Rep. Diana DeGette

Maddy summaryHR 566, the Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2025, provides federal grants to air pollution control agencies to establish local programs targeting low-income households with vulnerable residents (such as those with health conditions or elderly members) in wildfire smoke-prone areas. The bill authorizes $30 million over three years to fund programs that must establish accessible clean air centers, distribute at least 1,000 free, certified air filtration units per program (with replacements), provide educational materials, and partner with community organizations. Agencies must track unit types and costs, survey participants on program effectiveness, and report results to Congress within three years. The program directly affects covered households by improving access to clean air during smoke events through tangible, funded support.

Maddy summaryHR 429, the Rosie the Riveter Commemorative Coin Act, authorizes the U.S. Treasury to mint and sell three types of commemorative coins ($5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar) to honor women who worked on the U.S. home front during World War II. The coins will be sold at face value plus surcharges ($35 for gold, $10 for silver, $5 for half-dollar), with all surcharge revenue directed to the Rosie the Riveter Trust to support the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and related educational programs. The coins must be issued between January 1, 2028, and December 31, 2028, in specified quantities (50,000 gold, 400,000 silver, 750,000 half-dollar), with all costs covered by the sales revenue to avoid net government expense.

Maddy summaryHR 433, the Department of Education Protection Act, prohibits the use of federal funds to reorganize the Department of Education. Specifically, it blocks any spending from current fiscal year appropriations on activities that would decentralize the department, reduce staffing, or alter its structure, responsibilities, or authority relative to its organization as of January 1, 2025. The bill directly affects the Department of Education by preventing structural changes to its existing offices and operations. This is a procedural measure focused solely on preserving the current departmental framework, not on changing education policy or funding.

Maddy summaryThe Proxy Voting for New Parents Resolution (HRES 23) would allow U.S. House Members who have given birth or whose spouse has given birth to appoint another Member as a proxy to cast their vote or record their presence in the House and committees for up to 12 weeks after childbirth. To use this, the new parent must submit a signed letter to the Clerk detailing the birth or medical condition and naming the proxy; the proxy must vote exactly as instructed and announce the vote as "by proxy." The proxy vote does not count toward quorum, and the new parent can revoke the proxy at any time by submitting a new letter or casting their own vote. This resolution applies to all House Members, including Delegates and the Resident Commissioner, though they cannot cast votes for the House itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases healthcare affordability for low- and middle-income people by expanding eligibility for premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act. It removes the previous 400% of poverty level cap for subsidy eligibility and replaces it with a new sliding scale based on income tiers, ranging from 0% to 8.5% of household income for coverage costs. The scale adjusts linearly across income levels, with households earning 300-400% of poverty paying 6.0%-8.5% of income (up from the prior fixed 400% cap), while lower-income households pay progressively less. These changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, directly affecting individuals purchasing health insurance through marketplace plans.

Maddy summaryHR 82, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, repeals two provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for certain government workers. It eliminates the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which cuts spousal or survivor benefits for people with pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security (like federal or state government roles), and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which lowers retirement benefits for those with similar pensions. The law takes effect for benefits paid after December 2023, requiring the Social Security Administration to adjust benefit calculations to remove these reductions. This change directly affects public-sector employees who previously had their Social Security benefits reduced due to their government pensions.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Energy Act of 2020 to require the Secretary of the Interior to consult with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) when designating critical minerals, elements, substances, or materials. It directly affects federal agencies involved in mineral designations, specifically adding HHS as a mandatory consultation partner alongside the Department of Agriculture. The key mechanism is modifying existing consultation requirements to include HHS in decisions about which resources qualify as "critical minerals." The bill focuses on process changes for mineral designations and does not specify healthcare applications or new regulations for healthcare providers. It remains neutral, describing only the procedural change to federal consultation protocols.

Maddy summaryThe Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act (HR 1318) authorizes the placement of a monument on the National Mall to honor the women’s suffrage movement and the 19th Amendment. The bill specifies that the monument must be located within a designated area on the National Mall known as the "Reserve," bypassing standard requirements for monument locations under existing law. This legislation sets the physical site for a monument already authorized by previous law (Public Law 116-217), without creating new policy or altering commemorative regulations beyond the location.

Maddy summaryHR 40 would establish a 15-member commission to study the legacy of slavery and systemic discrimination against African Americans in the United States, and develop proposals for reparations. The commission would examine historical and ongoing effects of slavery, discriminatory policies (including redlining and educational disparities), and recommend remedies through education and potential reparations. Composed of members appointed by the President, House Speaker, and Senate President pro tempore, the commission would have 18 months to submit a report to Congress, with $20 million authorized for its work. This legislation creates a study process but does not provide reparations directly.

Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for the establishment of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, and its admission into the United States. The state is composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia (DC), excluding a specified area that encompasses the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court building, federal monuments, and federal office buildings adjacent to the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol. The excluded territory shall be known as the Capital and serve as the seat of the government of the United States, as provided for in Article I of the Constitution. The state may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits. The bill provides for the DC Mayor to issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the state. The bill eliminates the office of Delegate to the House of Representatives. The bill applies current DC laws to the state. DC judicial proceedings and contractual obligations shall continue under the state’s authority. The bill also provides for specified federal obligations to transfer to the state upon its certification that it has funds and laws in place to assume the obligations. These include maintaining a retirement fund for judges and operating public defender services.  The bill establishes a commission that is generally comprised of members who are appointed by DC and federal government officials to advise on an orderly transition to statehood.