Rep. Jesús G. "Chuy" García

This concurrent resolution condemns the absolute criminalization of abortion in El Salvador and anywhere in the world. It also calls upon the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to recognize that total criminalization of abortion violates human rights.

Maddy summaryThe Words Matter Act of 2023 replaces the outdated term "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" across numerous federal laws and regulations. It amends over 20 provisions in the U.S. Code, Social Security Act, and other statutes - including healthcare, disability programs, and legal definitions - to update terminology used in areas like nursing home care, criminal justice, and federal grants. The bill explicitly states this is a purely linguistic change, not a policy shift, and does not alter eligibility, benefits, or program requirements for individuals with intellectual disabilities. It affects all federal programs and legal references that previously used the terms "mental retardation," "mentally retarded," or "developmentally disabled."

Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act This bill limits U.S. assistance to Israel and establishes reporting requirements related to Israel's activities in the West Bank and its expenditures for offshore procurement. (Offshore procurement involves spending U.S. security assistance from the Foreign Military Financing program on Israeli-origin rather than U.S.-origin defense articles.) Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of any funds that are made available for assistance to Israel to support (1) military detention, interrogation, abuse, or ill treatment of Palestinian children; (2) seizure, appropriation, or destruction of Palestinian property and forcible transfer of civilians in the Israeli-controlled West Bank; or (3) certain activities to facilitate unilateral annexation by Israel of West Bank territory. The Department of State must report on the nature and extent of such activities carried out by Israel. Further, the Government Accountability Office must submit to Congress a report on related topics, such as (1) identifying specific programs and items to which funds for offshore procurement in Israel have been allocated, (2) identifying all end-use monitoring to which Israel is subject with respect to U.S.-origin defense articles, and (3) assessing the extent to which offshore procurement funds have supported illegal Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.

Maddy summaryHR 3008, the Drug Shortage Prevention Act of 2023, requires manufacturers of critical essential medicines (like life-saving or emergency drugs) to notify the FDA earlier about potential supply disruptions. Specifically, manufacturers must report permanent production stops, interruptions, or unexpected demand spikes (not seasonal) at least six months in advance for production issues, or within 48 hours for sustained demand increases. The notification must include reasons, ingredient sources, alternative suppliers, and expected duration. The FDA will then share this information with healthcare providers and patient groups to help manage shortages. This law applies to drugs critical for life-sustaining care, excluding certain radio pharmaceuticals.

Maddy summaryThe SAFE Banking Act of 2023 would protect banks and financial institutions that provide services to state-legal marijuana businesses and hemp-related businesses by preventing federal regulators from taking adverse actions against them solely for serving these businesses. It clarifies that income from state-legal marijuana businesses can be considered for mortgage applications, and requires regulators to update guidance on suspicious activity reports related to these businesses. The bill does not require financial institutions to serve these businesses, but ensures they won't face penalties for doing so. It extends similar protections to hemp-related businesses, which have faced banking challenges despite being federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill would create a pathway to permanent residency for non-citizens who worked in designated essential sectors during the pandemic. It would allow eligible workers in healthcare, emergency response, sanitation, food services, agriculture, construction, and other critical industries to apply for permanent residence if they've been physically present in the U.S. since January 1, 2023, after meeting background check requirements. The bill includes application fee exemptions for low-income applicants and protections against employer retaliation for workers seeking documents to support their applications. It also includes special provisions for those who have been ordered removed from the U.S. to apply for status under this program.

Maddy summaryHR 3050, the Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act, changes how immigration authorities define a "conviction" for deportation purposes. It specifically excludes dismissed, expunged, or vacated cases, probation without judgment, and cases under appeal from being counted as convictions. The bill also requires courts to issue a formal recommendation against removal before immigration penalties apply for certain convictions. This directly affects immigrants with past criminal records who have had these specific legal dispositions applied to their cases.

Maddy summaryThe Returning Home Act (HR 2994) establishes a new federal grant program to provide rental assistance and housing support for individuals recently released from incarceration. It directly affects people leaving prisons, jails, juvenile facilities, or halfway houses who are at risk of homelessness or housing insecurity within 365 days of release. The program funds 24 months of rental assistance (60% minimum), housing counseling, case management, landlord incentives, and other supportive services like pre-release planning and mental health referrals. It authorizes $100 million annually for these services and prohibits funding for law enforcement entities.

Maddy summaryThis bill protects living organ donors from insurance discrimination by prohibiting life, disability, and long-term care insurers from denying coverage, raising premiums, or altering policy terms solely because someone donated an organ while alive. It also updates the Family and Medical Leave Act to include recovery from organ donation surgery as a qualifying health condition, allowing donors to take protected leave for this purpose. Additionally, the bill requires the Health and Human Services Secretary to update public educational materials about living donation benefits, risks, and insurance protections within six months of enactment. These changes directly affect living organ donors, insurers, employers, and healthcare systems by ensuring fair access to insurance and workplace leave.

Maddy summaryHR 2904, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023, establishes a National Center on Antiracism and Health within the CDC. The center will declare racism a public health crisis, conduct research on how structural racism affects health outcomes, and develop data systems to track health disparities across race, ethnicity, gender, and other factors. It will fund regional centers in minority communities, create public health interventions, and require CDC to report annually on antiracist efforts. This bill directly affects public health agencies, researchers, and communities of color by mandating systemic analysis of racial inequities in healthcare and public health policy.