Two Senate-backed proposals to deepen federal involvement in literacy instruction advanced out of committee, signaling renewed momentum for the “science of reading” policy agenda. The READ Act would tighten requirements tied to existing federal literacy grants, add early screening for reading difficulties, and shift funding toward states with the lowest reading scores. A second measure, the 21st Century Dyslexia Act, would change how dyslexia is classified under federal disability law, establishing dyslexia as its own category. The bills were approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and are set to move to the full Senate. Supporters including Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) pointed to persistent gaps in reading proficiency, while critics questioned whether additional federal legislation is needed given that many states have already adopted science-of-reading reforms.