Rep. Frederica S. Wilson

Maddy summaryThe Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026 mandates that private health insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and Federal Employees Health Benefits programs cover annual glaucoma screenings for specific high-risk individuals starting in 2027. These covered individuals include adults aged 40 or older with African, Hispanic/Latino, or Asian ancestry, those with clinical risk factors such as diabetes or family history, and all adults aged 60 or older. The bill also directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award $10 million in grants over two years to provide free or low-cost screenings and treatment to uninsured high-risk populations, with priority given to underserved communities. Additionally, it authorizes $10 million for research into glaucoma treatments, including optic nerve regeneration and gene therapies.

Maddy summaryThe Protecting Our History Act of 2026 would prohibit the executive branch from directing the content of exhibits or conditioning federal funding on political ideology for federally supported cultural institutions, including the Smithsonian Institution. The bill specifically designates the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) as a "mission fiduciary" of the United States, granting its governing council explicit legal standing to sue federal officials in court if they attempt to interfere with curatorial decisions or withhold appropriated funds. It establishes strict anti-retaliation policies for museum staff and requires annual reports to Congress detailing any attempts to influence institutional programming. Additionally, the legislation authorizes $90 million annually for NMAAHC operations, covering areas such as collections expansion, digitization, and legal protections for its independence.

Maddy summaryThe SYLLABLE Act of 2026 authorizes the Department of Education to award up to five grants over a five-year period to partnerships consisting of local school districts, early childhood education programs, and technical assistance providers. These grants are designed to fund dual language immersion programs for children from low-income families, including English learners and minority students, serving them from preschool through fifth grade. To receive funding, applicants must demonstrate that their programs use a partner language for at least half of the instructional day and include rigorous assessment systems, professional development for teachers, and strong community engagement. The bill appropriates $15 million for fiscal year 2027 and such sums as necessary for the following four years to support these initiatives and conduct evaluations of their effectiveness.

Maddy summaryThe FLUENT Act authorizes a competitive grant program to provide family literacy services to households with English language learners, specifically targeting families that include at least one child under the age of eight. The Department of Education would award grants ranging from $150,000 to $1,000,000 to eligible providers, such as schools and nonprofit organizations, for periods of up to five years. These funds must be used for research-based instruction grounded in the science of reading, with a requirement that programs prioritize families facing the greatest economic and educational needs. The bill also mandates that grantees track specific outcomes, including improvements in English proficiency, primary language skills, and caregiver workforce readiness, while reserving federal funds for program evaluation and technical assistance.

Maddy summaryThe Reaching English Learners Act establishes a competitive grant program to help colleges and universities improve how they prepare teachers to instruct students who are learning English. These grants, which last up to five years, require partnerships between higher education institutions and high-need school districts or early childhood programs to develop curricula that include evidence-based teaching strategies such as bilingual and immersion education. Recipients must cover at least half of the program costs with non-federal funds and prioritize recruiting teacher candidates from underrepresented groups or those who are former English learners. The law also mandates that these partnerships evaluate their progress in placing new teachers in high-need areas and report findings to the Secretary of Education.

Maddy summaryThe Backlog Justice Act of 2026 aims to reduce the backlog of untested sexual assault evidence kits by requiring the Attorney General to create a public database tracking inventory levels and laboratory processing times across state and local jurisdictions. To address staffing shortages, the bill authorizes the FBI to develop training programs for forensic analysts and DNA technical leaders, allowing states and localities to hire individuals who have completed this federal training. Additionally, it funds a program for the FBI to collaborate with state and local providers on validating new DNA processing technologies and sharing related protocols. The legislation also provides increased grant funding to states that implement electronic tracking systems allowing sexual assault survivors to monitor the status of their evidence kits from collection through final disposition.

Maddy summaryThe Equity in Research Act directs the National Science Foundation to create a grant program that provides financial assistance to specific institutions of higher education for improving their research capabilities. These grants, ranging from $1 million to $5 million per institution, can be used to upgrade building infrastructure, purchase materials and equipment, and cover personnel costs related to research activities. The bill targets a defined group of schools, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal colleges, and various other minority-serving and land-grant universities. To fund this initiative, the legislation authorizes $50 million in appropriations for fiscal year 2027 and each subsequent year.

Maddy summaryThe Food for Thought Act of 2026 establishes a competitive grant program administered by the Department of Agriculture to provide free meals and snacks to low-income college students at eligible institutions, including community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, and other minority-serving schools. To qualify, an institution must have at least 20 percent of its undergraduate students eligible for Federal Pell Grants, and grants are awarded for a maximum duration of two years with funds restricted to meal preparation, outreach, and limited equipment purchases. Recipients are required to prioritize students who receive Pell Grants or report food insecurity, while also evaluating institutional policies that may create barriers to enrollment and referring students to other federal benefit programs like SNAP. The bill authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 and mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture submit reports to Congress on the program's impact on student retention and completion rates.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require Medicare to cover early detection screening tests for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias starting January 1, 2028. It defines eligible tests as FDA-cleared genomic blood tests, blood product analyses, or equivalent medical imaging methods (like protein expression or whole genome sequencing) that detect pre-symptomatic or early-stage conditions. Medicare beneficiaries would receive this coverage without cost-sharing for these specific screenings. The bill amends Medicare coverage rules to explicitly include these tests under Section 1861(nnn) of the Social Security Act.