Rep. Terri A. Sewell

Maddy summaryHRES 509 is a symbolic resolution expressing the U.S. House of Representatives' support for designating June 2025 as "Black Music Month." It does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals or entities; instead, it urges the public to recognize and celebrate Black music's cultural impact through voluntary actions like promoting artists and spreading awareness. The resolution highlights Black music's historical influence across genres - from spirituals to hip-hop - and calls for honoring its legacy in education, media, and community initiatives. It follows a tradition started by President Carter in 1979 but has no legal force.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how federal Bureau of Prisons employees in the "Rest of U.S." pay locality receive compensation. It directs that employees whose official worksite is in "Rest of U.S." be treated as working in the nearest other pay locality (within 200 miles) with the highest comparability payment, rather than the default "Rest of U.S." rate. This adjustment applies to all Bureau of Prisons employees, including prevailing rate staff, and takes effect 180 days after enactment. The change directly affects federal correctional officers and staff working in remote locations currently covered by the "Rest of U.S." pay rate.

Maddy summaryHR 3974, the Protect Black Women and Girls Act, creates a federal task force to examine systemic challenges faced by Black women and girls (defined as individuals identifying as women, female, or femme). The task force, composed of agency representatives and community experts, will identify effective policies and programs across education, economic opportunity, healthcare, justice, and housing, then recommend improvements to federal, state, and local governments. Key mechanisms include studying issues like school discipline disparities, maternal health outcomes, economic barriers, and over-incarceration, and proposing solutions such as restorative justice programs, career training, and expanded healthcare access. The task force must report annually to Congress and submit final recommendations within two years, focusing on concrete policy changes to improve outcomes.

Maddy summaryHR 3993, the Preserving Great Americans’ Legacies Act of 2025, prohibits the U.S. Navy from renaming specific naval vessels currently named after eight historically significant individuals. The bill directly affects Navy vessels bearing the names of Cesar Chavez, Medgar Evers, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Dolores Huerta, Thurgood Marshall, Harvey Milk, Lucy Stone, and Harriet Tubman. It permanently blocks any future name changes for these vessels, regardless of existing legal provisions allowing such changes. The law applies immediately upon enactment and ensures these vessels retain their current names.

Maddy summaryThe PHARA Act of 2025 requires the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to immediately release all required funding for existing research grants and rapidly pay pending reimbursements. It prohibits NIH from terminating active research grants (entered after the bill's enactment) solely due to shifting agency priorities or program goals, and mandates new termination clauses requiring 90 days' written notice and attempts to amend terms before ending agreements. This directly affects researchers and institutions receiving NIH grants, ensuring funding continuity for ongoing projects. The bill aims to prevent abrupt halts in scientific research by restructuring grant termination processes.

Maddy summaryThe Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act (HR 3971) would establish key labor protections for domestic workers, including nannies, housekeepers, and caregivers who work in private homes. The bill requires written agreements for workers employed 8+ hours per week, provides earned sick days (1 hour for every 30 hours worked), mandates fair scheduling practices with 72-hour notice for schedule changes, and extends overtime protections to live-in domestic employees. It also prohibits unfair wage deductions, guarantees meal and rest breaks, and ensures privacy protections including no monitoring in private living spaces. The bill directly affects approximately 2.2 million domestic workers across the U.S., who are disproportionately women of color and immigrants. Enforcement would be handled by the Department of Labor through new complaint resolution mechanisms and oversight.

Maddy summaryHRES 502 is a House resolution requesting transparency about a potential federal database project. It directs the President and three Cabinet Secretaries (Treasury, Labor, Health and Human Services) to provide documents to the House within 14 days regarding a proposed centralized database developed with Palantir Technologies Inc. The resolution seeks information about the database’s scope - compiling sensitive personal data like tax records, health information, financial accounts, and Social Security details across federal agencies - and its purpose, including potential uses like tax audits or benefit restrictions. This is a procedural inquiry (not a policy change) focused on obtaining documents for congressional review of the project’s development and contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill codifies existing protections for designated roadless areas within the National Forest System by prohibiting new road construction, road reconstruction, and logging in these areas. It directly affects National Forest lands already identified as "inventoried roadless areas" under the current Roadless Rule, which covers roughly 58 million acres. The key mechanism requires the Secretary of Agriculture to enforce these prohibitions, maintaining current protections without expanding restrictions to other lands or altering existing multiple-use management. The bill does not create new protected areas but legally solidifies the existing regulatory framework to preserve ecological and recreational values.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 3916 (My Body, My Data Act of 2025), requires businesses and other "regulated entities" to minimize collection and sharing of personal reproductive or sexual health data - such as pregnancy status, contraceptive use, or abortion-related information - and gives individuals specific rights. It mandates that entities provide individuals with easy access to their data, the ability to correct inaccuracies, and the right to request deletion of such information within 15 days. The law also requires clear privacy policies detailing data practices and prohibits retaliation against individuals who exercise these rights, such as charging higher prices or denying services. It applies broadly to most businesses (excluding HIPAA-covered healthcare providers) and is enforced by the FTC with private lawsuits allowed for violations.

Maddy summaryHR 3906, the Medical Research for Our Troops Act, restores funding levels for military medical research by increasing the Defense Health Agency's research budget from $40.395 billion to $41.576 billion in the 2025 appropriations act. It ensures Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs funds are used consistently with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, requiring the Defense Secretary to support all previously identified research programs and maintain existing funding allocations. The bill directly affects military medical research initiatives and the Defense Health Agency's budget implementation. This is a procedural funding adjustment, not a new policy, maintaining continuity for ongoing research projects.