Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a federal grant program to provide direct, flexible cash assistance to survivors of violence through community-based organizations, aiming to improve their safety and financial stability without requiring them to report crimes to law enforcement. The Attorney General would distribute up to $40 million annually from 2027 to 2031 to nonprofits that serve survivors, with priority given to organizations in communities with high rates of gun violence and incarceration, and those led by survivors or formerly incarcerated individuals. The legislation also requires states to conduct surveys on survivor needs and experiences, while explicitly protecting recipients from having their cash assistance counted as income for other government benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Energy Consumer Protection Act of 2026, strengthens enforcement powers for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to protect consumers in the electricity and natural gas markets. It allows FERC to ban companies or individuals who violate reporting rules or engage in deceptive practices from buying or selling energy and related services. The legislation also adds specific penalties for knowingly submitting false information about natural gas prices or availability to federal agencies. These changes apply to utilities, energy traders, and other market participants regulated by FERC.

Maddy summaryThe Veterans Legal Support Act of 2026 authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide funding to university law school programs that offer legal assistance to veterans. This funding, totaling $10,000,000 annually from fiscal years 2027 through 2031, supports legal clinics that help veterans with VA appeals, fiduciary appointments, benefits claims, and other civil, criminal, and family legal matters. The bill does not mandate specific outcomes but establishes a financial mechanism for law schools to expand their veteran legal services. It directly affects veterans seeking legal help and university law schools that operate such programs.

Maddy summaryThe Safe Tracks Act requires the Secretary of Transportation to update federal regulations within 30 days of enactment to apply specific safety standards to centralized computer-aided train-dispatching systems and centralized traffic control boards. This change directly affects existing and future deployments of these automated train control technologies used by railroads. The bill mandates that these systems comply with the safety requirements outlined in subpart H of part 236 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which covers critical safety protocols for train operations. By updating the regulatory framework, the legislation aims to ensure consistent safety oversight across all centralized train dispatching infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThe Civics Learning Act of 2026 amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to expand federal funding and support for civics education in K-12 schools. The bill directs the Department of Education to distribute $70 million in grants to schools, with at least 60 percent reserved for elementary and middle schools and a preference for programs that include hands-on civic engagement, constitutional history, and civil rights education. It also requires grant recipients to submit annual reports detailing how they meet civics education goals and ensures geographic diversity in funding distribution across urban, suburban, and rural areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program to help vulnerable mothers and babies in areas with high climate-related health risks, such as extreme heat and air pollution. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award up to $105 million over four years to community groups, healthcare providers, and local organizations for initiatives that provide cooling resources, health education, and support services. The program prioritizes areas with high rates of maternal and infant health disparities and requires grantees to address racial and ethnic inequities. Additionally, the bill creates a research consortium at the National Institutes of Health to study climate impacts on birth outcomes and funds training programs for health profession schools to better prepare providers for these risks.

Maddy summaryThis resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that stable housing is a fundamental human right that keeps families together, regardless of immigration status. It condemns a past administration's proposal to ban mixed-immigration status families from receiving prorated federal housing assistance and calls on the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to withdraw any such rule. The resolution also urges Congress to increase funding for federal housing programs and calls for a Government Accountability Office report on the impact of such proposals on family separation and homelessness.

Maddy summaryThe RECOVER Act of 2026 seeks to eliminate a specific payment reduction under the Medicare program, directly affecting Medicare beneficiaries who receive multiple therapy services and the providers who furnish them. Currently, Medicare applies a 50% payment reduction when certain multiple therapy services are provided to a beneficiary on the same day. This bill amends existing law to eliminate that 50% reduction, changing it to 0 percent. This change applies to therapy services billed under the physician fee schedule, as well as outpatient and comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation services, and will take effect for services furnished on or after January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThe Pets Belong with Families Act amends federal housing laws to ban restrictions on pet breeds, size, or weight in public housing. It allows landlords to charge pet deposits limited to 10% of monthly rent, which must be amortized over at least three months and fully reimbursed within 30 days if no damage occurs. The bill also permits limits on the number of animals based on unit size and prohibits pets declared dangerous by courts or banned by state and local laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Stop Deadly Denials Act of 2026," aims to significantly restrict prior authorization requirements for Medicare beneficiaries. It prohibits Medicare Advantage plans from imposing prior authorization for most medical services and items starting January 1, 2027, with non-compliant plans facing potential sanctions. For traditional Medicare, the bill blocks a specific prior authorization pilot program and limits future models from implementing prior authorization if they use artificial intelligence for denials without individual physician review or do not use Medicare administrative contractors for processing. Additionally, it requires public notice and comment for all future Medicare innovation models.