Rep. Sharice Davids

Maddy summaryThe John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023 would strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by updating the criteria for which states and localities must obtain federal preclearance before changing voting practices. It would establish new standards for proving vote dilution and vote denial by requiring courts to consider historical discrimination, racial polarization in voting, and whether voting practices disproportionately burden minority voters. The bill would also require states and localities to provide public notice of voting changes and share demographic data about polling locations. These changes would primarily affect jurisdictions with a history of voting rights violations, aiming to prevent discriminatory voting practices before they take effect.

Maddy summaryThe Humane Cosmetics Act of 2023 bans cosmetic animal testing in the United States, prohibiting companies from conducting or contracting such testing after its enactment (effective 1 year later). It also bans selling or transporting cosmetics developed using animal testing conducted after that date within U.S. interstate commerce. The law directly affects cosmetic manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers operating in the U.S. market, requiring them to use non-animal testing methods for safety evaluations. Exceptions exist for foreign regulatory requirements or when no alternative testing methods are available for specific ingredients.

Maddy summaryThis resolution supports designating September 22 as "National Military and Veterans Suicide Awareness Day" to raise public awareness about suicide prevention among active-duty service members and veterans. It does not create new policies or funding but aims to highlight mental health challenges like PTSD and depression that contribute to higher suicide rates in these communities. The resolution emphasizes reducing stigma and encouraging help-seeking during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month (September). It directly affects military personnel, veterans, and the public by promoting national attention to this issue through a designated awareness day.

Women's Business Centers Improvement Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes the Women's Business Center Program through FY2027, raises the cap on individual center grants, establishes an accreditation program for grant recipients, and revises the duties of the Office of Women's Business Ownership. Specifically, the bill modifies the Women's Business Center Program to enable the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide initial and continuation grants to eligible entities to operate women's business centers for the benefit of women-owned small businesses. The SBA must also publish standards for a program to accredit entities that receive grants from the Women's Business Center Program, and such entities' receipt of continuation grants shall be contingent upon their obtaining accreditation.

Maddy summaryHR 5295, the Expanding the VOTE Act, modifies Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act to expand language access for voters. It requires states and localities to provide voting materials (including ballots and instructions) in the language of covered language minority groups, with new provisions for American Indian and Alaska Native languages requiring tribal government consultation for unwritten languages. The bill creates $15 million in grants to help jurisdictions provide voting materials in languages that don’t currently trigger Section 203 coverage, while mandating continued provision for those groups in future elections. It also directs a study to evaluate lowering population thresholds for language protections and expanding the definition of covered languages.

Maddy summaryHR 5244, the Fusion Energy Act, creates a new regulatory framework specifically for fusion energy machines - defined as particle accelerators that fuse atomic nuclei for commercial or industrial use. It amends the Atomic Energy Act to include fusion machines under existing byproduct material rules and establishes a "technology-inclusive" licensing process for their development. The bill requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to report within one year on risk-based licensing frameworks for mass-produced fusion machines, potentially modeling them after FAA aircraft certification. This legislation directly affects fusion technology developers and the NRC, streamlining future regulatory pathways without providing new funding.

Maddy summaryHR 4745, the Delivering for Rural Seniors Act of 2023, creates a pilot program to expand home delivery of food packages under the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for low-income seniors in rural areas. The bill authorizes $10 million annually (2024-2026) for competitive grants to state agencies, which must prioritize rural service providers to cover costs like transportation, staffing, and outreach for home delivery. It requires grantees to report on delivery metrics, costs, and effectiveness annually. The program directly affects rural CSFP participants facing transportation barriers to accessing food assistance.

Maddy summaryThe ReConnecting Rural America Act of 2023 provides federal funding through grants, loans, and combinations of both to build broadband infrastructure in rural areas. It requires projects to provide at least 100 Mbps downstream and 100 Mbps upstream service, with priority given to areas where at least 90% of households lack such service. The bill authorizes $650 million annually from 2024-2028 for this program, targeting rural communities that currently lack adequate broadband access, while requiring cost-sharing of up to 25% and technical assistance for applicants. Eligible entities include state/local governments, tribes, cooperatives, and corporations, but not individuals or general partnerships. The program will expire on September 30, 2028.

This bill requires various changes to the passport application process and addresses related issues. The bill requires all U.S. regular passports to contain a written notice advising travelers (1) to check travel.state.gov for updated travel warnings, (2) to register with the Department of State prior to overseas travel, (3) that many countries deny entry to travelers whose passport expires within six months, and (4) to renew their passports within at least one year of the expiration date.  Further, the bill makes permanent existing State Department authority to assess a surcharge on the passport application fee to cover the costs of increased demand prompted by certain legal requirements. This authority currently expires on September 30, 2026.  For three years starting from this bill's enactment, the State Department may use direct hire authority to expedite the hiring of individuals into Passport and Visa Examining positions (Series 0967). Finally, the bill requires the Department of State to report to Congress about passport processing wait times, agency plans for a public outreach campaign, and related information.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides grants to behavioral health providers (like psychiatrists, community mental health centers, and substance use treatment facilities) to adopt certified health information technology. Eligible providers can receive up to $2 million per grant for up to two years to purchase or upgrade software that meets federal certification standards, enabling electronic sharing of patient data with primary care doctors, hospitals, and emergency departments. The grants require providers to demonstrate improved care coordination for mental health and substance use disorders, including bidirectional data exchange and use of standardized quality metrics. The program requires annual reporting to Congress on outcomes like data-sharing rates and impacts on care access, with $20 million authorized annually for fiscal years 2025-2029.