to seek the relief they deserve.” — Attorney General Pamela Bondi To read the full bill click here. Background: The Chloe Cole Act of 2026 would: Protect minors from medical transgender interventions - including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgical procedures – by placing full liability on clinics and hospitals; Establish a private right of action, allowing affected individuals and their families to pursue civil damages, including detransition medical expenses and damages for emotional distress, pain and suffering; and Provide a lengthy statute of limitations to ensure individuals have sufficient time to seek legal recourse. The legislation is intended to strengthen legal protections for minors, ensure accountability within the medical system, and provide an avenue for individuals and families to pursue justice where harm has occurred. Statements of Support: — “As both a physician and a legislator, my primary commitment has consistently been the safety and well-being of our children. We are seeing a disturbing trend where radical ideologies have overtaken evidence-based medicine, causing irreversible and terrible damage to children,” said Congressman Mike Kennedy. “The evidence shows that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical procedures are extremely harmful and simply the wrong approach. I led the way in 2023 by passing landmark legislation in Utah that set the standard for states around the nation in stopping these evil practices, and the Chloe Cole Act takes that success to the national level. This is a legally durable, constitutionally sound, and clear path forward to stopping a practice that results in the mutilation of children under the guise of care.” — Tiffany Justice, Executive Vice President, Heritage Action: “Every child deserves the chance to grow up whole, yet we are watching an entire generation be led down a path of irreversible medical heartbreak before they even know who they truly are. Chloe Cole’s bravery in speaking the truth has exposed a system that chose ideology over the safety of our daughters and sons. The Chloe Cole Act is not just about a law; it is about stopping the sterilization of our children and ensuring that no more families are shattered by the lies of a sex rejecting industry. We are standing up for the innocence of childhood and the sacred bond between parent and child that should never, ever be broken. Thank you to Chloe Cole for her courage and to Congressman Bob Onder for introducing this legislation.” — Matt Sharp, Senior Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom: “Children experiencing gender dysphoria need love, support, and medical care rooted in biological truth—not harmful drugs or surgeries. Detransitioners like Chloe Cole are suffering from the often-irreversible harm caused by these procedures. While we cannot restore the healthy bodies of children subjected to dangerous transition drugs and surgeries, the Chloe Cole Act will ensure that those harmed receive justice and that the gender clinics responsible are held accountable. I commend Rep. Onder for reintroducing this essential legislation.” — “While this Administration has made tremendous progress to stamp out the scandal of sex change interventions on minors, legislation is needed to permanently codify protections for vulnerable American adolescents,” said Stanley Goldfarb, MD, Chairman of Do No Harm. “The Chloe Cole Act is designed to permanently end chemical and surgical damage to minors, which has proliferated to an alarming degree by those who peddle misinformation and practice pseudoscience. The evidence does not support these types of interventions that are harmful and often do irreversible damage. Do No Harm applauds the elected officials who are fighting to end the child sex-change industry.” — Terry Schilling, President, American Principles Project: “Too many doctors have shown that they will betray their oath for riches and ideology. The Chloe Cole Act ensures that the people sacrificed at the altar of woke greed can achieve justice and protect future generations from predators in lab coats.” — Penny Nance, CEO and President, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee: “Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee has been a leader in fighting for children's innocence in the face of insidious gender ideology for over a decade, and we are thrilled to see Representative Onder's bold step in the right direction with the Chloe Cole Act. No child should face the irreversible harms of chemical or surgical mutilation under the guise of ‘gender-affirming care.’” — Katy Roberts, Senior Policy Manager, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission: “Children are precious image-bearers, purposefully created as either male or female, reflective of God’s good design. So-called ‘gender transition’ interventions tamper with this design, jeopardizing the safety, dignity, and innocence of children in the process. The Chloe Cole Act provides necessary pushback in a culture that has increasingly embraced radical gender ideology. By prohibiting these harmful procedures for minors and providing a strong framework to penalize implicated practitioners, this bill will protect kids from significant and often irreparable harm.” — Beth Parlato, Senior Legal Counsel, Independent Women’s Law Center: “Independent Women applauds Representative Bob Onder for reintroducing the Chloe Cole Act in the House. America’s children must be protected from irreversible, experimental cross-sex procedures that inflict life-altering harm. This critical legislation is necessary to safeguard the health and safety of our children and restore common sense to our nation’s medical practices.” — Kelsey Reinhardt, President and CEO, CatholicVote: “Sex is a biological reality that cannot change. Our laws must reflect that reality. This legislation confronts the tragedy not only of Chloe Cole—a detransitioner who underwent a double mastectomy at 15—but of countless others like her. Embracing her Christian faith gave Chloe the strength to fight back. Chloe’s courage and this legislation constitute a direct rebuke to those who profit from mutilating minors and dare to call it ‘care.’ Children suffering from gender confusion need help and guidance. The Chloe Cole Act makes it more likely they will get that assistance and ends the perverse incentives for hospitals and gender clinics to make money off of mutilating children, an industry that makes billions every year. Thank you to Congressman Onder and all the cosponsors for leading on this issue.” — Claire Nance Klakring, Director for Public Policy, Association of Christian Schools International: “We are so grateful for Rep. Onder’s leadership in introducing the Chloe Cole Act. This bill is critical to protect children from medical malpractice and lifelong injury. We urge the House to move this bill quickly through the legislative process to give hundreds of young men and women the chance for justice they deserve.” — Dr. Jill Simons, Executive Director, American College of Pediatricians: “The American College of Pediatricians has been sounding the alarm on the harms of puberty blockers, hormones and sex-rejecting surgeries for minors with sex-identity distress. We applaud the Chloe Cole Act and are pleased to see legislation that will prevent this irreversible damage. This Act will protect American youth from being gaslit into a lifetime of chronic illness and painful regret. Children deserve the best evidence-based medical care, not interventions driven by ideology.” — Sarah Parshall Perry, Legal Director, Parents Defending Education Action: "For too long, and facilitated by the previous presidential administration, the mutilation of vulnerable and confused minors has continued unabated. Due in large part to the courage of young women like detransitioner Chloe Cole, that practice now has vocal, passionate critics. Congressman Onder's Chloe Cole Act is a must-pass piece of legislation that activates President Trump's executive order designed to prevent so-called gender-affirming care, and as a physician who recognizes more than most the damage these discredited practices have done to children's bodies, minds, and futures, he is the perfect legislative sponsor. His Chloe Cole Act will ensure that once and for all, the scandal of gender mutilation comes to an end." ###

