Rep. Steve Cohen

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 50% tax credit for individuals purchasing qualified mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes, braces, or prosthetics. The credit applies to costs paid after the bill's enactment, covers up to three devices per year, and prevents double benefits by reducing other deductions for the same expenses. It directly affects people who buy these devices for mobility needs, allowing them to claim the credit on their federal income tax returns. The credit is designed to offset out-of-pocket costs for essential mobility equipment.

Maddy summaryThe Children’s Health Protection Act of 2025 establishes a new Office of Children’s Health Protection within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by a Director appointed by the EPA Administrator. The Office will identify environmental health risks disproportionately affecting children, coordinate federal programs to address these risks, and develop resources for schools to implement environmental health programs. It will also work with a permanent advisory committee to advise on safe chemicals management, evaluate environmental contaminants linked to childhood disease, and support healthcare providers through pediatric environmental health specialty units. The bill authorizes $7.8 million annually for the Office and $13.2 million total for the program through 2030.

Maddy summaryThe Paycheck Fairness Act strengthens equal pay protections by expanding the definition of "sex" to include pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. It modifies employer defenses for pay disparities to require proof that any pay difference is job-related, not based on sex, and accounts for the entire pay gap. The bill prohibits employers from asking about salary history, enhances penalties for violations, and requires employers with 100+ employees to collect and report detailed pay data by race, sex, and job category. It also establishes training programs for employers on eliminating pay bias and creates a National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force to coordinate enforcement efforts. This legislation directly affects employers, particularly those with 100+ employees, and aims to address pay disparities impacting women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups.

Maddy summaryH.J. Res. 80 would declare the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) part of the U.S. Constitution, asserting it has been ratified by 38 states (three-fourths of the states) despite the original 1972 deadline. If passed, this resolution would formally establish the ERA as a constitutional amendment, requiring all federal and state laws to align with its gender equality protections. The bill does not create new laws but confirms the ERA's status as part of the Constitution, affecting how laws are interpreted and enforced. It is a procedural step to resolve the legal dispute over the ERA's validity after decades of debate.

Maddy summaryHRES 239 is a non-binding resolution recognizing racial disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes, specifically highlighting that Black Americans face 20% higher CRC rates and 40% higher death rates compared to non-Hispanic Whites. It directly affects Black communities disproportionately impacted by these disparities, which include the lowest 5-year survival rate for CRC. The resolution encourages the CDC to research screening disparities and develop strategies to eliminate them, promotes adherence to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force screening guidelines, and urges states to expand coverage for early CRC screenings, particularly for Black individuals and other high-risk groups. It does not create new laws but aims to raise awareness and guide existing public health efforts.

Maddy summaryHRES 238 is a non-binding House resolution expressing the House's position that every person has the basic right to emergency health care, including abortion care during medical emergencies. It does not create new laws or alter existing regulations but formally states the House's view that abortion restrictions in emergencies endanger patients' health and lives. The resolution specifically highlights how current abortion bans put pregnant people at risk during life-threatening conditions like hemorrhage or infection, disproportionately impacting Black, Indigenous, people of color, immigrants, and low-income individuals. It serves as a symbolic statement opposing policies that restrict emergency reproductive care access.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes $5 million annually (2026-2031) for the CDC to establish a research program focused on cerebral palsy. It directs the CDC to study diagnosis, treatment, prevention factors, health costs, and public health surveillance related to cerebral palsy, including evaluating impacts across different populations. The program aims to address gaps in understanding the condition - where 80% of causes are unknown - and support better care for the estimated 1 million Americans affected. This research funding directly benefits the CDC and researchers, with potential long-term benefits for people with cerebral palsy and their families.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HR 2199) prevents private health insurance plans from discriminating against patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESRD) who require dialysis. It amends the Social Security Act to prohibit plans from treating dialysis coverage differently than other medical services or applying network restrictions that disproportionately harm ESRD patients. The law clarifies that plans cannot deny or limit benefits for dialysis based on a patient’s diagnosis, while preserving a plan’s right to choose which dialysis providers are in their network. It directly affects ESRD patients and their private health insurance coverage, ensuring dialysis is treated equally with other covered medical services. The bill does not require plans to include specific dialysis providers but stops them from unfairly restricting access to necessary care.

Maddy summaryThis bill closes a tax loophole by explicitly including tar sands oil under the definition of "crude oil" for federal excise tax purposes. It directly affects oil producers who previously avoided excise taxes on tar sands-derived oil by exploiting the existing definition gap. The key mechanism amends the tax code to state that "crude oil" encompasses oil derived from tar sands, ensuring it is taxed identically to conventional crude oil. The change applies to excise taxes under Section 4611 of the Internal Revenue Code, requiring producers to pay these taxes on tar sands oil moving forward. The bill takes effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 2179, the America First Equipment and Information Act, prohibits U.S. government assistance to Russia involving military equipment, technology, or classified information. The bill directly affects U.S. military and intelligence policies by banning Foreign Military Financing, Foreign Military Sales, Direct Commercial Sales, drawdowns, removal of Russia from arms regulations (ITAR), export control relaxations, and intelligence sharing with Russia. Key provisions enforce these restrictions starting upon the bill's enactment. The President must annually report compliance to specific congressional committees, including the House Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Judiciary committees, and their Senate counterparts.