This bill keeps the national youth awards program run by Congress going through 2028. The program honors teens and young adults for community service, personal goals, and adventure activities, and the board that runs it stays in place. The extension is treated as if it started back on October 1, 2023, so there’s no gap in the program’s authority. It also drops a rule about exactly what metals the program’s medals must be made of, giving more flexibility for how the awards look and are produced . The law updates the program’s end date from October 1, 2023, to October 1, 2028, and makes that change retroactive to October 1, 2023 .

• Who it affects: Youth who take part in the Congressional Award Program and the board that administers it .
• What changes: Extends the program’s authority to 2028 and removes a specific medal material requirement .
• When it applies: Treated as effective starting October 1, 2023, with the new end date of October 1, 2028 .