Rep. Onder Introduces the Curtailing Agency Reach and Bureaucracy Overreach on Net-Zero (CARBON) Act

Position: Rep. Onder opposes federal EPA regulation of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) under the Clean Air Act, arguing that such regulation exceeds the original congressional intent of the statute and constitutes bureaucratic overreach that harms farmers, manufacturers, and energy producers.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 17, 2026 Contact: Brooke Morgan (Washington, D.C.) – This past week, U.S. Congressman Bob Onder introduced H.R. 7554, the Curtailing Agency Reach and Bureaucracy Overreach on Net-Zero (CARBON) Act, to restore the original congressional intent of the Clean Air Act (CAA) by excluding carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide from federal air pollution regulation, thereby curtailing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to regulate certain greenhouse gases. “For too long, uncertainty over federal greenhouse gas regulation has left farmers, manufacturers, and energy producers guessing whether their operations could be delayed or shut down based on outdated and unclear Obama-era regulations. I have introduced the CARBON Act, alongside the Trump Administration’s repeal of the “endangerment finding,” to restore common-sense limits on federal authority. The CARBON Act returns the Clean Air Act to Congress’s original intent by clarifying that the EPA cannot regulate carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide as ‘air pollutants.’ This bill reigns in bureaucratic overreach and provides overdue predictability to industry,” said Congressman Bob Onder. To read the full bill click here. -30- Background Information When Congress passed the Clean Air Act, it did not intend to give the EPA broad authority to regulate greenhouse gases. However, after the Supreme Court’s decision in Massachusetts v. EPA in 2007, followed by the Obama Administration’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” the EPA was provided with a legal basis to regulate greenhouse gases. President Trump’s Executive Order 14154, “Unleashing American Energy,” directed the EPA to review the legality and continuing applicability of the “endangerment finding.” As a result, on February 12, 2026, the Trump Administration’s EPA revoked the “endangerment finding.” Considering the Supreme Court’s overturning of the Chevron doctrine, Congress has been tasked with providing more clarity to regulators. The Curtailing Agency Reach and Bureaucracy Overreach on Net-Zero (CARBON) Act amends the Clean Air Act (CAA) to clarify congressional intent and restore limits on regulatory authority. Specifically, the legislation excludes carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide from the CAA’s definition of an “air pollutant.” The bill builds on the work of President Trump’s EPA to reduce unnecessary federal overreach enabled by the “endangerment finding.” In addition to revoking the “endangerment finding,” the CARBON Act would prevent the EPA from regulating certain greenhouse gases unless explicitly authorized by Congress. This will prevent future administrations from easily reinstating burdensome regulatory overreach. The CARBON Act would: Revoke the EPA’s authority to regulate carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide under the Clean Air Act. Overturn the legal basis for greenhouse gas regulations established by Massachusetts v. EPA. Prevent future administrations from using the Clean Air Act to impose unnecessary and burdensome regulations related to these greenhouse gases. Limit federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions produced by power plants, vehicles, agriculture, and other industries. This legislation would restore regulatory certainty, codify recent executive actions, and rein in agency overreach by ensuring that sweeping climate policy decisions are decided by Congress rather than biased administrative rulemaking.

