Rep. Kathy Castor

Maddy summaryHRES 510 is a symbolic resolution recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Children’s Hospital Association’s Family Advocacy Day. It honors the contributions of children’s hospitals, patients, and families who share their health care stories with lawmakers, and commends the Children’s Hospital Association for its 20 years of advocacy. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but expresses the House’s support for pediatric health care and its call to protect access to care, address youth mental health, and strengthen the pediatric workforce. This is a ceremonial acknowledgment with no binding policy impact.

Maddy summaryHRES 514 is a resolution commemorating the ninth anniversary of the June 12, 2016, Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, which killed 49 people. It honors the victims and their families, recognizes the bravery of first responders, and affirms the need for continued efforts on gun safety and mental health legislation. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but serves as a symbolic statement of remembrance and support for the affected community. It directly addresses the House of Representatives and the public, emphasizing unity in the face of hate.

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 summaryThis resolution (HRES 501) amends House rules to allow two members - one from the majority party and one from the minority party - to jointly sponsor public bills or resolutions. It directly affects House members by changing the sponsorship process for legislative proposals. The key provision adds a new paragraph to Rule XII, permitting this cross-party sponsorship structure while updating related procedures for naming cosponsors and submitting constitutional statements. The change aims to facilitate bipartisan collaboration on legislative proposals within the House rules framework.

Maddy summaryThe ENROLL Act of 2025 modifies the Affordable Care Act's navigator program, which helps people enroll in health insurance. It requires states and federal exchanges to award grants based on an entity’s capacity to provide services, not whether they cover non-qualified health plans, and ensures at least one annual grant goes to community-focused nonprofits. The bill expands navigators’ duties to include explaining Medicaid and children’s health insurance programs (CHIP) in clear language, mandates in-person assistance options, and allocates $100 million annually from insurer user fees for federal exchanges starting in 2026. These changes directly affect navigators, health insurance exchanges, and consumers seeking coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

Maddy summaryHR 3910, the "Empowering Parents’ Healthcare Choices Act," allows parents to choose which health insurance policy covers their dependent child when both parents have separate health insurance policies at the child's birth. Specifically, parents must submit a joint notification within 60 days of the birth to select one policy as the primary coverage for the child. This choice continues until parents submit a joint notification to change it or until one parent loses their coverage. The bill applies only to children born on or after January 1, 2026, and affects families where both parents have separate health insurance policies covering the child.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires private firearm transfers between individuals to go through a licensed dealer who must conduct a background check. It applies to most private sales but includes exceptions for transfers between family members (like parents and children), law enforcement, emergencies preventing harm, and temporary loans at shooting ranges or for hunting. Dealers must provide background check notices in both English and Spanish. The law aims to prevent prohibited individuals from obtaining firearms through private transactions while maintaining existing state authority on firearm laws.

Maddy summaryHR 3867, the Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2025, increases compensation for chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees from $60 to $120 per case, directly affecting these trustees who administer consumer bankruptcy cases. The bill adjusts fee distributions to fund this increase, ensuring the bankruptcy system remains self-supporting without taxpayer costs. It also extends terms for certain bankruptcy judge positions from 5 to 10 years to address caseload demands. The bill does not change filing fees or alter courts' authority to waive fees for indigent filers.

Maddy summaryHR 3868, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2025, modifies federal firearm background check procedures to address delays. It requires federal firearms licensees to wait 10 business days after a background check query if the system doesn’t immediately flag a transfer, unless the buyer submits an electronic petition confirming they aren’t prohibited from owning firearms. The petition process includes a 10-day response deadline from the Attorney General, with licensees allowed to proceed if the system remains silent after 10 days. The bill also mandates detailed annual reports from the FBI on petition delays and GAO reports on implementation, focusing on how these changes affect firearm transfers to prohibited individuals.

Maddy summaryHR 3757, the Pride In Mental Health Act of 2025, provides $20 million annually (2026-2030) to fund grants for mental health services targeting LGBTQ+ youth, including nonbinary, intersex, and Two Spirit youth, and their families/caregivers. The bill mandates grantees to provide trauma-informed care, cultural competency training, school bullying prevention guidelines, and evidence-based practices while explicitly prohibiting the use of funds for conversion therapy or its promotion. It also requires the federal government to restore mental health reports on LGBTQ+ youth, conduct a national survey measuring mental health distress, and produce a report on mental health services for LGBTQ+ youth in foster care. The law directly affects these youth populations by expanding access to tailored mental health resources and data collection, with funding administered through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.