Rep. Betty McCollum

Maddy summaryHR 7608, the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act of 2026, prevents the deportation of eligible Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese nationals who entered the U.S. before January 1, 2008, and have continuously resided here since. The bill halts removals for these individuals, grants them permanent work authorization with 5-year permits renewable indefinitely, and eliminates in-person check-ins for immigration supervision. It also requires immigration authorities to reopen past deportation cases for eligible individuals, allowing them to seek relief under the Act’s provisions without retroactive penalties. This directly affects approximately 15,000 long-term Southeast Asian residents, many of whom arrived as child refugees following conflicts the U.S. was involved in.

Maddy summaryHR 7599 creates a federal framework for extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), allowing family members or law enforcement to petition courts to temporarily prohibit individuals from possessing firearms when they pose a risk of harm to themselves or others. The bill establishes a process for issuing ex parte orders (up to 14 days) followed by a hearing within 72 hours to determine if a longer-term order (up to 180 days) should be issued, requiring respondents to surrender firearms to U.S. Marshals or designated law enforcement. Courts must consider specific factors like recent threats, violence, substance abuse, or cruelty to animals before issuing orders, with no fees for petitioners. The law requires law enforcement training to address bias, includes annual reporting requirements, and ensures firearms are returned once the order expires and the individual is eligible to own firearms under federal law.

Maddy summaryHR 7543, the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act, prohibits plastic pellets and pre-production plastic materials from being discharged into waterways through wastewater, spills, or runoff from specific facilities. It directly affects plastic manufacturing, molding, packaging, and transportation facilities regulated under existing environmental rules. Within 60 days of enactment, the EPA must issue a rule banning these discharges and update all relevant wastewater, stormwater, and performance standards in permits. The law requires all permits and standards for these facilities to reflect the new ban, ensuring plastic pellets cannot enter water systems. This is a concrete regulatory change to prevent plastic pollution at its source.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most employers to provide workers with earned paid sick leave. Employees would earn 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours per year, which can be used for their own illness, medical care, caring for family members (including children, parents, spouses, domestic partners, or other family-like relationships), or addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking situations. The bill prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who use this leave and requires employers to inform employees about their rights. It ensures that workers who leave and return to the same employer within a year can reinstate their unused sick leave. This law would not override more generous state or local paid leave policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the U.S. Secretary of State to certify within 30 days of enactment that sufficient food assistance is being provided to Gaza civilians, ensuring all children receive at least three nutritious meals daily and all other civilians receive at least two. It mandates detailed reporting to Congress on food distribution amounts, beneficiaries, donors, and distribution methods, along with coordination protocols with UN agencies, other donors, and the Government of Israel. The bill also requires immediate notification to Congress if food aid is denied entry, diverted, or misused in Gaza, including specific details about the incident and response. The policy directly affects Palestinian civilians in Gaza by setting concrete nutritional standards for aid delivery, while the U.S. government (through the State Department) is the primary entity responsible for implementation and reporting.

Maddy summaryHR 7545 prohibits U.S. security assistance funds from being used to support Israeli military actions that violate international law, specifically targeting the detention of Palestinian minors, destruction of Palestinian property, and unilateral annexation of occupied land. It requires annual certifications from the State Department confirming U.S. funds aren't supporting these activities and mandates detailed reports on Israeli detention practices, property seizures, and settlement compliance. The bill directly affects U.S. security aid to Israel, including Foreign Military Financing and offshore procurement funds for defense articles. Key mechanisms include funding restrictions, annual reporting requirements, and a GAO report analyzing how offshore procurement funds impact Israel’s military budget and settlement activities.

Maddy summaryHRES 1058 is a non-binding House resolution recognizing the federal government’s duty to develop a Transgender Bill of Rights. It calls for specific policy changes, including amending civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity in employment, housing, and public accommodations; protecting access to gender-affirming medical care; and streamlining legal recognition of gender identity on federal documents like passports and voter registration. The resolution also proposes expanding protections for transgender and nonbinary individuals in healthcare, education, immigration, and correctional facilities, while emphasizing community-led policy development. As a resolution, it does not create new law but sets a framework for future legislative action.

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026 This bill provides FY2026 appropriations for various agencies and offices within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), except for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and management and oversight activities of the Office of the Secretary. Specifically, the bill provides appropriations to DHS for  the Federal Protective Service, the Office of Inspector General, the Transportation Security Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Secret Service, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, and the Science and Technology Directorate. The bill does not provide appropriations for some agencies and activities that have been funded in prior DHS appropriations acts, including ICE, CBP, and management and oversight activities of the Office of the Secretary.

Maddy summaryHR 3190, the BRAVE Burma Act, extends sanctions authority for Burma by 10 years and requires annual reports on whether specific Burmese entities - like state-owned enterprises, Myanma Economic Bank, and jet fuel sector operators - meet sanctions criteria. It also limits Burma's potential increase in International Monetary Fund shareholding if the military-led State Administration Council remains in power. The bill creates a U.S. Special Envoy for Burma to coordinate all diplomatic and sanctions policy, develop multilateral sanctions strategies, and work with international partners on issues like arms embargoes and support for Burmese civil society. These provisions directly affect Burmese military entities, Burma's IMF representation, and U.S. diplomatic efforts toward Burma.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the military to approve leave for abortion and fertility care without commanders needing to know the specific procedure. It mandates reimbursement for travel, lodging, meals, and transportation costs when care isn't available nearby, and prohibits punishment for using this leave. It directly affects active-duty service members and their dependents who face barriers to reproductive care due to military restrictions or location. The policy change removes command discretion in approving leave for time-sensitive reproductive health services.