Rep. Lateefah Simon

Maddy summaryHR 6215, the Small Business RELIEF Act, exempts small businesses from import duties imposed under Executive Order 14257 (90 Fed. Reg. 15041) for goods they import or use. It requires the President to refund duties paid by small businesses within 90 days of the bill's enactment. The bill defines "small business concern" using the standard Small Business Act criteria (15 U.S.C. 632). This directly affects small businesses importing goods, providing immediate cost relief by removing a specific tariff and refunding past payments.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Medicare's drug price negotiation program to cover 50 drugs (up from 20) and requires health insurers to apply negotiated prices to cost-sharing for beneficiaries. It establishes annual out-of-pocket cost-sharing limits for prescription drugs under group health plans and insurance coverage, with specific limits of $2,000 for self-only coverage in 2027 that will increase annually. The bill also sets specific cost-sharing limits for insulin products, requiring coverage with no deductible and cost-sharing of no more than $35 per 30-day supply or 25% of the negotiated price. These provisions affect Medicare beneficiaries, people with group health plans, and health insurers across the country. The bill applies to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHR 6181, the John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act, prohibits child welfare agencies receiving federal funds from discriminating against children, youth, or prospective foster/adoptive parents based on religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), or marital status. It directly affects LGBTQ youth in foster care - overrepresented at 30% of the system - who face higher risks of trauma, group home placements, and suicide attempts compared to non-LGBTQ peers. Key provisions require agencies to collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity, establish a National Resource Center for LGBTQ youth support, provide cultural competency training, and eliminate discriminatory practices. The law aims to improve safety, permanency, and placement stability by expanding access to family-based care and ensuring equitable services for all children in the system.

Maddy summaryHR 6126 authorizes the minting of commemorative coins to mark the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Foreign Service (established in 1924). It specifies three coin types: up to 50,000 $5 gold coins (90% gold), 400,000 $1 silver coins (90% silver), and 750,000 half-dollar coins, all to be sold during 2029. A surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver coin, and $5 per half-dollar is added to the sale price, with all surcharge funds directed to the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training to support its diplomatic history preservation work. The coins must include standard inscriptions (e.g., "Liberty," "United States of America") and will be legal tender, but the bill does not create new policy or affect government operations.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 28201 Franklin Parkway in Santa Clarita, California, as the "Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer Post Office Building".

Maddy summaryThe Global Respect Act (HR 6151) requires the U.S. President to publicly list foreign officials responsible for severe human rights violations against LGBTQI individuals, including torture, prolonged detention, or violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It mandates denying visas and entry to listed individuals and requires annual reports on the list's updates and impacts. The bill also directs the State Department to track global violence against LGBTQI people and update annual human rights reports to include discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. These provisions directly affect foreign government officials and entities implicated in such abuses, aiming to increase accountability through U.S. visa restrictions.

Maddy summaryThe EXPERTS Act of 2025 requires agencies to disclose funding sources and potential conflicts of interest for studies submitted during rulemaking, including who funded research and any financial relationships that might influence findings. It establishes an Office of the Public Advocate within the Office of Management and Budget to assist public participation in rulemaking, conduct social equity assessments, and improve outreach to underrepresented groups. The bill also mandates that agencies consider social equity impacts when creating rules and requires detailed explanations for withdrawing proposed regulations. These provisions aim to increase transparency, inclusivity, and accountability in the federal regulatory process.

Maddy summaryHR 6124, the "End Rent Fixing Act of 2025," prohibits rental property owners and coordinators from sharing or analyzing rental data to set prices or lease terms across multiple properties. It bans any "coordinating function" (such as collecting and processing rental data to recommend prices or occupancy levels to multiple owners) and makes agreements with coordinators unlawful under antitrust laws. The bill directly affects rental property owners (including individuals, corporations, and property management entities) who engage in coordinated rent-setting practices. Enforcement will be handled by the Federal Trade Commission, the Attorney General, and state attorneys general under existing antitrust laws, with private lawsuits allowed for affected renters seeking triple damages.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Section 1983 of federal law (42 U.S.C. 1983) to explicitly allow lawsuits against federal officials who violate constitutional rights while acting under federal authority. It directly affects individuals whose constitutional rights were allegedly infringed by federal employees, such as law enforcement or agency staff. The key provision inserts "of the United States" before "of any State" in the statute, expanding the existing legal remedy for state officials to cover federal officials as well. This creates a clear, standalone legal path for citizens to seek redress for federal constitutional violations without relying on precedent.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires oil, gas, and geothermal companies to test nearby underground drinking water sources before, during, and after hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") operations. Companies must conduct testing at specified intervals (e.g., before starting, every 6 months during operations, annually for 5 years after) and submit results to the EPA within two weeks. The EPA will maintain a public database of all test results, making it searchable by ZIP code for community access. The requirement does not apply to sites with no accessible drinking water sources within one mile.