The Senate Passes ROTOR Act to Strengthen Aviation Safety

Position: Congressman Onder supports the ROTOR Act, which strengthens aviation safety by requiring all aircraft to use automatic tracking technology (ADS-B), eliminating military aircraft exemptions, and mandating safety reviews and improved FAA-Department of Defense coordination.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 18, 2025 Contact: Brooke Morgan (Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Bob Onder (R-MO) is leading the House companion to the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act, which has just passed the United States Senate. Working alongside Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), the legislation strengthens aviation safety and oversight. Rep. Onder, a licensed pilot, serves on the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The ROTOR Act will eliminate a loophole that allows military aircraft to operate without Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) Out transmitting – a technology that broadcasts an aircraft’s precise location. It requires all aircraft operating in high-risk and high-volume airspace to use ADS-B In to enhance pilots’ visualization. In addition, the bill requires safety reviews at all major and mid-sized airports, strengthens coordination and information sharing between the FAA and the Department of Defense, and calls for The Army Inspector General to audit Army aviation operations, particularly around the National Capital Region. “The collision that occurred in January over the skies of our nation’s capital was a horrific tragedy. Sixty-seven lives were lost, with no survivors. My heart goes out to every family who lost a loved one, and to the first responders who confronted unimaginable devastation,” said Congressman Bob Onder. “That tragedy made clear that serious gaps exist in our aviation oversight—gaps that demand action. I’m encouraged and grateful that the Senate has now passed Senator Cruz’s ROTOR Act, which takes an important step forward by closing loopholes that allow government and military aircraft to operate without broadcasting their location and by requiring modern, reliable tracking technology on all aircraft. “This is commonsense, responsible legislation, and it reflects our obligation to protect the American people. I’m thrilled to see this bill advance in the Senate, and I’m proud to be leading the fight in the House to get it across the finish line.” Upon passage, Sen. Cruz said, “This bill will be a fitting way to honor the lives of those lost nearly one year ago over the Potomac River. The goal of the victims’ families is to ensure no one else endures a similar avoidable, completely unnecessary, tragedy. The ROTOR Act will save lives.” -30- Background Information On January 29, 2025, American Airlines Flight 5342 was approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when air traffic controllers asked the pilots if they could redirect to land on a shorter runway. The pilots confirmed they could. Nearby, an Army Black Hawk helicopter was conducting its annual proficiency training. Less than 30 seconds before the two aircraft collided, a controller radioed the Black Hawk to ask whether it had the incoming flight in sight. Moments later, the collision occurred and there were no survivors. One of the passengers on board was from the St. Louis region - a woman named Asra Hussain. The entire St. Louis community stands with her family as they grieve this unimaginable loss. We mourn with them, and we honor Asra, a Missourian, a newlywed, a daughter, and a friend. At a three-day hearing in July, the National Transportation Safety Board revealed a critical detail: the Army Black Hawk had not broadcast its location via ADS-B for 730 days prior to the crash. Without this tracking data, the helicopter was effectively invisible to other aircraft, leaving both flight crews without situational awareness. The ADS-B system provides more accurate and continuous information than traditional radar, transmitting an aircraft’s location, speed, altitude, and other critical data in real time. The ROTOR Act is H.R. 6222 in the House of Representatives and S. 2503 in the Senate.

Congressman Onder Applauds Trump Administration’s Announcement on Sex-Rejecting Procedures

Position: Rep. Onder supports federal regulatory actions and legislation to prohibit gender-affirming medical interventions, including surgeries and hormone treatments, for minors, citing concerns about clinical evidence and potential harms.

