Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky

Maddy summaryHR 6105, the No Toxics in Food Packaging Act of 2023, prohibits the use of specific chemicals in food packaging by deeming them unsafe under existing law. It directly bans ortho-phthalates (like DEHP and DBP), PFAS, certain bisphenols (including BPA), styrene, and antimony trioxide in all food contact materials. The bill requires the FDA to consider vulnerable populations - such as infants, pregnant women, and workers - when evaluating alternative substances. The ban takes effect two years after the bill's enactment. This law primarily affects food manufacturers, packaging producers, and the FDA's regulatory oversight of food contact substances.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax credit for video distributors (like cable or streaming companies) that carry content from independent programmers meeting specific criteria. Distributors earn a credit up to $0.30 per subscriber for new or expanded carriage agreements reaching at least 40% of subscribers, based on license fees paid to qualifying creators. The credit applies only to content from small, independent creators (not owned by large media companies, publicly traded firms, or networks). The FCC must submit biennial reports tracking how many independent programmers benefit from this policy, including average carriage duration.

Maddy summaryThe MOMMIES Act (HR 6004) extends Medicaid and CHIP coverage for pregnant and postpartum individuals from 60 days to 1 year after pregnancy (or longer, at state's election), ensuring continuous health coverage during this critical period. The bill requires states to provide full medical benefits, including oral health services, to pregnant and postpartum individuals for the entire coverage period. It establishes a 5-year demonstration project to fund maternity care home models in at least 10 states, focusing on improving care for underserved populations and reducing racial and health disparities in maternal outcomes. The legislation also includes requirements for states to maintain current coverage levels, enhanced federal funding for these services, and mandates reports on coverage gaps and access to services like doulas and telehealth.

Robin Danielson Menstrual Product and Intimate Care Product Safety Act of 2023 This bill requires the National Institutes of Health to conduct or support research on the extent to which components (including contaminants and substances used as fragrances, colorants, dyes, and preservatives) in menstrual products and intimate care products pose health risks to people who use the products or to the children of people who use the products during or before pregnancy.

Maddy summaryHR 6191, the Curtailing Executive Overcompensation (CEO) Act, imposes a new tax on large corporations with significant pay gaps between top executives and typical workers. It targets companies with at least $100 million in annual revenue (adjusted for inflation) and over $10 million in annual wages paid to employees. The tax equals 1% of either the calculated pay disparity (CEO pay over 5 years divided by median worker pay, minus 50) multiplied by the excess pay, or the company’s gross receipts. This applies to taxable years starting after the bill’s enactment, aiming to tax excessive CEO compensation relative to average worker pay.

Maddy summaryThe Truth in Tuition Act of 2023 requires colleges and universities to provide students with clear, long-term cost information before enrollment. Specifically, institutions must offer either a multi-year tuition and fee schedule or a single-year schedule plus a nonbinding estimate of total net costs (after financial aid) for the full program duration, assuming stable family income. If using the single-year option, schools must also share historical data on how accurate their past estimates were. This applies to all undergraduate and graduate programs and takes effect 120 days after enactment. The law aims to make tuition costs more transparent for students and families.

Maddy summaryHR 5983, the Clean Water Act of 2023, redefines "protected water resources" under federal law to explicitly include all interstate and intrastate waters (such as intermittent and ephemeral streams), wetlands, and their tributaries. This directly affects federal agencies like the EPA, states managing water quality, and developers or landowners needing permits for activities near these waters. The bill eliminates the Supreme Court’s narrow "navigable waters" definition from Sackett v. EPA (2023), restoring protections for tens of millions of acres of wetlands and millions of miles of small streams. Key mechanisms require the EPA to annually review and adjust exclusions from protections based on scientific evidence, ensuring water bodies critical to drinking water, flood control, and ecosystems remain safeguarded.

Maddy summaryHRES 819 is a symbolic resolution recognizing the 5-year anniversary of the October 27, 2018, antisemitic attack at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue, which killed 11 people. It condemns antisemitism and references rising hate incidents, including the Anti-Defamation League’s 2022 report of record antisemitic activity (3,697 incidents). The resolution honors the victims, expresses solidarity with affected Jewish communities, and reaffirms the U.S. commitment to combatting hate and protecting religious freedom. As a procedural resolution (not a law), it has no binding effect but serves as a formal statement of congressional stance.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores federal student loans for graduate and professional students by temporarily reinstating eligibility for Federal Direct Stafford Loans, which was previously terminated. It applies directly to graduate students who were excluded from these loans, preventing them from accumulating additional debt. The change is temporary, ending on or before June 30, 2023, and modifies specific provisions of the Higher Education Act without requiring additional rulemaking.

Maddy summaryHR 6079, the CHILD Labor Act, strengthens protections against child labor by defining "oppressive child labor" more clearly and expanding prohibitions on children under 18 working in dangerous occupations like mining, manufacturing, and meat processing. The bill requires Federal contractors and recipients of Federal financial assistance to prevent child labor throughout their supply chains, with new reporting requirements and significant penalties for violations including fines up to $750,000 per violation causing death or serious injury. It creates a new "child labor tag" system to identify goods produced with child labor and establishes a system for victims to seek compensatory and punitive damages. The bill also mandates regular reports to Congress on work-related injuries and deaths, with data collection to be conducted in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services.