Rep. Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides housing loans and education assistance to Black World War II veterans who were denied GI Bill benefits due to racial discrimination, or to their surviving spouses, children, or direct descendants. To qualify, applicants must certify they were denied benefits on racial grounds under the original 1944 GI Bill and apply within five years of the law's enactment. The Department of Veterans Affairs must implement these provisions within 90 days and report to Congress on participation and program costs. It specifically addresses documented historical discrimination where Black veterans were steered toward vocational training instead of college, with only 6% earning degrees compared to 19% of White veterans.

Maddy summaryHRES 257 is a symbolic resolution expressing support for designating March 2025 as "Music in Our Schools Month." It does not create new laws or allocate funding but formally recognizes music education's value in schools. The resolution highlights music's role in cultural heritage, student development (including cognitive and social benefits), and existing disparities in access - particularly for students in underserved urban, rural, or high-poverty schools. It calls for greater support for music programs but does not mandate any policy changes or require action from schools or the government.

Maddy summaryHRES 256 designates March 2025 as Endometriosis Awareness Month, recognizing endometriosis as a common chronic condition affecting approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. The resolution supports raising public awareness, promoting early detection and culturally competent care for those with the disease, and encourages increased research funding for better treatments and a potential cure. It specifically highlights the significant impacts of endometriosis, including diagnostic delays (3-11 years), chronic pain, high healthcare costs ($13,000+ annually per patient), and reduced workforce participation. This non-binding resolution directly affects women and girls living with endometriosis and aims to foster public education and support through designated awareness activities.

Maddy summaryThe Safer Skies Act of 2025 requires specific smaller airlines to adopt enhanced security screening protocols currently used by larger carriers. It mandates that "covered air carrier operations" - defined as airlines operating under certain FAA rules, offering individual seats with public schedules, using planes with more than nine passenger seats, and not using TSA checkpoints - to follow the Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program (49 CFR §1544.101(a)) within 360 days of the bill's enactment. The Transportation Security Administration must revise its rules to enforce this requirement. This directly affects regional and private charter airlines that currently skip TSA checkpoint screening but serve the public with scheduled passenger flights.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require federal firearms licensees to prohibit sales of specific high-capacity rifles and shotguns to people under 21. It targets semiautomatic centerfire rifles and shotguns capable of holding more than 5 rounds in their magazines, raising the age limit from 18 to 21 for these weapons. Exceptions apply for active military members and certain government employees authorized to carry firearms. The law directly affects gun retailers and individuals under 21 seeking to purchase these specific firearms. It modifies existing federal gun sale rules without changing age requirements for other firearms.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 21 is a symbolic House resolution recognizing the persistent gender wage gap in the U.S., where women earn significantly less than men for comparable work. It cites specific data showing women overall earn 75 cents and women of color earn even less (e.g., 58 cents for Latinas) per dollar earned by White, non-Hispanic men. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges the economic impact of this disparity, including annual lost wages exceeding $994 million for full-time women workers. It also highlights designated Equal Pay Days for different demographic groups to underscore the varying timelines to close the gap.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds Medicare coverage for home-based treatment of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Disorder (a rare genetic condition causing lung and liver damage). It specifically covers "augmentation therapy" (replacement protein therapy) delivered at home by qualified suppliers to Medicare Part A and B enrollees with this diagnosis who aren't in Medicare Advantage plans. The bill establishes payment for intravenous kits and up to 2 hours of nursing services per session, set at 80% of the lesser of actual cost or a defined rate. It amends Medicare rules to include this treatment under coverage, effective January 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 50% tax credit for individuals purchasing qualified mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes, braces, or prosthetics. The credit applies to costs paid after the bill's enactment, covers up to three devices per year, and prevents double benefits by reducing other deductions for the same expenses. It directly affects people who buy these devices for mobility needs, allowing them to claim the credit on their federal income tax returns. The credit is designed to offset out-of-pocket costs for essential mobility equipment.

Maddy summaryThis bill redesignates the existing Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park as Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and establishes a separate Ocmulgee Mounds National Preserve in Georgia. It allows voluntary land acquisition (via purchase, donation, or exchange) for both areas without eminent domain, and requires the Secretary of the Interior to develop a management plan prioritizing cultural resource preservation for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The bill mandates tribal consultation, provides hiring preferences for tribal members, and ensures protection of sacred sites. It also places 126 acres of tribal land into federal trust for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

Maddy summaryThe Children’s Health Protection Act of 2025 establishes a new Office of Children’s Health Protection within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by a Director appointed by the EPA Administrator. The Office will identify environmental health risks disproportionately affecting children, coordinate federal programs to address these risks, and develop resources for schools to implement environmental health programs. It will also work with a permanent advisory committee to advise on safe chemicals management, evaluate environmental contaminants linked to childhood disease, and support healthcare providers through pediatric environmental health specialty units. The bill authorizes $7.8 million annually for the Office and $13.2 million total for the program through 2030.