Rep. Terri A. Sewell

Maddy summaryThe Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act of 2023 requires states to establish a policy mandating annual suicide prevention training for school staff and high school students (grades 9-12). The training must be evidence-based, cover recognizing suicide warning signs, appropriate responses, and referrals to mental health services, while including cultural competency. It allocates $48 million in federal funds, with at least 15% dedicated to supporting this training program, and requires states to collaborate with mental health experts. The bill directly affects school staff and high school students in states that adopt the policy and receive federal funding.

Maddy summaryThe PREVENT HPV Cancers Act of 2023 requires the CDC to launch a national public awareness campaign to increase HPV vaccination rates, particularly among males and underserved communities. It mandates culturally tailored materials targeting rural areas, Black and Hispanic women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and populations with high HPV cancer rates, while combating misinformation about vaccine safety. The campaign, funded at $5 million annually from 2024-2028, will use media, community partnerships, and provider outreach to promote vaccination for adolescents aged 9-17. Additionally, the bill increases annual funding for the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to $300 million per year through 2028. The bill directly affects adolescents, healthcare providers, and communities facing HPV cancer disparities.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program under the Public Health Service Act to provide emergency funding for health care facilities during declared emergencies (like pandemics or natural disasters). It authorizes grants to public or private nonprofit health care facilities and home health agencies to pay hazardous duty compensation to eligible health care workers - such as nurses, medical technicians, and facility cleaners - performing essential on-site work. Grants can cover up to $13 per hour in hazard pay (capped at $25,000 annually per worker) or fund safety measures like personal protective equipment and alternative transit. The program requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to determine if work or commutes are hazardous during emergencies.

Maddy summaryThe Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act of 2023 would provide federal grants to support comprehensive sex education and sexual health services for young people ages 10-29, with specific focus on marginalized communities including Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and LGBTQ+ youth. The bill authorizes $100 million annually for 2024-2029 to fund programs through grants for elementary/secondary schools (section 4), colleges (section 5), educator training (section 6), and youth-friendly sexual health services for marginalized young people (section 7). These programs must be evidence-informed, medically accurate, culturally responsive, age-appropriate, and trauma-informed, while addressing racial and gender inequities in current sex education approaches. The bill also repeals the "abstinence-only-until-marriage" program and redirects its funding to support this comprehensive approach, requiring grantees to report on implementation and impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new tax credit for expenses related to "qualified access technology for the blind" under the Internal Revenue Code. It allows taxpayers to claim a credit of up to $2,000 per year (adjusted for inflation) for costs paid for hardware, software, or IT that converts visual information into formats usable by blind individuals, covering the taxpayer, their spouse, or a dependent who is blind. The credit is limited to $2,000 over any three consecutive tax years per blind individual and expires after 2028. It directly affects blind individuals and their families who purchase qualifying assistive technology. The credit cannot be claimed for expenses already covered by other tax deductions or credits.

Maddy summaryHJRES 39 is a joint resolution disapproving a specific rule issued by the Department of Commerce. The rule (87 Fed. Reg. 56868) outlined procedures for suspending import duties and estimated duties under Presidential Proclamation 10414, which related to certain imported goods. This resolution blocks the rule from taking effect, meaning the Department of Commerce’s procedures for suspending duties under that proclamation will not be enforced. The action directly affects importers and customs operations that would have relied on the suspended duty procedures. As a disapproval resolution, it does not create new policy but formally rejects an existing agency rule.

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 resolution (HRES 436) symbolically designates the week of May 22-26, 2023, as "Educator Mental Health Awareness Week" to highlight mental health challenges faced by teachers and school staff. It directly addresses educators, citing pandemic-era data showing high rates of depression, anxiety, and stress among teachers compared to the general population. The resolution expresses support for recognizing educator well-being as critical to student success but does not create new policies, funding, or enforceable requirements. As a non-binding resolution, it serves solely as a symbolic gesture to promote awareness.

Simplify Automatic Filing Extensions Act or the SAFE Act This bill eliminates the penalty for failure to pay income tax for individual taxpayers who timely pay 125% of their income tax liability for the immediately preceding taxable year.

Maddy summaryHR 3582 (Workforce Development Through Post-Graduation Scholarships Act of 2023) makes certain post-graduation scholarship grants tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue Code. It directly affects graduates who receive grants from qualified nonprofits (501(c)(3) organizations) to repay student loans, provided they live and work in communities with below-average bachelor’s degree attainment rates. The bill requires grants to be paid directly to lenders, prohibits grants to the granting organization’s employees, and prevents double tax benefits by excluding related interest from income calculations. It also mandates Treasury and GAO reports on implementation and effectiveness within 3-5 years of enactment.