Rep. John Garamendi

Maddy summaryHR 4083, the Marshall “Major” Taylor Congressional Gold Medal Act, authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to honor cyclist Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor (1878-1932), recognizing his pioneering achievements as a Black athlete who broke racial barriers in professional cycling during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to strike the medal with his name and image, to be presented to Taylor’s great-granddaughter, Karen Donovan. It also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover costs, classifying all medals as national commemorative items under U.S. law. This is a ceremonial bill with no policy changes, solely focused on commemorating Taylor’s legacy.

Maddy summaryThe Insurrection Act of 2025 would clarify and limit when the President can deploy military forces domestically to address insurrections, rebellions, or widespread violence. It requires state and local authorities to be unable to handle the situation, with specific circumstances including obstruction of voting rights or Federal law, and mandates the state governor's request for assistance. The bill requires the President to consult Congress, issue a proclamation ordering lawbreakers to disperse, and submit a detailed report before deployment, with military action limited to 7 days unless Congress passes a joint resolution approving it for up to 14 days. The bill explicitly prohibits using National Guard members on training duty for these purposes and provides for judicial review of deployments.

Maddy summaryHR 3963, the Public Inspectors for Safe Infrastructure Act, requires state and local transportation agencies to use government workers (not private consultants) for inspecting highway construction projects funded under federal law. This applies to projects covered by Section 112(b) of Title 23, including design-build and 2-phase contracts. Agencies may temporarily use private consultants only if they lack sufficient staff, but such contracts are limited to 12 months and must be justified annually in public reports submitted to the federal government. The bill aims to ensure inspections are conducted by public employees with direct accountability, rather than external contractors.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 37 is a non-binding congressional resolution urging the President to establish a U.S. Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. The resolution does not create the commission itself but calls for its formation to acknowledge historical racial injustices (like discriminatory housing policies, the Chinese Exclusion Act, and forced Native American boarding schools) and catalyze efforts to eliminate racial inequities. The commission would focus on dismantling the "belief in a hierarchy of human value" and advancing racial healing, complementing ongoing efforts like H.R. 40 (the reparations study bill). It directly affects federal leadership (via the President) and aims to guide national policy, though it has no legal force.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires colleges receiving federal work-study funds to notify eligible students about potential eligibility for the SNAP food assistance program. It specifically targets students participating in federal work-study or receiving Pell Grants, mandating that institutions send email notifications with state-specific SNAP eligibility details and a document confirming their work-study status to overcome a key ineligibility barrier. The notifications, developed jointly by the Education and Agriculture Departments, include application contacts and guidance for schools on identifying eligible students. The policy change directly enables more college students to access nutrition assistance by clarifying their SNAP eligibility through institutional outreach.

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 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 summaryThe Paving the Way for American Industry Act amends a provision of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to require that yellow organic pigments used in road, highway, and airport surface markings must be manufactured entirely within the United States. Specifically, it mandates that the entire manufacturing process - from combining materials through the chemical reaction forming the pigment - must occur domestically, including the creation of new molecular structures. This requirement applies immediately to pigments in water-based paints for surface markings, with full implementation for all formulas starting two years after the bill's enactment. The Office of Management and Budget must update relevant guidance within 90 days to reflect this change.

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.