Rep. Summer L. Lee

Working for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment Act or the WISE Act This bill expands eligibility for U nonimmigrant visas (victims of criminal activity) and prohibits immigration enforcement activities in specified areas. Generally, U visas are for victims of specified crimes (e.g., rape, trafficking, or domestic violence) who assist with the investigation or prosecution of the crime. The bill adds hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse as crimes that may qualify a victim for a U visa and removes criteria related to the victim's assistance with the investigation or prosecution of the crime.   Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must provide work authorization to U visa applicants, whereas currently DHS may grant work authorization but is not required to do so. The bill also eliminates the annual numerical cap on U visas.  The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that certain individuals, including U visa applicants and T visa (victims of human trafficking) applicants, shall not be detained while the application is pending. Additionally, the bill provides immigration-related protections, such as by extending the admission period and providing work authorization, to the spouse or child of a nonimmigrant visa holder who subjected that spouse or child to battery or extreme cruelty. Further, the bill prohibits, with some exceptions for exigent circumstances, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection from conducting immigration enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of a school, health care facility, place of worship, or other location specified in the bill.

Maddy summaryHR 2881, the COAST Anti-Drilling Act of 2025, prohibits the federal government from issuing new oil and gas leases in four specific coastal planning areas: the North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida. This directly affects the Department of the Interior (specifically the Secretary) and oil and gas companies seeking to explore or develop resources in these regions. The bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to ban all new leasing authorizations in these areas, as defined by the 2024-2029 leasing program notice. It does not affect existing leases or operations but prevents future development in these designated coastal zones.

Maddy summaryHR 2809, the Fair College Admissions for Students Act, prohibits colleges and universities receiving federal funding under the Higher Education Act from giving preferential treatment in admissions based on applicants' relationships to donors or alumni. This directly affects all eligible institutions by requiring them to eliminate legacy preferences (for alumni relatives) and donor-based advantages from their admissions processes. The bill amends Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act to add this ban, effective for the second award year following its enactment. The policy change mandates that admissions decisions must be based solely on applicant qualifications, not family connections to the institution.

Maddy summaryHR 2857, the "Drain the Swamp Act," makes Executive Order 13989 a permanent law requiring all executive branch employees to submit annual ethics commitments. This directly affects federal workers in the executive branch, including department heads and agency staff, by mandating formal ethics disclosures as a legal requirement. The key provision codifies an existing executive order - previously changeable by presidential decree - into binding law, ensuring these ethics rules persist across administrations. This change shifts the enforcement of ethics commitments from executive policy to statutory obligation without altering the content of the requirements.

Maddy summaryHRES 187 is a resolution of inquiry requesting the President to provide the House of Representatives with complete, unedited documents within 14 days. It specifically asks for records related to federal employees placed on administrative leave, removed, terminated, or reassigned following actions by Elon Musk, the DOGE agency team, or the Trump administration. The resolution also seeks documents about workforce reductions affecting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) staff and communications regarding the removal of inspectors general. This procedural request aims to obtain transparency on executive branch actions, not to enact new policy.

Maddy summaryHRES 186 is a procedural resolution requesting the President to provide unredacted documents to the House of Representatives within 14 days. It specifically asks for any records related to Elon Musk’s government connections, including his role with the fictional "DOGE Service," potential conflicts of interest, and business ties involving his companies or board positions. The resolution does not create new law but seeks transparency about Musk’s government-related activities as requested by the House. This is a formal inquiry, not a legislative action affecting public policy.

Maddy summaryHR 2767, the BRAIN Act, aims to advance brain tumor research and improve patient care by requiring the NIH to create a public database of tumor samples collected with federal funding. It authorizes $50 million annually for a Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network to accelerate treatment development and $10 million for cellular immunotherapy research (including CAR-T therapies) targeting brain tumors. The bill also mandates a national awareness campaign to increase understanding of cancer clinical trials and biomarker testing, plus $5 million yearly for pilot programs studying survivor care coordination and follow-up services. Additionally, it directs the FDA to issue guidance ensuring brain tumor patients can access clinical trials. These provisions directly affect patients, researchers, and healthcare providers focused on brain tumors and rare cancers.

Maddy summaryThe American Family Act (HR 2763) establishes a new refundable child tax credit that provides monthly payments to eligible families with children. It would pay $300 per month for each child under age 6 and $360 per month (120% of $300) for each child age 6 or older, with income limits of $150,000 for joint filers and $112,500 for other filers. The bill creates a "period of presumptive eligibility" to determine eligibility for monthly payments, allowing families to receive advance payments based on information from previous tax returns. This would directly affect millions of families with children who meet the income requirements, providing more consistent financial support throughout the year rather than an annual tax credit.

Maddy summaryHR 2799, the Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2025, prohibits the sale, possession, and modification of devices that increase the firing rate of semi-automatic firearms to mimic machine guns (commonly called "bump stocks"). It specifically bans manual, power-driven, or electronic devices designed to speed up firing, as well as modified firearms that achieve this effect. Owners of pre-existing modified firearms must register them within 120 days of the law's enactment, with exemptions for government entities and firearms already lawfully modified and registered before the bill passes. The bill does not restrict standard semi-automatic firearms or require registration of unmodified guns.

Maddy summaryThe Raise the Wage Act of 2025 gradually increases the federal minimum wage from $9.50 to $17.00 per hour over six years, with annual adjustments based on median wage growth. It raises the base wage for tipped workers from $6.00 to $17.00 per hour, phasing out their separate minimum wage structure by 2029. The bill also eliminates special minimum wage certificates for disabled workers after 2029, requiring employers to pay the standard minimum wage. These changes apply to most covered workers, including tipped employees and those under 20, with specific transition timelines for each group.