Rep. Kweisi Mfume

Maddy summaryHR 1638, the CROWN Act of 2025, prohibits discrimination based on hair texture or hairstyle that is commonly associated with race or national origin, particularly affecting Black individuals who wear natural or protective styles like braids, locs, cornrows, twists, or Afros. The bill explicitly expands protections under existing federal civil rights laws (including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act) to cover hair-based discrimination in federally funded programs, housing, public accommodations, employment, and equal rights. It requires schools, employers, and other entities receiving federal funds to eliminate grooming policies that disproportionately target these hairstyles. The law clarifies that such discrimination violates federal law and provides enforcement through existing civil rights mechanisms.

Maddy summaryEthan's Law requires gun owners to store firearms securely in homes where minors live or where residents are legally prohibited from owning guns. It makes it unlawful to leave firearms unsecured if a minor or ineligible person could access them, with fines of $500 per violation and harsher penalties if injury or death occurs. The bill creates a federal grant program to help states implement similar secure storage laws and treats unsafe storage as negligence in legal cases. It directly affects households with children or residents who cannot legally possess firearms, aiming to reduce accidental shootings and unauthorized access.

Maddy summaryHR 825 prohibits financial assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA) for small businesses where an associate (officer, director, owner over 20%, or controlling entity) is finally convicted of financial misconduct related to specific covered loans or grants. It directly affects small businesses associated with individuals convicted of fraud involving SBA pandemic loans (like those under Section 7(b) during COVID-19) or pandemic relief grants (from the American Rescue Plan Act or Economic Aid Act). The bill adds new ineligibility rules to the Small Business Act, barring most SBA assistance except for standard Section 7(b) loans, while defining "finally convicted" as a conviction no longer subject to appeal. This targets fraud in federal aid programs by blocking assistance to businesses linked to convicted individuals.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Comptroller General to produce a report analyzing actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency (created by an executive order). The report must evaluate how those actions - like reducing civil service staff, ending or pausing federal programs - affect the U.S.'s long-term financial, public health, and safety interests. It also must check if the department followed privacy laws (Privacy Act of 1974) and federal program rules. The report must be submitted to Congress by December 31, 2025. The bill directly affects the Department of Government Efficiency and Congress through this mandated oversight.

Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2025 This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Coast Guard for pay and benefits when there is a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse. Under the bill, a  Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs when (1) a bill providing appropriations for the Coast Guard for a fiscal year has not been enacted before the beginning of that fiscal year, and no joint resolution providing continuing appropriations for the Coast Guard is in effect; and (2) a bill providing appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for the fiscal year has been enacted before the beginning of the fiscal year, or a joint resolution providing continuing appropriation for DOD is in effect.  If a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs, the bill provides appropriations to the Coast Guard for pay and allowances for military members of the Coast Guard who perform active service or inactive-duty training; pay and benefits for certain civilian employees and contract employees; the payment of a death gratuity; payments for travel related to funerals, the dignified transfer of remains, and unit memorial services; and the temporary continuation of the basic allowance for housing for dependents of members of the Coast Guard dying on active duty. The bill generally provides the appropriations to the Coast Guard until the earlier of the enactment of specified Coast Guard appropriations legislation, the termination of the availability of appropriations for DOD, or two weeks after the beginning of the Coast Guard-specific funding lapse.

Maddy summaryHR 1544, the LEASH DOGE Act, requires the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to report detailed information about its employees and operations to Congress. Specifically, it mandates a report listing all DOGE employees with their roles, background check results, security clearances, and conflict of interest disclosures; appearances before congressional committees; and a public website updated weekly with employee data, funding reductions, and contact information for public inquiries. The bill sets a March 31, 2025, deadline for compliance, with penalties including restrictions on using federal funds for DOGE activities or new DOGE Agency Teams until requirements are met. It directly affects DOGE leadership, its employees, and congressional oversight committees. The law focuses on transparency about DOGE’s staffing and budget decisions, not policy outcomes.

Maddy summaryThe Food Deserts Act (HR 484) creates a federal grant program to help establish grocery stores in underserved communities by providing capitalization grants to states. States would use these grants to build revolving funds that make low-interest loans to grocery stores meeting specific criteria, such as offering unprocessed foods, affordable pricing, and local hiring. The program prioritizes stores that source from local farms, provide nutrition education, and commit to keeping healthy foods in stock, while requiring applicants to contribute 20% of loan costs from non-federal funds. It authorizes $150 million for fiscal year 2026 to support these loans, which must be repaid over up to 30 years to replenish the revolving fund for future use.

Justice for All Act of 2025 This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or race-related characteristics in schools, businesses, federally funded programs, and other settings. It also provides statutory authority for and expands the types of civil actions that may be brought for violations. For example, the bill expands provisions under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 so as to (1) prohibit federally funded programs from discriminating based on sex or religion; and (2) prohibit public accommodations, including stores and transit services, from discriminating based on sex. The bill defines sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. It also expands the definition of race to include traits that have been historically associated with race (e.g., natural hair textures). The expanded definitions apply to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Fair Housing Act (discrimination in public and private housing), and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (discrimination based on sex in federally funded educational programs). Further, the bill provides statutory authority for disparate impact or intentional discrimination claims under the aforementioned acts, as well as the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (discrimination based on age by federally funded programs) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (discrimination based on disability by federally funded programs). The bill also includes other provisions that address (1) profiling by law enforcement officers, (2) employer liability with respect to civil rights violations, (3) predispute arbitration agreements in civil rights cases, and (4) governmental immunity in suits involving constitutional violations.

Maddy summaryHR 1330 establishes the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino, authorizing its location within the National Mall's "Reserve" area. The bill requires the Smithsonian Board to coordinate with federal agencies managing potential museum sites, including notifying relevant congressional committees before land transfers. It mandates that the museum's exhibits and programs accurately represent the diverse cultures, histories, and viewpoints of Hispanic and Latino communities in the U.S., seeking input from a broad range of community experts. The Smithsonian must also submit regular reports to Congress detailing compliance with these representation requirements.

More Homes on the Market Act This bill increases the amount of gain from the sale of a principal residence that an individual may exclude from gross income (for federal tax purposes). Under the bill, an individual may exclude from gross income gain from the sale of a principal residence of up to $500,000 (currently $250,000), and taxpayers who are married and file a joint federal income tax return may exclude up to $1 million (currently $500.000). The bill also requires these amounts to be adjusted annually for inflation.