Rep. Lori Trahan

Maddy summaryHR 2672, the Religious Workforce Protection Act, extends temporary nonimmigrant status for religious workers whose applications for permanent residency (green cards) are delayed due to visa backlogs. It directly affects religious workers (such as pastors or missionaries) who are principal or derivative beneficiaries of pending immigrant petitions under specific visa categories, allowing them to maintain their work status beyond the usual 5-year limit while their green card applications are processed. Key provisions include granting extensions until a final decision is made on their adjustment of status application, modifying rules to allow limited job flexibility for these workers, and exempting them from a 1-year foreign residence requirement if they left the U.S. due to the prior 5-year cap. The bill aims to prevent religious workers from losing their legal status during lengthy immigration processing.

Maddy summaryHR 2678, "Ellie’s Law," authorizes $20 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to conduct new research on unruptured brain aneurysms. The funding specifically aims to study diverse patient populations by age, sex, and race, addressing gaps in current research. This bill directly affects the estimated 6.8 million Americans with unruptured brain aneurysms - particularly women and people of color, who face higher rupture risks - by advancing medical understanding of the condition. The law requires the funds to supplement, not replace, existing research budgets.

Maddy summaryThe Tax Fairness for Workers Act (HR 2671) would allow certain employees to deduct work-related expenses directly from their gross income. Specifically, it creates an above-the-line deduction for union dues (amending IRC Section 62(a)(1)) and reinstates a deduction for other out-of-pocket work costs like uniforms or tools (amending IRC Section 67(g)), effective for 2025 tax years. This directly affects union members and workers with significant job-related expenses who previously could not deduct these costs. The bill removes the prior limitation that barred these deductions, making them available without needing to itemize. The policy change simplifies tax filing for affected workers by treating these expenses as deductible business costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 2253 (Puppy Protection Act of 2025), sets new federal standards for commercial dog dealers who sell puppies to the public. It requires specific housing sizes based on dog size (e.g., 12-30 square feet per dog), daily exercise in safe outdoor areas, clean water and nutritious food twice daily, and annual veterinary exams including dental checks. The bill also limits breeding frequency (max 2 litters in 25 months), sets age minimums for breeding (18 months for small dogs, 2 years for large dogs), and mandates health screenings to prevent genetic diseases. These requirements apply directly to commercial dealers, with final regulations to be issued within 18 months of enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 2102 (Major Richard Star Act), allows veterans with combat-related disabilities to receive both full military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation simultaneously, without the previous offset that reduced retired pay. It directly affects veterans already eligible for both benefits due to combat-related injuries, removing the requirement that their retired pay be reduced by the disability compensation amount. The key provision amends Title 10 and Title 38 to eliminate the offset rule (sections 5304 and 5305 of Title 38) for these veterans. The change applies to payments starting after the bill’s enactment date, effective for all qualifying veterans. This is a policy change to increase financial support for affected veterans, not a new benefit.

Maddy summaryThe IDEA Full Funding Act (HR 2598) mandates specific annual federal funding levels for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), directly affecting schools and students with disabilities nationwide. It requires the federal government to appropriate either a fixed dollar amount or a specified percentage (increasing annually from 4.5% to 40%) of a calculated total - based on the number of eligible students and average per-pupil costs - starting in fiscal year 2026 through 2035. The bill sets clear, escalating funding targets, with the higher of two calculated amounts (dollar figure or percentage) becoming available for obligation each fiscal year. This establishes a binding financial commitment to address long-standing underfunding of special education services under IDEA.

Maddy summaryHR 2612, the DELETE Act, creates a system allowing individuals to request deletion of their personal data from data brokers through a single online portal. Data brokers must register annually with the FTC and implement a centralized deletion system, requiring them to delete personal information within 31 days of a request (with limited exceptions for legal requirements or research). The FTC enforces compliance through annual audits, mandatory reporting on deletion completion rates, and penalties for violations. This directly affects companies that collect personal information without a direct customer relationship and sell or share it with third parties.

Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act This bill requires the Department of Labor to address workplace violence in health care, social service, and similar sectors. Specifically, Labor must issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires certain employers to take actions to protect workers and other personnel from workplace violence. The standard applies to employers in the health care sector, in the social service sector, and in sectors that conduct activities similar to those in the health care and social service sectors. Among other elements, the standard must require each employer to (1) develop a workplace violence prevention plan, (2) promptly investigate incidents of workplace violence, and (3) provide relevant training and education to employees.  The bill requires certain hospitals and skilled nursing facilities to comply with this standard as a condition of Medicare participation.

Maddy summaryHR 2585, the Armenian Genocide Education Act, establishes a federal program through the Library of Congress to develop educational resources about the 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide for K-12 schools. It requires the Librarian to create and distribute accurate teaching materials, provide teacher training workshops, and maintain an online resource hub focused on the genocide's history, lessons, and prevention of hate. The program directly supports local educational agencies, independent schools, and educators by offering professional development and curriculum resources. It defines key terms like "denial" and "distortion" to guide the educational content, aiming to improve understanding of this historical event and its relevance to preventing modern-day hate crimes.

Maddy summaryHR 2586, the Reentry Act of 2025, amends Medicaid rules to allow incarcerated individuals to receive Medicaid coverage during the 30 days immediately before their release from prison or jail. This directly affects people leaving correctional facilities, ensuring they can access health care as they transition back into communities. The bill requires a report within 18 months analyzing current health care standards in prisons, the number of people who would gain coverage, and current discharge practices to improve Medicaid enrollment for newly released individuals. The report will also assess how to better connect people with community health services and addiction treatment after release.