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Rep. Bob Onder, M.D. (MO-03) attended a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announcement of regulatory actions to end the practice of providing irreversible transgender surgeries and prescriptions to children. These actions were directed by President Trump’s January 28, 2025, Executive Order 14187, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.” The executive order also required HHS to review and publish all available clinical evidence through a Gender Dysphoria Report, which exposed the alarming lack of clinical evidence to support these interventions, and documented serious risks and harms. Additionally, the order directed the Department of Justice to transmit legislation to Congress to permanently prohibit these procedures. Rep. Onder introduced that legislation—H.R. 5483, the Chloe Cole Act—with Senator Marsha Blackburn introducing the Senate companion. “The dark days of subjecting children like Chloe Cole to irreversible harm that they cannot consent to are over. Secretary Kennedy’s announcement today will protect children, their families, and the majority of doctors who want to uphold their promise to ‘do no harm’. I thank President Trump and Secretary Kennedy for their leadership on this crucial issue. The Administration is banning all hospitals, clinics, and providers that accept federal funding from performing these experimental and dangerous procedures on children. This will effectively end the practice of chemical and surgical mutilation in the United States,” Congressman Onder said. Background Information According to Secretary Kennedy’s announcement, HHS intends to: Prohibit hospitals from providing transgender surgeries or prescriptions to minors Prevent taxpayer dollars from supporting transgender medical interventions on minors by prohibiting Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from funding these procedures on minors Warn sellers and manufacturers of breast binders they must immediately end the illegal marketing of these products to minors Allow medical providers who do not want to participate in transgender surgeries or prescriptions the option to decline to participate by reversing the Biden administration’s attempt to include gender dysphoria within the definition of a disability Issue a public health message to inform health care providers, families, and policymakers that current evidence does not support claims that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries are safe and effective treatments for pediatric gender dysphoria. When used long term in healthy children, puberty blockers can cause splintered bones and osteoporosis. When cross-sex hormones follow puberty blockers, the child can be left permanently infertile and can be more likely to experience cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. We know that these procedures cause serious, permanent damage and provide little psychological benefit. Political pressures have infiltrated medical society leadership, who have chosen to disregard evidence-based medicine and stifle concerns from physician members. Both the Endocrine Society and American Academy of Pediatrics adopted so-called “Gender Affirming Care” without allowing debate or a vote by their membership. In fact, physician members of both organizations have petitioned their leadership for the opportunity to discuss their concerns, but both have refused to allow such debate. Whistleblower doctors and nurses have shared that parents and children are usually uninformed of the long-term health risks, and that many gender clinics intentionally refuse to track negative outcomes or provide support to children who are unhappy with the outcomes of their hormone intervention.

Rep. Onder’s Self-Insurance Protection Act Passes the House

Contact: Brooke Morgan (Washington, D.C.) – Tonight, the House passed H.R. 6703, the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, which includes Congressman Bob Onder’s bill, H.R. 2571, the Self-Insurance Protection Act. This legislation ensures that employers who choose to self-insure retain access to a critical financial tool—stop-loss insurance. “Americans deserve autonomy in their health coverage decisions, and small businesses should have the flexibility to choose a health plan that best meets the needs of their employees. As a physician, I’ve seen firsthand how greater competition and choice can drive down costs. The Self-Insurance Protection Act ensures that businesses, large and small, can provide the right health care coverage for their workers without unnecessary government interference,” said Congressman Onder. “At a time when health care costs are on the rise, we need to give businesses more tools to control their costs, not fewer. Unfortunately, Democrat-led states are intent on saddling self-insured health plans that use reinsurance to insulate themselves from unexpected high claims with more regulations by subjecting them to state health insurance law. This legislation confirms the obvious – reinsurance is different from health insurance and should not be regulated as such. Millions of Americans depend on self-insured employer-sponsored health plans. The Self-Insurance Protection Act will defend their access to high quality and affordable health care,” said Education and Workforce Committee Chairman, Rep. Walberg. -30- Link to the full bill text for H.R. 2571 HERE Link to the full bill text for H.R.6703 HERE Background Information Many employers choose to self-insure by covering their employees’ medical costs directly—either by paying providers or reimbursing employees as claims arise. In many cases, self-insured employers work with third-party administrators to manage provider networks and claims processing. To manage financial risk, many self-insured employers rely on stop-loss insurance, which provides protection against unexpectedly high or catastrophic medical claims. Stop-loss coverage is a critical tool that enables employers, particularly small and mid-sized businesses, to offer health benefits while maintaining financial stability. Despite its importance, stop-loss insurance has faced increasing scrutiny at the state level. New York currently prohibits stop-loss coverage for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, and other states have considered similar restrictions. While stop-loss insurance has traditionally been regulated by states and not at the federal level, the Obama administration signaled interest in redefining certain stop-loss policies as traditional health insurance. In 2014, the Department of Labor issued guidance stating that state laws regulating stop-loss insurance would not be preempted by ERISA, opening the door for states to restrict or prohibit its use. H.R. 2571, the Self-Insurance Protection Act, amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to: Clarify that federal regulators may not classify stop-loss insurance as traditional health insurance; and Affirm that ERISA preempts state laws that attempt to block self-insurance by regulating or prohibiting stop-loss coverage. This legislation ensures that businesses, especially small employers, retain the flexibility to offer health coverage without unnecessary government interference.