Rep. Kathy Castor

Maddy summaryHRES 1581 is a symbolic resolution expressing congressional support for designating November 2024 as "Prematurity Awareness Month." It highlights the U.S. maternal and infant health crisis, including higher preterm birth rates and disparities affecting Black and Native American women and their infants. The resolution urges Americans, communities, and organizations to observe the month through events and education focused on preterm birth prevention. It does not create new laws or funding but aims to raise public awareness about this health issue, which contributes to infant mortality and costs an estimated $25.2 billion annually.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Medicaid from covering conversion therapy for any enrollee. It amends federal law to block Medicaid payments for any therapy aimed at changing a person's sexual orientation or gender identity (defined as "conversion therapy" in the bill), starting in the first full quarter after the law takes effect. The prohibition applies to all Medicaid providers who offer such therapy for compensation, but explicitly excludes support for gender transition, acceptance-based care, and interventions focused on safety or unlawful conduct. It directly affects Medicaid recipients seeking therapy and providers who previously billed for conversion therapy services.

Maddy summaryThe Critical Minerals Security Act of 2024 requires the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to submit regular reports to Congress assessing global critical mineral and rare earth element resources. These reports must detail which resources are controlled by foreign entities of concern (like adversarial nations), owned by U.S. allies, or underutilized, including mine output, ownership structures, and reasons for lack of commercial mining. The bill also establishes a process for U.S. persons to notify the government of planned divestments in foreign mining operations and seek non-adversarial buyers, while mandating a strategy to collaborate with allied nations on advanced mining and processing technologies. It directly affects federal agencies, U.S. entities operating in foreign mineral sectors, and U.S. government oversight of critical supply chains.

Maddy summaryThe Youth Climate Leadership Act of 2024 establishes Youth Advisory Councils within five federal agencies (EPA, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce). Each council must include 15-25 members aged 16-29 from diverse backgrounds, with at least 50% representing disadvantaged communities identified by the Justice40 Initiative. Councils will provide annual recommendations to agencies on environmental programs, climate impacts affecting youth, and environmental justice, while receiving $250,000 annually per agency for implementation. The bill directly affects youth from disadvantaged communities by requiring their meaningful participation in federal environmental decision-making processes.

Maddy summaryHRES 1566 is a symbolic House resolution honoring all U.S. veterans on Veterans Day 2024. It recognizes the service and sacrifice of the estimated 15.8 million veterans living in the U.S. as of 2023, including those who served in conflicts from World War II to post-9/11. The resolution calls on the American public to observe Veterans Day to acknowledge veterans' role in preserving national freedom. As a non-binding resolution, it has no direct policy impact but formally expresses congressional recognition of veterans' contributions.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HRES 1558) is a symbolic House of Representatives measure supporting October as "National Domestic Violence Awareness Month." It does not create new laws or allocate funding but formally expresses the House's support for raising awareness about domestic violence and its impacts, and urges continued backing for existing programs that address domestic violence. The resolution cites statistics on domestic violence prevalence (e.g., 24 people per minute affected by intimate partner violence) to underscore the importance of the observance. It directly affects public awareness efforts but does not change policies or directly impact individuals.

Maddy summaryHR 10095, the Insurance Fraud Accountability Act, targets health insurance agents and brokers who provide false or negligent information during enrollment in federally regulated health plans. It adds civil penalties of $10,000-$50,000 per violation for negligence and up to $200,000 for knowing fraud, plus criminal penalties of up to 10 years in prison for willful fraud. The bill requires new verification steps for enrollments, including written consent from consumers, delayed commission payments until issues are resolved, and clear notifications about coverage changes. It also mandates annual audits of agents/brokers, a public list of suspended professionals, and standardized marketing rules, all to be implemented by January 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryHR 10090, the "Keeping Guns from High-Risk Individuals Act," expands existing federal firearm prohibitions. It bars individuals convicted of a crime of violence (as defined in Section 16 of Title 18) within the last five years, or convicted of stalking, from purchasing or possessing firearms. This directly affects people with these specific recent convictions, adding them to the list of those prohibited under Section 922(d) (sales) and Section 922(g) (possession) of the U.S. Code. The bill makes concrete policy changes by broadening the categories of individuals barred from gun access based on certain criminal histories.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how disability benefits are treated for homeless disabled veterans seeking housing assistance. It excludes certain disability payments (under Chapter 11 or 15 of Title 38, U.S. Code) from income calculations when determining eligibility for HUD-assisted housing programs, including the supported housing program under Section 8(o)(19) and housing on Department property. Specifically, it ensures these benefits are not counted toward income for housing eligibility, though they still count for "adjusted income" definitions. The bill directly affects disabled veterans applying for HUD housing assistance who receive these specific disability benefits. It makes a concrete change to income calculation rules without altering benefit amounts or creating new funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Comptroller General, working with the National Academy of Sciences, to study how to create a nonpartisan office or agency that would analyze whether federal legislation would likely increase or decrease greenhouse gas emissions. It directs a 2-year study to evaluate options for this office (including using existing agencies), ensure nonpartisanship, and involve experts across sectors like energy and agriculture. The study must also examine how state legislatures have handled similar "carbon scoring" for bills. The bill itself does not change emissions policies or impose new requirements; it only mandates this analysis framework for future congressional consideration of legislation.