Rep. Shomari Figures

Maddy summaryThe FAMILY Act would establish a national paid family and medical leave insurance program that provides wage replacement benefits for workers needing time off for caregiving or medical reasons. It defines "qualified caregiving" to include caring for a family member with a serious health condition, personal medical needs, or recovery from violence (including domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking). Benefits would be calculated based on earnings, with a minimum monthly benefit of $580 and maximum of $4,000, administered by a new Office of Paid Family and Medical Leave within the Social Security Administration. Eligible individuals would need to have worked for at least 8 quarters in the previous year and file an application with required documentation, while existing state paid leave programs would continue to operate alongside this federal program.

Maddy summaryHR 3427, the Water Resources Technical Assistance Review Act, requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) clean water technical assistance programs within one year of the bill's enactment. The GAO must examine how the EPA selects and partners with technical assistance providers, matches services to community needs (especially in economically distressed areas), coordinates with other agencies, and whether the assistance helps communities access broader water infrastructure programs. The review will also assess duplication across EPA programs and gaps in serving communities eligible for clean water infrastructure support. The EPA must then submit annual plans detailing how it implements the GAO's recommendations to improve these programs.

Saving the Civil Service Act This bill generally prohibits changes to the classification of positions in the competitive service and excepted service unless certain conditions are met. (Competitive service positions are subject to competitive examination while excepted service positions are appointed under one of five schedules. Competitive service positions have notice and appeal requirements for adverse actions that are not applicable to most excepted positions, including those of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character under Schedule C.) On October 21, 2020, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that placed executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new Schedule F in the excepted service. The order was subsequently revoked by President Joe Biden. The bill prohibits executive agency positions in the competitive service from being placed in the excepted service, unless such positions are placed in a schedule in the excepted service as in effect on September 30, 2020. The bill also prohibits positions in the excepted service from being placed in any schedule other than the aforementioned schedules. Additionally, agencies may not (1) transfer occupied positions from the competitive or excepted service into Schedule C without the consent of the Office of Personnel Management, or (2) transfer employees in the excepted service to another schedule or transfer employees in the competitive service to the excepted service without employee consent.

Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act or the FAIR Act This bill modifies pay rates for federal employees in 2026. Specifically, the bill increases rates under the statutory pay systems and for prevailing rate employees by 3.3% and increases locality pay by 1%.

Maddy summaryThe George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025 would establish a National Police Misconduct Registry to track officer complaints, disciplinary actions, and misconduct records across all law enforcement agencies. It would require law enforcement agencies to implement body-worn camera programs with specific recording and retention policies, ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants in drug cases, and reform qualified immunity to make it easier to hold officers accountable for misconduct. The bill mandates comprehensive data collection on use of force incidents, requiring agencies to report detailed information about stops, searches, and force used, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and other demographics. These provisions would directly affect all Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies that receive federal grant funding, with requirements for policy changes, training, and data reporting.

Maddy summaryHR 5309, the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025, authorizes a posthumous Congressional gold medal for Constance Baker Motley, a pioneering civil rights attorney and judge. The bill directs the Treasury Secretary to strike the medal with her image and name, to be presented to her son, Joel W. Motley III, and her niece, Constance Royster. It also permits the sale of bronze duplicates at cost to cover expenses, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint fund. This is a commemorative measure with no substantive policy changes, honoring Motley’s legacy as the first African-American woman appointed to a federal judgeship.

Maddy summaryHRES 697 is a symbolic House resolution recognizing suicide as a preventable public health issue and supporting the designation of September as "National Suicide Prevention Month" and September 10, 2025, as "World Suicide Prevention Day." It does not create new laws or allocate funds but formally expresses congressional support for these designations to raise awareness. The resolution cites statistics showing suicide as a leading cause of death across age groups, including among veterans and adolescents, and emphasizes mental health as equally important as physical health. It acknowledges the need for diverse prevention strategies without specifying new policies or programs. This resolution is purely declarative, aiming to bolster public awareness rather than enact concrete changes.

Maddy summaryHR 5278, the Affordable Inhalers and Nebulizers Act of 2025, limits out-of-pocket costs for patients using prescription inhalers and nebulizers to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The bill requires private health insurance plans, Medicare Part B and Part D, and new payment programs to cover these products with no deductible and a maximum cost of $15 per 30-day supply. It directly affects patients with asthma or COPD who rely on covered inhalers, nebulizers, and related equipment like spacers. The law applies to all specified inhaler products (including medications and administration equipment) and takes effect for plan years beginning January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Federal Protective Service to improve oversight of contract security guards protecting buildings owned or secured by the General Services Administration. It mandates standardized collection and analysis of covert testing data (simulated security breaches), quarterly reviews to identify recurring issues, and mandatory corrective training for guards who fail tests. The bill also directs an evaluation of the current personnel tracking system within 180 days, requiring a decision on replacement or upgrades with a public implementation plan. Annual reports to Congress will detail progress, system effectiveness, and tenant communication protocols for security coverage gaps.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 680) recognizes suicide as a serious public health issue and designates September 8, 2025, as "988 Day" to highlight the national three-digit crisis hotline (988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline). It does not create new laws or funding but formally supports existing efforts to raise awareness about the 988 hotline, which connects people in mental health crisis to 24/7 support services. The resolution emphasizes the hotline's role in suicide prevention, citing data showing it handled nearly 18 million contacts since 2022 and was reported as helpful by 98% of users. It urges continued public education about the hotline, particularly for high-risk groups like LGBTQI+ youth, and encourages broader access to mental health services.