Rep. Haley M. Stevens

American Teacher Act This bill establishes grants to increase the minimum salary of public elementary and secondary school teachers. It also authorizes a national campaign regarding the value of the teaching profession. First, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award four-year grants to state educational agencies (SEAs) and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies to establish a minimum annual salary of $60,000 (to be adjusted annually for inflation) for these teachers. Second, the bill directs ED to award grants to eligible SEAs to provide cost-of-living adjustments to the annual base salary of teachers. Finally, the bill authorizes ED to carry out a national campaign to (1) increase awareness about the importance of teachers and the value of the teaching profession, (2) encourage secondary school and college students to consider teaching as a professional career, and (3) diversify the pool of individuals who enter the teaching profession.

Maddy summaryHR 1954, the "Do No Harm Act," amends the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to clarify that RFRA does not override specific federal laws protecting against harm. It explicitly exempts provisions related to anti-discrimination (like the Civil Rights Act), workplace protections (wages, leave, collective activity), child safety, and healthcare access from RFRA's requirements. The bill ensures RFRA cannot be used to challenge government programs or contracts that provide these essential protections. It also clarifies that RFRA applies only to disputes involving government as a party, not private disputes between individuals. This change preserves existing legal safeguards while modifying RFRA's scope.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores pension benefits for retirees affected by the termination of specific Delphi pension plans. It requires the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to recalculate monthly benefits to the "full vested plan benefit" (the amount retirees would have received without prior reductions) and pay lump-sum payments for past underpayments, including 6% annual interest. The law applies to retirees of six Delphi pension plans, including the Delphi Hourly-Rate Employees Pension Plan and Delphi Retirement Program for Salaried Employees, who are currently receiving benefits or eligible for future payments. Payments will be funded from existing PBGC resources without changing prior asset allocations.

Maddy summaryThis symbolic resolution (HRES 194) designates March 6, 2025, as "Great Lakes Day" to honor the Great Lakes region. It does not create new laws or funding but expresses non-binding support for the designation and recognizes the lakes' importance to the region's environment, economy (serving 40 million people, supporting $3.1 trillion in GDP), and cultural heritage. The resolution calls for continued preservation efforts through existing programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. It directly affects the eight Great Lakes-bordering states (MI, WI, MN, OH, IN, IL, PA, NY) and their residents.

Maddy summaryHR 1892 establishes a federal grant program to fund wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the U.S. The program, authorized with $250 million, provides competitive grants (capped at $25 million per project) to states, transit agencies, and other eligible entities to build or improve wireless charging systems for vehicles - prioritizing fleets (like buses and trucks), underserved communities, and projects that reduce range anxiety. Grants cover up to 80% of project costs, require adherence to Davis-Bacon wage standards, and mandate Buy America rules for equipment. This directly affects local governments and transit providers implementing EV charging networks while aiming to expand EV adoption through accessible, grid-friendly infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by clarifying how to prove voting discrimination and expanding requirements for preclearance of voting changes. It establishes new standards for determining when voting practices dilute minority voting strength or deny/abridge voting rights, requiring plaintiffs to show specific conditions for vote dilution claims and including factors like historical discrimination and racial polarization in court analyses. The bill modifies the criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must seek preclearance for voting changes, and adds new transparency requirements for jurisdictions to publicly disclose changes to voting qualifications, polling locations, and election districts. It directly affects states and local governments that implement voting policies, particularly those with a history of voting rights violations or that make changes to voting qualifications, procedures, or district boundaries. The bill aims to prevent discriminatory voting practices by providing clearer standards for courts and requiring greater transparency in voting rule changes.

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 1835 (MERIT Act) provides reinstatement or compensation to federal employees who were terminated during a specific mass layoff period (January 20, 2025, through the bill’s enactment date). Affected probationary employees - newly hired workers on a trial period or not yet permanent - can choose to return to a similar position with matching benefits or receive a lump-sum payment covering the pay difference between their terminated role and any new federal job they held during the layoff period. Agencies must notify affected employees within 30 days and offer reinstatement or payment within 90 days, with employees required to accept or decline within 30 days to avoid losing eligibility. The bill defines "mass termination" as 15+ separations in a 30-day period by a single agency.

Maddy summaryHRES 180 is a non-binding House resolution supporting the designation of March 2025 as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. It does not create new laws or funding but encourages public awareness and educational activities about colorectal cancer prevention, screening, and early detection. The resolution highlights that colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. and that regular screening could prevent up to 60% of related deaths. It urges the public and healthcare organizations to observe the month with educational efforts to address low screening rates among adults over 50. This resolution has no direct legal effect but aligns with annual awareness campaigns.

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.