Rep. Steve Cohen

Maddy summaryHR 2439 authorizes $50 million for fiscal year 2026 and $55 million for 2027 to fund the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), directly supporting its global programs. The bill specifies that these funds will help end preventable maternal deaths, address unmet contraceptive needs, combat gender-based violence, and end harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation. UNFPA operates in over 150 countries, primarily aiding women and girls in developing nations and crisis zones, including those affected by conflict or natural disasters. The bill emphasizes UNFPA’s compliance with U.S. restrictions (not funding abortion) and its role in advancing U.S. strategic interests through voluntary family planning and reproductive health services.

Maddy summaryHR 2415, the Baseball Diplomacy Act, removes U.S. sanctions that previously blocked Cuban professional baseball players from legally entering the United States to play and returning to Cuba with their earnings. It specifically prohibits the use of existing laws to restrict transactions or visas for Cuban nationals entering under a temporary visa for professional baseball purposes. The bill ensures these players can stay in the U.S. only for the baseball season and don’t need new visas for subsequent seasons if they renew their contracts. It directly affects Cuban baseball players seeking to play in U.S. leagues and overrides a 1996 law that had maintained broader restrictions on Cuba. The measure changes concrete policy by eliminating legal barriers to athlete movement, not by altering broader U.S.-Cuba relations.

Maddy summaryHR 2469, the Abortion DOULAS Act, mandates a study by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on abortion doula care - non-clinical support provided by trained professionals before, during, and after abortions. The study will collect data from patients, doulas, and providers to assess benefits, barriers (like cost and limited Medicaid coverage), and accessibility, especially for marginalized communities. It requires a report to Congress within 18 months, including recommendations for integrating abortion doula care into state Medicaid programs. The bill directly affects patients seeking abortion care, abortion doulas, and state Medicaid systems by focusing on evidence-based policy development. It does not alter current coverage but aims to inform future policy changes.

Maddy summaryHR 2467, America's Red Rock Wilderness Act, would designate approximately 1.3 million acres of public land across Utah as wilderness areas, protecting them from development and managing them for conservation. The bill specifically designates 77 wilderness areas in the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau regions, including lands within existing national monuments like Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears. It includes provisions for water rights protection, allows continued livestock grazing under certain conditions, and withdraws the designated lands from mining and mineral leasing. The bill also ensures Tribal rights are protected and requires the Secretary of the Interior to administer these areas according to wilderness management standards.

Maddy summary# Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (2023) - Summary This comprehensive environmental protection bill designates and protects vast areas across the Northern Rockies region of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington. ## Key Provisions 1. **Wilderness Designations**: - Creates numerous new wilderness areas totaling millions of acres across the region - Includes specific designations like Yellowstone, Glacier/Northern Continental Divide, Hells Canyon, Salmon/Selway, and Cabinet-Yaak ecosystems - Includes 108 specific wilderness areas identified in the bill (from Anaconda-Pintler to McCullough Peaks) 2. **Biological Connecting Corridors**: - Designates approximately 2.9 million acres as biological corridors - These corridors connect larger ecosystem areas to facilitate wildlife migration - Prohibits timber harvesting, mining, oil/gas development, and new road construction in these corridors 3. **Wild and Scenic Rivers**: - Adds 78 new river segments to the Wild and Scenic Rivers system - Protects rivers like the South Fork Payette, Salmon River, Yaak River, and many others - Specifies exact segments for protection 4. **Wildland Restoration**: - Designates 9 recovery areas totaling approximately 1,023,000 acres - Requires restoration of damaged lands to natural conditions - Prohibits certain activities in these recovery areas 5. **Implementation**: - Requires an interagency team to monitor and evaluate implementation - Mandates geographic information system for monitoring the Northern Rockies Bioregion - Requires annual reports to Congress on implementation progress 6. **Special Protections**: - Maintains existing water rights of the United States - Protects Indian Tribe treaty rights and cultural access to protected areas - Requires consultation with Tribes regarding management plans This bill represents a comprehensive effort to protect biodiversity, maintain ecosystem connectivity, and restore damaged lands across a significant portion of the Northern Rockies region.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 2411, directs the U.S. government to immediately resume funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) by repealing two prior funding restrictions. It requires the State Department to restart payments to UNRWA under existing authorities and mandates the President to rescind a 2025 executive order ending UNRWA support. The bill affects Palestinian refugees in Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank who rely on UNRWA for humanitarian aid, as well as U.S. funding mechanisms. It also requires quarterly reports through 2028 on UNRWA’s progress implementing accountability reforms from an independent review led by Catherine Colonna.

Maddy summaryHR 2398, the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act, amends federal tax law to exempt certain student loan repayment or forgiveness assistance from income tax for veterinarians working in rural areas. It specifically expands existing tax exclusions to include programs under the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act (7 U.S.C. 3151a) and similar state-level programs designed to increase rural veterinary access. This change directly affects veterinarians participating in qualifying loan repayment or forgiveness programs in states prioritizing rural veterinary services. The policy change modifies IRS tax treatment to reduce the financial burden on veterinarians serving underserved rural communities.

Maddy summaryHR 2381, the SCREENS for Cancer Act of 2025, reauthorizes and updates the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). It directly affects low-income, uninsured, or underinsured women across all 50 states, territories, and tribal communities by expanding access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, diagnostic services, and patient navigation support. Key provisions include updating program language to emphasize prevention alongside detection and control, adding specific strategies to reduce disparities, and appropriating $235 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2030. The bill also requires a GAO study by 2027 to assess program eligibility, service trends, and barriers to screening access.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require federal firearms licensees to prohibit sales of specific high-capacity rifles and shotguns to people under 21. It targets semiautomatic centerfire rifles and shotguns capable of holding more than 5 rounds in their magazines, raising the age limit from 18 to 21 for these weapons. Exceptions apply for active military members and certain government employees authorized to carry firearms. The law directly affects gun retailers and individuals under 21 seeking to purchase these specific firearms. It modifies existing federal gun sale rules without changing age requirements for other firearms.

Maddy summaryHR 2314, the FAIR Act, requires hospitals participating in Medicare-funded residency programs to annually report data on applicants and acceptances from both osteopathic (DO) and allopathic (MD) medical schools. Hospitals must publicly affirm they consider applicants from both pathways equally and accept scores from either the COMLEX (for DOs) or USMLE (for MDs) exams. Non-compliant hospitals face a 2% reduction in Medicare payments starting in 2026 for each prior year of non-reporting. The bill directly affects hospitals receiving Medicare residency funding, aiming to increase transparency in admissions without mandating specific acceptance rates or federal oversight of medical education.