Rep. Terri A. Sewell

Maddy summaryHR 6751 authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative coins honoring Roberto Clemente, a Hall of Fame baseball player and humanitarian, including 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar coins. The coins must feature Clemente's image and inscriptions like "Roberto Clemente" and "2027," with all sales including a surcharge ($5-$35 per coin) paid to the Roberto Clemente Foundation. The foundation, which supports youth sports, education, and disaster relief programs, will use these funds for its mission, while the U.S. Treasury must recover all production costs. The coins will be sold exclusively in 2027, with no net cost to the government.

Maddy summaryThe Jeanette Acosta Invest in Women’s Health Act of 2024 would expand access to preventive cancer screenings (including breast, cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancer screenings) for women, with a focus on low-income women, women of color, rural communities, and underserved populations. It authorizes $20 million annually for grants to health care providers - such as family planning centers - to increase screenings and establishes a training program for health care providers on best practices and cultural competency to address racial disparities. The bill also mandates a study analyzing cancer screening rates and disparities by race, income, geography, and insurance status, with reports to Congress every five years. These provisions aim to improve early detection, reduce mortality, and address systemic barriers in women’s cancer care.

Maddy summaryThis House resolution supports the goals of World AIDS Day by encouraging efforts to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, aiming for zero new infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths. It specifically urges sharing of U=U (Undetectable=Untransmittable) information and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to prevent transmission, and calls for increased funding for HIV prevention, treatment, and research - particularly for communities disproportionately affected by HIV, such as racial minorities, men who have sex with men, and transgender individuals. The resolution commends existing programs like PEPFAR and the Ryan White CARE Act while advocating for expanded testing, antiretroviral treatment, and comprehensive prevention services, including a National PrEP Program.

Maddy summaryThis bill names the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Guntersville, Alabama, as the "Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic." It requires all federal references in laws, regulations, maps, and documents to use the new name after enactment, updating the clinic's official designation. The bill does not change clinic services, funding, or operations - it solely honors Colonel Ola Lee Mize through the clinic's name.

Maddy summaryThe Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act (HR 807) directs the U.S. Treasury to mint three types of commemorative coins honoring working dogs' service: $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar coins with specific weight and composition requirements. Each coin will carry a surcharge ($35 for $5 coins, $10 for $1 coins, $5 for half-dollars) that will be paid directly to America's VetDogs to support their programs providing service dogs for veterans, the disabled, and others. The coins will be issued in 2027 with designs reflecting working dogs' roles in military, detection, therapy, and assistance work. The legislation specifies that all surcharge revenue must fund America's VetDogs' operations without creating new government programs. This is a commemorative measure focused on honoring working dogs' contributions through coin sales, with all surcharge funds going to a specific nonprofit organization.

Maddy summaryHR 10124 establishes a 5-year pilot program (2025-2029) authorizing $20 million to fund community-based "Food is Medicine" programs through competitive grants. These programs directly support individuals with diet-related diseases like diabetes, obesity, or heart conditions by providing medically tailored meals, grocery delivery, nutrition education, and transportation. The grants prioritize projects using local foods, involving dietitians, and serving urban, rural, tribal, and territorial communities equitably. The program requires annual reports to Congress analyzing participant outcomes, program efficiency, and impacts on health costs and patient health.

Maddy summaryHRES 1594 is a symbolic House resolution supporting the designation of "National Rural Health Day," observed annually on the third Thursday of November. It recognizes rural health care providers and the communities they serve, highlighting challenges like hospital closures, workforce shortages, and access barriers in rural areas. The resolution expresses the House's commitment to improving rural health care accessibility and affordability but does not create new laws or allocate funding. It is a non-binding gesture aligning with an existing observance since 2011, organized by the National Rural Health Association.

Maddy summaryHRES 1581 is a symbolic resolution expressing congressional support for designating November 2024 as "Prematurity Awareness Month." It highlights the U.S. maternal and infant health crisis, including higher preterm birth rates and disparities affecting Black and Native American women and their infants. The resolution urges Americans, communities, and organizations to observe the month through events and education focused on preterm birth prevention. It does not create new laws or funding but aims to raise public awareness about this health issue, which contributes to infant mortality and costs an estimated $25.2 billion annually.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the operating period for the African American Civil Rights Network program from 7 years to 10 years after the act's enactment. It directly affects the existing program, which supports organizations preserving civil rights history and promoting education, by allowing it to continue operating for a longer duration without needing new congressional approval. The change is a straightforward extension of an existing authorization period under federal law.

Maddy summaryThe Half-Century Update for Water Access and Affordability Act establishes a federal program to provide financial assistance to low-income households struggling to pay water bills. It requires states and water utilities to implement programs that offer direct bill discounts, debt relief, water efficiency upgrades, and crisis assistance to households earning up to 200% of the poverty level or 80% of local median income. The bill prohibits disconnections for non-payment, allows automatic enrollment for households already receiving other federal assistance, and mandates data collection to track program impacts on water service access. The legislation authorizes $20 billion annually from 2025-2035 to fund this assistance, with specific requirements to ensure universal access and prevent discrimination in program implementation.