Empowering Young Readers Act of 2026

Key Points

• Congress proposes a new pilot program run by the Department of Education to help children get more books. The program would provide grants to nonprofit groups to buy and hand out books or host reading events like story times and book fairs.
• Nonprofit organizations can apply for up to $200,000 to fund their literacy programs for two years. To get the money, they must show a clear plan for how they will help their specific community and provide a letter of support from a local leader.
• The program focuses on children and teens under age 19. The goal is to make it easier for families to get books through home delivery, community events, or donations to local public libraries.
• The Department of Education must use fair rules when picking who gets the money. They are required to use 'viewpoint-neutral' criteria, meaning they cannot choose or reject a group based on the specific opinions or topics found in the books they provide.
• Congress would set aside $10 million to fund this program through 2027. After the program ends, officials will report back to Congress on how many books were given out and whether local reading levels improved.

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