Rep. Jennifer L. McClellan

Maddy summaryHR 3639, the After Hours Child Care Act, creates a new Child Care and Development Innovation Fund to improve access to child care for parents working nontraditional hours (such as evenings, nights, or weekends). The bill directly affects working parents with young children and eligible child care providers who serve these families. It authorizes competitive grants (ranging from $25,000 to $500,000) to providers or partnerships with businesses/community organizations to expand after-hours care programs, establish workplace child care, or improve existing facilities. Grantees must cover 25% of costs, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services must report biennially on program impact to Congress.

Maddy summaryThe Sailor Standard of Care Act of 2023 requires the Navy to improve mental health support for service members designated for "limited duty" (temporarily restricted from full duties due to medical needs). It mandates quarterly mental health screenings for these members, additional medical staff in units with over 15 such personnel, and a framework for centralized care coordination during their limited duty period. The bill also directs the Navy to study multiple suicides within units, report on TRICARE mental health provider credentialing timelines and reimbursement rates, and establish a dashboard tracking quality-of-life program usage. These provisions directly affect active-duty Navy members in limited duty status and aim to address systemic gaps in mental health care access and response.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands TRICARE coverage to include wigs and treatment for traction alopecia - a type of hair loss caused by tight hairstyles, chemical treatments, or prolonged tension on the hair - directly affecting active-duty military members who develop this condition. It amends military health law to explicitly add "traction alopecia" to coverage for wigs and treatment, and requires the military to issue new grooming guidelines by September 2024 warning service members about the health risks of tight hairstyles, dyes, and chemical products. The key change is broadening existing TRICARE benefits to specifically cover this preventable condition, while mandating education on its causes. This is a policy adjustment to improve health care access for affected service members, not a new benefit.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits corporal punishment (such as spanking or paddling) in all schools receiving federal funding, directly affecting students, school personnel, and school administrators. It requires schools to notify parents within 24 hours if corporal punishment occurs and establishes enforcement through civil lawsuits by students/parents, Attorney General actions, and Office for Civil Rights oversight. The bill mandates states to submit school climate reports and develop training programs on positive behavioral interventions to reduce exclusionary discipline practices that disproportionately affect students of color, students with disabilities, and other marginalized groups. It creates a grant program to help schools implement these approaches, with priority given to schools with high suspension rates and disciplinary actions. The bill does not apply to private schools or home schools that don't receive federal funding.

Maddy summaryHR 3548, the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act, aims to reduce mental health disparities for racial and ethnic minority groups by directing federal funding and policy changes. It increases annual grants for primary/behavioral health services to $60 million in 2023 and $80 million yearly through 2029, prioritizing entities serving minority communities. The bill requires the NIH to study mental health disparities within 9 months and mandates new training for mental health professionals (including social work and psychiatry) on culturally appropriate care. Additionally, it funds a $15 million annual outreach strategy to combat stigma and improve access to care, requiring materials tailored to cultural and language needs of minority groups.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires sponsors of NIH-funded or NIH-approved clinical trials (for drugs, devices, biological products, or behavioral interventions) to set specific, measurable goals for recruiting participants reflecting race, ethnicity, age, and sex - either based on disease prevalence or the U.S. population. Key mechanisms include mandating detailed plans for achieving these goals, annual reporting of demographic data (without personally identifiable information), and strategies to reduce participation barriers like virtual visits or flexible scheduling. It also requires training for researchers on diversity and health inequities, and establishes a remediation process if goals aren’t met. The law aims to improve representation in clinical trials to ensure medical research better serves all patient groups.

Maddy summaryHR 3523, the Perinatal Workforce Act, provides $15 million annually from 2024 to 2028 to expand and diversify maternity care providers. It directs HHS to issue guidance for states on recruiting diverse providers (including midwives, nurses, and community health workers) and requires grant recipients to prioritize students from racial/ethnic minority groups, implement bias training, and target health professional shortage areas. The bill also mandates annual reporting on workforce diversity and outcomes, and requires a GAO report assessing barriers to equitable access in maternal healthcare. This legislation directly affects hospitals, nursing schools, midwifery programs, and insurers by funding targeted workforce development to address racial disparities in maternal care.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that AM radio receivers be included as standard equipment in all new motor vehicles (such as cars and trucks) sold in the United States, with a rule to be issued by the Department of Transportation within one year. The rule must ensure AM radio is easily accessible on the dashboard and allows manufacturers to use digital AM radio technology instead of traditional AM. During the one-year period between the bill's enactment and the rule's effective date, manufacturers must clearly label vehicles without AM radio. The bill also directs a study to evaluate whether an alternative system could deliver emergency alerts as reliably as AM radio across the country, especially during crises.

Maddy summaryHR 3420, the My Body, My Data Act of 2023, restricts how companies can handle reproductive and sexual health data - such as pregnancy details, contraceptive use, or abortion-related information - by requiring them to collect only what’s necessary for requested services and limiting employee access. It gives individuals the right to access, correct, or delete their data, see which third parties received it, and get clear privacy policies explaining data practices. The Federal Trade Commission enforces the law, with penalties for violations including $100-$1,000 per violation per day, and bans retaliation for exercising these rights. The law applies to companies (like health apps or insurers) but excludes HIPAA-covered healthcare providers and entities subject to existing federal health privacy rules.

Maddy summaryThe Maternal Vaccination Act amends public health law to specifically target vaccination outreach for pregnant and postpartum individuals and their children, directly affecting public health campaigns and health agencies. It updates existing provisions to include these groups in awareness efforts, requires new activities to increase vaccination rates - particularly among racial and ethnic minority communities - and increases annual funding from $15 million to $17 million for fiscal years 2024-2028. Key mechanisms include revising language in the Public Health Service Act to explicitly cover pregnant/postpartum individuals in campaign descriptions and adding a new requirement (Section 317(k)(1)(E)(vii)) to address vaccination equity. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes to expand access and awareness, not on predicting outcomes.