This concurrent resolution honors Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first professionally trained Black nurse in the United States, for her contributions to the nursing profession. It also supports the goals and activities of National Nurses Week.
Maddy summaryHRES 372 is a non-binding House resolution expressing support for designating May 2023 as "Mental Health Awareness Month." It does not create new laws or allocate funds but formally urges the nation to recognize mental health as a priority. The resolution supports reducing stigma around mental illness, expanding access to mental health services, and emphasizing that mental well-being is as important as physical health. It highlights the need for greater awareness and resources, particularly for youth, veterans, and communities of color facing mental health disparities, but does not mandate any specific policy changes.
Maddy summaryHR 3255, the Freight Rail Workforce Health and Safety Act, requires major freight railroads (Class I carriers) to provide employees with at least 7 days of paid sick leave annually. This includes leave for personal illness, family care, preventive medical visits, and situations related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Employees can carry over unused days to the next year, and railroads cannot require workers to find replacements before taking leave or penalize them for using it. The law prohibits retaliation, such as termination or demotion, for requesting or using sick leave, and ensures paid sick leave is separate from existing vacation or holiday time.
Targeting Resources for Equitable Access to Treatment for Long COVID Act or the TREAT Long COVID Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award competitive grants to create or expand the capacity of clinics that treat patients with persistent, long-term symptoms following recovery from acute COVID-19 (i.e., Long COVID) and associated conditions. Eligible recipients include federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, urban Indian health centers, and state and local health departments.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new federal grant program to help nursing schools address faculty and clinical preceptor shortages. Schools of nursing with documented shortages can apply for funds to recruit and retain faculty/preceptors through hiring, improved pay, partnerships with healthcare facilities, or diversity-focused initiatives. Priority is given to schools that can't accept all qualified applicants due to shortages, serve underserved areas, or prioritize diverse faculty. Grantees must report annually on outcomes like faculty hired, student enrollment changes, and demographic data. The program aims to expand nursing education capacity by supporting schools directly affected by staffing gaps.
Maddy summaryThe PAST Act of 2023 amends the Horse Protection Act to ban specific devices used to cause pain (soring) in horses at shows, particularly affecting Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses. It defines prohibited "action devices" (like boots or chains causing friction) and requires licensed, conflict-free inspectors at events to enforce rules. The bill increases penalties for violations to up to $5,000 fines or 3 years in jail, and mandates longer disqualifications for repeat offenses (180 days → 1 year → 3 years). Horse show organizers, exhibitors, and participants must comply with these new inspection and penalty requirements.
Maddy summaryThis bill extends workplace safety protections under the Occupational Safety and Health Act to people working in correctional facilities, including those in prison labor programs, work release, and maintenance roles. It requires states and federal prisons to annually report on safety conditions, injuries, and compliance with safety standards, beginning two years after enactment. The bill also creates $20 million annually in federal grants to help states update their safety laws and enforcement for incarcerated workers. These provisions directly affect incarcerated individuals performing labor in state or federal correctional facilities and the agencies operating them.
Maddy summaryHR 3276 establishes two pilot programs under the National School Lunch Act. First, it creates a $10 million, 3-year grant program to help schools serve 100% plant-based meals (no animal products) to students, prioritizing schools serving high proportions of low-income students and supporting culturally appropriate meal planning. Second, it creates a $2 million pilot to reimburse schools for costs of providing nondairy milk substitutes for students with dietary needs, targeting schools with high lactose intolerance rates. Both pilots require annual reporting on participation and outcomes, with the dairy substitute program ending after 3 years. The bill directly affects public school food authorities serving eligible students.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022 to allow Ukrainian nationals with protected status (like those under humanitarian parole) to obtain driver's licenses or state ID cards under the REAL ID Act of 2005, bypassing a standard restriction that would normally deny eligibility. It directly affects Ukrainian nationals in the U.S. who hold temporary protected status under current immigration programs. The key provision adds a new eligibility category to existing law, removing a specific barrier to accessing driver's license services. This is a technical adjustment to immigration-related identification rules, not a new benefit or funding measure. The change applies only to REAL ID-compliant licenses, which are required for federal purposes like boarding domestic flights.
Maddy summaryThe RAISE Act of 2023 creates a new refundable tax credit for teachers and early childhood educators working in schools with high student poverty rates. The credit starts at $1,000, with additional amounts up to $14,000 (or $9,000 for early childhood educators without bachelor's degrees) based on the school's poverty ratio. The bill also increases the educator expense deduction from $250 to $500 and establishes mandatory funding for local schools that maintain or increase teacher salaries. These provisions directly affect K-12 teachers, early childhood educators, and their schools, with specific eligibility requirements and protections against employer retaliation regarding the credit.
