Rep. Jahana Hayes

Safe Schools Improvement Act This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex. Sex includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (including intersex traits). Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.

Maddy summaryHR 1383 extends the Secure Rural Schools program, which provides payments to counties and states with federal land (like national forests) to support local schools and services. It reauthorizes these payments through fiscal year 2026, adding specific rules to ensure counties don’t receive duplicate payments for 2024 and 2025. The bill also extends related authorities for special projects on federal land and county fund expenditures through 2028-2029. This directly affects rural communities adjacent to federal lands that rely on these payments for education and infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HJRES 63) would rename the Robert E. Lee Memorial, a National Park Service site in Arlington, Virginia, to "Arlington House National Historic Site." It directly affects the National Park Service, which manages the site, and all federal government documents, maps, and records referencing the location. The key provision updates all official references to the site to the new name and repeals two prior resolutions that established the memorial. As a procedural renaming bill, it does not create new policies or funding but changes the site's official designation.

Maddy summaryThis resolution symbolically recognizes polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as a serious health condition affecting millions of women and girls in the U.S., highlighting its impacts on reproductive, metabolic, and mental health. It designates September as "PCOS Awareness Month" to promote public education, improve diagnosis rates, and support better management of related health issues like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The resolution urges increased awareness and research but does not create new laws, funding, or programs. It directly affects individuals with PCOS, healthcare providers, and public health efforts focused on the condition.

Maddy summaryThe Social Security Expansion Act increases Social Security benefits for retirees and disabled workers by raising the first bend point percentage from 90% to 95% and adding an 18% increase for individuals eligible after 2025. It extends benefit eligibility for children who are full-time students until age 22 (from age 19 for most children) and establishes a new minimum benefit based on years worked, with higher percentages for longer work histories (ranging from 11.25% for 11 years to 125% for 30+ years). The bill also changes the cost-of-living adjustment to use the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers and adds new taxes on income above $250,000 and investment gains, increasing the tax rate on investment gains from 3.8% to 16.2%. These changes will primarily affect retirees, disabled workers, children of beneficiaries, and high-income earners.

Maddy summaryHR 1705 creates a new 30% federal tax credit for agricultural businesses investing in qualifying technology projects focused on specialty crop production. The credit applies to eligible equipment, software, and systems used in precision agriculture (like GPS-guided tools for efficient input use) or controlled environment agriculture (indoor farming systems with climate control and automation). Businesses can claim this credit for property placed in service after January 1, 2025, with projects needing completion by December 31, 2035. The bill specifically targets innovations that improve efficiency in growing, processing, or packaging specialty crops as defined in existing law.

Maddy summaryHR 1645, the Climate and Health Protection Act, continues the Climate and Health program within the CDC's National Center for Environmental Health (or a successor program) through 2026 and beyond. It directs the program to translate climate science for state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments; create tools to help communities prepare for climate impacts; and lead public health planning for climate change. The bill authorizes $110 million annually for this program, with a strict rule that these funds cannot be redirected to other CDC programs. This funding and structure directly affect public health agencies and communities preparing for climate-related health risks.

Maddy summaryThe Pell Grant Sustainability Act (HR 1666) requires the federal government to automatically adjust the maximum Pell Grant amount each year based on inflation, starting with $1,060 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This adjustment uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to ensure grants keep pace with rising college costs, directly affecting low-income students who rely on Pell Grants to afford higher education. The bill amends the Higher Education Act to mandate this annual inflation-based increase, rounding the final amount to the nearest $5. It aims to reverse the decades-long decline in grant purchasing power, which covered 80% of college costs in 1974-75 but only 31% by 2022-23.

Maddy summaryThe Keep Americans Safe Act (HR 1674) restricts the sale, transfer, and possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCFDs) - defined as magazines or similar devices holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition - for most individuals. Exceptions allow law enforcement officers (including campus law enforcement), retired officers, and nuclear security personnel to possess LCFDs under specific conditions. The bill requires new LCFDs to have serial numbers and manufacturing dates, permits federal seizure of violative devices, and authorizes federal grant programs to fund buy-back initiatives for LCFDs. It directly affects gun owners and manufacturers while preserving access for covered law enforcement and security personnel.

Maddy summaryHR 1657, the Humane Cosmetics Act of 2025, prohibits cosmetic companies from conducting or contracting animal testing for products sold in the U.S. beginning one year after the law takes effect. It also bans the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using such testing after that date, with limited exemptions (e.g., for foreign regulatory requirements or when no non-animal safety alternatives exist). The bill directly affects cosmetic manufacturers, retailers, and distributors by requiring them to shift to non-animal testing methods. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will enforce the law, including reviewing records and imposing civil penalties for violations.