Archived SI output (machine-generated)

State Dental Access Partnership Act of 2025

Mode: Bill Generated by VFA SI Solutions Drafted: 2026.07.22

Archived SI output (machine-generated) · No editorial review recorded

This historical SI draft was machine-generated by software and has no editorial review time on record. Verify its factual and legal claims against the original source before relying on it.

Real bill

Action for Dental Health Act

External ID
HR/119/2001
Policy area
Health
Latest action
2026-07-21
→ View original
Archived SI draft (machine-generated)

State Dental Access Partnership Act of 2025

Expand access to dental care for underserved populations, including low-income children, seniors, and rural communities, through federal grants and programs.

Constitutional concerns with the original

  1. The original bill may impose direct federal mandates on states, violating the Tenth Amendment by commanding state governments to implement specific dental programs.
  2. If the original bill creates new federal regulatory authority over dental practice, it may exceed the Commerce Clause limits as interpreted in NFIB v. Sebelius (2012).
  3. Potential unfunded mandates on states without clear spending power nexus.

Solution text

This Act provides voluntary federal grants to states for the purpose of improving access to dental care. Each state may submit a plan to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) detailing how it will use the funds to expand dental services in areas with a shortage of dental providers, including school-based sealant programs, mobile dental clinics, teledentistry, and loan repayment for dentists working in underserved areas. The Secretary shall approve plans that meet criteria specified in this Act, and shall distribute funds proportionally to state population and poverty rates. No state is required to accept funds or to implement programs beyond those it voluntarily chooses. States that accept funds must report annually on outcomes, including number of patients served and cost per visit. Money not used within three years shall be returned to the Treasury. The Act is funded by a 0.5% surcharge on the federal excise tax on sugary drinks and sweetened beverages, generating an estimated $250 million per year. The program sunsets after five years, unless reauthorized by Congress. Oversight is conducted by the HHS Office of Inspector General, which may audit state programs and recover funds used for non-approved purposes. The effective date is 90 days after enactment.

Operative provisions

funding source
0.5% surcharge on the federal excise tax on sugary drinks and sweetened beverages (26 U.S.C. § 4131).
funding amount
$250 million per year, capped at $1.25 billion over five years.
sunset years
5
oversight body
HHS Office of Inspector General, with annual reports to Congress.
enforcement mechanism
If a state uses funds for purposes not approved in its plan, the Secretary shall recover the misspent amount plus interest. States may appeal through administrative procedures.
effective date
90 days after enactment.

Bipartisan rationale

Democrats prioritize expanding dental access to low-income communities and children; this bill targets those populations through state-led programs. Republicans prioritize state flexibility, limited federal spending, and a sunset clause; this bill is a voluntary grant program with no federal mandates, funded by a sin tax on sugary drinks, and expires after five years, allowing review and potential discontinuation.

Constitutional citations

  • → Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 (Spending Power – Congress may provide for the general welfare through conditional grants).
  • → Tenth Amendment (Powers not delegated to the United States are reserved to the States; this bill respects that by making participation voluntary).
  • → Fifth Amendment Due Process (no federal commandeering of state resources; states retain discretion).

Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 Amendment X Amendment V

Report an error in this Solution
No account needed. Or email hello@valuesforamerica.com. How reports are handled.

Share card

Download share card Square (1080×1080) Preview

1200×675 PNG for X, Threads, LinkedIn and messages. Free to share with a link back to this page.

Citizen Consensus

“Do you support this VFA SI Solution?”

One vote per verified account; you can change it any time. Only verified accounts count, results publish once 30 verified people have voted, and state and district results count only people who attested a home ZIP code. How this works.

Email verification is not switched on yet, so no vote counts toward results yet. Votes cast now are saved and count once the voter verifies their email address.

Sign in or create a free account to vote.

Add a short reason (optional)

/280 · no links or contact details · reasons are reviewed before anyone sees them, and many never are shown.

Your vote is saved but held out of published results by an automated integrity check (for example, several accounts voting from one browser).

Your vote is saved. It will count once you verify your email address. Verify on your account page.

Your vote counts nationally. Add your home ZIP code to count in your state and district too.

Your vote counts nationally and in .

Reason saved privately; it is shown only if it passes review.

A sudden surge of votes on this item was flagged and is under review; votes from new accounts in that surge are held out until it is resolved.

National, state and district results →

Related on VFA

Generated by VFA SI Solutions · 2026.07.22 06:00 UTC · ← Back to the Republic