Rep. William R. Keating

Maddy summaryThe Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025 strengthens workers' organizing rights by making it an unfair labor practice for employers to threaten permanent replacement of striking workers, discriminate against workers who support unions, or require employees to attend employer campaigns unrelated to their job duties. It expands the definition of "employee" to make it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors and requires employers to post notices about workers' rights in conspicuous locations. The bill establishes a new electronic voting system for union elections, creates a 90-day bargaining period before mediation can be requested, and increases penalties for violations of labor laws. These changes are intended to make it easier for workers to form unions and negotiate better wages and working conditions.

Maddy summaryHR 1781 repeals four executive orders issued on January 20, 2025, which covered energy development, international environmental agreements, a declared energy emergency, and a pause on offshore wind projects. The bill would prevent federal agencies from using funds to implement these orders, effectively halting their enforcement. This directly affects agencies like the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which had been directing actions under these orders. The repeal takes effect immediately upon the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 1787 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring baseball legend Roberto Clemente, including $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar coins, with specific specifications for weight, size, and metal content. The bill requires the coins to feature Clemente's image and commemorative inscriptions, and mandates a surcharge ($35 for gold, $10 for silver, $5 for half-dollar) paid to the Roberto Clemente Foundation for its educational, youth sports, and disaster relief programs. All coins must be minted in 2027, sold at face value plus surcharge and production costs, and will be legal tender. The bill focuses solely on the coin program, not broader policy changes.

Safe Schools Improvement Act This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex. Sex includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (including intersex traits). Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Section 5(e)(6) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 by removing a reference to "subparagraph (B)" and renumbering the following provisions. It does not change SNAP eligibility rules or benefits; it only adjusts the internal numbering of existing provisions. The change takes effect January 1 following enactment. As a procedural amendment, it directly affects how the law is cited but does not alter policy or impact beneficiaries.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HJRES 63) would rename the Robert E. Lee Memorial, a National Park Service site in Arlington, Virginia, to "Arlington House National Historic Site." It directly affects the National Park Service, which manages the site, and all federal government documents, maps, and records referencing the location. The key provision updates all official references to the site to the new name and repeals two prior resolutions that established the memorial. As a procedural renaming bill, it does not create new policies or funding but changes the site's official designation.

Maddy summaryHR 1753 creates two new tax credits to support local journalism and small businesses. It offers a 80% credit (up to $5,000) for eligible small businesses (with <50 full-time employees) that advertise in qualifying local media like community newspapers or FCC-licensed radio/TV stations, reducing to 50% ($2,500 max) after the first year. A separate credit provides 50% (then 30%) of wages paid to local news journalists (at least 200 hours quarterly) for employers whose primary income comes from local newspaper publishing, capped at $12,500 per journalist per quarter. Both credits expire after 5 years and require strict definitions of "local" media to qualify, including having in-community journalists and limiting corporate ownership. The bill directly affects small local news publishers and qualifying small businesses seeking tax relief for local advertising and journalism staffing.

Maddy summaryThe Pell Grant Sustainability Act (HR 1666) requires the federal government to automatically adjust the maximum Pell Grant amount each year based on inflation, starting with $1,060 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This adjustment uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to ensure grants keep pace with rising college costs, directly affecting low-income students who rely on Pell Grants to afford higher education. The bill amends the Higher Education Act to mandate this annual inflation-based increase, rounding the final amount to the nearest $5. It aims to reverse the decades-long decline in grant purchasing power, which covered 80% of college costs in 1974-75 but only 31% by 2022-23.

Maddy summaryThe Keep Americans Safe Act (HR 1674) restricts the sale, transfer, and possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCFDs) - defined as magazines or similar devices holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition - for most individuals. Exceptions allow law enforcement officers (including campus law enforcement), retired officers, and nuclear security personnel to possess LCFDs under specific conditions. The bill requires new LCFDs to have serial numbers and manufacturing dates, permits federal seizure of violative devices, and authorizes federal grant programs to fund buy-back initiatives for LCFDs. It directly affects gun owners and manufacturers while preserving access for covered law enforcement and security personnel.

Maddy summaryHR 1657, the Humane Cosmetics Act of 2025, prohibits cosmetic companies from conducting or contracting animal testing for products sold in the U.S. beginning one year after the law takes effect. It also bans the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using such testing after that date, with limited exemptions (e.g., for foreign regulatory requirements or when no non-animal safety alternatives exist). The bill directly affects cosmetic manufacturers, retailers, and distributors by requiring them to shift to non-animal testing methods. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will enforce the law, including reviewing records and imposing civil penalties for violations.