Rep. Cleo Fields

Maddy summaryThe SWIFT VOTE Act provides $120 million in grants to state and local election offices to fund digital check-in systems (e-pollbooks) and real-time wait time reporting at voting locations for federal elections. It requires jurisdictions to publish hourly wait times for short polling locations or four daily intervals for longer ones on official websites, plus post-election summary reports. The bill mandates that funds supplement, not replace, existing election funding and requires training for election officials on accessibility for voters with disabilities and limited English proficiency. This directly affects state and local election administrators by creating new reporting obligations and funding for technology to reduce voter wait times.

Maddy summaryHR 4903, the Plastic Health Research Act, directs federal agencies to fund and coordinate research on the health effects of plastic exposure, including microplastics and nanoplastics. It authorizes $10 million annually (2026-2030) for grants to academic institutions and nonprofits to develop standardized testing methods, improve research comparability, and fill gaps in understanding plastic-related health impacts. The bill also creates "Centers of Excellence" to advance this research, requiring annual public reports on findings and coordination with agencies like the EPA and FDA. This legislation directly affects researchers, federal health agencies, and public health policy by prioritizing scientific rigor in studying plastic exposure sources (e.g., food packaging, waste disposal) and health outcomes.

Maddy summaryThe Time Off to Vote Act requires employers with 25 or more employees to provide two hours of paid leave for federal elections. Employees can use this leave to vote in person, return mail-in ballots, or perform other voting activities during open polling hours. Employers may set the specific two-hour window (excluding lunch breaks) but cannot deny the leave, retaliate against employees who take it, or cause loss of accrued benefits. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, enforced by the Department of Labor.

Maddy summaryHR 4909 requires federally assisted housing providers and mortgage lenders to include a uniform voter registration information statement with key documents. It mandates that public housing agencies, rental voucher programs, and multifamily housing owners provide this statement to tenants when signing leases or submitting income forms. Mortgage lenders must include it in writing within 5 business days of a loan application. The statement, developed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and available in English and 10 common languages, explains voter registration options but does not require individuals to register. This affects renters in federally assisted housing and mortgage applicants.

Maddy summaryHR 4913, the CHALLENGES Act, aims to prevent frivolous challenges to voter registration by requiring anyone submitting a challenge (other than election officials) to provide clear, individualized evidence of ineligibility, swear under penalty of perjury to personal knowledge of the ineligibility, and (if an individual) be registered in the same voting jurisdiction. This directly affects citizens, organizations, and election challengers who might seek to remove voters from registration rolls. The bill establishes private lawsuits allowing victims of false challenges to seek compensation (up to $1,000 per violation) and criminal penalties including fines up to $10,000 or six months in jail for knowingly submitting false challenges. These provisions apply to challenges made after the law's enactment, targeting misuse of voter registration challenge processes.

Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections Act or the Unhoused VOTE Act This bill expands voter registration and voting access for unhoused individuals.  The bill specifies that no state or political subdivision may deny or abridge the right of any U.S. citizen to vote because the citizen resides at or in a nontraditional abode.  Additionally, the bill requires jurisdictions that allow for ballot drop boxes to ensure that these drop boxes are available for in-person use and are accessible and clearly labeled. If a state requires individuals to show proof of residence in order to vote in a federal election, then the state must accept the individual’s written attestation of residence. A state may not prohibit an individual who is residing in a homeless shelter from using the shelter as the individual’s residence for purposes of voting in a federal election. The bill requires chief state election officials to conduct outreach to unhoused individuals. The bill directs the Election Assistance Commission to (1) develop best practices for election officials regarding voter registration and voting access for unhoused individuals, and (2) make grants to eligible states and local governments for programs and activities to support access to voting for unhoused individuals.  The bill also revises the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, including by (1) treating emergency shelters as voter registration agencies, and (2) allowing an unhoused individual to use an unsheltered street location as the individual's place of residence for purposes of a voter registration application.

Maddy summaryThe POLL Act requires states to develop plans ensuring voting wait times don't exceed 30 minutes at any polling place during federal elections. It establishes standards for allocating voting resources (including voting systems and poll workers) based on factors like voting-age population, past turnout, and needs of disabled voters and those with limited English proficiency. The bill creates a private right of action for voters who experience excessive wait times, allowing them to seek civil penalties. Additionally, it authorizes $500 million annually in federal funds to help states implement these changes and meet the new requirements.

Maddy summaryThe Sustaining Our Democracy Act establishes a federal program providing funding to states for election administration improvements, increased voter access, and protection of election workers. States must submit detailed plans for using funds to upgrade voting equipment, expand early and mail voting options, secure election infrastructure, and address disparities in voting access for underserved communities. The bill prohibits states from using funds for activities that restrict voting access or suppress participation, and creates an Office of Democracy Advancement and Innovation to administer the program. Funded through a $2.5 billion Trust Fund for fiscal years 2026-2035, this legislation directly affects all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories receiving federal election funding.

Maddy summaryThe LOAN Act would significantly reform federal student loan programs by doubling Federal Pell Grants for eligible students (from $5,000 to $14,000 over several years), eliminating origination fees on new federal loans, and creating two new repayment plans: a fixed repayment plan and an Income-Driven Repayment Plan. It would automatically enroll borrowers who are delinquent or rehabilitating defaulted loans into income-driven repayment plans, eliminate interest capitalization (preventing interest from being added to the principal balance), and streamline Public Service Loan Forgiveness requirements. The bill would also provide refinancing options for existing federal student loans and private student loans with interest rates capped at 5%. These changes would directly affect millions of current and future student loan borrowers and Pell Grant recipients across the United States.

Maddy summaryThis bill adjusts health insurance subsidies by modifying the premium tax credit structure under the Internal Revenue Code. It replaces previous income thresholds with a sliding-scale formula, increasing subsidies for households earning between 150% and 400% of the federal poverty level - reducing their required premium payments as income rises within these tiers. The changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, directly affecting middle-income individuals and families purchasing coverage through health insurance marketplaces. It also repeals specific provisions from a prior reconciliation law related to health care.