Rep. Lori Trahan

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the military to approve leave for abortion and fertility care without commanders needing to know the specific procedure. It mandates reimbursement for travel, lodging, meals, and transportation costs when care isn't available nearby, and prohibits punishment for using this leave. It directly affects active-duty service members and their dependents who face barriers to reproductive care due to military restrictions or location. The policy change removes command discretion in approving leave for time-sensitive reproductive health services.

Maddy summaryThe PART Act requires new vehicles to have catalytic converters marked with a unique identification number that links directly to the vehicle's identification number, stored in a law enforcement-accessible database. It establishes a $7 million grant program to help repair shops, dealers, law enforcement, and fleet owners purchase equipment for marking converters with visible, durable identifiers (using die or pin stamping and high-visibility paint). The bill also mandates that businesses buying catalytic converters keep detailed seller records (including vehicle information) for two years and use traceable payments, banning cash or cryptocurrency transactions. Additionally, it creates new federal criminal penalties for stealing or trafficking in catalytic converters, with potential sentences of up to five years in prison.

Maddy summaryThis bill imposes a hiring freeze on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), prohibiting the use of federal funds to hire new employees or transfer existing federal workers to ICE. The freeze begins upon the bill's enactment and automatically ends when Congress passes a specific law overriding it. It directly affects ICE's staffing capabilities by halting new appointments and transfers using federal funding. The measure is procedural, focusing solely on restricting hiring authority without altering immigration enforcement policies.

Maddy summaryThe Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2026 authorizes $20 billion annually from 2027 to 2031 to improve public school facilities nationwide. The bill provides grants to states to fund school construction, renovation, and modernization projects that focus on safety, energy efficiency, and accessibility, with priority given to schools serving high percentages of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Funds cannot be used for routine maintenance, athletic facilities, or vehicles, and must meet specific environmental, safety, and energy efficiency standards. The bill also includes specific provisions for repairing school foundations affected by pyrrhotite, a mineral that causes concrete deterioration, and requires use of American-made materials for construction projects.

Maddy summaryThe PASTEUR Act of 2026 creates a new government contracting program to incentivize development of new antimicrobial drugs for treating drug-resistant infections. The Health and Human Services Secretary would award contracts to pharmaceutical sponsors meeting specific criteria on clinical benefits, innovation, and public health impact, with annual payments ranging from $75 million to $300 million (adjusted for inflation). Contract requirements include ensuring drug availability, tracking resistance data, promoting appropriate use, and maintaining supply chains. The bill also establishes antimicrobial stewardship programs for hospitals and outpatient facilities and improves surveillance of antimicrobial use and resistance. This legislation aims to address antibiotic resistance by creating financial incentives for new treatments and improving how antimicrobials are used and monitored.

Maddy summaryHR 5658, the Child Care for Every Community Act, establishes a federal framework to create universal, high-quality child care and early learning programs available to all young children not yet required to attend school. The bill requires that covered children (children below compulsory school age) be entitled to participate in these programs, with no fees for low-income families and sliding-scale fees for others based on family income. Key provisions include requiring full-working-day, full-calendar-year care; setting national quality standards for staff qualifications and facilities; mandating comprehensive services including health, nutrition, and family support; and requiring coordination with schools to support children's transitions to kindergarten. The bill directly affects families seeking child care, child care providers, and local communities that would administer these programs through designated "prime sponsors."

Maddy summaryHJRES 144 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a specific rule issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on December 31, 2025, which addressed "Reproductive Health Services" (90 Fed. Reg. 61310). This resolution directs Congress to disapprove the VA rule under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, meaning the rule would have no legal effect if passed. The bill directly affects the VA's implementation of reproductive health services for veterans, as it seeks to nullify the agency's existing policy. This is a procedural measure, not a substantive policy change, aimed solely at blocking the VA's rule through congressional action.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 68 would require the President to remove U.S. military forces from Venezuela unless Congress has explicitly authorized their use through a declaration of war or a specific law. This applies to any U.S. Armed Forces currently stationed in Venezuela without such authorization. The resolution is based on the War Powers Resolution, which mandates congressional oversight of military deployments. It directs the immediate withdrawal of unapproved forces without adding new time limits or conditions.

Maddy summaryHR 7227, the Mental Health and MAMA Act of 2026, eliminates cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles) for mental health and substance use treatment services during pregnancy and for one year after childbirth. It directly affects pregnant and postpartum individuals covered by group health plans or individual insurance policies, requiring these plans to cover such services with no out-of-pocket costs from pregnancy diagnosis through the 12-month period following birth. The law applies to in-network providers and includes telehealth services, with implementation delayed until two years after enactment. It amends key laws including the Public Health Service Act, ERISA, and the Internal Revenue Code to standardize this coverage requirement across health insurance systems. This policy change aims to improve access to care during a critical health period without altering existing coverage definitions.

Maddy summaryHR 7173, the Follow the Science Act, restricts political appointees from influencing National Institutes of Health (NIH) operations and grant decisions. It prohibits most political appointees (defined broadly as those in policy-making roles) from being employed by NIH or participating in grant reviews, funding selections, or policy implementation. The bill requires the NIH Director to report on past political appointee involvement in these activities to Congress within 30 days of enactment. These changes aim to ensure NIH decisions are based on scientific merit rather than political influence, with limited exceptions for other federal agencies.