Rep. Ritchie Torres

Maddy summaryThis resolution symbolically recognizes April 11-17, 2024, as the seventh annual "Black Maternal Health Week." It highlights the disproportionately high maternal mortality and morbidity rates faced by Black women in the U.S., citing data showing Black women are 2-3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. The resolution emphasizes systemic racism, healthcare inequities, and barriers like limited access to care as key factors contributing to these disparities. It calls for policy action - including support for the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act - but does not create new laws or allocate funding.

Maddy summaryHR 8080, the CARE Act, requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a mandatory after-action program to review responses to public health emergencies. The program must identify solutions for issues found, improve agency collaboration, and incorporate feedback from state, local, and community partners. It also mandates an annual Inspector General evaluation and detailed reporting on areas like emergency planning, communication protocols, resource management, and infection prevention. Additionally, the bill requires HHS to create a risk communication strategy ensuring public health messages are clear, culturally sensitive, accessible, and translated into relevant languages for at-risk populations. The bill directly affects HHS operations and its agencies' emergency response processes, focusing on procedural improvements rather than new policy changes.

Maddy summaryThe HEIRS Act of 2024 establishes grant programs to help homeowners resolve ownership issues with "heirs' property" - residential land passed to multiple heirs without a will, held as shared ownership. It provides $30 million annually (2025-2035) to states and local governments that adopt the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, covering costs like title reports, legal fees, and estate planning. Additionally, it allocates $10 million yearly (2025-2029) for direct assistance through HUD-approved counselors and nonprofits, prioritizing minority and low-to-moderate-income homeowners in high-need neighborhoods. The law requires housing counselors to explain heirs' property risks and available solutions, aiming to clarify ownership and prevent displacement.

Maddy summaryHR 8099, the CRED Act, requires the Federal Housing Finance Agency to analyze whether mortgage companies should use two credit reports/scores instead of three when processing home loans. This analysis would evaluate potential cost savings for borrowers, changes in loan access, and impacts on lenders, servicers, and credit reporting agencies. The bill mandates publishing this analysis for 90 days of public comment before any new requirement could take effect. It directly affects home loan applicants, mortgage lenders, and the three major credit bureaus. The law does not change current practices but sets a process for future evaluation.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes $53.4 million annually (2025-2031) to fund NIH research focused on reducing maternal deaths and serious pregnancy complications, with specific emphasis on addressing racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities. It directs the NIH to study biological, behavioral, and structural causes of maternal health issues through grants - prioritizing research led by minority scientists and community-based interventions. The initiative aims to improve care before, during, and after pregnancy for all individuals, particularly those in underserved communities facing health disparities. The law does not create new healthcare services but establishes a research framework to inform future policy and care improvements.

Maddy summaryHR 8061, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2024, ensures stable funding for the Crime Victims Fund by directing certain False Claims Act collections into it from 2024 through 2029. Specifically, it adds a provision requiring that amounts collected under the False Claims Act (excluding whistleblower rewards and government reimbursement for damages) be deposited into the fund during this period. This directly affects crime victims who rely on the fund for services like counseling and emergency aid, as it prevents potential shortfalls in funding. The bill makes a concrete policy change by redirecting specific federal civil penalties into the fund, rather than altering the fund's existing purposes or eligibility rules.

Maddy summaryHR 6408 would amend tax law to revoke the tax-exempt status of organizations providing material support (beyond a minimal amount) to groups designated as terrorists under existing law. It directly affects nonprofit organizations that, within three years of a Treasury designation, supplied resources like funds or equipment to terrorist organizations. Key mechanisms include requiring the Treasury Secretary to send written notice to the organization before designation, granting a 90-day "cure period" to prove no support was provided or return resources, and allowing rescission of the designation if errors occur or notice was not received. The bill applies to tax years beginning after its enactment.

Maddy summaryHRES 1148 is a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that condemns the Iranian government for supporting terrorism, regional proxy conflicts, and internal suppression of dissent - including its crackdown on protests following Mahsa Amini's death in 2022. It specifically calls for maintaining sanctions against Iran, supporting the Iranian Resistance's Ten-Point Plan (which advocates for a democratic, secular, nonnuclear Iran), and protecting Iranian political refugees in Albania. The resolution also affirms the Iranian people's right to self-determination under international law and urges the U.S. to recognize their struggle for freedom. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws but formally expresses congressional stance.

Maddy summaryThe Combating Hate Across Campus Act (HR 7998) requires colleges and universities to collect and report campus hate crime statistics with more detailed demographic breakdowns. It amends the Higher Education Act to mandate that institutions disaggregate hate crime data by the specific identity of the targeted individual or group (such as race, religion, or sexual orientation), using the FBI's most recent hate crime data collection guidelines. This change ensures reports provide precise information about the nature and scope of hate incidents on campus. The requirement applies to all institutions of higher education receiving federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.

Maddy summaryHRES 1135 is a non-binding resolution supporting the "Rise Up for LGBTQI+ Youth in Schools" initiative. It calls for communities to demand equal educational opportunities, civil rights protections, and an end to exclusion for LGBTQI+ students in K-12 schools, particularly transgender, nonbinary, Black, Indigenous, and disabled youth. The resolution encourages states and school districts to adopt policies prohibiting bias-based bullying, harassment, and erasure - such as inclusive sports participation, bathroom access, and curriculum inclusion - without creating new legal requirements. It references growing state-level restrictions targeting LGBTQI+ students, including sports bans and curriculum censorship, as context for the call to action. The resolution itself does not enact new laws but formally recognizes efforts to foster safer, affirming school environments.