Rep. Delia C. Ramirez

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from discriminating against transgender veterans in healthcare, specifically requiring the VA to provide medically necessary treatments for gender dysphoria. It directly affects transgender veterans seeking VA health services by mandating that the VA cannot deny such care or misgender patients based on gender identity. The law adds a new section to VA healthcare law explicitly banning gender identity discrimination and ensuring access to gender dysphoria treatments, aligning with existing protections under the Affordable Care Act. Additionally, it requires the VA to provide quarterly reports to Congress on how transgender veterans receive healthcare services under this new standard.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 57 is a symbolic resolution honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy murdered in a hate crime in Illinois on October 14, 2023. It commemorates his life and condemns the perpetrator’s anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian hate speech that led to his death. The resolution states that the U.S. has "zero tolerance for hate crimes, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab discrimination." As a concurrent resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but serves to recognize the victim and affirm national principles against hate-based violence.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 56 is a symbolic congressional resolution recognizing the persistent wage gap faced by Latina women in the U.S. It specifically highlights that, as of 2024, Latina workers earn just 58 cents for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men working full-time year-round. The resolution designates October 8, 2025, as "Latina Equal Pay Day" to raise awareness about this disparity, which affects over 14 million Hispanic women in the labor force. It does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges the economic impact of this gap on Latina families and the broader economy.

Maddy summaryHRES 797 is a non-binding resolution expressing concern about the rising number of book bans in U.S. schools and libraries. It cites PEN America data showing 6,870 book bans affecting 3,751 titles between July 2024 and June 2025, with books about race, LGBTQ+ experiences, and marginalized communities disproportionately targeted (e.g., *The Handmaid’s Tale*, *Maus*, *This Book Is Gay*). The resolution calls on schools to follow best practices for book challenges, protect students’ access to diverse materials, and return books removed from military schools under recent executive orders. It directly addresses students, educators, librarians, and authors impacted by censorship, emphasizing that such bans threaten free expression and democratic values.

Maddy summaryHR 5705 requires the federal government to reimburse state agencies for funds they use to maintain participation in the WIC program during a government shutdown. It directly affects states that cover WIC costs using their own money when federal funding lapses. The bill establishes a process where states can seek reimbursement from the federal government after the shutdown ends. This ensures states aren’t burdened with costs for a federal funding gap that impacts nutrition assistance for women, infants, and children.

Maddy summaryHR 5707, the Voter Purge Protection Act, sets strict standards for states removing voters from registration lists. It requires states to use only objective, reliable evidence (like proof of death or moved residence) to remove voters - not factors like not voting or not responding to notices - and mandates 48-hour written notice to affected voters with reinstatement instructions. States must also issue public notices about removal programs to help voters verify their status. This bill directly affects state election officials and voters whose registration might be challenged, aiming to prevent improper removals under the National Voter Registration Act. It amends existing federal voting laws to enforce these new verification and notice requirements.

Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025 This bill provides back pay to employees of federal contractors who lost pay due to a lapse in appropriations (i.e., government shutdown) in FY2026. Specifically, the bill provides appropriations for federal agencies that are subject to a lapse in appropriations in FY2026 to adjust the price of contracts to compensate federal contractors for providing back pay to employees who were affected by the lapse in appropriations.  The agencies must adjust the price of any contract for which the contractor stopped, suspended, delayed, or interrupted all or part of the work under the contract due to the lapse in appropriations. The price adjustment must compensate the contractor for reasonable costs incurred to (1) compensate employees who were furloughed or laid off, were not working, or experienced a reduction of hours or compensation due to the lapse in appropriations; or (2) restore paid leave taken by employees during the lapse in appropriations if the contractor required or permitted employees to use paid leave as a result of the lapse in appropriations. The maximum amount of weekly compensation of an employee for which an adjustment may be made under this bill may not exceed the lesser of (1) the employee's actual weekly compensation, or (2) $1,442 (or a lesser amount pro-rated for an employee who works less than 40 hours per week). The bill also requires the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to submit a report to Congress on the adjustments made under this bill.

Maddy summaryHR 5664, the Living Wage for Musicians Act of 2025, requires music streaming services to add a $4-$10 fee per subscription (50% of the subscription cost) to fund a new royalty program. This fee is collected from subscribers and deposited into the Artist Compensation Royalty Fund, which then distributes 90% of funds to featured artists based on their share of qualifying streams and 10% to a union fund for non-featured artists like session musicians. The bill directly affects streaming platforms (service providers) and musicians, including those not prominently featured on recordings. It creates a mandatory payment mechanism tied to streaming activity, with funds distributed quarterly after service providers submit required revenue data.

Maddy summaryHR 5655, the "No Shame at School Act of 2025," requires schools to eliminate stigma around unpaid meal fees for students. It mandates that school districts automatically certify eligible students for free/reduced meals (replacing "may" with "shall"), prohibits physical segregation or public identification of students with unpaid fees (like special tokens or name lists), and bans withholding grades or activities due to meal debt. The bill also prevents schools from using debt collectors for meal fees and requires adjustments to past meal claims when eligibility is later confirmed. This directly affects schools, local educational agencies, and students from households with outstanding meal fees.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents federal agencies from terminating employees during a government shutdown caused by a lapse in discretionary funding. It prohibits removals of civil service employees at any agency affected by a funding gap, and if an employee is wrongfully removed, they can return to their job with back pay once funding resumes. The law directly protects all federal employees covered by the civil service system during shutdowns. It applies automatically to any funding lapse, requiring automatic reinstatement without needing separate legal action.